Five archeology teams are excavating the existence of ancient relics and artifacts near Seymareh Dam between Lorestan and Ilam provinces.

CHTN- the role of cultural heritage in national development is as important as that of dam construction, said the head of Seymareh Dam Project, Mohammad Rahbar.

We began negotiating with Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization to save any remains from destruction, he added.

While experts had warned that the 56 historical sites, some of them bearing remnants of important civilizations, would submerge once the dam is filled with water, Rahbar emphasized that archeological activities are to be finalized before the inundation.

“Archeology experts were invited and provided with financial support to explore the region two years ago,” he said, adding that 100 billion rials have been allocated to the project by Iran’s Water Development Company.
While experts believe two years are not adequate to study all parts of the site, the fresh round of excavations, headed by Abdolreza Mohajeri-Nejad, was launched this week.

The project is divided into three phases and experts will study prehistoric signs in the first phase.

Previous studies had shown signs of archeological remains belonging to thousands of years ago near Seymareh Dam.

One hundred sites belonging to different eras have been identified in the region.

The site is of high importance, as it may prove the presence of human beings on the Iranian plateau to be much earlier than what had been estimated.

It is also expected to provide enough evidence of contacts between neighboring civilizations.