TEHRAN – Several protective roofs, supported by steel and concrete columns and bases, are being constructed over the ancient Shahr-e Yeri, an archaeological site and cemetery referred to as the “city of the mouthless”.

Situated near Pirazman village of Meshkin Shahr, northwestern Ardebil province, Shahr-e Yeri is one of the earliest settlements in the country. The site embraces an Iron-Age fortress, three prehistorical temples, and tens of stones on which mouthless faces have been carved across 400 hectares of several small hills.

Construction of the protective roofs is expected to complete by the yearend (March 20, 2021), provincial tourism chief Nader Fallahi announced on Tuesday.

The site, which is inscribed on the National Heritage list, will be turned into an open-air museum.

The museum is also expected to open its door to the public by the end of the year, the official noted.

More than 10,000 ancient petroglyphs and rock-carved arts have been discovered in and near Meshkin Shahr over the past couple of years. Some of the objects bear depictions of human beings in archery, cavalry in rhythmic and magical themes. There are also petroglyphs depicting mountain goats, boat anchors, shooting and scenes of war, and scenes of deer hunting in individual and collective forms.

The rock art can be seen in some mountainous regions across Iran where roaming life and livestock farming are prevalent typically. The rock-carved figures of animals, associated tools are regarded as good clues to help shed light on daily life in the distant past, though some figures might be symbolic.

AFM/MG