From the cradle to the MARQ
Alicante exhibition features ‘extraordinary collection of objects’
THE EXHIBITION ‘Iran, cradle of civilisations’, is coming to the Alicante archaeology museum (MARQ) from March 14 until September 1.
Permission has been granted by the Iranian authorities to lend some of its national heritage, announced MARQ foundation vice-president and provincial deputy for culture César Augusto Asencio.
The contract between the MARQ and the national museum of Iran was due to be signed this week, diplomatic representatives of both countries officially confirmed after months of ‘intense’ collaboration.
Sr Asencio emphasised that the MARQ is the only museum in Spain that will host this ‘extraordinary collection of objects’ from the first human presence about 300,000 years ago up to the start of the Islamic era in the 18th century, having already visited Bonn (Germany) and Assen (the Netherlands).
It includes about 200 pieces of great value, 20 of them gold, which are usually kept in the museum in Tehran.
In November, the director general of the NMI, Mohammad Reza Karegar and the Iranian embassy in Spain’s cultural attaché, Alireza Esmaeili visited the MARQ and gave their approval.
The exhibition was officially presented at the Costa Blanca stand at the FITUR tourism fair in Madrid last week.
It was attended by the vicepresident of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Asghar Moonesan and the new Iranian ambassador in Spain, Hassan Ghashghavi.
All photos are from the collection of the National Museum of Iran, Tehran, and are by Neda Hossein Tehrani & Nima Mohammadi Fakoorzadeh