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The
moulage of the skeleton of an Achaemenid princess
along with her bronze casket, jewelry, and pottery
are among the treasures to be showcased in the
exhibition of “Forgotten Empire: the World of
Ancient Persia” to be held in the British Museum
from 8 of September 2005 to 8 of January 2006.
The exhibition which collects its items from
Iran’s National Museum, the British Museum, and
the Louvre, is to focus on the civilization,
culture, and art of the Achaemenid era of Persia
The casket and the princess possessions are kept
in Louvre Museum since their discovery in Susa at
the beginning of the 20th century.
“At the beginning of the 20th century, diggings
by Roland De Mecquenem, the French archaeologist,
in the ancient city of Susa led to the discovery
of a bronze unlidded casket including the skeleton
of an Achaemenid princess, her jewelry and pottery
buried alongside her. The discoveries were sent to
Louvre right away,” explained director of the
Center for Achaemenid Studies, Shahrokh Razmju,
adding that since today no trace of the skeleton
is left, a moulage of the skeleton is to be
recreated for the exhibition.
At the time, a watercolor drawing of the casket
was made from different angles which will be of
help to experts to a make a moulage of the
princess and recreate the casket exactly as it was
the first day of its discovery.
The exhibition of “Forgotten Empire: the World
of Ancient Persia” will display some 400
historical objects from the Achaemenid period, 80
of which will be sent to London from Iran’s
National Museum, and the rest will be from the
collection of the British Museum itself and the
Louvre.
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