TEHRAN - “Iran, the Cradle of Civilization”, an exhibition of nearly two hundred magnificent pieces of ancient relics, has opened its doors to the public at the Archeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) in south eastern Spain.

Tehran’s Ambassador to Spain Hassan Qashqavi and the director of National Museum of Iran Jebrail Nokandeh, as well as several local Spanish authorities took part in the inaugural ceremony on March 14, IRNA reported.

Addressing attendees at the start of the six-month event, the Iranian envoy called the exhibit the most important cultural event that has been held during the past 400 years of bilateral relations.

“196 valuable historical pieces of a large span of Iranian history, starting from pre-historical era to the Islamic period, are being demonstrated as part of this exhibition,” Nokandeh explained.

“Pieces as old as seven to 10,000 years old, a letter by King Abbas of the Safavid Empire to Spanish King Filip the third about the first Iranian ambassador to Spain as well as a 400-year-old Quran are included in the exhibition,” he added.

“We intend to showcase Iranian history and civilization to the Spanish people by organizing an exhibition entitled ‘Iran, Cradle of Civilization’,” Iran tourism chief Ali-Asghar Mounesan said earlier in January.

“Iran, Cradle of Civilization” will be running from March 14 to Sept. 1. It turns the spotlight on the earliest developments of agriculture and livestock farming from the very beginning to cuneiform clay tablets, gold beakers and ornaments, bronze weapons and beautifully painted ceramics associated with successive Iranian kingdoms.

Organized by the National Museum of Iran, “Iran, Cradle of Civilization” was previously on show at Drents Museum, Assen, the Netherlands, where it was well received by museumgoers from June to November 2018.

AFM/MQ/MG