Tehran, 8 March 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- Iran’s Academy of Arts is to hold the 2^nd International Conference on Jiroft in a near future, aiming at examining the art used in the artifacts discovered in this historic site, located in Iran’s Kerman province. The Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) will also cooperate in holding the conference, the date of which will be announced later.

 

One of the richest archeological sites of the world, the Halil-Rud region of Jiroft was once home to a rich civilization which left behind numerous architectural structures and other archeological evidence, some of which have so far been discovered during archeological excavations and illegal diggings of the smugglers.

 

More than 700 archeological sites have been identified to this day along the 400 kilometer bank of Halil-Rud River in the cities of Baft, Kahnouj, Jiroft, and Anbarabad.

 

Discovery of four clay inscriptions bearing engravings is considered one of the most stunning achievements by archeologists in the region which drew in the attention of world archeologists to the mysterious civilization which once populated southeast Iran. Among the discovered inscriptions was a 3^rd millennium BC cuneiform tablet that is considered the oldest evidence of written language ever found in the region.

 

In an interview with CHN regarding the forthcoming conference on Jiroft, Bahman Namvar Motlaq, secretary of the Iranian Academy of Arts, said that the main objective behind the conference is to “introduce the civilization of Jiroft to the world and study the relationship between archeology and art.” He further added that the Academy is planning to invite all archeologists and researchers who have done studies on Halil-Rud region as well as research expertise affiliated with interdisciplinary studies in art and archeology to take part in the event.

 

Drawing a comparison between the arts seen in artifacts found in Halil-Rud region and those of other archeological sites of Iran would also be another subject to be discussed during the conference.

 

The first international conference on Halil-Rud Civilization was held in Jiroft 1-3 February 2005.

 

Maryam Tabeshian

foreigndesk@chn.ir