TEHRAN – An exhibition of Iron-Age artifacts, known as Marlik collection, has opened its doors to the public at a museum in the city of Rasht, northern Gilan province.

The collection includes a magnificent gold cup and some 60 other artifacts, which are on loan from the National Museum of Iran, ISNA reported.

Dating back to some three millennia ago, the Marlik artifacts were excavated in the early 1960s through several rounds of excavations supervised by prominent Iranian archaeologist Ezatollah Negahban.

Situated near the city of Roudbar, Marlik used to be a royal cemetery. It yielded a handful of tomb chambers, skeletal remains and artifacts with amazing gold workmanship.

The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age system, preceded by the Stone Age (Neolithic) and the Bronze Age.

The exhibit will be running through June 3.

PHOTO: An Iron-Age gold cup excavated from Marlik

AFM/MQ/MG