Achaemenid Tablets Return to Iran After 85 Years

After over 85 years, a collection of invaluable Achaemenid tablets has finally returned to their rightful home in Iran. The tablets, which were originally provided to the University of Chicago for study, were discovered in Persepolis and sent to the United States on loan for a three-year study period. However, the US refused to return the tablets after the study period ended, and they have remained in the US ever since.

Thanks to decades of consultations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Heritage, the Iranian government has finally been able to secure the return of the tablets.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi hailed the return of the tablets as a victory for Iran and its cultural heritage.

"America should have fulfilled its commitment in this field 80 years ago, but it didn't," Raisi said.

The Achaemenid tablets are among the most important works of Iranian art and history. They contain vital insights into road resource management, social relations, basic necessities of life, wages, and the economy of Achaemenid society. The tablets are inscribed in cuneiform, Elamite, and Aramaic languages, and they provide a unique window into the world of one of the most powerful empires in history.