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Part 1 & 2: Arrogance and ignorance

 
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cyrus
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:27 pm    Post subject: Part 1 & 2: Arrogance and ignorance Reply with quote

Arrogance and ignorance

You motivated me to look into the Sivand Dam controversy and to read. You empowered me to take a stand on this issue and to dig into the subject myself.



September 28, 2005
Source http://fassihi.blogspot.com/

What is Pasargad and what is being destroyed? What is Tang-e-Bolaghi? And is our heritage at risk?

These are serious questions relating to our origins. But before we embark on answering some of these questions, I must address a few articles already written on this site.

When the article “Safe and Sound” appeared by Kamran Abdi and Touraj Daryaee, I was excited. I must admit, I was one of those “fellow Iranians who were misinformed” and for the authors to clarify some of the “misunderstanding” was important.

More importantly, these authors were “professional historian”. They addressed each other as “professors” - as any respectable academician would - and “professor” Abdi was even given the honor of being called “eminent archeologist” by “professor” Daryaee in one of the articles.

What better? I was excited. Two “experts” on the field were about to give their opinions on one of the most important locations in our history.

Of-course, I wasn’t too concerned about the Tomb of Cyrus and Takh-e-Jamshid. After all, with a brief review of what is out there, one can quickly come to the conclusion that the Tomb of Cyrus, the adjacent palaces and Takht-e-Jamshid will not be flooded. But what is being flooded?

The article starts out by referring us to Iranian Cultural Heritage site whose job is to “inform” us of such “misunderstandings”. Thanks for the reference “professors,” but there are over 40 articles there and it would have been nice for a “professional historian” like you to have given us - the “ill-informed” commoners - a brief word on what IS being destroyed without giving us the run-around.

The authors then goes on insulting those who may disagree with them in advance by calling them the “grand conspiracy” types who believe that the “current government of Iran is set to destroy an Iranian national heritage” and refer us to a paper by a French archeologist.

But these authors can’t be serious. This government would NEVER “destroy an Iranian national heritage”, would it? This regime has gone out of its way over and over to save our “national heritage”. Why would these authors even consider the idea of a “grand conspiracy” by the Islamic Republic to destroy our non-Islamic heritage?

Either way, no worries. Because even if you are amongst a handful of those who suspect this government of ill-intentions, the “farangi” paper is there to inform us - the “misinformed”. And since the authors are well aware of our history of paranoia, they referr us to a French source and not to a “newspaperman in Briton”. You know how we feel about those conspiracy theories of the British.

And in case you are curious to know what the French paper says it basically says that Tang-e-Bolaghi: “has occupied a strategic position through many different historical eras, and, if we do not act now, we may never know what archeological evidence it contains.”

Great! So tell us, what happens to Pasargad? Are these truly “sensationalized” “charades” made up by “charlatans” “making a quick buck out of people’s ignorance” and “settling political scores”?

Well, finally after that run-around to a site with 40 articles and a French article which even worried me more, there comes the main argument of the article. “Professor” Daryaee states: ”Not only the Sivand dam is posing NO threat to Pasargad, but it has proven to be the first opportunity for Iranian and foreign archeologists to collaborate on a salvage project since the 1979 revolution”. In case you missed the argument, the word “no” in capital letters “NO” was the argument.

Thank you “professors”. I feel so much better now. Thanks for clarifying this “misunderstanding” “charade” “sensationalized” by some “charlatans” settling some “political scores”.

But wait a minute. “Salvage Project”? Last time I checked the dictionary, “salvage” meant rescuing an artifact from ruins. “Ruin”, what ruin? What is being ruined?

OK. So the tomb of Cyrus and Takh-e-Jamshid are not being flooded. But WHAT IS BEING RUINED? I need to know.

Do I sound “sensational”? Am I panicking?

Well to ease my mind and assure me not to get rallied on an “ill-informed cause,” the following argument is made in the very next paragraph: “MUMMIFIED PERSIAN QUEEN” was a fake just like this argument!!!

Thank god, I was about to have heart attack. How silly of me!

And in case you missed it in the follow-up article, such grand reasoning of linking the word “NO”, in capital letters and the fake “Mummified Queen” saga is called “Rationalism”!

