Islamists Busy Destroying More Persian Cultural Relics

From Payvand News

3500-year-old cemetery discovered in southwestern Iran Source: Tehran Times A cemetery dating back to 3500 years ago has been discovered in the Taj Amir region near the city of Yasuj in the southwestern Iranian province of Kohkiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad. Over 20 graves have been excavated so far by an archaeological team in the cemetery, which covers an area of over 60,000 square meters, team director Mohammad Rajabi told the Persian service of IRNA on Friday. The cemetery is estimated to contain over 500 graves, he added. Pottery, stone and bronze artifacts have been discovered beside the skeletons unearthed from the graves.  In addition, earrings, rings, daggers, bayonets, coins and pottery jars have been discovered in the graves. All the artifacts have been transferred to a museum in Yasuj, Rajabi said. About 8000 square meters of the cemetery have been destroyed by a construction project, which belongs to Yasuj University of Medical Science, he stated. A total of 70 graves have been totally demolished during the construction project and all artifacts located in the graves have been lost, an expert of the Yasuj Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department stated. "The destruction process is still underway," said Rahmani, who gave only his family name.

Destruction of Persian Cultural Sites Continues

I believe the Islamic regime in control of Iran at the moment has speeded up their program of destruction of historical Persian sites since the unrest resulting from the rigged Presidential election earlier this year. It is part of the Revolutionary Guard's systemic program of erasing all things pre-Islamic while exerting their control. Here is the latest: From Payvand Iran News 10/28/09 Sassanid site bulldozed in southwestern Iran TEHRAN, Oct. 28 (Mehr News Agency) -- Part of a Sassanid tepe was destroyed last week near Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan. The destruction was carried out by the Mehrab Housing Company for construction of a high-rise apartment complex, Khuzestan Cultural Heritage Lovers Society (Taryana) announced on Monday. No permission had been granted by the Khuzestan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department (KCHTHD) for the housing company at the site, Taryana spokesman Mojtaba Gahestuni said. [And yet the work went ahead anyway. Does anyone want to bet if the culprits will be brought to justice? Don't hold your breath!] The mound, which covers an area of 10 hectares, had already been damaged by a road construction project, installation of telecommunication poles, other housing projects and establishment of a bazaar, he added. Last April, KCHTHD's experts visited the tepe to convince Iranian officials to register it on the National Heritage List and to take action for the security of the site. However, so far, no decision has been reached by the KCHTHD for safeguarding the mound. Experts had observed ancient bricks, shards, and pieces of glassware scattered about near the construction projects underway at the site. Some archaeologists who have already visited the mound, believe that beneath the tepe, the ruins of a Sassanid city are buried, Gahestuni said.

Archaeological Site Destroyed in Iran

The Islamic Nazis in Iran are up to their old tricks - business as usual - while the prisons are full of fresh meat (due to recent upheavals that the regime is trying very hard to keep out of the eyes of the world) to torture, rape and kill at the leisure of the Revolutionary Guard. Isn't it ironic that the very things the Iranian people fought to overthrow 30 years ago are now embodied in an "Islamic republic." Here's the article from CAIS: A Large Parthian Site in Khuzestan Province Seriously Damaged & Partly Destroyed Tuesday, 14 July 2009 08:11 During the widening of a road by the Islamic Republic’s controlled Iran’s National Oil Company near the city of Ahwaz, a large historical site dating back to the Parthian dynasty (248 BCE - 224 CE) was seriously damaged and some sections were completely destroyed, as reported by the Persian service of the Friends of Khuzestan’s Friends of Cultural Heritage Society (TARIANA). Apparently the destruction of the site began over a decade ago by the Islamic Republic’s Construction Jihad Foundation. The name and the exact location of the site have been kept secret for security reasons. “Destruction of this important site which its’ name cannot be disclosed for security reasons, began in 1990s by the Jihad Foundation,” said Mojtaba Gahestuni, the director of Tariana. “The ancient site is over 150 hectares and there is evidence of mudbrick walls, large cut stones, stone-constructions, a fire-alter as well as decorated potsherds scattered over the site,” said Gahestuni. He continued “in this site there is a large cemetery which is covered with broken pieces of large red coloured-torpedo shaped earthenware urns, typical of Parthian dynastic art and black-wares dating back to the 1st millennium BCE.” Currently the ancient Iranian site is left unprotected at the mercy of the Oil Company’s bulldozers and smugglers alike. The responsibility of the security of the site lies with the provincial Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organisation (KCHHTO) but no action has been taken yet to protect it. Not so surprisingly, but ironically KCHHTO has been responsible for the destruction of many pre-Islamic Iranian sites in the Khuzestan Province. “KCHHTO is fully aware of the site’s cultural and historical importance, not only have no measures been taken to secure the site, but also no steps were made to register the site on the national heritage list or commission a preliminary archaeological survey to demarcate the boundaries of the site,” said Gahestuni. Registering a site in today’s Iran does not mean anything as many archaeological and historical sites which were registered on the list some since 1930s have been damaged and even totally obliterated and nothing was done to protect them, such as last years destruction of a Partho-Sasanian site in Susa. The Parthian site contains a free-standing stone structure which is believed to be a Parthian Mausoleum. “In the site there is a large cubic-structure made of stone and saruj mortar, which is 2 meters in height, 6 meters wide and has a 2 meter foundation. Primarily we thought the structure was an ābanbār (water storage), but it is more likely to be a mausoleum.” He concluded “if any archaeological researches are to be conducted on the site we will surly find the coinage and written-evidence to obtain more information about the ancient site.”

