Persian Gulf artifacts suffering as officials dispute where to …

Originally at: http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=181828

MehrNews.com, Iran – May 10, 2005

TEHRAN, May 10 (MNA) — Several artifacts which were discovered two years ago during underwater archaeological operations in the Persian Gulf are being kept in improper conditions at Tehran’s Masudieh Palace.

The items, which were the first discoveries in the field of underwater archaeology in Iran, include a 16th century helmet and piece of armor as well as an anchor and several dishes that probably date back to the Sassanid era.

Mahmud Mir-Eskandari, the Iranian archaeologist who made the discovery in the waters of southern Iran, said on Tuesday that the items were scheduled to be transferred to the National Museum of Iran in Tehran and to be put on display there later, but the Bushehr Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department was seriously opposed to the idea and asked that the items be sent back to Bushehr.

“Now, after two years, Bushehr officials have announced that they have no proper place to store the items for the time being,” he added.

Mir-Eskandari complained that this disagreement will eventually cause damage to the items, adding, “They need to be stored under proper conditions as soon as possible.

“The items were discovered in the harbors of Rig and Siraf, and the primary studies indicate that the armor and the helmet date back to the time when the Portuguese were in southern Iran in the 16th century, and the dishes and the fragments are from the Sassanid era.

“The discovered objects prove that the Sassanid ship was probably a warship which was sunk in the Persian Gulf.”

COUNTRIES IN THE PERSIAN GULF REGION

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