Burnt City in Iran to enhance tourism with cultural ambassadors

Monday, March 11, 2024

Zohreh Shirazi, the overseer of the UNESCO World Heritage site known as Burnt City or Shahr-e Sukhteh, has announced a novel initiative to bolster tourism by drawing on the knowledge and enthusiasm of students and graduates passionate about history and art in Sistan-Baluchestan province. This initiative, set to take place during the Nowruz holidays, aims to leverage their expertise to enhance the visitor experience at the Burnt City and its adjacent areas.

Shirazi detailed plans to not only involve these cultural ambassadors in introducing and guiding tourists but also to feature booths dedicated to local handicrafts and cultural products. This approach seeks to enrich the tourism experience by providing in-depth insights into the site’s historical significance and showcasing the region’s rich cultural heritage.

The Burnt City, with its history of four distinct civilizations all ending in fiery destruction, is located in a historically strategic area of the Iranian plateau, pivotal in Bronze Age trade. Renowned for its archaeological significance, the site offers invaluable insights into ancient urban development, trade networks, and societal structures due to the exceptional preservation of its structures, burial grounds, and artifacts, attributed to the arid desert climate.

Recent research led by Iranian archaeologist Seyyed-Mansour Seyyed-Sajjadi suggests the earliest human settlement in Burnt City dates back to around 3500 BC, pushing back previous estimates by more than 300 years. This revelation, along with the discovery of prehistoric table games, underscores the site’s importance in understanding early complex societies and their cultural practices.

This initiative is poised to significantly impact tourism by providing a more engaging and educational experience for visitors, bridging the gap between ancient civilizations and the modern world. By involving young historians and artists in the storytelling of Burnt City, the site is not only preserved as a relic of the past but also revitalized as a living, breathing educational platform, thereby attracting a broader audience and fostering a deeper appreciation for Iran’s rich historical tapestry.

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