Government officials in Iran have expressed objections to the British Museum’s plan to loan the Cyrus Cylinder, one of its significant antiquities, to a library in Jerusalem later this year. Hadi Mirzaei, Iran’s Director General of the general office of museums, has raised concerns and hinted at possible legal action against the British Museum, as reported by the Tehran Times. The Iranian embassy in London has been approached for a response.
The Cyrus Cylinder is currently exhibited at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History in the United States. A board meeting at the British Museum in March 2022 approved the loan of the Cyrus Cylinder to the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, according to the meeting minutes. The National Library of Israel has not provided any comments despite multiple requests.
In a letter to Ali-Akbar Mottakan, secretary-general of the National Commission for Unesco-Iran, Hadi Mirzaei voiced his objections to the plan. The letter, published by the Mehr news agency, stated that the British Museum intends to transfer the Cyrus Cylinder to the national library in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) from October 4 to November 28, 2024. Mirzaei expressed concern about potential risks associated with the move of this globally significant historical artifact.
The British Museum spokesperson responded, saying, “The Cyrus Cylinder is currently on loan to the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History until 30 June. Details of any future venues for the cylinder will be announced in due course.”
The Cyrus Cylinder, an inscribed clay artifact from 539 BC, is often regarded as the “first charter of human rights.” It documents Cyrus the Great’s decree for the humane treatment of the Babylonians after their conquest by the Persians and was excavated in Babylon, Iraq, in 1879. The cylinder has been loaned to various institutions, including the National Museum of Iran in Tehran in 2010-2011 and exhibitions in Iran, Houston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles in 2013.