The article goes on to ask us not to repeat the “mummified queen” “charade” by these “sensationalists” who have raised the ”banner of patriotism” . And to prove that “Professor” Daryaee is the hero carrying the “banner of patriotism” we are given an attached picture with him kissing the tomb of Cyrus.

The last paragraph is the killer. Now that we are informed (remember “NO” and the “Persian Mummy” story). We are advised that “sensationalism” is “abuse of our national heritage” and not to settle “political scores”. And instead of having a” multitude of committees” run by “amateurs” with no “grasp of intricacies of Iranian history”, we should give money to these “legitimate archeologists” to enhance our “knowledge of our beloved country”.

OK. Let’s hold off on the money for now because the next two articles are just classics on “Rationalism”. Just to remind you, the articles are supposed to be about the sites being destroyed by the Sivand Dam and Pasargad.

In the next article “Professor” Daryaee, writing on behalf of himself and the “eminent archeologist” Kamyar Abdi (Assistant Professor at Dartmouth College), starts the article talking about himself and his travels and teachings of ancient Persia. And to prove that, he refers us to his website which contains “every source” on our “glorious past” for the “world to know”!

In the next paragraph, he continues to talk about himself and how it’s his “religious pilgrimage” to visit Pasargad. And to prove this, he tells us that his dissertation was on Fars province, but more importantly, again we see a picture of him next to the tomb of Cyrus as a reminder of his religious fervor.

The next paragraph then insults Dr Nooriala and Mrs. Mirzadegi of - amongst other things - as people who “appear like poets” (I guess “appearing” like poets is an insult since Homer since poets aren’t known for their looks). And these “poet appearing” individuals who have taken a “cause outside their knowledge” have “belittled us by associating us with the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He then lumps all the Iranians outside the country as amongst those “who tend to scream and shout.”

Excuse me, but they didn’t “accuse you of being associated with the Islamic Republic”. They accused you of “defending the IRI’s irresponsible action” which you have done through three waste-of-time articles without any logical and well-informed argument. As far as associating with the IRI is concerned, any reader can put two and two together and guess on someone who refers to IRI as a “government which certain people don’t like” and “I really don’t care about who is in charge”.

In the next couple of paragraphs, he is again praising himself and his works and travels. He especially has praise for “his” letter which gave historical reasoning for the name “Persian Gulf”.

OK “professor”, is this about Pasargad or about you? Two articles and you managed to talk about yourself over and over again and insult others in very childish immature manner. Where are our answers? What is being destroyed?

A little later, Kamyar Abdi writes an article called “Sensationalism vs. Rationalism”.

I thought there was hope. Maybe this “eminent archeologist” can enlighten us on this “misunderstanding” or “grand conspiracy”. I was excited and happy. Maybe now they will write something of value - something that can ease my mind; an article which will clear this “sensational” “charade” caused by “charlatans” , making a “big fuss” and “taking people’s money” just like the “ fake mummified queen” saga. Mind you, the Committee to Save Pasargad doesn’t accept donations, just volunteers, but these “legitimate archeologists” apparently are looking for money in case you wanted to donate.

But unfortunately, yet again, I found this similarly worded, condescending, and at the same time arrogant article by “eminent archeologist” Kamyar Abdi who calls such concerns “absurd”, “pseudo-intellectual” and “quasi-nationalistic” void of telling us what IS being destroyed.

He first gives us a lecture on “historians” vs “archeologists”. Then a lecture on “gharbzadegi”. He then vents his “frustration” and his “amusement” at some “doktors” and “mohandeses” who apparently are not taking him seriously. He then gives us a lecture on spelling and grammer. Followed up by criticism on the wording of the petition.

In between all this, he states: “We would like to reiterate our argument by reiterating the facts”. What facts? Which argument? Through four articles, there is only the “Fake Mummy” argument and the word “NO” argument. And for facts, you just refered us to the Iranian Cultural Heritage site or the Farangi-French article. What facts? Are you guys for real?

OK , what happened to Pasargad? What’s being ruined? To their credit, they do tell us repeatedly what is not being ruined including the Tomb of Cyrus and several adjacent palaces. But apparently, they are ignorant of what IS being ruined.

Well, he skips this question again and refers us to a paper he wrote stating that the “Islamic Republic of Iran has no longer any reason or incentive to destroy Iran’s pre-historic past”.

