Qasem Mansour Al-e-Kasir, a cultural heritage activist in Khuzestan, told Mehr News that just ahead of registration of the Susa in the UNESCO World Heritage list the excavations in the urban environment had destructed part of Susa monuments.
“The equipment was working on a street in Susa when it accidentally uncovered part of the Susa great historical relics; people’s gathering in the place and examination of the site by experts indicated that the monuments belonged to Parthian era,” he added.
“Experts believed the damage on the monuments by the equipment was irrevocable; the event highlights the public concerns over demarcation of Susa historical complex in a scientific manner; such events in the view of lovers of historical monuments rings the bell for other such valuable historical objects and sites inevitably found in the limits of Susa complex, and other reckless excavations by authorities would jeopardize such historical gems of the complex,” Al-e-Kasir noted.
“In dossier worked for Susa’s registration as world heritage site, the limits of the complex has been set as 400 hectares, which excludes possible extensions of historical monuments in urban environments, and despite indisputable evidence by experts and caveats on construction operations in these areas, it has gone unnoticed by authorities,” said Ali Darvishi, the head of Association of Fans of Susa Cultural Heritage site. “Years ago, a stone-carved staircase was uncovered in the vicinity of the place now under excavation, which belonged to Achaemenid era; now, it is on the public show on Susa museum,” he added.
“Such events show that in the past, urban parts of the Susa had been part of Susa ancient monument now buried by the city; delimitation of a historical place helps protect the site effectively; surprisingly enough, despite such events and excavations, which accidentally and indiscriminately damages historical sites, no attempts have been made to delimit such sites, or the event has been merely underestimated,” he objected.
The event coincided with the international experts and Cultural Heritage Organization officials to assess Susa for registration in UNESCO World Heritage list.
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