Rain Shields Ruin Elamite Bas-Reliefs of Kul-Farah

LONDON, (CAIS) -- Low quality metal covers installed, supposedly to safeguard the Elamite bas-reliefs of Kul-Farah against rain have turned out to be destructive factors of the ancient relics.

The metal shields have decayed and rusted as a result of inappropriate and cheap quality of the installed sheets which the surfaces of the bas-reliefs have consequently become stained by rainwater containing ferric oxide, Izeh Cultural Heritage Lovers Society director Faramarz Khoshab told the Persian service of CHN on Tuesday.

All the protective covers have now been removed except the one on the sixth bas-relief. However, the rust stains still remain and are spoiling the relics, he explained.

The iron covers were to be replaced with vacuum glass display units, but studies proved that the devices would also cause damage to the bas-reliefs.

Consequently, a team of experts was tasked to device suitable methods for the protection of the ancient works of art, but they have so far been unable to come up with a solution to the problem.

Located near Izeh city in southern Iran’s Khuzestan Province, Kul-Farah is home to large Elamite bas-reliefs.

In recent years vandals have sprayed graffiti on some of the bas-reliefs on several occasions over the past few years.

Some information for this report was extracted from: Tehran Times [*]