TEHRAN, Feb. 7--Four swords dating back to the Parthian era (170 BC Ð 226 AD) have been identified in the depository of Iran National Museum.
An Iranian archeologist residing in Germany who specializes in ancient armaments, Manuchehr Moshtaq said that in the last eight years, he conducted a thorough study of weapons used by ancient Iranians which are maintained in major world museums including Louvre, Metropolitan and Armitage and found the four swords at the depository of Iran National Museum.
He told CHN that these are the only Parthian swords to have been identified so far. Historical records indicated that the Parthians were well equipped in terms of weapons and armors given the victories in the wars they fought with the help of exemplary strong warriors.
ÒWhile looking for the swords at the National Museum of Iran, I came across the four swords which were different from those used during the Achaemenid and Sassanid eras. And since the cavalry needed longer swords in the combat and that the Parthians are well-known for cavalry divisions of troops. I came to the conclusion that they belonged to the Parthian (Ashkanid) warriors,Ó Moshtaq said.
He said that the discovery is a breakthrough in classification of the swords in the museums of the world.
ÒFortunately, the record of the swords indicated that they were unearthed from the historical site of Rashi and Norouz Mahalleh, supporting the originality of the swords in the Ashkanid era,Ó the expert said.
On the quality of the swords, he said that it was very difficult to determine the quality accurately and it needs more time. The first perception is that the swords are made of iron, but, a German expert on ironware Anne Feuerbach believes that Parthians had access to steel and the swords may have been made of steel.

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--Findings by an Irano-French archeology team at Kohan Dej, in the ancient city of Neishabour will be classified.
Announcing this, director of the historical research studies in Neishabour Rajabali Labaf Khaniki told ISNA that experts are currently compiling the final report on their findings from excavation site at Kohan Dej.
"The team is expected to put forward a new proposal to continue the excavation at Neishabour. Currently, they are compiling maps, charts and reports based on their earlier excavations," Khaniki said.
"We are classifying the potteries and issuing identity cards for them and we will develop theories on the basis of our findings in the next stage of the operations," he said.
The ancient site of Neishabour (Kohan) extends over an area of 3,500 hectares.

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--Presidential advisor on womenÕs affairs said that the pleasant sound of regional music can still be heard from behind the deceitful manifestations of development and technology.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the second Iranian WomenÕs Regional Music Festival here on Saturday, Zahra Shojaei added, ÒOne can dare say that despite the pseudo dominance which seeks to show off the precedence of materialism and target our past, the mothers still sing lullaby to their children to put them to sleep.Ó
She wondered if it is possible to forget the romantic songs of tribal girls while weaving carpets, doing needle-works and washing clothes in spring, which provides a clue to their past identity.
She further stated that women are the unknown initiators of regional music, though they are the professional performers of this kind of music. ÒWomen handle the most important part of IranÕs regional music and for the same reason this branch of music has been less targeted by alien cultures,Ó the presidential advisor said.
Shojaei further noted that given their inherent modesty, women were not able to prove that they were the creators of the exhilarating melodies in all stages of life ranging from the cradle to wedding parties and funeral ceremonies.
She said that WomenÕs Participation Center had organized the festival in cooperation with the Artistic Center of the Islamic Propagation Organization with the aim of preserving cultural and national identity and let the voices of the women heard in the cultural society.

A scene from ÔTurtles Also FlyÕ

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--The film ÔTurtles Also FlyÕ, the latest work by Bahman Qobadi, won the best prize at Rotterdam International Film Festival in the Netherlands. The 34th round of the festival ended on Saturday.
According to IRNA, the film was selected as the best from among 760 feature and short films.
Screening rights for the film have so far been sold to 27 countries and it will be screened in France, US, Spain, Italy, Norway and Holland from late in February.
According the British newspaper Guardian, the film is among the top 50 films in England registering high box office sales this year.
QobadiÕs film is currently participating at 13 international festivals.

TehranÕs main bazaar

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--A plan has been drawn up to extend insurance coverage to those working in the Bazaar (a traditional marketplace in southern Tehran), announced the Mayor of Tehran MunicipalityÕs 12th District Ahmad Saberi Zafarqandi.
Speaking to CHN, he said that municipality officials held a meeting with members of ShopkeepersÕ Association to convince them to pay insurance premiums fee to be insured against hazards arising from unexpected events such as earthquake or electricity short circuit leading to the outbreak of fire.
He said that the population density is high in the Bazaar area and the electric wires and circuits in the building are old and can cause fire. Therefore the municipalityÕs 12th District is concerned about the magnitude of damages to lives and public property such an event may entail.
He said that the municipalityÕs recommendation is that the shopkeepers voluntarily pay insurance premium to receive insurance coverage in case of any disaster.
ÒWhile it is up to the shop owners to apply for insurance coverage of their staff, there is no a legal obligation for the shopkeepers to become insured. However, the municipality deems it necessary that the owners of shops in the old market do something to insure their lives and property,Ó he said.
TehranÕs Bazaar was built during the Qajar era and the vicinity of the marketplace includes buildings designed in historical architectural styles. It is situated in an area of 115 hectares and major monuments in the Bazaar compound have been registered by Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) as national heritage sites.
The area is currently considered a danger zone given the antiquity of the buildings, existence of large stores selling chemicals and the narrow passage routes which may make evacuation impossible in the event of a fire.
The Fire Department has also made public its concerns about inaccessibility of the entire marketplace for operation of the fire brigade and movement of the fire engines in case a disaster breaks out.
ÒSince, it is difficult to take basic safety measures which calls for long-term plan and action, the initial alternative is to encourage the shopkeepers to apply for insurance coverage in case of any disaster and it should be a requirement for conducting business in the area. Otherwise, their business permits will not be extended by the respective authorities.

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--A documentary titled ÔThe Last PracticeÕ, which focuses on passion plays known as Tazieh, directed by renowned filmmaker Nasser Taqvaei, went on screen at TehranÕs Sahra Cinema.
Tazieh is performed as part of mourning ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of the third Imam of the infallible household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Imam Hussein (AS) and 72 of his loyal companions in the plains of Karbala in the eighth century AD.
The director of the documentary said that the Islamic drama of Tazieh has become a permanent annual event because of its compatibility with Iranian culture.
Taqvaei, who produced the documentary as part of efforts to register Tazieh as a cultural heritage with UNESCO, said that he hoped that the longstanding art of Tazieh will attain its rightful place in Iranian culture.
He called on the artists to look into Tazieh from various perspectives.
Commenting on the vital role of music in Tazieh, he said that the music accompanying the Tazieh is not something which is forced into the play.
He said that Tazieh is an accomplishment in the art of theater having a classical nature.
The Last Practice was screened as part of the program for the 23rd Fajr International Film festival.
The text of Tazieh is inherited from Qajar dynasty and compiled in the form of modern dramatic play script.

TEHRAN, Feb. 7--On the third day of the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations to mark the 26th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, an exhibit on ÔShahnamehÕ an Iranian epic poet Ferdowsi opened at the Museum of Astrakhan in the Russian Federation.
IranÕs Consul General in Astrakhan Abbas Nouri-Latif inaugurated the exhibit at the Museum of History in the Russian city.
ISNA quoted the cultural section of IranÕs Embassy in Moscow as saying that some 60 pieces of paintings, miniatures and calligraphy pertaining to Shahnameh have been put on display in the event.
Several students of Persian language studying at the state university of Astrakhan were present in the exhibit giving explanations about Shahnameh and the relationship of themes of paintings being presented in the exhibit with the epic work.