TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has determined exact legal boundaries for Qareh Hasanlu in a bid to safeguard the Iron Age site from possible harm, including that of a steel factory being constructed kilometers away.

The cultural heritage ministry has approved legal boundaries for Qareh Hasanlu, which has yielded relics from various eras including the Iron Age and Parthian epoch (247 BC ––224 CE), Ardabil province’s tourism chief said on Tuesday.

Referring to nearby structures, Hassan Mohammadi Adib said: “A steel factory is currently being constructed beyond the archaeological site’s borders.”

Over the past two years, a number of cultural heritage fans expressed wariness over the fate of Qareh Hasanlu as the steel factory was to be constructed nearby.

The demarcation project was started last September by a team of cultural heritage experts and archaeologists under the supervision of the Research Institute for Cultural Heritage & Tourism which would affect the fate of the steel company.

“Establishing a steel factory is not associated with the devastation of the ancient site, and protecting the ancient site of Qara Hasanlu does not mean preventing the operation of the steel factory, and both may coexist,” a local official said.

“Protection for this ancient site is our main duty, but outside of the ancient area, we cannot prevent the operation of the steel factory, and issuing or not issuing a license for the operation of this factory is not in the scope of the authority of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage.

Later, an Iranian MP said Qareh Hasanlu should be preserved against a developing steel factory nearby. Ali Nikzad, who represents the cities of Ardabil, Nir, Namin, and Sarein, said that cultural heritage criteria will be taken into consideration for constructing the factory. “The state-run factory is not supposed to be constructed on the ruins of the archaeological site… Additionally, its stakeholders have collaborated with the Research Institute for Cultural Heritage and Tourism for a recent survey,” Nikzad explained.

Last year, archaeologists discovered arrays of relics and the ruins of an ancient building in the northwestern site, estimated to date from the Parthian era. Their excavation was launched to safeguard and protect the historical site against further destruction on the one hand, and to identify comprehensive information on possible cultural layers, particularly Iron Age settlements, on the other hand.

Ardabil’s cultural heritage department hopes to win national recognition for Qareh Hasanlu, which has yielded relics and ruins in previous excavations.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and the Shrine Ensemble. The province is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

AFM