Steven Collins
October 30, 2007
 
The link below documents that the radical Islamic regime in Iran is methodically destroying ancient artifacts which predate the Islamic period. This story shows via photos how an important ancient site was demolished by construction equipment making a road, even though the site was supposedly protected as an ancient heritage site.
 
According to the headline of the article, the destroyed site dated to about “3000 years” ago. To provide a contemporary reference point for the site just destroyed, its age would put it in the general time period of Kings David and Solomon of ancient Israel. This wanton destruction of important archaeological sites should greatly concern all historians, archaeologists, etc. The Islamic regime’s apparent intent to purge Iran of its pre-Islamic artifacts endangers the artifacts of many important empires in mankind’s history, including the Assyrian, Babylonian, Achaemenid Persian, Seleucid Greek, Parthian and Sassanian Empires. Iran’s current effort to “purify” Iran’s very geography from non-Islamic relics and artifacts threatens all historical research efforts in a region of the globe which is very important to the understanding of mankind’s history.  As Iran continues the destruction of its own ancient historical sites, it is wiping out the evidence of what truly happened in ancient times. Maybe that is exactly their goal.
 
http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2007/October2007/30-10-overnight.htm