TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage body is working on possible inscription of Hasanlu, a millennia-old archaeological site, on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

“An all-inclusive dossier on Hasanlu has been compiled and is ready to be submitted to the UN cultural body,” IRNA quoted Hassan Shiri, director of the site, as saying on Wednesday.

“Some 2,600 people have toured the site since the beginning of the current [Iranian calendar] year (started on March 2018), which shows 45 percent year-on-year increase,” the official said.

“The historical site annually plays host to some 10,000 visitors on average… and in 2013, an archaeological museum opened its doors to the public adjacent to the site, showcasing 124 of the relics which have so far been excavated here,” the official explained.

The Golden Bowl of Hasanlu, ca. 900 BC, National Museum of Iran

The excavations has revealed important knowledge about the prehistory of northwestern Iran, particularly during the late 2nd and early 1st millennia BC.

Among the most important objects uncovered at Hasanlu were an unusually decorated silver bowl, several iron garment pins headed by bronze lions, a solid gold bowl, a knife handle with gold cloisonné, and two hollow bronze horse heads that served to hold liquids.

According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, Hasanlu was inhabited from about 2100 to about 825 BC, but the richest period yet excavated dates to the 10th and 9th centuries BC. The period, often called “Mannaean” after the name of the people who lived in the area, is characterized by a gray pottery accompanied by black and red varieties, the black ware being of much finer quality and probably made in imitation of metal vessels

Bronze drinking vessel, Hasanlu, 1st million BC

Experts say parallels to the motifs on the Hasanlu objects have been found in Elam, Assyria, north Syria, and Urartu, indicating that Iran not only received considerable cultural and artistic stimuli from other areas but also in turn exerted influence on the Middle East.

Iran currently has 23 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the latest of which, “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region”, gained the privilege on June 30.

AFM/MQ/MG