TEHRAN – Spain’s Archeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) on Wednesday hosted a well-attended conference devoted to ancient Iranian arts and history.

The conference was in line with “Iran, Cradle of Civilization”, an enormous loan exhibit from the National Museum of Iran, being held by MARQ from March 14.

A number of Spanish cultural officials, academics, archaeologists and experts as well as some Iranian and U.S. counterparts delivered speeches at the conference, attended by tens of researchers, students and enthusiasts, CHTN reported.

“Iran, Cradle of Civilization” features pieces of a large span of Iranian history, starting from pre-historical era to the Islamic period, including ones 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, and a 400-year-old copy of the holy Quran.

Running through Sept. 1, the exhibit also 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.

“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.  Back in March, The Drents museum won an audience prize in New York at the prestigious Global Fine Art Awards for its contribution to hosting the major loan exhibit. 

AFM/MG