OK “eminent archeologist”, you’ve already inferred many times through ridicule of those who are trying to settle a “political score” that this government would NEVER do such a thing. Of course not! This government is all about Iran and nothing else. So get on with the point, what is being ruined?

A page later, he finally gets to the point.

OK, here is the final answer by a “legitimate archeologist” informing us - the “ill-informed”, “amateurs” “with no grasp of intricacies of Iranian history”. He proudly states:

“I do not know how many sites are in Tang-e-Bolaghi... I’ve heard of 30-130 and as for “uniqueness” of these sites, one has to bear in mind that every archeological site is unique, but not indispensable”.

Thank you “Professors”. You didn’t even bother to read the articles YOU referred us to at the Iranian Cultural Heritage site during your “rationalism” argument.

Thank you for nothing. Actually, I take that back. Thank you for the insults and the ridicule. Thank you for belittling the works of others.

You motivated me to look and to read. You empowered me to take a stand on this issue and to dig into the subject myself.

Because of your lack of argument and facts, I was forced to spend the last two weeks reading every article I could find on the internet, including over 40 articles at the Iranian Cultural Heritage site about Sivand Dam. I even took a day off from work to travel to another city to interview a dear Iranian archeologist who had spend 27 years of his life in Pasargad.

And in Part II, as an “ill-informed” and “amateur” member of the “International Committee to Save Pasargad”, I would like to talk about the few facts which are available on the internet about our cultural treasures which either you are ignorant of or simply you don’t think are valuable.

Amir A Fassihi
* Blog: Fassihi.blogspot.com


Last edited by cyrus on Sat Nov 05, 2005 5:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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AmirN



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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
“Islamic Republic of Iran has no longer any reason or incentive to destroy Iran’s pre-historic past”.



Yeah right!
Have we forgotten that Khalkhali wanted to personally bulldoze Persepolis? He would have succeeded too, if it wasn't for the brave locals who stood up to him, and risked their own lives. Even Alexander the Pyromaniac regretted his barbaric action after he came out of his drunken stupor. I bet Khalkhali would have continued to gloat for the rest of his pathetic life if he had succeeded.

Of course these Arab-parast monsters want to destroy our pre-Islamic past! If it weren't for their fear of the Iranian people, they would have done so already.

The IRI have two things to fear: Iran's historical heritage, and the ever populous young generation. They fear the past, and they fear the future. They live only for the present, because they know that the past will inspire the future to destroy them; and it will.

Quote:
“I do not know how many sites are in Tang-e-Bolaghi... I’ve heard of 30-130 and as for “uniqueness” of these sites, one has to bear in mind that every archeological site is unique, but not indispensable”.


What kind of moron would make such a statement? Any archeologist worth his salt would tell you that yes, every site is unique, but NO, NONE of them are dispensable! They each have something different to teach us, by virtue of their uniqueness. Anyone who claims any site is dispensable has no grasp of archeology.

What a shame that the IRI is in the position of acting as the "guardian" of Iran's historical and archeological treasure. You might as well make the fox the "guardian" of the chicken coupe.
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I am Dariush the Great King, King of Kings, King of countries containing all kinds of men, King in this great earth far and wide, son of Hystaspes, an Achaemenian, a Persian, son of a Persian, an Aryan, having Aryan lineage

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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:53 pm    Post subject: Arrogance and Ignorance - Pasargad - Part II Reply with quote

Arrogance and Ignorance - Pasargad - Part II

http://fassihi.blogspot.com/


When you read the historical sagas left to us from the past, you notice the abundance of information on our kings and leaders; on our battles and our armies. Yet very few details on the people, their culture, their lives. You can barely find information on their clothing, their food, their art and their hobbies.

You would get Herodotus claiming that Xerxes army who came to Greece numbered a million soldiers followed by Iranian scholars claiming the absurdity of this number. The question becomes as important as story of “history” that even Napoleon, that great student of military history even ponders on the issue and claims that the army could not have numbered more than 200,000 due to supply issues.

In the midst of this argument you forget about the people in that army. The soldiers who each had family and children, a hometown, a hobby and an interest. An army as vast as that with many different languages, cultures and even religions.

We become so consumed with the history of our kings that we forget about the people.

