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Unprecedented
increase in unauthorized excavation in Mazandaran, north of Iran, has led
the archaeology of the country toward a crisis which entails a catastrophe
if not tackled properly.
The
lately increase of illegal excavations in Mazandran province, north of
Iran, has made the region a hub for heritage looters and illegal
excavators.
Mazandaran is an ancient province with one of the most significant
collection of antique items still unearthed. The discovery of
archeological artifacts which date back to 400 thousand years ago proves
the prominence of the region as one of the early settlements of humankind.
Archeological experts have recorded more than a 100 thousand illegal
excavation in the province recently.
“This number of unauthorized excavation has been unprecedented so
far,” said Ali Mahforuzi, the director of Mazandaran Cultural Heritage
Research Center, “and such phenomenon indicates the crisis we are faced
with in the field”.
“In a plot of land of one thousand square meters we have identified
traces of more than 250 unauthorized excavations while along side the 100
km stretch from Sari, the capital of Mazandaran eastward, traces of almost
100 thousand illegal excavations were discovered and recorded” he
mentioned.
According to this archaeologist, such massive number of illegal
excavations was totally unheard of not only in Mazandaran province but
also in the whole country.
Considering the massive lootings as an issue which has seriously raised
the alarm, he indicated: “More sites will be damaged if cultural
heritage special guards do not become active”.
He compared the extent of the crisis with Jiroft unauthorized excavations,
four years ago and asserted that these excavations damaged the unveiled
documents and will lead to irreversible egression of the artifacts which
belong not only to the province but also to the country.
Mahforuzi pointed out the damages done to the sites and said that most of
the damaged artifacts are rare and unique; therefore in many cases any
restoration will be impossible.
Experts consider poverty and lack of any specifically trained guard to
protect cultural heritage as main reasons of the spread of these illegal
excavations.
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