Less than 1 km to the south of Qaleh Dokhtar, the first relief of several rock reliefs of Ardashir I Papakan (224-241) is depicted on the right bank of theTang-i Ab valley. Actually with this relief (measuring: 7m x 3.70m), Ardashir, established the Sassanian tradition of rock carving, which flourished up until the reign of Khosrow I (590-628).In the relief Ohrmazd is standing and investing Ardashir also afoot, the ring of sovereignty over a fire altar. Behind Ardashir stand the crown prince Shapur and two more princes. The very well-shaped figures are in profile and arranged like those in the relief of Mithridates II at Bisotun. The carving, however, shows a radical departure from Parthian work and a reversion to Achaemenid tradition.

 The last important Sassanian monument, in the Tang-i Ab gorge before reaching Firuzabad Plain is the Ardashir victory relief over Artabanus, carved on the surface of a vertical rock on the right bank of the river. This depicts a scene from Ardashir’s victorious battle against the last Parthian king, Artabanus (Ardavan) V, in 224. With its 18 m length and nearly 4 m height, it is the largest surviving Iranian rock relief. Six mounted figures are shown in three groups of single combatants: right, Ardashir transfixing Artabanus with a lance; center, crown prince Shapur overpowering Artabanus’s chief minister Dadbundad and left, a Sassanian nobleman grappling with a Parthian knight. The portrayal is strikingly dynamic as well as rich in detail. Hairs and beards, armors (chain mail), and horse trappings are represented with remarkable precision. The carving is in relatively low relief and has been damaged by weathering in the lower part.