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 LONDON,
(CAIS) -- Archeologists conducting excavations in a
7,000-year-old mound named Mafinabad (Mâfinâbâd),
located in Eslamshahr city near Tehran believe that the
site could reveal valuable information about the
transition from the Neolithic to the Iron Age, reported
CHN.
However since the site is buried under a heap of garbage
four meters deep, archeologists first have to remove the
garbage to be able to uncover the invaluable artifacts
which are buried in the mound.
Archeologists say that Mafinabad mound also contains many
mysteries about the transition from the Neolithic era to
the Copper and Iron ages.
If the limits of the mound are specified, Iran’s
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) would
not have to spend about one billion rials in clearing the
site of garbage.
Mafinabad Mound was registered on the national cultural
heritage list in 1993 following some exploratory works in
the area.
The historical mound has for years been a subject of
debate among archeological circles after a statue dating
back to Selukid era was found by experts of National
Museum in 2002.
Although regular correspondence was conducted with ICHTO
to protect the hill, excavation works in the site were
overshadowed by other programs.
Given that a brick factory, which is located near the
site, uses the soil from the hill as raw material, many
archeological evidence were destroyed.
Officials from the ICHTO decided to issue a permit for
excavations by an archeological team which is to be
directed by Ahmad Chaichi.
However operations were delayed due to the failure to
allocate funds, which, according to him, gave rise to
illegal activities in the region.
Chaichi said that state bodies such as Tehran Governorate,
Municipality and City Council turned a deaf ear to calls
for the protection of the site and refused to extend any
cooperation in this respect.
He further said that the municipality did nothing to
protect the site and instead used the region for dumping
garbage.
He complained about the conditions facing the team which
is currently exploring the site.
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