Also known as: Sasanian inscription in Meshginshahr, Sassanid Shapour Inscription, Kohne-Qala Inscription

About 100 meters to the east of the main square in Meshkin Shahr (Meshginshahr), this inscription is located in a valley named Dareh Baq Nowruz. On one of the slopes there is an inscription belonging to the Shapour II, the Sassanian. Kohneh-Qaleh inscription situated 150 meters from Kohneh Castle (Qaleh Kohneh).

The Middle Persian inscription dated in the 27th year of the reign of Shapur II (309-379), son of Hormazd II (302-309), grandson of Narseh (293-302), found at Meshgin Shahr (in Ardabil province) has since its first publications received but scant attention. The reason is no doubt the lack of satisfactory photographs.

The town of Meshgin Shahr (Meshkinshahr) or Khiyav is located in Ardabil province and 74 km northwest of Ardabil city. The site itself lies in hilly terrain, and there are numerous large boulders, on one of which the inscription was found. the old name of the site was Varavi (Varaavi) but in the time of Seljuk Alp Arslan, a Georgian noble called Beshkin or Peshkin wwas taken prisoner on the Seljuk campaigns in the Caucasus.
He converted to Islam and was given Varavi as a fief.Since in the old Iranian Azeri language, Meshkin replaced Beshkin. This new lord of the reign was an enemy of the Seljuk Aqsungur, but, the fief remained "the domain of Ibn Beshkin, lord of the area."

The town is situated on a road on the northern foothills of the Sabalan and in ancient times was located on the border between Iranian, Armenian, and Arranian (later the kingdom of Shirvan, at present the northern Azerbaijan republic) lands. Whether the castle mentioned in the inscription was a Sassanian military outpost against the Mughan steppe to the north is speculative.

This inscription is composed of the following sections:
Line 1-3: The date of the inscription goes back to year 300 before Islam.
Line 3-9: Recognition of the work of Hormoz for his six-year efforts during the construction of the tower.
Line 9-21: An advice from Hormozd to the elite of the city asking them to contemplate the beauty of the tower or to make an effort to build a better one.