During the 7 seasons of excavations in Ashraf Hill, archeologists got access to an Achaemenid structure, a Sassanid fortress, and also remains of a Parthian city. But now, the ancient identity of Isfahan is being neglected due to management disputes.
According to Mehr News Agency, since the fall of 1399 (2020), the search for the history of Isfahan in Hill Ashraf has been stopped again due to the need for more funds. The ancient identity of Isfahan has been left to itself and buried under the dust of inattention and oblivion.
According to archeologists, Sarouyeh, better known as Ashraf Hill or “ancient fortress”, has a latency of at least 7000 years. Sarouyeh, which held a large library of the Achaemenids, was destroyed during the Arab invasion, and its remains have formed a hill near Mushtaq Dovom Street, in the East of Isfahan city. This street was paved in 1371 (1992), on 4000 meters of this 12-hectares ancient ruins, and buildings started popping up one after another. Now hundreds of cars travel on the ancient heritage and history daily.
During 7 seasons of exploration (between 2010 and 2020) in the full-of-mystery heart of Sarouyeh, archeologists found artifacts from the Achaemenid era, right upto the 18th century AD. The discovery of a layer of bricks and pottery from the Achaemenid period, Sassanid fortress and coins, pottery from the third century BC (Seleucid and Parthian), a cistern of the half-built structure of Ashraf palace, three graves and skeletons of Parthian ladies, a pit grave, a grape juice extracting factory, a metal smelting workshop, A Parthian coin, a Sasanian well and two Parthian wells are only a part of the unsolved secrets of the history of Isfahan before Islam in Hill Ashraf.
The ancient identity of Isfahan buried under piles of promises
In may this year, Alireza Izadi, former director general of Isfahan’s cultural heritage department, in an interview with Mehr News, announced the beginning of a new season of excavations in Ashraf Hill, in September, after a three-year gap, and added that this year, the excavation season will begin in an interactive and research environment, and that they would revive the neglected part of the ancient identity of Isfahan. Now, Izadi is gone from the Cultural Heritage of Isfahan. September is already ending, Ashraf Hill is forgotten once again, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage has no plans to preserve the ancient identity of Isfahan (famous as half-the-world).
In this regard, Alireza Jafarizand, the head of the archaeological team of Mount Ashraf, told Mehr reporter: The words of Yazidi, the former Director General of Isfahan Cultural Heritage, about the beginning of the new season of exploration in Mount Ashraf, were just words, and now he has withdrawn from this position, while a few months ago They had an interview about Mount Ashraf, and my question was, if this hill was so vital to him according to that interview, what steps did he take for Mount Ashraf when he was in charge of managing Isfahan’s cultural heritage? Why didn’t anything happen, and he didn’t even want to visit Hill Ashraf once and see what was there He added: “I have done some lobbying with other Departments for support so that the new season of exploration can start somehow. I hope that this time the Cultural Heritage Department will take action on time.”
The condition of Ashraf Hill is deplorable
Head of the archeology group of Ashraf Hill pointed out: My request to the Isfahan city council and municipality is to help Mount Ashraf to come out of this chaotic situation because Ashraf Hill needs fresh excavation, in addition to the fact that it needs to be walled.
He described the current situation of Ashraf Hill as deplorable, and said: “Sarouyeh is decaying day by day and disappearing. It has become a place for drug addicts and sleepers, and because of the current situation, it is regarded as a dark stain on the city of Isfahan.
Jafari Zand stated that cultural heritage has no budget for Hill Ashraf and reminded us that we are trying to get help for this matter through other institutions. The last season we worked in Hill Ashraf was in 2009 and was sponsored by the Isfahan Water and Sewerage Department. Now, there has been a pause in the excavations for three years. The problem is that the Cultural Heritage of Isfahan, due to having many historic sites, has not and will not pay attention to such an important site as Ashraf Hill.
He further said: “During the previous tenure of Isfahan city management, I convinced the members of the city council and the then mayor to take action for Mount Ashraf, but unfortunately, this did not happen due to the wrong method that the Cultural Heritage Department used.”
According to Jafari Zand, the cultural heritage not only did not cooperate but remained indifferent to this issue and the current situation, and even the meeting held in the Isfahan city council with the presence of the cultural heritage deputy has yet to conclude. He expressed his hope that this step will be taken. However, nothing has happened, and there has been no plan or meeting regarding the eighth exploration season.