Susa Site to be Spared!

Good news from CAIS in a press release regarding this earlier story. Sometimes the good guys win, but not often enough, not often enough. ICHTHO Forced to Put a Stop on the Construction of Hotel in Susa 06 September 2008 LONDON, (CAIS) -- Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (ICHTHO) was forced by the media and Iranian cultural figures to place a ban on the construction of the multipurpose hotel complex in the perimeter of the ancient city of Susa in southeastern Iran. “The project was banned following a series of investigations by CHTHO’s experts,” Shush Cultural Heritage Centre (SCHC) director Mohammadreza Chitsaz told the Persian service of CHN on Friday. “The owner of the project can file a legal claim, however the owner is to be provided with a reciprocal parcel of land based on an agreement with the Shush Municipality,” he added. “It’s obvious that the hotel will never be built at the venue,” he emphasised. The construction of the hotel began in May of 2007 with the excavation of a 100x100 meter area to a depth of 6 meters following authorisation of the project by the director of Khuzestan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department and the backing of Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei director of ICHTHO. Ancient strata and shards which are believed to be part of a Parthian and Sasanian dynasties’ cemetery were totally destroyed during the construction. The strata and a large number of artefacts were destroyed and the earth excavated by loaders has been transferred to an unknown location by trucks. In his July press conference, ICHTHO Director Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei hopelessly tried to relinquish himself from responsibility and asked his office to investigate the case in order to determine the people responsible for damages to the site. It was Rahim-Masahaei himself who is also the Islamic Republic’s vice-president who endorsed the hotel construction and attended the commencing-ceremony. Under pressure from cultural figures and the media, he later claimed that he was not aware of Susa’s archaeological importance. The project was previously abandoned because it is located in an area that is also claimed by the Khuzestan Province Road and Transport Office. An expert with ICHHTO who wished to remain anonymous told CAIS: “What ICHTHO has put an stop on? Nothing. The damages has already been done, and 10,000 sq.m. of our history were razed. People like Mashaei are making a mockery of our nation and our heritage. How is it possible that a director of the organisation responsible for the protection of Iranian heritage is not aware of Susa’s historical and archaeological importance?” “Of course these people are aware of their crimes, because he was brought to power by his friend Mahmood Ahamadinejad to ensure the destruction of our country’s pre-Islamic heritage, and perhaps gather some wealth for himself in the process by taking bribes from wealthy but ruthless and irresponsible construction companies”, the expert concluded. Susa was an ancient city in the Elamite, Achaemenids, Parthian and Sasanian dynastic empires of Iran, located about 150 miles east of the Tigris River in Iranian province of Khuzestan. As well as being an archaeological site, Susa is also mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the places where the Jewish prophet Daniel lived. His tomb is located in the heart of the city of Shush. Susa is one of the oldest known settlements in the region, probably founded around 4000 BCE, though the first traces of human habitation dates back to 7000 BCE.

