Mummified Dwarf Puzzles Archaeologists

Sensations Rise around 25-centimeter Dwarf of Kerman

CHN
10-24-05

The 25-centimeter dwarf discovered in Kerman has puzzled archaeologists and attracted smugglers, creating great sensations among public.

     Tehran, 24 October 2005 (CHN) – The 25-centimeter dwarf near Shahdad city of Kerman province and the rumors of the existence of an ancient dwarf city in Kerman province has brought a lot of questions to archaeologists and caused great sensations among the public.

     Kerman’s Police Department and the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) have asked for the clarification of the situation of the discovered mummified corpse in Shahdad to settle the issue as soon as possible.

     Two months ago, illegal excavations in the historical fortress of Gudiz in Kerman province near Shahdad city, which dates back to the Sassanid era, led to the discovery of a 25-centimeter corpse known as the “mummified dwarf” facing archaeologists with a mystery since then.

     Forensic studies have not been able to determine the sexuality and the exact age of the corpse at the time of its death so far.

     “Regarding the rumors and the sensitivity of the issue of the existence of an ancient dwarf city in Kerman province, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Kerman has asked for more anthropological studies to end the rumors,” says Hossein Rashidzadeh, an official with the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Kerman.

     Regarding the fact that no mummies have been found in Iran from any historical periods, ICHTO archaeologists have denied the corpse being a mummified one. On the other hand, the Organization anthropologists believe that that the corpse may have been mummified under natural processes.

     Police Department of Kerman province has arrested two smugglers with regard to this corpse; the smugglers wanted to sell the mummy for about more than 3 million U.S. dollars in Germany.

     The corpse which is 20 to 25 centimeters high has remained quiet intact during excavations. It is estimated that the dwarf should have been 16-17 years old at the time of death.

Special Thanks To Christian Macé

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