Forty Two Archaeological Sites Threatened by New Dam Projects in Fars Province

Forty two archaeological sites and monuments in the southern province of Fars dating to different eras including the Achaemenid, late Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid, and Islamic, are threatened by the newly constructed dams which are to be flooded by end of the year.

These 42 sites have been identified during the preliminary studies by archaeologists behind Salman Farsi, Mollasadra, and Marvast dams and experts are hoping to uncover yet more ancient remains with extensive studies in the area.

The lake behind Marvas dam includes 7 historical sites and hills dating to the second millennium BC up to the Islamic period, that of Salman Farsi dam includes 15 sites from the Elamite to the Islamic era plus a monument from the beginning of the Islamic times, and that of Mollasadra includes a prehistoric hill, 13 graves of the Parthian era, and 5 other historic and Islamic sites.

Expert with the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), Alireza Asgari, told CHN that the dams are all constructed in historically important locations, including the lake behind the Salman Farsi dam which to archaeologists’ belief is the site of an important fire temple.

Since the flooding deadline is nearing, time is running out for archaeologists to carry out studies and salvation projects there. Experts believe more sites will be discovered when excavations are launched in these areas.

Source: CHN