Stolen Hebrew, Persian inscriptions returned to Jewish site in Iran
The theft was originally reported last summer but the stolen items were only found 10 days ago.
By ALEX WINSTONThe Tomb of Serah, daughter of Asher, Pir Bakran, Iran(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Two ancient Jewish inscriptions that were stolen from the Esther Khatoon historical complex in Iran have been discovered and returned to the Jewish shrine, Iranian news agency IRNA reported.The discovery, in Falavarjan in the Isfahan Province, was carried out by Iranian police and the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization, an education and research institution overseeing numerous associated museums and historical sites throughout Iran.The head of the public relations office of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Isfahan, Shahram Amiri said Wednesday that the two ancient stones have both Hebrew and Persian inscriptions, IRNA reported.Amiri said that the Hebrew inscription is around 1,000 years old and the Persian one is 400 years old.He added that the theft was originally reported last summer but the stolen items were only found 10 days ago.The thieves had not moved the items out of the province as they were waiting for a proper time to sell the ancient stones, IRNA quoted Amiri saying.The Esther Khatoon complex, located in Pir Bakran, near Falavarjan, is over 2,000 years old.The ancient cemetery of the Jews of Isfahan is situated close to this complex and contains tombs inscribed from the 2nd century AD.The major mausoleum reputedly contains the tomb of the biblical character of Serah, the daughter of Asher and granddaughter of Jacob. Jews have made pilgrimage to the cemetery for centuries.The discovery comes a few days after the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai, one of the holiest Jewish sites in Iran, was sabotaged by attempted arson.
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