Iranian Islamic Regime Destroys More Persian Culture

10,000 sq.m. of Partho-Sasanian Site in Susa Destroyed to Built a Hotel From CAIS August 11, 2008 LONDON, (CAIS) -- The ancient city of Susa is renowned for its thousands of years of history and its resident-archaeologists are angry and tearful as the Islamic republic has rubbed them out of their heritage. Last week a hotel construction company belonging to the prominent members of the Islamic Republic bulldozed out 10,000 sq.m. of the pre-Islamic ancient Iranian site of Susa in order to prepare a foundation for construction of a hotel. Experts have dated the destroyed strata to the late Parthian (248BCE -224 CE) and Sasanian (224-651 CE) dynasties. The dug out area is 100x100 metres wide and 6 meters deep. During the excavation a human skeleton most probably being either Parthian or Sasanian, large Partho-Sasanian earthenware vessels, a large number of Partho-Sasanian potsherds and other relics were taken away and destroyed. The illegal permit for construction of Laleh Hotel was issued by Khuzestan’s Province Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation (KCHHTO). Speaking with journalists in Tehran, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei the head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation (ICHHTO) on Sunday, asserted the wrongdoers will be prosecuted. Although it was Rahim-Mashaei himself who attended the commencing-ceremony along with the director of KCHHTO, and ordered the construction to begin. To add insult to injury, when Rahim-Mashaei was questioned by journalists about his participant in the destruction of the site, the director of ICHHTO, claimed that he was not aware of the historical importance of the site. Susa was registered on Iran’s national heritage site in 1930s and every elementary school child in Iran knows the historical importance of Susa and its special place in Iranian history and civilisation. According to the archaeologists with the Susa Research Centre, the dug out earth from the site was taken away to a secret location unknown to them, perhaps to destroy any traces of pre-Islamic Iranian heritage.

The Iranian Cultural & Natural Heritage Year

Press release from CAIS, March 18, 2008: By Amil Imani LONDON, (CAIS) -- According to the World Encyclopedia, 'cultural genocide' is a term used to describe the deliberate destruction of the cultural heritage of a people or nation for political or military reasons. Since coming to power twenty-nine years ago, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been in a constant battle with the Iranian people as well as her culture and heritage. Over its life span, the Islamic Republic zealots have tried innumerable times to cleanse the pre-Islamic Persian heritage in the name of Islam. First, they declared war against the Persian New Year or “Nowruz”, and then, they attacked other Persian traditions and customs. In 1979, Khomeini's right-hand man, the Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkhali, tried to bulldoze Iran’s greatest epical poet Ferdowsi's tomb and Persepolis palace. Fortunately, the total bulldozing of the relics of the palace was averted by Iranian patriots who wished to preserve their heritage; who literally stood in front of the bulldozers and did not allow the destruction of this heritage of humanity. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which holds in great contempt any non-Islamic belief or heritage, has embarked on destroying many pre-Islamic archaeological sites in Iran such as Pasargadae and Persepolis -- some of humanity's most prized cultural heritage, on the pretext of building a dam. The heinous destruction of the two Buddha statues by Afghanistan's Taliban pales in comparison to the present barbaric designs of the Islamic Republic. Pasargadae and Persepolis are more than a mere collection of ancient structures. They are embodiments of humanity's historical respect for liberty and tolerance of diversity. For 2,500 years, the mausoleum of Cyrus the Great has stood on the plain at Pasargadae, a simple but dignified monument to a revered king. Many fear the newly built dam and reservoir, so close to Pasargadae, will pose a great threat to the tomb of Cyrus the Great, despite numerous reports that are coming from the Islamic Republic News Agencies stating otherwise. These archaeological sites are nonrenewable resources and each contains unique information about the human past. The loss of these precious and irreplaceable archaeological sites would forever seal our understanding of the world's cultural heritage that can never be recovered. We look at archaeology as a necessary and important endeavor that can reveal information essential to self-knowledge and also provide lessons for our future successes in managing ourselves and our uses of the planet we inhabit. The worldwide people of our planet are fascinated by archaeology and the secrets of our past. It creates wonder, enigma, delight, and surprise. There is a natural human curiosity and captivation about the past within most of us. We want to know more about it, to understand it, and perhaps to try to experience it. Archaeology is one way to do these things. They are our treasures left behind by the dwellers of the past. The Iranian culture and archaeology are so rich almost no place that one could say is devoid of interest. And certainly a list must be compiled of the sites which merit the most consideration. For the above reasons, 'The International Committee to Save the Archeological Sites of Pasargad' has proposed that the year 2567 of the Persian calendar (or March 20th, 2008), be named 'The Year of Iranian Cultural and Natural Heritage'. 'The International Committee to Save the Archeological Sites of Pasargad' has invited every concerned citizen to join forces with them in an innovative, grassroots, public-private partnership to offer research and interest in Persian cultural heritage. It is their goal and intention that people everywhere learn about the human origins and achievements. They hope that this would also increase awareness among the general public with respect to the cultural liabilities incurred by improper treatment of the archaeological heritage and degradation of archaeological resources through the looting of sites, theft of artifacts, and illicit international trade in antiquities. We were reminded by the events during the Persian Gulf War in 2003 which generated increased awareness of the vulnerability of Middle Eastern archaeological resources. Alexander H. Joffe, from the review of Managing Archaeology and Archaeological Remains, in Situ Preservation, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 1999 Vol. 58, No. 2, p.137 has noted: “The question is not if the battle to preserve archaeological sites and landscapes will be lost but how fast and how badly. When the last dam is flooded, the last minefield laid, and the last factory/strip-mall/apartment block finished, and when the few remaining big-name archaeological sites are fenced in and prettied up as “parks,” will more than a few people notice or care? Probably not! And that is a sad commentary on society at large and on us." The upcoming observance of The Iranian Cultural and Natural Heritage Year in the spring of 2008 is not just an Iranian event; it is humanity's most precious heritage event -- your and your descendents' heritage. It is an event of great value which is in dire need of your support. Generations of humanity will bemoan the loss of this living testimony to the nobility of mankind. The destructive hand of any kind of zealots must be stayed. Stand up, raise your voice and do what is in your power to preserve what is rightfully yours.

