Zoroastrian Towers Feed the Sky

Zoroastrians traditionally placed their dead in circular stone towers to be consumed by vultures. This ritual prevents a decaying body from polluting the sacred earth or fire.

This practice, known as excarnation, reflects a deep reverence for nature by keeping death separate from the elements used to sustain life. Because the group considers corpses to be impure, they built these elevated platforms to ensure the ground remained untainted. The birds effectively clean the bones, which are later collected and bleached by the sun. It is a unique approach to burial that turns a final departure into a direct service to the local ecosystem.