Blog 5: Tehran May 5-7th
Museums, Zoroastrian Temple, Palaces and Parks
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| National Museum of Iran |
At the entrance there is a replica of the Cyrus Cylinder, that represents a symbol of wisdom.
Cyrus the Great (547BCE), Persian’s Achaemenid king, was a pioneer of justice, freedom and religious tolerance. He was known for allowing the Jews to return from Babylonian exile and captivity, paid for the construction of a new Jewish temple and returned stolen images to their traditional shrines. He was the first emperor to have a federal system 25 centuries ago, ruled for 13 years and Amin told us he is considered the “father of the Iranian nation”. I am so impressed with the meaning of the Cyrus Cylinder or Charter, the oldest symbol of human rights that Amin interprets to mean that people are free to choose what to worship and can live anywhere. Ironically the original of this can be found in the British Museum because it was stolen from Iran. I ask myself how in subsequent generations we have continued to struggle and resist with this profound message. Zanny reminds me that Cyrus developed this document after killing thousands of people but Amin chimes in that in the spectrum of massacres conducted by him at that time was a fairly small compared to others. I also read that there is considerable debate over what is really being said on the cylinder, the accuracy of the translation and the magnanimity of Cyrus.
In the museum we view large pottery
bowls, sun dried with painted designs that are 3000 to 9000 years old.
There is an stunning large limestone carving depicting King Darius shown with a long beard and carrying a lotus flower, that was part of the Acheaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE).
Standing before me is an amazing bronze statue from the first or second century AD 1-2 of a noble man and the 2000-year-old head of an Aryan man that is called the “Salt Man”.
He was named
this because he was found in a salt mine from the Parthian area. These
artifacts were uncovered 110 years ago while Britain was searching for
oil. I think that perhaps the
competition for oil did have a silver lining in the midst of all the wars it has
caused.
The Glass and Ceramics Museum housed in a 1915 mansion of a former Prime Minister in Reza Shah’s government that later functioned as an Egyptian Embassy, had some beautiful glass and ceramics from the 9th and 10th century.
However, the most impressive art finding for me was in the Reza Abbasi Museum where there are masterpieces of classical Persian book paintings from the 14th century. I imagine people losing their eyesight with this intricate and detailed painting work. I think about how digital photography and computers have changed our ability to produce books and disseminate information quickly. One of these hand written books with beautiful script and hand painted pictures would have taken someone several years to produce working 12 hours a day. Throughout our tours of these museums Amin has commented several times about artifacts stolen from Iran which are now housed in the British, Paris or New York museums.
There is an stunning large limestone carving depicting King Darius shown with a long beard and carrying a lotus flower, that was part of the Acheaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE).
Standing before me is an amazing bronze statue from the first or second century AD 1-2 of a noble man and the 2000-year-old head of an Aryan man that is called the “Salt Man”.
He was named
this because he was found in a salt mine from the Parthian area. These
artifacts were uncovered 110 years ago while Britain was searching for
oil. I think that perhaps the
competition for oil did have a silver lining in the midst of all the wars it has
caused. The Glass and Ceramics Museum housed in a 1915 mansion of a former Prime Minister in Reza Shah’s government that later functioned as an Egyptian Embassy, had some beautiful glass and ceramics from the 9th and 10th century.
However, the most impressive art finding for me was in the Reza Abbasi Museum where there are masterpieces of classical Persian book paintings from the 14th century. I imagine people losing their eyesight with this intricate and detailed painting work. I think about how digital photography and computers have changed our ability to produce books and disseminate information quickly. One of these hand written books with beautiful script and hand painted pictures would have taken someone several years to produce working 12 hours a day. Throughout our tours of these museums Amin has commented several times about artifacts stolen from Iran which are now housed in the British, Paris or New York museums.
Adrian
Temple of Tehran (Zoroastrian): Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s
oldest religions, prevailed in Iran before Islam. Ascribed to the teachings of
the Iranian prophet Zoraster (or Zarathustra), its doctrine describes the
struggle between two opposite elements ~ Good or Truth (god of lightness)
seeking health, happiness, eternal life and Evil or Drug (God of darkness). It
presents ideas about end of world, resurrection of the dead and a future savior
born of a virgin. It is said to have influenced Judaism and Christianity. There
are many myths about Zoroaster the great Persian prophet who was thought to
live when Indo-European invasions had begun about 1200 BC. His doctrine became
the Iranian church for hundreds of years and still exists in Iran and India
where its followers are called Parsees. Zoroaster proclaimed there was a single
god creator of physical and spiritual world. Zoroaster says human life is a
struggle of these two forces that is Good from the supreme God and the Devil who lived in darkness (corrupters of the
Earth). We take off our
shoes to enter this simple temple. John and Skip are asked to wear these white
caps. In this modest room there is a fire burning constantly. This holy fire is said to burn away sins
and is always burning.
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| Golestan Palace Tile Work |
Palaces
and Parks: Thursday and Fridays in Iran are the weekend holidays (rather than
Saturday and Sunday which are work days) so there are many locals and tourists walking
in the Golestan Palace complex and rose
garden.
The tourists seem to be primarily German and French and I don’t
hear English being spoken. This palace was a former residence in 19th
and 20th century of Qajar Kings. Amin explains that under one of the staircases there are
bones of a former shah so they can be trodden on by all who walk on them to see
the later shah’s tomb. I am losing track of which regime this is and all the
dynasties. On this day we see a
Hall of Mirrors made with broken pieces of mirror sent from Italy that served
as a Coronation Room as well as an amazing Marble Throne.
We walk around the
courtyard with lovely trees and rose bushes and view the many tiled panels. We stopped here for coffee and discuss politics,
the Ayatollah, and different cultures.
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| Golestan Palace |
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| Tomb of Qajar King |
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| In Hall of Mirrors |
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| Mirrored Hall |
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| Marble Throne |
We walk around the
courtyard with lovely trees and rose bushes and view the many tiled panels. We stopped here for coffee and discuss politics,
the Ayatollah, and different cultures.  |
Coffee at Golestan Palace Garden  |
After another large lunch including sturgeon,
chicken, lamb, rice and yogurt we go back to the hotel for a nap. We find that naps are necessary after
these large dinner lunches. Afterwards we see Reza Shah’s palace termed the Green Palace that is set on an isolated hillside and surrounded by trees.
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| Reza Shah's Palace |
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| Everyone is Friendly |
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| Families walk to Rea Shah's Palace |
Reza Shah adopted “Pahlavi” as the dynasty name (1926-79). Our guide tells us he came from humble beginnings but made himself into a Shah and had himself coroneted. His aim was to reform Iran into one nation with compulsory school teaching in Farsi and he established a national system of schools and hospitals and constructed roads and railways. He was ousted in 1941 by Britain and Soviet Union because of concern for his pro-German leanings in favor of is son, Mohammed Reza crowned in 1967 who was later forced into exile when Mossadegh was elected as Prime Minister. In 1953 the CIA in a counter-coup returned the Shah into power and removed Mossadegh which has haunted American-Iranian relations for decades. (see earlier description) The Shah’s Green Palace constructed in 1925 has beautiful oriental rugs, excess mirrored walls and ceilings and silk dining rooms.
The Mellat Palace set down the hill below the Shah’s Palace was designed by the Shah’s 3rd wife and seemed more modern. I thought it was less personal than the Green Palace. However, I found it hard to think about living in either of these palaces and wondered if they really lived here. Apparently army life had so conditioned Reza Shah that he preferred to sleep on the floor rather than a bed.
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