Islamist Regime Busy Drowning Iran's Pre-Islamic History

From CAIS: Lake Sivand Takes Shape and Busy Drowning pre-Islamic Iranian History 29 November 2007 LONDON, (CAIS) -- Lake Sivand (also Bolaghi) is beginning to flood the Bolaghi Valley, but Naqsh-e Rostam allegedly [will] be safe from the proposed railway line that could have damaged the structures of the ancient site. In an interview with the Tehran Times in the Bolaghi Valley earlier this month, Parsa-Pasargadae Research Foundation archaeologist Afshin Yazdani, who is based at Persepolis, said that the government has given preliminary approval to a plan according to which the route of the Shiraz-Esfahan railway line will be located 1200 meters from Naqsh-e Rostam, although the final decision has not been made yet. The earlier plan was construct railway track only 400 meters away from Naqsh-e Rostam, but the experts protested, confirming vibrations caused by passing trains would almost certainly broaden existing cracks in the tomb of Xerxes I and result in its collapse, and would also cause the total destruction of Ka’aba of Zoroaster within less than ten years if the railway line were to be located so close. It is believed that the affluent landowners, who wanted to sell their lands which are situated near the site of Naqsh-e Rostam have bribed[1] the authorities at the Roads and Transportation Ministry to place the railway route only 400 meters away the historical site. Naqsh-e Rostam is situated about 12 kilometres northwest of Persepolis and is one of the most important historical sites in Iran-Proper, since it holds number of tombs, belonging to the Achaemenid King of Kings, such as Darius the Great, his son Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II, all have been carved into the solid rock of the mountain. The site also contains bas-reliefs dating back to the Elamites as well as the Sasanian dynastic eras. Yazdani said that Naqsh-e Rostam was an important ceremonial site for the Elamites, nearly 1000 years before the rise of the Achaemenid dynasty to power. Yazdani also took me on a tour of some of the ancient sites of the Bolaghi Valley that will be flooded by the filling of the reservoir of the Sivand Dam, a process which is currently underway – quite unfortunately. The Bolaghi Valley, which has over 130 important archaeological sites, is located in Fars Province and stretches for about 15 kilometres from the Bolaghi Pass (Tang-e Bolaghi) to the Sivand Dam and then for several more kilometres after the dam. The Bolaghi Pass is about 4 kilometres from the village of Pasargad, which is beside the ruins of Pasargadae, the first capital of the Persian Empire. The area was previously called Tang-e Bolaghi, but since most of the ancient sites are in the valley that opens up after the mountain pass, experts changed its appellation to the Bolaghi Valley or Darreh Bolaghi in Persian. The Archaeological Rescue Excavations of the Bolaghi Valley Project was implemented from 2004 to 2007 to study the area’s archaeological sites. The filling of the reservoir of the Sivand Dam, which will flood a large section of the valley, began in spring 2007. In an interview at the Persepolis Complex last spring, Parsa-Pasargadae Research Foundation Director Mohammad Hassan Talebian told the Tehran Times that only 24 of the archaeological sites of the Bolaghi Valley would be submerged by the reservoir of the Sivand Dam. During our tour of the Bolaghi Valley, Yazdani showed me a wall and stone foundation of a monumental building of the Achaemenid dynastic era discovered by the Polish-Iranian archaeological team. At one Sasanian dynastic era site, we saw a large jug that was partly excavated, and nearby we saw a Sasanian basin. In addition, archaeologists found jars, potshards, and a house with a courtyard and hearth at the site. A jar with an Aramaic inscription of a quantity, which was produced for the royal system of agriculture, was also discovered at the site, Yazdani said. Near the Sivand Dam, we saw that Lake Sivand was taking shape and had already flooded some areas of the Bolaghi Valley. ********************************************************************************** [1] Since 1979 Islamic Iran ranks 88 out of 158 countries on the "Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index" (CPI) with a CPI score of 2.9 (a scale of 0 – 10 with 0 being the most corrupt). In real terms Islamic regime made bribery another form of income supplement to disintegrate traditional values and moralities among Iranian people, in order to pave the way for destruction of Iran. Corruption at every level have become an accepted part of every day life - from gifting the postman to make sure one’s mail is delivered to major corruption on the international level in the oil and its related industries. Also the cliques of clerics and their families in power accumulate unheard of wealth through corruption, bribery and embezzlement and live in opulence and luxury at the expense of the Iranian nation.

