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CAIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL NEWS OF IRANIAN WORLD© |
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Iran to Restore her Ancient Palatial Capital in Mesopotamia
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03 August 2006 |
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(Click to enlarge) |
LONDON,
(CAIS) -- Aiming to revive Iranian Heritage located in the
country today known as Iraq, the cultural authorities have expressed hope
to expand their relationships by cooperating in protecting and restoring
archeological sites, according to CHN (Cultural Heritage News Agency).
Visiting the World Heritage Site of Bisotun (Bistun) in Kermanshah province, the
Iranian Ambassador to Iraq announced the willingness of Iraqi authorities in
expanding cultural relations with Iran while stating Iran’s readiness for
helping Iraq in restoration of archeological sites, particularly Taq-e kasra in
the ancient Iranian capital Ctesiphon (MP. Tyspawn).
Sasanian Ctesiphon Palace, the legendary
throne hall of the Sasanian kings of kings, which today known to us as Tāq-e Kasrā (Kasrā Arch), Ayvān-e Kasra, Ayvān-e Khosrow and Ayvān-e Madae'n, is located about 32
kilometers southeast of modern Baghdad on the Tirgis River, near
the modern settlement of Salman-a Pak.
The ruined vault of the great audience hall contains the world’s largest single span of brick work, and city itself is one of the most prominent archeological sites in Mesopotamia. Ctesiphon was the winter residence of Arsacid (Parthian) Dynastic emperors (278 BCE-224 CE) and later became the official capital city of the Sasanid Empire (224-651 CE). In 637 CE the Arab-Muslims sacked the city, they massacred the inhabitants, pillaged the city, and looted the palaces and the imperial treasury. One of the treasures in the palace was Baharestān carpet, which was commissioned by the great Sasanian' king of kings, Khosrow I, Anushirvan (Anūšak-rūwān, 531-579 CE). The famous gemmed-carpet woven of silk and golden threats measuring 43m long and 25m wide, was cut into small fragments and divided among the Muslim invaders. According to al-Tabari, the prophet Mohammed's son-in-law, and Shi'a first imam 'Ali Ibn Abi-Talib, was the one who suggested to cut the carpet into pieces, which he sold his share for 20,000 Dirham. After the mass migration of Arabs from Arabian deserts to Iranian provinces in Mesopotamia, and the Arabization of the region, the historic site was abandoned and replaced by Baghdad by Abbasid caliphs. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi's introduction to his history of Baghdad, describes al-Mansur's demolition of the Taq-e Kasra and the reuse of its bricks for his own palace. The facade and arched hall or throne-room of a palace are among the ruins left.
The importance of preserving the Kasra arch as an evidence of the glory of the
Partho-Sasanian heritage has repeatedly been emphasized by the Iranian experts.
Last April, during the 3rd conference of Iran’s History of Architectural Style
which was held in the Iranian city of Bam in the Kerman province, preserving Taq-e
Kasra historical site as an Iranian heritage in danger and inscribing it in
UNESCO’s list of endangered world heritage were discussed.
According to Kazemi Qomi, Iran has been making negotiations with the authorities
of Helleh province in Iraq and the Iraqi Tourism Ministry for joint cooperation
with the aim of protecting and restoring Iraq’s historic buildings. He also
announced that Iraq’s Minister of Tourism will make a visit to Iran in a near
future to discuss this matter with his Iranian counterparts.
Maliheh Mehdi Abadi, director of Bisotun Project said during Kazemi Qomi's
unofficial visit to the Bisotun historical Complex, he suggested that the
Bisotun Research Center in Kermanshah can work together with Sayahi Office in
the Helleh province in their future projects. Considering that the Bisotun Research
Center succeeded in registering the historic site of Bisotun in the list of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites this year, Kazemi Qomi asked this Center to share
its experiences with the Sayahi Office so that Iraq could register some of its
most valuable historic sites and buildings in the World Heritage List, according
to CHN.
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Source: CHN
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"History is the Light on the Path to Future" |
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Encyclopaedia Iranica
The British Institute of Persian Studies "Persepolis Reconstructed"
The British Museum
The Royal Asiatic Society
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