Achaemenid tablets returned to Iran from America
WANA (May 18) – On World Museum Day, the National Museum of Iran in Tehran unveiled 3506 Achaemenid tablets that were recently returned to Iran.
These ancient artifacts were sent to the University of Chicago for study approximately 90 years ago with the approval of the then-Iranian government. Originally expected to return within three years, the tablets only returned after 85 years, following extensive negotiations involving multiple Iranian government agencies and the Institute of Oriental Studies in Chicago.
The tablets, which were transported to the United States from Bushehr in 50 wooden boxes, contain valuable historical information about Achaemenid society during Darius I’s reign.
They cover topics such as resource management, infrastructure, social relations, and the economy. The collection includes 2670 large tablets inscribed in cuneiform and Elamite and 836 smaller tablets in cuneiform and Aramaic. Their return marks a significant cultural restoration for Iran.
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