pothos.org

Here's an article on RogueClassicism regarding the possible tomb of Cyrus I.

I think I was aware that this tomb existed, although not whose it was - it does appear in a couple of books that I have. I don't know where the tomb actually *is* - I certainly didn't visit it when in Iran.

Architecturally, it is very similar to that of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae, of course.

ATB

Hi Marcus,

Only distantly related to your post - last month I came across an interesting news item about the Cyrus cylinder. The British Museum is claiming that they have found two Babylonian cruneiform tablets in their collection that have "Inscriptions similar to those on the Cylinder". "The pieces would be studied to shed light on the Cylinder's "missing" or "obscure" passages [...]." I don't think any of it's published yet, but that could be quite exciting.

As an aside, currently the Cylinder seems to be the subject of some sort of diplomatic spat between the Iranian cultural authorities and the British Museum. UNESCO has been involved... Oh dear...

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middl ... 56745.html

Semiramis wrote:Only distantly related to your post - last month I came across an interesting news item about the Cyrus cylinder. The British Museum is claiming that they have found two Babylonian cruneiform tablets in their collection that have "Inscriptions similar to those on the Cylinder". "The pieces would be studied to shed light on the Cylinder's "missing" or "obscure" passages [...]." I don't think any of it's published yet, but that could be quite exciting.

As an aside, currently the Cylinder seems to be the subject of some sort of diplomatic spat between the Iranian cultural authorities and the British Museum. UNESCO has been involved... Oh dear...

Hi Semiramis,

Yes, I came across that news, as well - can't remember where I heard/read it. Anyway, it certainly isn't published yet, but it's very intriguing.

And yes, apparently the Iranians have fallen out of love with the BM for some reason ... I hope the discord doesn't last for long!

ATB

Right!

Update 1: The British Museum has finally loaned the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran as promised.

Update 2: Wikipedia has significantly changed its entry on the Cylinder since the last Iranian elections. It has suddenly gone from the "first declaration of human rights" by a "widely respected ruler in antiquity" to "propaganta tool" of an "aggressive invader". At this rate the whole entry will soon be replaced by the single sentence "THIS IS SPARTA!".

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/ ... nspiracies

Semiramis wrote:Update 2: Wikipedia has significantly changed its entry on the Cylinder since the last Iranian elections. It has suddenly gone from the "first declaration of human rights" by a "widely respected ruler in antiquity" to "propaganta tool" of an "aggressive invader". At this rate the whole entry will soon be replaced by the single sentence "THIS IS SPARTA!".

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/ ... nspiracies

Heh, heh.

I doubt the world's ever witnessed a timid or retiring military invader. The cylinder is, of course, marvellous propaganda. Cyrus styled himself the saviour of all things Babylonian including the restoration of temples and or their artefacts. Familiar ring to it that....

Paralus wrote:

Semiramis wrote:Update 2: Wikipedia has significantly changed its entry on the Cylinder since the last Iranian elections. It has suddenly gone from the "first declaration of human rights" by a "widely respected ruler in antiquity" to "propaganta tool" of an "aggressive invader". At this rate the whole entry will soon be replaced by the single sentence "THIS IS SPARTA!".

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/ ... nspiracies

Heh, heh.

I doubt the world's ever witnessed a timid or retiring military invader. The cylinder is, of course, marvellous propaganda. Cyrus styled himself the saviour of all things Babylonian including the restoration of temples and or their artefacts. Familiar ring to it that....

At least he wasn't running around offering signed copies of the bloody thing, getting rotten eggs thrown at him in the process. You didn't have people subversively moving it to the criminal records section of the Achamenid archives.