What we know of medical history in the time of Acheamenid is because of the broken ankle King Darius had, and the volunteering of an imprisoned Greek soldier who had trained in the house of a doctor. Thus the textbooks on ancient Iranian medicine starts with this story and skips to the Sassanid period as if people didn’t get sick or otherwise medicine didn’t exist.

What does this have to do with Pasargad?

Well, because of such King centered story of our history, we’ve even managed to associate Pasargad only with the Tomb of Cyrus and his palaces and nothing else. When you ask an Iranian, “What is Pasargad?”, in an obvious tone they respond “Tomb of Cyrus”.
But the truth of the matter is that Pasargad was a city. It had people - individuals each with lives, hobbies, culture and art.

And it appears that the Sivand Dam, although it will maintain the Tomb of Cyrus and its adjacent palaces, will destroy much of everything we don’t know of our ancestors who lived in that city, adjacent to the palaces.

Tang-e-Bolaghi and Dasht-e-PasargadIf you look at the map of the area, you see the Sivand River running from North West to South East where in the lower left hand corner of the map, it passes through the narrow Tang-e-Bolaghi.

On your left and on the higher ground lies the palaces and the tombs. And underneath what you see in the middle, now called Dasht-e-Pasargad , scattered with farms and villages is the location of our first great capital where at one point the number of houses must have reached at least 50,000.

Underneath that dirt are perhaps remains of schools, baths, bazaars and gardens. In what must have been a truly beautiful setting, the King’s palaces at higher grounds, overlooking the city and its dwellers. Stone paved roads of the city merging to make the heavily traveled, stone paved “Kings Road” out of the city , through Tang-e-Bolaghi and through to the great city of Susa.

A few generations after Cyrus the Great, another great leader in our history, Darius orders a monumental palace to be built along this road, outside of the city - a palace which today we call Takht-e-Jamshid. If you can picture this, this is much like the order to build the great Palace of Versailles 2000 years later outside the city of Paris.

The Sivand Dam will be placed at Tang-e-Bolaghi, along this road and the 20 km artificial lake being built will lie on top of what used to be the city of Pasargad.

Islamic Republic would never destroy our history any longer. Proof is in Dr. Abdi’s paper ["Sensationalism vs. Rationalism"].

Our “professor” historians and archeologists who managed to write 4 articles and over 10 pages of self promotion and insults told us nothing about what is being destroyed, but in midst of it all, they did manage to inform us of the site for Miras-e-Farangi with whose 30 articles is pretty much the “ill-informed” and concerned source of information on the subject.

According to this site, this dirt dam was budgeted 14 years ago. So, if you recall, “eminent archeologist” Dr. Abdi’s paper defending the Islamic Republic’s role as a government who “no longer has any reason or incentive on anyone’s part to destroy these monuments, especially through such time-consuming and expensive schemes as building a dam”, his premise still applies as true. Yes Dr. Abdi, Islamic Republic will never destroy our historical monuments, our ignorance will.

The strategy to win Dr. Abdi’s support for the Islamic Republic was pretty simple. It is actually a Biological-Sociological model. Most often used example is that you starve a pack of dogs, then you throw them a bone and they will protect you as loyal servants. Or in the case of Islamic Republic, beat and threaten women to act as second class citizens, then allow them the minimum of freedom and they will support you. Or in the case of Dr Abdi, destroy our pre-Islamic history with religious fervor, then pause a few years and these academicians will defend you with such fervor.

And in this case, starve our archeologists and historians of grants and funds, then throw them a bone in the form of a “salvage project” and you get such articles from Dr Abdi, Dr Daryaee ["Drowning in noise"] and Dr Mousavi ["Cyrus can rest in peace "]. (I am familiar with the role academicians played since 97-99 because I was amongst the 700 US academicians who were invited to visit Iran and talk about how the government has changed.)

Dr Abdi and Dr Daryaee, I did visit Iran in 2001 and had the privilege to watch and videotape a Sassanid period Atashkadeh in Isfahan being destroyed by families taking pieces of the walls as souvenirs, teenagers carving their names into the clay structures and children climbing its walls and playing hide and seek in between its fragile structure. I also had the privilege to be offered artifacts from an ancient sitean hour outside of Arak which was dug out of the hilltop.

