Persian Hostages
When Cyrus the Great died he was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who in turn died on his way back from Egypt. A usurper by the name of Smerdis seized the throne and reigned for about six months. He is known today as "The False Smerdis".
This Smerdis was at first supproted by some of his officers, but one of them, Darius, grew dissatisfied with his role and assassinated Smerdis in his harem. He became known as Darius I or Darius the Great. He recorded his accession to the throne on a cliff face of the Zagros Mountains at Bisitun. This inscription is usually referred to as the Behistun Rock Inscription.
Historical sources also mentioned Farnaka, the uncle of Darius, as supporting the insurrection that put Darius on the throne, but until recently there was no archaeological evidence to support this record. Greek texts referred to him as Pharnaces and Elamite texts called him Parnaka. Now, according to the Persian service of CHN, archaeologist Shahrokh Razmju has announced that he has identified a cuneiform inscription cut into stone which records the names of Darius and his uncle Farnaka.
The slab of stone on which the inscription was written was found in the foundation of an ancient building. It names him as "chief superintendent of receipts and payments", an important post in Persian times. Scholars are trying to decipher the rest of the inscription which has been eroded in some places, making it difficult to read.
Meanwhile litigation continues over a dispute by victims of a terrorist attack by Hamas on Sepember 4, 1997, when three Hamas suicide bombers killed five people in America and injured nearly 20 others. The victims are charging Iran as resonsible for the attacks and are suing Iran for compensation. So far the American courts are supporting the claim.
Obviously the Iranian government is refusing to accept responsibility or to pay the compensation, so the litigants are demanding that museums which are in temporary possession of Persian artefacts should hand over ancient Persian cuneiform tablets which they have on loan from Iran. The tables would then be put up for auction and the proceeds be given to the litigants.
Needless to say this could have far-reaching repercussions in the archaeological world. No museum on earth would part with its treasures on a loan basis for an exhibition, lest a change of government or such litigation should prevent the return of the treasures to the original museum. No more Tutankamun exhibitions outside Egypt!
© David Down 2008
