The most ancient village of Yazd Province is being plundered by heritage thieves, the Young Journalists Club reported.
Turan Posht (also known as Turam Pusht), is a village in Dehshir rural district, Taft county. The village is 5000 years old. Villagers reported that the recent thefts mainly occurred at the ancient village graveyard.
Compared to a decade ago, the village is now less populated and thus has now become “a safe haven for heritage thieves and treasure hunters”.
There are beautiful tombstones in the village graveyard inscribed with Kufic calligraphic script. A number of such inscriptions were stolen a few years ago, but Iran’s Culture Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organizations (ICHHTO) returned the monuments, Hadi, one of the villagers said. But a few other inscriptions were recently stolen, without the ICHHTO being notified.
What remains are fresh imprints of the stolen slabs. New holes are dug around the village, but it is unclear whether something was found or stolen.
The issues stem from when a few foreign photographers showed an interest in the village and the artifacts. From that day on tourists and other enthusiasts rushed to the village, Hadi said.
Among the monuments of the village are two domed shrines, namely, Sheikh Joneyd at Ibn Abi Taher graveyard, and Chehel Dokhtaran.