The locals took me to the site and offered to sell me coins. At the site, there were hundreds of pieces of pottery which I was told were broken in order to see what’s inside. Dr. Abdi, in both cases, it wasn’t the government of Iran which was destroying things, it was our ignorance. That regime was just enjoying the beautiful articles and praise the 700 US-Iranian academicians were making.

Back to the Sivand Dam.

At that time (14 years ago), the Ministery of Energy sends a letter to Miras-e-Farhangi asking for an evaluation of historical sites which will be lost. Miras-e-Farhangi apparently didn’t think this issue as important and completely ignored the issue. According to Ministery of Energy, there were two other sites along the Sivand river which could have been used if they were notified. (But what the hell, they ignored our letter, we’ll just build the dam-).

What will be lost?

Several caves have been found along Tang-e-Bolaghi. Recently, within these caves, stone tools have been found which date back to 4000 years before Christ. In fact, those involved tell us that the tools may date back to the pre-historic age cave dwelling in the region. If so, our loss is not only of Iranian history, but of history of humanity.

Everything we don’t know which lies within these caves will be destroyed.

A stone mine was recently found with stone cutting tools used to cut out those gigantic stones used in Persepolis. The importance of this mine for architectural history is immense. In fact, we know very little of how Takh-e-Jamshid was built and the techniques used.

And if that’s not important for some, similarly found stone mine outside of Athens whose rocks were used to build Acropolis draws more tourists per year than the entire complex of Pasargad and Persepolis combined. Through what they’ve learned from this mine, the Greek government has embarked on a great project of rebuilding Acropolis in the same manner as the ancient times.

This mine together with the wealth of knowledge we don’t know will be destroyed.
At least two cemeteries have been recently found dating from Ashkanian’s times in addition to several other skeletons from Sassanid times.

If such findings aren’t important to our “Professioanl Historians” and “Eminent Archeologists”, to medical historians, they are invaluable.

Human skeletons hold worlds of stories. Through the fracture patterns, we learn of the type of jobs these people had. From the way fractures are healed, we can find out what kind of medical access they had and how advanced they were in their practice. Well healed surgical holes through the skull can tell us of more advanced techniques of subdural evacuations and pressure releasing techniques for hydrocephalus.

Various infectious diseases leave markers on the bone which can guide us in determining the epidemics prevalent in ancient times. We can find out about the calcium level in the diets of those people as well as protein content through the length of their skeletons. Their dental remains will tell us about their hygiene and their diet. We can even tell the relative class of the individuals through the amount dental wear as a result of sand and particles in their flour. (Ancient Egyptian laborers had distinctly different teeth patterns than the nobility because of sand in their flour).

And if this is not enough, the possibility of exctracting DNA fragments from the remains of our ancestors would mean the world to us.

Everything we don’t know about these remains will be destroyed.

Pool and canals for large scale wine production together with grape seeds, huge clay pots and remains of similar pools in the area were recently found dating back 1800 years.

Everything we don’t know about this site will be destroyed including the possible DNA fragments of grape seeds which can possibly rewrite winemaking history and the distribution of grapes around the world, especially the direct link of now famous Shiraz grape to Shiraz itself.

Then there are metal factories at this site which will be lost, an entire one hectare village from the Achaemenid time with clay sewer system, sites with pottery found dating 7500 years, another site dated from 7000 years ago, another cemetery dating from Sassanids time, and food storage depots.

And these are just some of the 129 sites listed on the Miras-e-Farhangi site.

Everything else we don’t know about the city of Pasargad together with the story of its people and their culture will be flooded and destroyed.

When I recently interviewed a dear Iranian archeologist who had spent 27 years of his life in Pasargad, I asked him about the dirt which lies on top of Pasargad. He said that historically and archeologically, Dasht-e-Pasargad was of no value. That was becuase every time they had preliminary studies of a location, all they would encounter were homes and other items which were repetitive and not archeologically useful.

Yet, such repetitive structures and items may hold so many stories of our past, of our ancestors and their way of life, of their culture, their hobbies, their food and their struggle with illness and death.

And if any of this isn’t enough, an immensely excavated city of our origins, a 1000 years from now when we do care about such treasures, can provide our children with an immense source of tourist income. (Turkey’s tourist income from its ancient sites already has surpassed our income from oil.)

