TEHRAN-More than 90 percent of the historical objects, being kept at the museums across the northeastern province of North Khorasan, have been documented so far. 

A total of 6,500 historical relics of the province have been submitted so far to the comprehensive databank of historical and cultural movable properties of the county, provincial tourism chief Habib Yazdanpanah announced on Wednesday. 

Noting that documenting and submitting the objects on the databank could help to identify and track them, and to monitor all their transfers more properly, he added that this project could also give accurate statistics of the relics to the cultural heritage officials. 

Within the next two years, all the historical objects being kept in the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department as well as the objects of the province’s museums are planned to be documented and submitted to the databank, the official added. 

According to the province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, 1200 historical structures have been identified, of which 655 properties have been inscribed on the National Heritage list so far.

Though North Khorasan province may not be the first choice of regular travelers, its tourism is getting momentum. Most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan according to Lonely Planet, but if you have time to explore, it's worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north. Although a lot of new building spoils the effect in parts of the village, Roein is considered Khorasan’s answer to the well-known Masuleh and is a possible starting point for hikes to little-visited mountain villages.

ABU/AFM