A bronze statue of a lion which had been unearthed in Hormozgan province some 37 years ago, but kept at a museum in Kerman province, will be returned home. 

The statue, dating back to the Achaemenid era (c. 550 – 330 BC), was discovered in 1983 in the agricultural lands of Fareghan district, Hajjiabad county, however, due to the lack of storage facilities at that time, it was sent to Kerman Museum, Hormozgan tourism chief Reza Boroumand said on Monday.

Follow-up sessions, organized by the provincial tourism department, were finally paid off, paving the way for the return of the bronze lion, he explained.

The official pointed out that the correspondence for the transfer of this valuable treasure has been done, noting, “We are waiting for the cooperation of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Kerman province to transfer this work to the province.”

“We hope that with the cooperation of the Kerman Museum, this important thing will be realized as soon as possible and that the lovers of culture and history of the province will be able to observe this valuable work at the Persian Gulf Anthropology Museum of Bandar Abbas.”

The bronze lion statue is 62 kilograms in weight and about 42 centimeters in height. Four conical nails of eight centimeters high are under its four arms and legs, indicating that this statue was [originally] standing in a metal or stone place, the official explained.

AFM/