Editing Shiraz (section)

===Pre-Islamic era===
Though, there is no definitive record of its existence prior to the late 7th century CE, few archaeological finds dating from 1933 and beyond indicate that the site or vicinity of Shiraz was likely settled in the pre-Islamic era as early as the 6th century BCE.<ref name="BerneyandRing644">Berney and Ring, p. 644.</ref> A number of [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] and [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]]-era remains have been discovered around the city, including reliefs at [[Barm-e Delak]] to the east and [[Guyim, Shiraz|Guyim]] to the northwest, and ruins of Sasanian fortresses at [[Qasre Abunasr|Qasr-e Abu Nasr]] to the east and Fahandezh.<ref name="Limbert4-5">Limbert, pp. 4–5.</ref> The latter is identified with the fortress of Shahmobad mentioned as being in Shiraz by the 10th-century geographical work, ''[[Hudud al-'alam]]''.<ref name="Limbert4-5" /> the Sasanian and early Islamic-era clay seals found at [[Qasre Abunasr|Qasr-e-Abu Nasr]] mention the name "Shiraz" alongside the name of the Sasanian administrative district of the area, [[Ardashir-Khwarrah]].<ref name="Limbert5">Limbert, p. 5.</ref> According to the diplomat and academic [[John Limbert]], this indicates that the name "Shiraz" is traced back to the Elamite "Shirrazish" and that both refer to a settlement that existed at the site of [[Qasre Abunasr|Qasr-e-Abu Nasr]].<ref name="Limbert5" />

Interpretations of what type of settlement ancient Shiraz was vary. According to Berney and Ring, the lack of references to Shiraz in early Persian sources suggests the city could not have been more than a way-station in the plain in which it lies.<ref name="BerneyandRing644" /> On the other hand, according to [[Abdul Majid Arfaei|Abdolmajed Arfaee]], Achaemenid-era Shiraz must have been one of the most important settlements in the area.<ref name="Arfaee 2008">{{cite book |last1=Arfaee |first1=Abdolmajid |author1-link=Abdul Majid Arfaei |title=The Geographical Background of the Persepolis Tablets |date=2008 |publisher=University of Chicago |location=Chicago |pages=29–33 |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/142c3a3a61b1cf0a4710fd1dd240b728/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750}}</ref> He bases this on its frequent appearance in the [[Persepolis Administrative Archives]] (84 different tablets) as well as the number of workers present – in groups as large as 490.<ref name="Arfaee 2008"/> Most textual references to Shiraz involve rations for workers; it is never mentioned as a travel destination.<ref name="Arfaee 2008"/> Arfaee says that Sasanian Shiraz was relatively insignificant before its re-foundation in the early Islamic period.<ref name="Arfaee 2008"/> According to John Limbert,<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Limbert |url=https://www.mei.edu/profile/john-limbert |access-date=2024-03-02 |publisher=Middle East Institute |language=en}}</ref> however, Shiraz prospered between the 6th and 8th-centuries CE and was possibly the administrative center for the Shiraz plain until the modern city of Shiraz was founded.<ref>Limbert, pp. 5–6.</ref>