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CAIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL NEWS OF IRANIAN WORLD© |
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Stronach and Parthian Sad-Darvazeh
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28 May 2006 |
LONDON, (CAIS) -- Head of Archaeological Research Institute affiliated to Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization stated that the institute had spared no efforts since three years ago for arranging a trip to Iran by renowned Scottish archaeologist David Stronach.
“Unfortunately though all efforts have so far failed,“ Mehdi Azarnoush
regretted.
Should the veteran archaeologist travel to the country, he could help prepare
the final report on the ancient city of Sad-Darvazeh (Sad-Darvāzé:
Hundred-Gate - also known as Qomes) in Damghan, Semnan province, he was quoted
by ISNA as saying.
The official explained that Stronach, who was director of the British Institute
of Persian Studies in Tehran during 1961-81, had carried out several excavations
at the historical site.
According to Azarnoush, the team came across historical remnants, while
excavating the ancient city. Sad-Darvazeh was one of the most important capitals
of Arsacid (Parthian) dynasty (248 BCE-224 CE) in mainland Iran.
“The 1979 Revolution followed by eight-year Iraq-Iran war (1980-88) had
naturally imposed limitations on cooperation with international archaeologists,“
the official mentioned.
Meanwhile, archaeological operations at Sad-Darvazeh were brought to a
standstill, he stated.
Azarnoush is worried that endeavours to invite Stronach to the country would
finally bear no fruit, due to the infirmity of the famous archaeologist.
“That means we might not be able to access all the information gleaned by
Stronach,“ he mentioned.
“He was supposed to come to Iran last summer to help prepare the final report.
Losing information collected by him would be a source of regret.“
Semnan province has had different names over centuries. However, most historians
have recorded its name as Qomes or Kumesh.
The oldest city in the province was called Qomes. Qomes or Sad-Darvazeh (a city
with 100 gates) used to be the capital of the Parthian Empire. Qomes was
discovered by John Hansman and David Stronach in the course of excavations in
1967, 1971, 1976 and 1978.
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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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