Re: Archaeology Research Center of Iran (ARCI) plans to conduct a series of surgical operations on the ancient salt men of Zanjan's Chehrabad Salt Mine

On Oct 27, 5:23 pm, Tom McDonald <kilt...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Jack Linthicum wrote:
For interest only

Salt men to undergo surgery
TEHRAN, Oct. 27 (MNA) -- The Archaeology Research Center of Iran
(ARCI) plans to conduct a series of surgical operations on the ancient
salt men of Zanjan's Chehrabad Salt Mine, the Persian service of CHN
reported on Saturday.

The project is being undertaken to complete archaeological studies and
carry out other scientific research on the unique mummies, ARCI
director Mohammad-Hassan Fazeli Nashli said.

The operations will be performed on the salt men's soft tissue and
entrails, which have remained intact due to the high quality of the
mummification, he added.

The project will be carried out in Iran and the ARCI proposes to
invite foreign experts to take part if necessary, he noted.

Zanjan played host to Iranian and foreign experts at a two-day
conference on the salt men, which took place October 25-26.

The First Salt Man, who is believed to have been approximately 35
years old when he died more than 1700 years ago, was discovered by
workers at the salt mine in 1993.

Since then, five other salt men have been found -- although experts
believe that the salt mine may contain many more mummies. However, it
has been decided to leave any other mummified bodies to rest in peace
due to the lack of equipment and technology necessary for their
preservation in Iran.

The Sixth Salt Man was recently discovered, but it was re-covered and
left in situ.

Fazeli Nashli said at the time of the discovery of the sixth mummy,
that Iran is still a novice in the art of preservation and so it is
better that it remains in the earth, which is its best trustee."

What strikes me most about this is not the 'Salt Men' or their
autopsies. What strikes me is the sanity of the Iranians in
knowing their limits, and leaving something for a future when
better preservation capabilities are available to them.

In general, I think the Iranians are pretty cogent. I haven't posted a
whole series of items from http://www.archaeologynews.org/ and
http://www.archaeologica.org/NewsPage.htm about the various actions of
the Iranians in archaeology and the reverse the failure to preserve
certain items of antiquity.

.

Relevant Pages