Ancient Persian Earthernware Sparks Debate In Iran

Signonsandigo.com ^ | 4-21-2004 | Christian Oliver

[blam]

Ancient Persian earthenware sparks debate in Iran

By Christian Oliver
REUTERS
4:58 a.m. April 21, 2004

TEHRAN – Artefact 90920 is wending its way from the British Museum to Tehran, where it has fired debate between those who see it as a national icon and others who say it represents all that is worst about Iran's pre-Islamic past.

The controversial relic is an unassuming 23-centimetre-long (9-inch) cylinder of baked clay covered in densely packed lines of Babylonian cuneiform script.

It is generally agreed to be the world's first human rights charter – but Islamic conservatives say it is redolent of paganism and a monarchy ousted in the 1979 revolution.

The British Museum's keeper of Near Eastern antiquities John Curtis said the museum planned to loan the cylinder after it was shown in Paris and Berlin but a date was not yet set. Iranian archaeologists hoped it would arrive in 2006.

When empire-building Persian monarch Cyrus the Great overwhelmed Babylon's army east of the river Tigris in 539 B.C. there was no victorious pillaging or torching of homes.

Instead he wrote his charter, the Cyrus cylinder, declaring that each man would be free to worship his own gods, no race would oppress another and no man would be enslaved.

In a move with sharp modern resonance, the conqueror also gave right of return to refugees.

Shahrokh Razmjou, a scholar at the National Museum of Iran working on a fresh translation of the cylinder, said the artefact kindled intense emotions among many Iranians.

"People feel strongly about it because it is about freedom and giving freedoms," he said. "People want to keep the connection to that golden period."

He said a joyous gasp had rippled around a crowded Tehran lecture theatre when British Museum Director Neil MacGregor announced to them that the cylinder would be loaned to Iran.

HARDLINE CRITICISM

Although many Iranians still name their children after ancient royalty and deities – Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, Roxana and Anahita – others are less comfortable with pre-Islamic times.

An editorial in the hardline Jomhuri-ye Eslami daily insisted the spiritual father of the modern nation, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, would not have approved of the loan.

"The late leader Ruhollah Khomeini believed monarchy was corrupt and the kings were traitors," the editorial read.

"So this move by the National Museum of Iran contradicts the political line of the founder of the Islamic system and is an attempt to revive the decayed bones of kings," it continued.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah, toppled by Khomeini's 1979 Islamic revolution, tried to identify himself with the greatness of the pre-Islamic kings.

Jomhuri-ye Eslami drew a parallel between the museum's loan and an infamous parade at the ruins of the city of Persepolis in 1971, when the Shah reviewed a march-past of troops clad in ancient robes.

But Islamists have tried in vain to remove the ancient Persian heritage from Iranian life.

Post-revolutionary attempts to stop the teaching of an epic poem about Persia's ancient heroes and monsters whipped up so much anger the plans were quickly dropped. Pre-Islamic warriors now advertise cola on roadside billboards.

Iran Air planes have "The Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran" painted on their sides, but their tailplanes are decorated with the winged, goblin-faced Homa – pagan guardian of travellers.

[blam]

GGG ping.

[farmfriend]

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[cavtrooper21]

Yep, all the bad things that all good mooslimbs hate...
Freedom
Civil rights
No looting, raping or pillaging.
and just generaly been decent...
I can see why the regime in Iran doesn't want it brought back.

[wagglebee]

Sort of like the Code of Hammurabi in Babylon (Iraq). The "Cradle of Civilization" has been relegated to barbarism and worthlessness all because of a hateful religion.

[Unam Sanctam]

The same Bamiyan-blasting mentality of the Taliban rears its ugly head. The mullahs are against civilization, culture and history.

[lonevoice]

How can the National Museum of Iran guarantee the safety of the cylinder?

[muawiyah]

Although Mohammad burned down the various totems dedicated to various pagan gods, he kept the Kaabah and the highly lucrative religious pilgrammages made to the Kaabah by folks outside of Arabia.

Modern Moslems are usually not as liberal as Mohammad when it comes to religious places that existed prior to Islam.