So next time a “professor” tells you that not only this dam is not a threat but it “has proven to be the first opportunity for Iranian and foreign archeologists to collaborate on a salvage project” tell him the story of starved dogs being thrown a bone. You are right Dr Abdi and Dr Daryaee, a grant of 100 million tomans ($100,000) given by the Ministry of Energy for this salvage project which is less than the budget for an archeology department in a community college is something for us to be real cheerful about.

And next time a “professor” tells you that the Islamic Republic no longer is destroying our heritage, tell him he’s right, it is our ignorance doing the destruction for them.

posted by Amir Fassihi at 12:02 AM

Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Pasargad Part I

What is Pasargad and what is being destroyed? What is Tang-e-Bolaghi? And is our heritage at risk?

These are serious questions relating to our origins. But before we embark on answering some of these questions, I must address a few articles already written on this site.

When the article “Safe and Sound” appeared by Kamran Abdi and Touraj Daryaee, I was excited. I must admit, I was one of those “fellow Iranians who were misinformed” and for the authors to clarify some of the “misunderstanding” was important.

More importantly, these authors were “professional historian”. They addressed each other as “professors” - as any respectable academician would - and “professor” Abdi was even given the honor of being called “eminent archeologist” by “professor” Daryaee in one of the articles.
What better? I was excited. Two “experts” on the field were about to give their opinions on one of the most important locations in our history.
Of-course, I wasn’t too concerned about the Tomb of Cyrus and Takh-e-Jamshid. After all, with a brief review of what is out there, one can quickly come to the conclusion that the Tomb of Cyrus, the adjacent palaces and Takht-e-Jamshid will not be flooded. But what is being flooded?

The article starts out by referring us to Iranian Cultural Heritage site whose job is to “inform” us of such “misunderstandings”. Thanks for the reference “professors,” but there are over 40 articles there and it would have been nice for a “professional historian” like you to have given us - the “ill-informed” commoners - a brief word on what IS being destroyed without giving us the run-around.

The authors then goes on insulting those who may disagree with them in advance by calling them the “grand conspiracy” types who believe that the “current government of Iran is set to destroy an Iranian national heritage” and refer us to a paper by a French archeologist.

But these authors can’t be serious. This government would NEVER “destroy an Iranian national heritage”, would it? This regime has gone out of its way over and over to save our “national heritage”. Why would these authors even consider the idea of a “grand conspiracy” by the Islamic Republic to destroy our non-Islamic heritage?

Either way, no worries. Because even if you are amongst a handful of those who suspect this government of ill-intentions, the “farangi” paper is there to inform us - the “misinformed”. And since the authors are well aware of our history of paranoia, they referr us to a French source and not to a “newspaperman in Briton”. You know how we feel about those conspiracy theories of the British.

And in case you are curious to know what the French paper says it basically says that Tang-e-Bolaghi: “has occupied a strategic position through many different historical eras, and, if we do not act now, we may never know what archeological evidence it contains.”

Great! So tell us, what happens to Pasargad? Are these truly “sensationalized” “charades” made up by “charlatans” “making a quick buck out of people’s ignorance” and “settling political scores”?

Well, finally after that run-around to a site with 40 articles and a French article which even worried me more, there comes the main argument of the article. “Professor” Daryaee states: ”Not only the Sivand dam is posing NO threat to Pasargad, but it has proven to be the first opportunity for Iranian and foreign archeologists to collaborate on a salvage project since the 1979 revolution”. In case you missed the argument, the word “no” in capital letters “NO” was the argument.
Thank you “professors”. I feel so much better now. Thanks for clarifying this “misunderstanding” “charade” “sensationalized” by some “charlatans” settling some “political scores”.

But wait a minute. “Salvage Project”? Last time I checked the dictionary, “salvage” meant rescuing an artifact from ruins. “Ruin”, what ruin? What is being ruined?

OK. So the tomb of Cyrus and Takh-e-Jamshid are not being flooded. But WHAT IS BEING RUINED? I need to know.

Do I sound “sensational”? Am I panicking?

Well to ease my mind and assure me not to get rallied on an “ill-informed cause,” the following argument is made in the very next paragraph: “MUMMIFIED PERSIAN QUEEN” was a fake just like this argument!!!

