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A
hiding place dating to 500 years ago was discovered
accidentally in one of the villages of the western
province of Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, providing evidence
on human life there.
While destroying a mosque in Harouni village for
restoration, a tunnel was found leading to a hiding place
of 1.5 hectares and 5 meters deep. Remains from stables,
ovens for baking bread, and bones of farm animals such as
sheep were discovered in the place.
Director of the cultural heritage department of Chahar
Mahal va Bakhtiari, Ardeshir Akhundi, provides an
explanation: since the province has been on the route of
bandits during the Safavids and even before, villagers
made tunnels under their houses and farms to keep their
wives, children and animals safe from the attacks.
Akhundi says that such hiding places exist underneath many
houses and today are being used as storehouses for food
and grains; however, the recent one is archeologically
significant because signs of life were also discovered
within.
Following the discovery, residents and officials have
decided to rebuild the new mosque outside the perimeters
of the hiding place, and intend to preserve and carry out
more studies on the place.
Harouni village is located 35 kilometers out of the
capital city of Shahr-e Kurd and is considered one of the
old rich villages of the province.
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