TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have confiscated an ancient coin from an inbound passenger.

Customs police discovered an ancient coin from a passenger upon his/her arrival in Marivan, western Iran, CHTN quoted a local police commander as saying on Thursday.

The object, according to initial estimates, dates from the Parthian era (247 BC – 224 CE), Rasoul Moradi stated.

The commander added that the suspect was surrendered to the judicial system for trial and further investigation.

The Parthian Empire, also known as the Arsacid Empire, was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran. The Parthians largely adopted the art, architecture, religious beliefs, and royal insignia of their culturally heterogeneous empire, which encompassed Persian, Hellenistic, and regional cultures. At its height, the Parthian Empire stretched from the northern reaches of the Euphrates, in what is now central-eastern Turkey, to eastern Iran.

Parthian wealth obtained through lucrative trade networks resulted in substantial patronage of the arts, in particular, relief sculpture, statuary (large and small scale), architectural sculpture, metalwork, jewelry, and ceramics; coins with images of Parthian rulers form another important category of objects.

AFM