Thank god, I was about to have heart attack. How silly of me!

And in case you missed it in the follow-up article, such grand reasoning of linking the word “NO”, in capital letters and the fake “Mummified Queen” saga is called “Rationalism”!

The article goes on to ask us not to repeat the “mummified queen” “charade” by these “sensationalists” who have raised the ”banner of patriotism” . And to prove that “Professor” Daryaee is the hero carrying the “banner of patriotism” we are given an attached picture with him kissing the tomb of Cyrus.

The last paragraph is the killer. Now that we are informed (remember “NO” and the “Persian Mummy” story). We are advised that “sensationalism” is “abuse of our national heritage” and not to settle “political scores”. And instead of having a” multitude of committees” run by “amateurs” with no “grasp of intricacies of Iranian history”, we should give money to these “legitimate archeologists” to enhance our “knowledge of our beloved country”.

OK. Let’s hold off on the money for now because the next two articles are just classics on “Rationalism”. Just to remind you, the articles are supposed to be about the sites being destroyed by the Sivand Dam and Pasargad.

In the next article “Professor” Daryaee, writing on behalf of himself and the “eminent archeologist” Kamyar Abdi (Assistant Professor at Dartmouth College), starts the article talking about himself and his travels and teachings of ancient Persia. And to prove that, he refers us to his website which contains “every source” on our “glorious past” for the “world to know”!

In the next paragraph, he continues to talk about himself and how it’s his “religious pilgrimage” to visit Pasargad. And to prove this, he tells us that his dissertation was on Fars province, but more importantly, again we see a picture of him next to the tomb of Cyrus as a reminder of his religious fervor.

The next paragraph then insults Dr Nooriala and Mrs. Mirzadegi of - amongst other things - as people who “appear like poets” (I guess “appearing” like poets is an insult since Homer since poets aren’t known for their looks). And these “poet appearing” individuals who have taken a “cause outside their knowledge” have “belittled us by associating us with the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He then lumps all the Iranians outside the country as amongst those “who tend to scream and shout.”

Excuse me, but they didn’t “accuse you of being associated with the Islamic Republic”. They accused you of “defending the IRI’s irresponsible action” which you have done through three waste-of-time articles without any logical and well-informed argument. As far as associating with the IRI is concerned, any reader can put two and two together and guess on someone who refers to IRI as a “government which certain people don’t like” and “I really don’t care about who is in charge”.

In the next couple of paragraphs, he is again praising himself and his works and travels. He especially has praise for “his” letter which gave historical reasoning for the name “Persian Gulf”.

OK “professor”, is this about Pasargad or about you? Two articles and you managed to talk about yourself over and over again and insult others in very childish immature manner. Where are our answers? What is being destroyed?

A little later, Kamyar Abdi writes an article called “Sensationalism vs. Rationalism”.

I thought there was hope. Maybe this “eminent archeologist” can enlighten us on this “misunderstanding” or “grand conspiracy”. I was excited and happy. Maybe now they will write something of value - something that can ease my mind; an article which will clear this “sensational” “charade” caused by “charlatans” , making a “big fuss” and “taking people’s money” just like the “ fake mummified queen” saga. Mind you, the Committee to Save Pasargad doesn’t accept donations, just volunteers, but these “legitimate archeologists” apparently are looking for money in case you wanted to donate.

But unfortunately, yet again, I found this similarly worded, condescending, and at the same time arrogant article by “eminent archeologist” Kamyar Abdi who calls such concerns “absurd”, “pseudo-intellectual” and “quasi-nationalistic” void of telling us what IS being destroyed.

He first gives us a lecture on “historians” vs “archeologists”. Then a lecture on “gharbzadegi”. He then vents his “frustration” and his “amusement” at some “doktors” and “mohandeses” who apparently are not taking him seriously. He then gives us a lecture on spelling and grammer. Followed up by criticism on the wording of the petition.
In between all this, he states: “We would like to reiterate our argument by reiterating the facts”. What facts? Which argument? Through four articles, there is only the “Fake Mummy” argument and the word “NO” argument. And for facts, you just refered us to the Iranian Cultural Heritage site or the Farangi-French article. What facts? Are you guys for real?

