Dozens of Parthian tombs discovered in southwestern Iran

TEHRAN,Oct.10(MNA) -- About 100 rock tombs dating back to the Parthian period have recently been discovered accidentally near Ahvaz, the provincial capital of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran. Khuzestan Cultural Heritage Lovers Society (Tariana) spokesman Mojtaba Gahestuni came across the tombs on mounds located east of the city, the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday. “I saw traces of cuts in the rocks when I was walking on the mounds. So, I began to search around more carefully and stumbled on numerous tombs, which had been dug in the rocks on the slope of one of the mounds,” he said. After Gahestuni informed the Khuzestan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department (KCHTHD), experts from the department said the tombs have not been previously identified. He also sent photos of the tombs to a number of archaeologists. Most of them believe that these structures are tombs, which the Parthians used to bury the bones of the dead, Gahestuni said. However, he added that one of the archaeologists surmises that the structure may be part of a system for storing and purifying water due to the order of the excavations on the slope. Gahestuni said that the structures are currently threatened by a plan to create a greenbelt in the area. He urged KCHTHD to take action soon before the area is destroyed by the plan.