List of Iranian artifacts abroad is a list of notable Iranian and Persian antiquities outside Iran, especially in museums. Most of these were found outside modern Iran, either in parts of the former Persian Empire, or places influenced by it.
West and Central Asia
Afghanistan Tillya Tepe, commonly referred to as the Bactrian Gold, is a significant archaeological discovery consisting of approximately 20,600 ornaments, coins, and artifacts crafted from gold, silver, ivory, and other materials. These items were unearthed from six richly adorned burial mounds (five female and one male) dated to the 1st century BCE–1st century CE. The collection includes necklaces inlaid with semi-precious stones, intricately designed belts, medallions, and a crown. The site of Yemshi Tepe, a fortified settlement located about 5 km northeast of modern Sheberghan near Akcha, lies just 500 meters from the Tillia Tepe necropolis. The treasure vanished during Afghanistan's conflicts but reemerged in public view in 2003.[1] The Buddhas of Bamiyan, along with other Afghan antiquities, suffered significant loss during decades of conflict. However, 33 Buddhist and Hindu artifacts, part of a larger cache of 2,500 items, were recently returned to Afghanistan. These pieces had been seized in U.S. raids between 2012 and 2014 from disgraced Manhattan art dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is currently imprisoned in India on charges of smuggling and theft.[2]
Gallery of Tillya Tepe artifacts
Anatolia (Turkey) The Xerxes I inscription at Van is a trilingual cuneiform inscription of Xerxes the Great (r. 486–465 BCE). Located on the southern slope of a mountain near the Van Fortress by Lake Van in modern-day Turkey, it lay within the Achaemenid province of Armenia during Xerxes’ reign. The inscription, carved approximately 20 metres (70 feet) above ground on a smoothed rock face, was begun by Darius I of Persia (r. 522–486 BCE), who left it blank. A Persian city unearthed at Oluz Höyük in Amasya also revealed a trove of artifacts during excavations, where the archaeologists uncovered the column bases of a 2,500-year-old palace from the Achaemenid era. The site contains phases A and B, representing architectural evolution. The site's director of excavations, Dr. Şevket Dönmez of Istanbul University stated: ““For the first time this year, a colonnaded reception hall called 'Apadana', a throne hall, and an executive hall began to come to light. We are just at the beginning of the excavations. But even the current findings are very exciting.” He emphasized the importance of this discovery for Anatolian Iron Age, ancient Persian studies, and religious history. [3]
Europe and the United States
The Metropolitan Museum of Art features a range of Persian antiquities, including ceramics, engraved coins, and pottery dating back over 3,500 years. Many pieces were originally part of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute. The Cyrus Cylinder, an ancient clay artifact inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform script, was commissioned by Cyrus the Great following his conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE. Discovered in 1879 at Babylon (modern-day Iraq), it is housed in the British Museum, which also funded its discovery. The Louvre Museum's Department of Near Eastern Antiquities, founded in 1881, exhibits artifacts from Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Persia, including pieces from Sumer, Akkad, and Mari. Notable items include the Stele of the Vultures, Statue of Ebih-Il, and the famed Code of Hammurabi. The Persian section features the "Funerary Head" and Archers of Darius I, as well as objects on loan from Persepolis. The Oxus treasure (Persian: گنجینه آمودریا) is a remarkable collection of about 180 gold and silver objects from the Achaemenid period, along with roughly 200 coins. Discovered near the Oxus River (likely close to Kobadiyan, Tajikistan) between 1877 and 1880, the treasure is believed to have been associated with a temple where votive offerings accumulated over centuries. The artifacts are typically dated to the 6th–4th centuries BCE, while some coins span later periods. Most surviving objects are held in the British Museum (Room 52), with some items also housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Georgia The structure known as the Atashgah, meaning "place of fire," in Tbilisi traces its origins to the 5th or 6th century AD during the rule of the Sasanian Empire, when Georgia was under Persian control. It is believed to have functioned as a Zoroastrian fire temple before later conversions.[4] Additionally, a trove of Persian manuscripts is preserved at the Dagestan Scientific Centre.
Japan The Miho Museum, which holds over 2,000 artifacts in its permanent collection includes many Achaemenid and Central Asian pieces. Some scholars argue several of these objects in its collection may be part of the lost Oxus Treasure, resurfacing in 1993 in Afghanistan, though this theory remains debated. The Tokyo National Museum also preserves a wide range of Iranian artifacts, including pottery, paintings, calligraphy, metalwork, sculpture, and textiles.[5] [6]
Gallery
See also
Notes
References 5,000 years of Iranian culture showcased, BN Goswamy [7] [8] [9] Iranian Artifacts Abroad [10]
Bibliography
