Parthian Chub-Tarash Archaeological Site is Being Neglected - Archaeological and Cultural News of the Iranian World

LONDON, (CAIS) -- Accidental discovery of a bronze coffin containing a skeleton with a golden blindfold and a gag during last year’s excavations in Chub Tarash (Čūb-Tarāš) village in Lorestan province encouraged archeologists to continue their excavations in this historical site. However, despite historic and archeological significance of this discovery, Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) has not yet provided the necessary budget for the excavations to resume in this area.

According to Araman Shishegar, head of the team of archeologists in Chub-Tarash and Sorkh Dam Laki historical sites in Lorestan province, last year’s excavations in Sorkh Dam Laki were postponed for a year due to lack of funding. However, he said that no budget has been considered for this year’s excavations either.

Discovery of a human skeleton in a four-handled coffin is among the rare cases in Lorestan province since almost no evidence of human settlement or architectural constructions had been seen in the area prior to this discovery. For this reason, discovery of the large number of bronze relics in Lorestan’s historical sites has puzzled archeologists.

Considering the invaluable objects found with the skeleton, archeologists believe that the coffin must have belonged to a person from a high social class, most probably a prince, who lived during the Parthian dynastic era (248 BCE- 224 CE).

Sorkh Dam Laki is considered one of the most important historical sites of Iran, enfolding many secrets about human settlement during the first millennium BCE. Two seasons of incomplete excavations have been carried out so far in this historical site.

Archeologists believe that the Parthian prince could help revealing some valuable information about the people of this area.

History of Lorestan goes back to the Iron Age. This area is particularly known for its exquisite bronze objects, most of which are dated back to the first millennium BCE. Despite the existence of valuable historical evidence in Lorestan province, the amount of budget allocated to archeological excavations in this historical province is not sufficient. Large numbers of rare bronze objects and a wide variety of war instruments such as different kinds of swords in different sizes have been found so far in Sang-Tarashan (Sang-Tarāšān), which is one of the most important archeological sites of this western Iranian province, located close to the city of Khoram-Abad.

Extracted From/Source: Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN)

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