OK , what happened to Pasargad? What’s being ruined? To their credit, they do tell us repeatedly what is not being ruined including the Tomb of Cyrus and several adjacent palaces. But apparently, they are ignorant of what IS being ruined.

Well, he skips this question again and refers us to a paper he wrote stating that the “Islamic Republic of Iran has no longer any reason or incentive to destroy Iran’s pre-historic past”.

OK “eminent archeologist”, you’ve already inferred many times through ridicule of those who are trying to settle a “political score” that this government would NEVER do such a thing. Of course not! This government is all about Iran and nothing else. So get on with the point, what is being ruined?

A page later, he finally gets to the point.

OK, here is the final answer by a “legitimate archeologist” informing us - the “ill-informed”, “amateurs” “with no grasp of intricacies of Iranian history”. He proudly states:
“I do not know how many sites are in Tang-e-Bolaghi... I’ve heard of 30-130 and as for “uniqueness” of these sites, one has to bear in mind that every archeological site is unique, but not indispensable”.

Thank you “Professors”. You didn’t even bother to read the articles YOU referred us to at the Iranian Cultural Heritage site during your “rationalism” argument.

Thank you for nothing. Actually, I take that back. Thank you for the insults and the ridicule. Thank you for belittling the works of others.
You motivated me to look and to read. You empowered me to take a stand on this issue and to dig into the subject myself.

Because of your lack of argument and facts, I was forced to spend the last two weeks reading every article I could find on the internet, including over 40 articles at the Iranian Cultural Heritage site about Sivand Dam. I even took a day off from work to travel to another city to interview a dear Iranian archeologist who had spend 27 years of his life in Pasargad.
And in Part II, as an “ill-informed” and “amateur” member of the “International Committee to Save Pasargad”, I would like to talk about the few facts which are available on the internet about our cultural treasures which either you are ignorant of or simply you don’t think are valuable.

Amir A Fassihi
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AmirN



Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Posts: 297

PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amir Fassihi is a real Iranian. I am glad people like him exist, who give a hoot about the irreplaceable history and heritage of Iran. I wish there were more people like him.

I realize that the thought on every contemporary Iranian’s mind is the political climate of Iran, as it should be. The human toll that Iranians suffer because of injustices is immense. The lack of freedom is intolerable. The loss of life and livelihood is immeasurable. Be that as it may, our generation is but a footnote in the history of the world, and of Iran. Centuries from now, there will be another form of Iran, and these Mullahs will just be an ugly memory. But what will remain is Iran’s history and heritage…hopefully. What good is freedom and happiness for us, if future Iranians don’t know who they are, and what makes them great? What a shame if they lose any part of that. This is why the preservation of our heritage and history is as equal, if not more so, than our fight for personal freedom and regime change. Of course, to preserve our beautiful heritage, we must have regime change. Yet another reason to throw these Akhund parasites out on their behinds, like the rats that they are.

I used to live in Greece for a number of years. I envy the Greeks. I envy them not because they have a more noble or richer history than us, which they don’t, but because they appreciate it more than us. Or at least, their government does. They embrace it, live and breathe it. Recently, before the 2004 Olympics of Athens, the city undertook a massive metro subway project in preparation for the Olympics. As soon as they began digging for the subway below the city, an archeological find was discovered. All work was halted, until the archeologists could gather whatever they wanted. The engineers had to get the OK of the archeologists before they could move a single speck of dirt. This of course added a huge expense to the project, and delayed it considerably. When asked why the Greeks went to so much trouble, a government spokesperson said “because what lies under the city is who we are; it defines us; it is of utmost importance to us.”

The Greek government goes through tremendous pain and expense to recover a few pots and pans. Our own government, however, actively tries to either bulldoze or to flood some of the rarest and most beautiful archeologic treasures of the world. Now do you see why I envy the Greeks?
_________________
I am Dariush the Great King, King of Kings, King of countries containing all kinds of men, King in this great earth far and wide, son of Hystaspes, an Achaemenian, a Persian, son of a Persian, an Aryan, having Aryan lineage

Naqshe Rostam
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Hoi Persai



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

These were good reads. It shows that the "professors" Rolling Eyes are really quite full of themselves.

I recently got interesting in Persian history and language. I've found a few books that look promising, including a book on pottery. On the cover there is a pot with feet. I look forward to my endeavors.
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