Posted on 10/05/2007 1:52:58 PM PDT by freedom44
PASARGADAE, Iran -- For the people protesting against it, a new dam near these sun-drenched ruins may be more than an environmental upheaval: In it they see an affront to the country's pre-Islamic identity.
For 2,500 years, the tomb of Cyrus the Great has stood on the plain at Pasargadae, in southern Iran, a simple but dignified monument to a king revered as the founder of the mighty Persian empire. But some fear the dam and reservoir pose a threat to the ancient structure.
They say the project may increase humidity in the arid area near the city of Shiraz, which they believe could damage the limestone mausoleum.
That may seem far-fetched -- officials dismiss it -- but the feud highlights deep cultural fault lines in attitudes toward the Islamic Republic's wealth of pre-Islamic relics.
"This is an illegal project which will harm our historical heritage," said Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a lawyer campaigning against the Sivand Dam.
He accuses the authorities of not paying enough attention to sites dating from before the Arab Muslim invasion of what is now Iran in the seventh century: "They don't care about pre-Islamic history."
Iranian Vice President Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, who heads the state culture and heritage organization, has suggested that groups "opposing the Islamic Republic" are behind the protests.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially inaugurated the dam, some seven kilometers away from Pasargadae, in April. Cyrus built the capital in the sixth century B.C. and is believed to be buried there.
Ringed by bare and tawny hills, Pasargadae is one of Iran's eight world heritage sites, though it is not as well preserved or famous abroad as Persepolis, erected by Cyrus' successors closer to present-day Shiraz.
Many Iranians still see Cyrus as one of their greatest historical heroes, who arguably created the first world empire and showed tolerance toward the different faiths of his era.
Cyrus conquered Babylon in today's Iraq in 539 B.C. and freed the Jews held in captivity there. He is also credited with authoring a decree inscribed on a clay cylinder, which some have described as the first charter of human rights.
"We are really proud of him. He was unique," said a man in Shiraz who gave his name as Reza Hosseini.
In his book "The Soul of Iran," American-Iranian journalist Afshin Molavi describes how Cyrus was praised by the U.S.-backed Shah but criticized by the Muslim clerics and leftist revolutionaries who toppled him in 1979.
After the revolution, one prominent ayatollah branded Cyrus a tyrant, liar and homosexual and even called for the destruction of his tomb as well as that of Persepolis. "Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed," Afshin wrote.
Even so, not much remains of Cyrus' Pasargadae: His multi-tiered tomb is the most impressive building even though it was looted and emptied long ago.
Government officials say the dam is needed to help farmers irrigate land to grow corn, rice, tomatoes and other agricultural produce. They have promised to closely monitor any climactic changes that result from the dam.
GGG
Iran pinglist?
"There is no nation which so readily adopts foreign customs as the Persians...As soon as they hear of any luxury, they instantly make it their own: and hence, among other novelties, they have learned pederasty from the Greeks." (1.135)
The Greek text reads paisi misgontai, literally "to have intercourse with boys" (or "children").
But Cyrus would have encountered Greeks only late in his life, after he conquered the Greek cities of Asia Minor, so the supposed introduction of this practice would probably be later.
One of Cyrus' decendants ... and not GAY?
New Plan to Renovate Iran’s Historical Cyrus Mausoleum
Payvand | 7/10/04 | Payvand
Posted on 07/11/2004 6:41:05 PM EDT by freedom44
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1169403/posts
Under Tremendous Pressure, Mullahs Agree To
Renovate Tomb Of “Cyrus The Great”
Persian Journal | 5-29-2006
Posted on 06/06/2006 5:11:28 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1644522/posts
Destruction of Historic Sites in Iran Taliban Style
RoozOnline | 9/16/06 | RoozOnline
Posted on 09/16/2006 6:05:13 PM EDT by freedom44
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1702793/posts
Iran’s Rich Architecture And Rare Treasures
Threatened By Possible US Strikes
The Guardian (UK) | 3-5-2007 | Maev Kennedy
Posted on 03/05/2007 7:11:33 PM EST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1795748/posts
Iran dam said to threaten ancient sites
AP on Yahoo | 4/19/07 | Ali Akbar Dareini - ap
Posted on 04/19/2007 11:02:43 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1820406/posts
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Ahmadinejad is obviously the descendant of the Arab Muslim invaders.
Alexander the Great ascended those very steps to pay homage to the great Persian king.
I checked out a movie from my library about modern day Zoroastrians in Iran who keep the flame of Ahura Mazda alive at various sites across the country. Interesting film, I’ll see if I can find it online and send you a link. It was a travelogue as well as an adventure of the soul.
Available at Amazon, film called Mystic Iran takes us to sites still dedicated to the religion of the time of Cyrus:
“Join filmmaker Aryana Farshad on a mesmerizing journey deep into the heart of her native Iran. Shot entirely on location, this unprecedented cinematic tour reveals spiritual rites and rituals hidden for centuries. From the women’s chamber of the Great Mosque, to the temple-caves in the land of Zarathustra, to the sacred dance of the Dervishes in Kurdistan, discover religious ceremonies and locations never before seen by the outside world.”
Thanks Veto!.
ping
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