Islamic Republic Demolished Parthian Bridge of Negin

Released today from CAIS, although it is dated August 20, 2007: LONDON, (CAIS) -- Islamic Republic under the guise of construction of a new bridge in Shamim Yaar, one of the districts of Masjed Soleyman, have demolished 2200-year old Parthian bridge of Negin. The ancient bridge was amongst the best preserved and intact bridges of its type remained from Arsacid dynastic era (248 BCE-224 CE). This news has been announced by Mojtaba Gahstooni, the spokesman for the Khusestan’s Friends of the Cultural Heritage Association (Tariana). The 60 meters in length was the best survived Parthian water engineering example in the country, which was demolished despite the 100-meter legal protection boundary, imposed by Khuzestan Province Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (KCHTO). According to “Gahstooni”, the KCHTO in 2005 announced initially a 700-meter protection boundary for this monument was set and the Islamic regime’s Ministry of Roads and Transportation was ordered to observe this and keep its operations away from the announced area. However, the boundary was reduced to 100 meters in 2006 by KCHTO possibly from pressure from the regime in order to pave the way for its destruction and later to claim that was an accident. Shortage of fuel has been announced to be the reason of delay in sending experts of KCHTO to prevent it from total destruction; this is while the Islamic regime spends billions of dollars of Iranian monies in Iraq and Lebanon. Until this moment, none of the KCHTO experts or the regime’s authorities have answered to the request for an interview. After 1979 British-orchestrated Islamic Revolution in Iran, the ruling clerics who are of non-Iranian origin have been devoted themselves to destroy and erase all the pre-Islamic Iranian culture and civilisation, under the guise of construction projects. The destruction of this Parthian bridge is one of the latest examples of their animosity towards Iran and Iranian nation and their rich heritage. ************************************************************************************** This kind of deliberate destruction of ancient culture just makes me sick to my stomach. The Islamic regime in Iran is run by barbarians who are getting rich off the loot of Iran. That's exactly why the Iranian government stood by and did nothing as Jiroft was looted for months after its location was revealed by flooding of the Halirood River in 2001. The Guard was in on the looting wholesale - and probably gets a cut at every looting site around the country. What a disgusting, vile regime.