Must be because they are all hipocrites (which means, of course, in Moslem-speak, that they should be killed).

[blam]

"How can the National Museum of Iran guarantee the safety of the cylinder?"

"Iranian archaeologists hoped it would arrive in 2006. "

Maybe they figure the mullahs won't be around in 2006, huh?

[PokeyJoe]

Iran Air planes have "The Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran" painted on their sides, but their tailplanes are decorated with the winged, goblin-faced Homa – pagan guardian of travellers.

By the way, did you know that Iran Air has a terminal in Toronto with direct flights to Tehran, opened February 2003?

[lonevoice]

We can hope. :-)

[freedom44]

In 25 years time Iran's Islamic Republic has tried to eradicate 2,500 years of Iran's history. It's important to remember that Iranians are proud of their past and most Iranians are still ethnically "Persians".


http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Demographics%20of%20Iran

Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki 8%, Kurd 7%, Arabs 3%, Lurs 3%,Baluchis 3%, Turkmen 2%



As the first great conqueror of Indo-European blood, Cyrus's vision was to unite the divided Asian nations under the banner of justice and reconciliation. To demonstrate his exceptional tolerance and magnanimous attitude towards the defeated there is perhaps no better example than the decree he isssued in 539 B.C. at the conquest of Babylon:

Unprecedented, as it was, Cyrus graciously issued a decree for the emancipation of the Jews and rebuilding of what is known as the Second temple in Jerusalem. Some 50000 Jews held captive at Babylon returned freely to their holy land, which was the first major repatriation of the Jewish people after many years of exile and hardship. It is not surprising, thus, that in the Bible he is repeatedly (over 20 times) referred to, with glory and respect:

"This is What Cyrus King of Persia says: The LORD the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah." Ezra 1:2 (New International Version)

"In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninty feet high and ninety feet wide" Ezra 6:3 (New International Version) who says of Cyrus, "He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid." Isaiah 44:28 (New International Version)

"This is what the LORD says to his annointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut." Isaiah 45:1 (New International Version)

"I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 45:13 (New International Version)

In 525 B.C., only three years after the death of Cyrus, his son and successor Cambyses conquered Egypt. This conquest of the only remaining ancient oriental power rounded out the Persian Empire to include the whole civilised East from the Nile Delta, around the entire east of the Mediteranean to the Aegean, and from this western boundary eastward to India. This great achievement only took 25 years from the overthrow of the Medes by Cyrus.

[lizma]

These peoples remind me of the Euros.

So hungry to latch on to the past, so willing to ignore their future

[freedom44]

Tomb of Cyrus the Great in Iran. The Islamic Republic have neglected Persepolis - the Capital of the Persian Empire angering Iranians.

[aimhigh]

When empire-building Persian monarch Cyrus the Great overwhelmed Babylon's army east of the river Tigris in 539 B.C. there was no victorious pillaging or torching of homes.

Instead he wrote his charter, the Cyrus cylinder, declaring that each man would be free to worship his own gods, no race would oppress another and no man would be enslaved.

Modern day Islam says that 'human rights' is a Judeo-Christian concept that is incompatible with Islam.

[cavtrooper21]

His kindness to the Jews is another reason the Islamo-fascists don't want any mention of him made.
Imagine, treating those evil JOOOOOOs with respect and decency...

[JimSEA]

Instead he wrote his charter, the Cyrus cylinder, declaring that each man would be free to worship his own gods, no race would oppress another and no man would be enslaved.

Unfortunatly, as in China, Burma and Pakistan among other locations, the past has little relevance to the present.

[rightofrush]

The mullahs are against civilization, culture and history.

They're in love with history, as long as it's the last half of the first millenium.

[Russian Sage]

Jomhuri-ye Eslami drew a parallel between the museum's loan and an infamous parade at the ruins of the city of Persepolis in 1971, when the Shah reviewed a march-past of troops clad in ancient robes.

I have this image in my mind of Bush reviewing our soldiers in nickers and a three corner hat.

[SunkenCiv]

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