IRNA - In the salvage archeological explorations adjacent to the Arghe Alishah and Fathollahof Mansion in Tabriz parts of the foundations of the ancient Tabriz Castle to which tourists and historians have referred to were discovered, the Public Relations Office of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) reported.


RICHT Public Relations Office quoted head of the archeological exploration team in Arghe Alishah Bahram Ajorlou as saying in the explorations pieces of the pottery dating back to the Islamic and pre-Islamic eras were unearthed.

Ajorlou, who is the associate professor of archeology in Tabriz Islamic Art University, said that the discoveries show that in the illegal excavations unfortunately historical layers have been damaged.

The archaeologist further remarked that the main aim of the explorations is salvage of the ancient monuments located in parts which have been illegally excavated in the northern part of Arghe Alishah and southern area of the historical Fathollahof Mansion.

He said that Tabriz Mosalla Foundation in the calendar month of Aban (October/November, 2016) in the absence of a permit from the Cultural Heritage Department of East Azarbaijan Province embarked on the excavations.

He noted that archeological explorations adjacent to Arge Alishah and historical Fathollahov Mansion of Tabriz were launched with a team comprising 20 archeological and historical monuments repair experts of the Islamic Art University of Tabriz as well as Archeology Research Center of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and
Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department of East Azarbaijan Province.

According to Ajorlou, the explorations will continue up to the New Persian Year (starting late March) provided that the required budget is financed and the exploration workshop is equipped.

Archeological explorations are underway adjacent to Arghe Alishah and Fathollahof Mansion in Tabriz with a permit from the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

It should be noted that according to Paragraph G of Article 114 of the five-year Fourth Plan Law, all the ministries, agencies and public institutions, prior to the implementation of any major development projects and in the stage of feasibility and locating, are duty bound to take measures for conducting �cultural heritage� cultural-historical studies and observe the results of the studies in the designing and locating of the mentioned projects.