Islamist Regime in Iran Continues Cultural Genocide

From CAIS: UPDATE: Train Vibrations Threaten Tomb of King Xerxes LONDON, (CAIS) -- Vibrations caused by passing trains are likely to broaden existing cracks in the tomb of Xerxes I and result in its collapse if a nearby railway route becomes operational, archaeologist Mohammad-Taqi Ataii said during a seminar at the University Of Tehran (UT) on September 11. Entitled “Naqsh-e Rustam in Danger”, the one-day colloquium was held to survey the threats from the railway route to the tomb of Xerxes I at the Naqsh-e Rustam site in southern Iran’s Fars Province. “The [Achaemenid] builders of the tomb were aware of the natural cracks in the mountainside and built a canal to divert rainwater to a large pool thus preventing it from flowing into the gaps,” Ataii explained. “The cracks in the rock are already widening as the pool has become full. “This is happening as the result of a natural process and so far people have not made any effort to preserve the massive cliff. The situation will worsen if the railway route becomes operational.” Attaii’s remarks met with protest from an unidentified individual defending the railway project. The man, who must an Islamic regime’s agent who declined to introduce himself, said that according to seismographic studies, vibrations from trains using the railway route would not cause damage to the monuments in the Naqsh-e Rustam region. It has been rumoured that a number of the regime’s officials attending the ceremony denied that the man had any relationship with the railway project. The Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Roads and Transportation has not published the results of the seismographic studies. Experts have previously said that if the railroad, the embankment of which has been constructed at a distance of about 350 meters from Naqsh-e Rustam, were to become operational, train vibrations would eventually damage the monument and cause the destruction of Kaba of Zoroaster less than ten years. In December 2006, the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) and cultural heritage enthusiasts finally convinced the Ministry of Road and Transportation to alter the railway route. However the extent of the modification has not satisfied the CHTHO or the cultural heritage enthusiasts. The modification would place the route at a distance of 500 meters from the Naqsh-e Rustam site. Naqsh-e Rustam is an extremely important historical site since holds four Achaemenid burials including Darius the Great and Xerxes I, which have been carved into the solid rock. The site also contains remnants dating back to the Elamite period as well as the Parthian (248 BCE-224 CE) and Sasanian (224-651 CE) dynastic eras. In recent years the Islamic republic has stepped up its' cultural-cleansing of Iran’s pre-Islamic heritage under the guise of development projects. The regime has undermined and destroyed a number of major cultural landmarks associated with the ancient Iranian history in particularly the Achaemenid and Sasanian dynasties. Since the coming of theocratic regime to power in Iran in 1979, the regime leaders have dedicated significant resources to restructuring Iranian culture and values. Iranians are now vigorously-encouraged to choose Arabic/Islamic names for their children, and a large number of Iranian names have been outlawed. Many pre-Islamic historical and archaeological sites have been devastated under the cover of development projects: destroyed as part of highway and railway track construction; contaminated irreparably by chemical factories; undermined by nearby hotels; obliterated as part of mining; or submerged beneath dam reservoirs. There have even been threats to bulldoze Persepolis. In general, pre-Islamic Iranian heritage has been downplayed and undermined in favour of the promotion of Islamic culture, the Islamic way of life, and above all the Arabic language.

Archaeological Terrorism by Iran's Islamist Regime

The Islamists in control of the Iranian government are evidently intent upon destroying as many vestiges of Iran's pre-Islamic past as possible, including priceless archaeological sites: From Mehr News 6000-year-old prehistoric site totally bulldozed in central Iran TEHRAN, Aug. 14 (MNA) -- Bulldozers working for the Ammar Yasser construction project in Qom have entirely demolished the 6000-year-old Shad Qoli archaeological site in central Iran, the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday. “The license for excavation of the area was issued by the Archaeological Research Center of Iran (ARCI) two years ago at a time when approximately half of the site had already been flattened,” said Siamak Sarlak, director of the team which was to have conducted salvage operations at the location. “According to the cultural heritage regulations in Iran, the Governor General’s Office of Qom, which is in charge of the Ammar Yasser construction project, was responsible for sponsoring salvage excavations. However, the office refused to provide the necessary funds for carrying out the excavation work and we have recently been informed that the remainder of the site has been completely destroyed by bulldozers,” he added. The salvage team needed a sum of 50 million rials (about $5250) to excavate the site. “A dispute arose over which organization -- the governor’s office or the ARCI -- was responsible for funding the operation. Meanwhile the bulldozers continued the process of destruction, which has resulted in total loss of the archaeological significance of the area,” Sarlak explained. Archaeologists believe that people used to live in the Qoli Darvish Tepe, another nearby prehistoric site, but that due to the flooding of the Qomrud River they migrated to the Shad Qoli region and continued to dwell there for about a millennium. The Qoli Darvish Tepe, one of the principal pre-historic sites situated on Iran’s central plateau, includes the remains of a number of Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements. There is evidence that Qoli Darvish was inhabited from the fourth millennium BC until the ninth century CE. This area has also been seriously damaged over the past decade by the construction of the Qom-Jamkaran Highway, such that only ten percent of the ancient site now remains intact. MMS/MA END MNA 534635