The open space of Mausoleum of Sheikh Yousef Sarvestani in Sarvestan, Fars Province, is currently housing a number of old artifacts stacked on top of one another, ILNA reported.
Historical artifacts and relics have been piled up callously for the past five years, and Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) has not released a statement elaborating on the reason behind such careless attitude. Among the relics, there are broken columns, tombstones, and a gristmill.
Siavash Ariya, a historian and activist, says if those relics were in any other country, officials would be “blowing their trumpets” and demanding attention from the world.
“The relics are not even protected by a roof, or any other overhead covers,” he said, adding that authorities must establish a museum in the city to look after the relics. “Otherwise, they have to be transferred to another museum in the country.”
According to the ILNA report, after trying fervently to reach authorities for comments, the news agency was informed by ICHHTO that the relics were found during the restoration project at the mausoleum. It said there are plans to construct a roof above the mausoleum’s open space.
The mausoleum, built in the 14th century, was the home of Sheikh Yousef Sarvestani, who was an astronomer and moralist. After his death, his home was turned into a mausoleum. The structure was registered on the National Heritage List in 1938. One of the standout features of the building is its Sassanid architecture, and the structure’s masonry is remicnient of the Atigh Jame’ Mosque in Shiraz.
