The subsidence reached 2 meters of Persepolis

The Institute for Cultural Heritage and Tourism announced the drafting of the Atlas of the subsidence of the country’s archaeological artifacts at a special meeting of climate change in cultural heritage, attended by a group of experts and professors.

The Climate Change Meeting with Dabiri Aminollah Kamali was held at the Cultural Heritage Research Institute, and Mehdi Zare, a professor at the entire Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, expressed concern over the expansion of land subsidence in the country:

This phenomenon not only threatens Iran’s valuable cultural heritage, but can also affect the stimulation of active faults.

Zare, referring to the critical situation in Marvdasht Fars province, stated:

In the vicinity of the ancient site of Naghsh Rostam (the tomb of the Achaemenid kings and the Kaaba of Zoroastrianism) due to the widespread agriculture and livestock and the continuation of rice and corn cultivation, water harvesting from underground sources continues. This has caused subsidence of 2 meters from Rostam’s role and 2 to 5 meters of Persepolis, which are visible as huge gaps.

He added.

In the Marvdasht Plain, the subsidence rate has reached about 2 to 5 cm a year in recent years. The situation continues while the amount of harvesting from the groundwater resources of the plain is more than its feeding.

Zare called for urgent measures to control unnecessary perceptions of groundwater resources and revision of agricultural policies as a solution to prevent the intensification of subsidence crisis and threats.

Masoumeh Amigppi, head of the Department of Radiation and Radar Interference by the country’s Mapping Organization, referring to the critical situation of land subsidence in Iran, said:

This phenomenon has now become a serious threat to antiquities, food security and the country’s natural resources. In this regard, the country’s mapping organization has prepared subsidence atlas for different parts of the country. These atlas identify high -risk areas using radar interference data and accurate balance and provide information needed for crisis management.

Amiqp also emphasized the need for cooperation between relevant organizations to protect the country’s cultural heritage and suggested that Atlas subsidence of internal and global archaeological artifacts be to be threatened with identification and necessary conservation measures.

Hamid Fada’i, a faculty member of the Institute of Conservation and Restoration, warned of the expansion of land subsidence in Fars province and its effects on the cultural and agricultural heritage of the region.

He pointed out that Fars province, especially its fertile plains, played an important role in supplying grains in the country, stating:

Today, these areas are at risk and most of it is due to human activity. Rice cultivation, for example, is not part of the historical identity of the area, and today it has been damaged and should be prevented.

Fada’i emphasized:

During the Achaemenid era, Fars province was known as the supplier of cereals, vegetables and animal crops, but rice cultivation in the area has not been recorded.

He added.

Important crops and inaccurate agricultural policies, along with recent droughts, have become a public threat to the region’s water and agricultural resources.

Assistant Professor of Natural Heritage at the Cultural Heritage Research Institute also emphasized the importance of paying attention to the capacities of cultural heritage and handicrafts in these areas and said:

Heritage and handicrafts are capable of being supplied in these areas, but we have forgotten them and only consider the development of large industries.

Fada’i called for a revision in the agricultural and development policies of Fars province and emphasized the need for cultural heritage and sustainable exploitation of natural resources.