Archaeology Museum to Be Opened in Dež-Bar Fortress - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural News of Iranian World©

LONDON, (CAIS) -- An archaeology museum will be opened by the end of spring in Dež-Bār (Falak-ol Aflak) fortress in Khoramabad, Lorestan province.

"The interior design and setting the articles of the museum have already completed, and now we are preparing the museum for public visit," said Cheraghi, manager of Dež-Bar museum site.

The project of establishing an archaeology museum in Dež-Bar historical fortress has been started since two years ago. In this project, three halls of the fortress have been allocated for the museum, where the articles which have been unearthed during archaeological excavations in Lorestan province will be displayed.

"This museum consists of some historical relics belonging to the old Elamite era which were discovered during the archaeological excavations in Lorestan province," added Cheraghi.

According to Cheraghi, the valuable bronze relics including swords, daggers, and some dishes which were discovered during the archaeological excavations in Lorestan province are the most prominent articles which will be displayed in this museum as symbols of Lorestan archaeology.

Archaeology museum of Dež-Bar fortress is the second museum which will be established in this historical monument.

Dež-Bar is a famous historical fortress inside Khoramabad, capital of Lorestan province, situated on the top of a large hill. Dež-Bar, means the ninth sky, is one of the most impressive fortresses of Iran. This gigantic structure was built during the forth Iranian dynasty, the Sasanids (224-652 CE).

Archaeologists found out that the Sasanid engineers had equipped the Dež-Bar fortress with a dehumidifier system which is one of the wonders of the ancient world. It has almost 5300 square meter area, including 8 towers, two quads, and 300 shelters. The tallest wall of this fortress is 23 in height, constructed by brick, adobe, and plaster. There are big halls on four sides of the yard which have changed into museums. What is interesting about this fortress is the existence of hidden escape ways in the southern parts and the underground areas in the north and east sides of the fortress.

This fortress was used as the Treasury during the 10th century and as governmental seat during the Safavid and Qajar reigns. However it converted into a prison during the reign of Reza Shah, the founder of Pahlavi dynasty, and in 1970 this fortress was transferred from the Imperial Army to the Ministry of Culture and Art of the time and registered as no 883 in the list of Iran's National Heritage. With establishing an astronomy museum and the bonze relics in 1975, the fortress was turned into a museum.

ICHTO is trying to find a way to inscribe Dež-Bar historical fortress in the list of UNESCO's World Heritage.