TEHRAN –New boundaries have been defined for five historical properties, which are scattered across the western Ilam province, CHTN reported on Monday.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has announced the exact legal boundaries of the properties in separate letters to the governor-general of the province, the report added.

The demarcation projects are aimed at preventing further destruction and damage as well as preserving and protecting historical sites.

Farrokhabad Archaeological Hill, remains of Qaleh Gol Castle and the Holy Shrine of Imamzadeh Seyyed Salah al-Din Mohammad are among those demarcated recently.

The lesser-known province of Ilam is located on the foothills of the Zagros Mountains. Unlike the north and northwest part of this province which is mountainous, the west and southwest are flat. It is a suitable place for nomad life since the geographical conditions are favorable for summer and winter relocation.

The common handicrafts of this province include carpet, rug, drugget, felt, and coarse blanket weaving. The majority of the people in Ilam are Kurds, Laks, and Lurs, they speak in Laki, Kurdish, and Luri. Based on the archeological excavations in Ali Kosh ancient area, the civilization of this province dates back to New Stone Age circa 8000 BC.

The land which is called Ilam now was a part of the ancient Elamite civilization that was formed circa 3000 BC and was destroyed by Assyrian King Ashurbanipal in 640 BC.

Elam was an ancient pre-Iranian civilization centered in the far west and south-west of what is now modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam provinces as well as a small part of southern Iraq.

ABU/MG