Zoroastrian Origins of Madagascar Site?

In the rugged landscapes of southern Madagascar’s Isalo massif, an ancient archaeological site known as Teniky has long puzzled researchers. The site features vast stone terraces, hollow niches carved into cliffs, and large stone chambers, unlike any other structures found in Madagascar or the East African coast. New research by archaeologists, led by Professor Dr. Stephan Schreurs and published in Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa, suggests that the site may have been built by a Zoroastrian community around 1,000 years ago, reports Phys.

If confirmed, this would mark a groundbreaking discovery, linking Madagascar to ancient Persian religious practices and the extensive Indian Ocean trade networks of the first millennium AD.

Teniky: rock-cut niche N1 with bench. (Schreurs et al. 2024/Azania)

A Unique Discovery in the Isalo Massif

The Teniky site is located in Isalo National Park, deep in the island’s southern highlands. Known to researchers for over a century, it was visited by French naturalists Alfred and Guillaume Grandidier in the 1940s, who hypothesized that the structures may have been built by shipwrecked Portuguese sailors. A later excavation in the 1960s uncovered a fragment of a 16th-century Chinese jar, hinting at a connection to long-distance trade.

However, these early investigations were limited due to the site’s remote location—nearly 20 kilometers from the nearest road, accessible only after a strenuous hike through rugged terrain. As a result, no detailed archaeological work was undertaken until Schreurs and his colleagues began excavations in 2019. High-resolution satellite imagery helped reveal the true extent of the site, prompting the team to carry out more focused field surveys and excavations.

At Teniky, they discovered circular and rectangular niches carved into cliff faces, stone basins, rock-cut terraces, and two large chambers supported by stone pillars. These findings were unusual, bearing no resemblance to known Malagasy architecture. More significantly, some of these niches had circular recesses that appeared to have been sealed with wooden or stone slabs, suggesting that they may have once housed human remains.

Zoroastrian Funerary Practices?

The architecture and purpose of the Teniky structures presented a mystery. The Portuguese theory seemed unlikely, as the first Portuguese ships didn’t arrive in the Indian Ocean until 1498, far later than the proposed construction of Teniky. Ceramic sherds found at the site were dated to the 10th-12th centuries AD, with some pieces originating from Southeast Asia and China, indicating that Teniky was part of the vibrant Indian Ocean trade network.

Looking for possible explanations, Schreurs and his team turned to regions historically connected to Madagascar through trade, such as Arabia, Persia, and the Indian subcontinent. They discovered striking similarities between the niches at Teniky and rock-cut niches in Iran, particularly in the Fars region, which had been used by Zoroastrians for funerary purposes.

In Zoroastrian tradition, the dead were not buried but instead placed in open-air niches called “dakhmas,” where their bodies would be exposed to the elements and scavengers. Once the flesh decayed, the bones would be transferred to smaller, closed niches known as “astōdans.” This practice was rooted in the Zoroastrian belief that the earth should not be polluted by dead bodies. The similarities in design led the researchers to hypothesize that the niches at Teniky may have been constructed by a Zoroastrian community.

Simila rock cut niches in the hills north of Sirāf, Iran (a-b) and Teniky, Madagascar (c-d). (Schreurs et al. 2024. Images of Siraf niches courtesy of Ali Aghajanzadeh/Azania)

The Persian-Malagasy Connection

This hypothesis is bolstered by historical records showing that Persian merchants were active in the Indian Ocean trade network during the Sassanid Empire (AD 224-651) and well into the Islamic period. The Persian port city of Siraf, for example, had extensive trade links with East Africa, Southeast Asia, and China. It is possible that Persian Zoroastrians, fleeing the Arab conquest and the imposition of Islam in the 7th century, migrated along these trade routes, eventually reaching Madagascar.

However, no human remains have been found in the Teniky niches, complicating the theory. According to American field biologist Steve Goodman, who has worked extensively in Madagascar, it is possible that local populations removed the remains over the centuries, perhaps for use in rituals. The Bara people, who inhabit the region today, have long been associated with complex burial traditions, including the use of human remains in magic.

While the absence of skeletal remains presents a challenge, the stylistic similarities between the Teniky niches and Zoroastrian ossuaries in Iran provide a strong basis for further exploration.

Continuing Research at Teniky

The ongoing research at Teniky aims to unravel these mysteries. Schreurs and his team plan to return in 2025 for further excavations, including the use of LIDAR technology to better visualize the site’s structures and terraces. One promising area of investigation is an 80-meter-by-80-meter section of the Sahanafo valley, where surface prospecting has uncovered pottery from China and the Middle East. The researchers hope that excavating this area will yield more clues about the origins and culture of the people who built Teniky.

Although the link between Teniky and Zoroastrianism remains tentative, the possibility that Madagascar once hosted a Zoroastrian community adds a fascinating new chapter to the island’s already complex history. Further research could provide deeper insights into how ancient Madagascar was connected to the broader world through trade, migration, and cultural exchange.

As Schreurs notes:

“Although I would like to stress that our interpretation linking the rock-cut architecture with Zoroastrian practices is tentative, the stylistic similarities of the stone basins and tables found at Teniky and those used in Zoroastrian ritual ceremonies seem to point in the same direction.”

Top image: Teniky: aerial views taken during excavations at the rock shelter in Zone 1, with 8 niches visible.                 Source: Schreurs et al. 2024/Azania

By Gary Manners