Siraf historic port dossier submitted to UNESCO for World Heritage review

Siraf historic port dossier submitted to UNESCO for World Heritage review

TEHRAN - Iran has formally submitted the nomination dossier for the historic port of Siraf to UNESCO for review and possible inscription on the World Heritage list, the deputy minister for cultural heritage said on Wednesday.

Ali Darabi said the dossier was officially sent to UNESCO following approval by national expert bodies, adding that Siraf was selected for nomination due to its historical role as one of Iran’s most important commercial ports from the Sassanid period onward and its position in connecting the ancient country to the Indian Ocean and open seas.

“Siraf played a central role in international trade networks of the ancient world and symbolized Iran’s economic power, seafaring capability and cross-regional interactions,” he said.

He said the site contains more than 5,000 rock-cut spaces, which he described as one of the most distinctive physical features of the historical ensemble.

Darabi said the Grand Mosque of Siraf, dating back to the first century of the Islamic era, holds a significant place in studies of early Islamic architecture due to its design and structural features.

The official also highlighted the port’s stepped architectural layout, shaped in harmony with the area’s natural topography, reflects human adaptation to the environment.

Darabi also cited the presence of more than 150 active water wells that have continued to supply water for centuries as evidence of advanced engineering knowledge and water management in the historic port.

He said these historical, architectural and technical attributes led the national world heritage registration policy council to select Siraf as a site of outstanding universal value for nomination to UNESCO.

He then expressed hope that planned measures for protection, management and presentation of Siraf would be implemented and that the site would be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in the near future.

Siraf was Iran’s most important port from the Sassanid period through the fourth century AH and played a leading role in maritime trade linking Western Asia with India, the Far East and eastern Africa between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Between 1966 and 1973, the British Institute of Persian Studies conducted seven seasons of excavation and survey at Siraf, identifying extensive remains of a major port city on the northern coast of the Persian Gulf.

Historians estimate Siraf’s population reached about 300,000 during the early Islamic era, while the modern town has a population of roughly 7,000.

Situated in Bushehr province, the ancient port hosts numerous historical and archaeological sites spanning the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid, Islamic and Qajar periods.

AM

source: tehrantimes.com