Cultural Heritage has no funds for protecting Ashraf Hill
This archeologist pointed out that Ashraf Hill needs 50 seasons of excavations and said: “I have never said that all 50 seasons should be done consecutively, but at least one or two more seasons are needed, and most importantly, the walling of this structure is very worthy.
He continued: “In 1989 (2010), when our excavations started in Ashraf Hill, it was decided to put up a fence wall and a protective and guarding force in this building, but nothing happened since that year, and this hill remained unprotected; and our request to at least put up a sign board was not funded. Finally, a few months ago, a cement sign was installed. The cultural Heritage Department has not and will not put any effort into this site. Unfortunately, this historic and full-of-mystery structure has been left on its own. Various institutions need to take action so that the explorations will be successful. Otherwise, this hill will deteriorate day by day. Sarouyeh has become a motorcycle track and a place to sleep; unfortunately, year after year passes, and nothing has happened in Ashraf Hill!
Paper work was processed to secure a budget for the new season of exploration in Ashraf Hill. In response to the question that despite the promises of the former director general of Cultural heritage to start the 8th season of excavations from September this year, why hasn’t this happened yet, Shahram Amiri, director of Public Relations of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Isfahan province, told Mehr News reporter: “The problem is in securing the funds, and as soon as it is allocated and announced, we will start the new season of exploration in Ashraf Hill because it is a part of the history of Isfahan in this hill.”
He stated that correspondence has been done with the ministry to provide credit for the eighth season of exploration in Hill Ashraf, added: “We are waiting for allocation of funds and then only we can start work. And besides, I have no idea about the amount to be allocated, which depends on the decision in Tehran.”
Shahram Amiri stated that though this site was in bad condition in the past years, the situation has improved a lot because the houses built behind Ashraf Hill have been bought, and it has been walled and fenced; so you can’t say it has been left in God’s hands.
Ashraf Hill has ownership problems
Amiri says: This area is involved in ownership problems, and in parts of Mushtaq Street, there have been incidents in the past that it is simply not possible to completely enclose Mount Ashraf, but as far as possible, a fence was built, and a deed was obtained for nearly seven hectares of Mount Ashraf. The building is surrounded by a wall 80 cm to 1 meter high. He continued: All the houses around Ashraf Hill were bought and demolished, the area known as Halabi Abad, behind the Hill, had created an ugly appearance, and they were dumping garbage, but with the excellent cooperation of Isfahan’s Municipal District4, it was cleared of trash.
A part of Ashraf Hill is under Mushtaq II Street
Director of Public Relations of the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Isfahan Province added: Unfortunately, the street that was built nearly three to four decades ago passed right through Ashraf Hill and now a part of the hill is under Mushtaq II Street, and due to the constructions in this Now we have problems with the people and there are conflicts; It is challenging to fence these seven hectares, there are ownership disputes, but we tried to optimize the surrounding of the building as much as possible.
Amiri reminded: “Earlier, we consulted with the Isfahan municipality to turn Mount Ashraf into an eco-museum. Unfortunately, it requires heavy funding, which is hoped to be supported by both the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Isfahan Municipality because, based on our plan, a tourism axis should be created there. When tourists start visiting, the condition of the deprived part of this area, such as Jay Sheer, will improve.
Isfahan City Administration has promised to support Ashraf Hill
Mehr’s reporter also tried to talk with the head of the Isfahan Islamic Council and the Isfahan Municipality Renovation Organization about Ashraf Hill, which was unsuccessful, but Abbas Haj Rasouliha, the head of the Economic, Investment, and Tourism Commission of the Isfahan Islamic Council, told Mehr News: “The custodian for carrying out Ashraf Hill Excavations is primarily the Cultural Heritage Department. But, we also have to help, which will, because the Cultural Heritage Department does not have the funds and backbone to preserve such historic monuments and relics.”
He added: “Isfahan city administration will extend help for Ashraf Hill, like it has spent billions of Tomans to preserve the city’s cultural heritage, and Isfahan Municipality has always spent money to protect historical heritage in areas 1, 3, 5, and 6, and will also help for Ashraf Hill.”
Ashraf Hill, with an area of 12 hectares, was registered in the national heritage list of the country in 1310. The ancient structure of Sarouyeh is a treasure of pre-Islamic history and civilization in the land called “half-of-the-world”. The secrets of thousands of years, the unsolved mysteries of this ancient heritage, and their discovery and preservation are essential for today’s and future generations. The existence of such a treasure in any country is considered a potential for boosting tourism economy. In spite of all this, unfortunately, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage of Iran considers Ashraf Hill as a worthless ruin.
