Prehistoric rock arts of Teymareh, Markazi Province, which are said to be 40,000 years old, will be no more within ten years due to air pollution, according to environmental activist Behrouz Behzad.
In the past several years, Teymareh Petrogylphs in Khomein County have undergone a gradual process of destruction. As air pollution and acid rains get more aggravated each year, the petroglyphs are expected to disappear within a decade, Donya-e-Safar reported.
Teymareh is the oldest place in Iran, where traces of hard-working ancestors remain. The oldest discovered scripts of mankind are sheltered by rocks and mountains of Teymareh. So far, over 21,000 petroglyphs, dating back 40,000 years, have been found in Teymareh region.
In the 1970’s, Italians studied the destructive effects on their ancient stone monuments. Today, they use a chemical compound to prevent water penetration into the monuments. But ancient monuments in Iran receive no such attention, Behzad said.
Teymareh can still assert itself on the tourism map in the country, but there are many worrying factors working against it, including erosion, intentional damage and theft.
Behzad referred to the road and dam construction threatening Teymareh Petroglyphs. Over 7,000 rock arts have been destroyed in recent years. Markazi is an industrial province and has high air pollution. Acid rains have become more frequent and will bring doom to the petrogyphs in 10 years.
The ancient monuments in Teymareh should be introduced to the public. People aware of the significance of the petroglyphs, will apparently have more reason to protect the monuments.
The government, relevant bodies and NGOs should start taking strong measures against destruction of Teymareh’s ancient monuments. If designs of the petroglyphs are recorded and registered as a national brand, the rock arts are more likely to survive, Behzad said.
If the petroglyphs languish in neglect an ancient and valuable past of Persian civilization will be lost forever.
