Ahmad Sebt Hosseini–
Historical museums are bridges to past events, linking our time to the previous centuries and creating an environment of learning.
Many people point to the establishment of the Louvre after French revolution in as the first museum in the world. But concept of public historical museums actually began in Iran. After Nader Shah’s conquest of India, he returned with precious gems and objects like the Kooh-e-Noor (the mountain of light), Darya-e-Noor (the sea of light), and Takht-e-Tavous (the throne of peacock), and wanted to display them for the kingdom to admire.
The archeological excavations of the 19th and 20th centuries drove the construction of the first Iranian museum. It was designed by French architect And
re Godar, a researcher in the “Dar-ol-fonoon” school in the 1930’s. The main façade of his design is an interpretation of the Sasanian and Ashkanian era ( 220 BC_620 AD), constructed like the high porch of the Kasra in Tisfoon, Iran or Hotra palace in Iraq, calling to mind the life of the nomadic peoples of the Iranian plateau.
Iran Bastan Museum
Other Sasanian era architectural masterpieces, like the palace in Firouzabad and palace of Bahrame Goor in Sarvestan inspired other portions of the museum, like the verandah and main entrance, which is designed to jut out beyond the structure, blending the internal and external spaces. This fusion of architecture and environment makes a statement about the fusion of man and his beliefs about the sky, nature, and God.
Tarry ceramics from 2nd millennium BC Azerbaijan and glazed ceramics from the Acadian era used for burial purposes are foremost among the exquisite art facts on display in the museum. A statue of a cow, a symbol of birth and life, came from a temple in Choghazanbil during the Elamite era. The famous epic of Gilgamesh, symbolizing the struggle between man and nature and the triumph of human knowledge is the image of man’s struggles in today’s world.
While exploring the historical eras within the Iran Bastan museum, some objects stand out, like the tops of the pillars of Persepolis, the great stone cutting of Achaemenids era, and works relating to the Hellenic, Greek, and Ashkanian (Partian) cultures. These include the precious stones, and exquisite art of the Sasanian era, as displayed in ceramic, glass, coin, and in arabesque stucco and tile.
This museum’s collections are treasures of humanity and represent the foundation and growth of civilization as uncovered through scientific archeological excavations. Every item has been carefully researched, identified, cataloged, and authenticated.
Collect and combine archaeological history museum objects, usually are possible by several ways:
1. Through direct drilling by a group of archaeological from sites and the percentage of the number of objects belonging to the group over the discovery that closed before or after our drilling between the Government parties.
2. Purchase from who has collections.
3. Purchase via auctions, particularly Paris and London.
4. Get the museum objects through illegal smuggling from the country to other country.
5. Carriage of objects without informing in writing and performing the act of heist.
View of the Museum and also in comparison with the world’s most important archaeological museums such as the British Museum, the Louvre Museum, Armitage.
The Iran Bastan (Iran National Museum) is one of the rarest of the Museums that its objects achieved by scientific ways with historical profile, place of discover, skillful and profession group and with awareness to the layers of history that have identity and each rated exploration certificate.
