Iran's Chehel Dokhtaroon cave becomes officially recognised as national heritage site

The Chehel Dokhtaroon cave in Jahrom, known for its ancient rock paintings, has received the status of a national heritage site. This is an important event for the province of Fars, marking the historical significance of this unique place. This is reported by Tehran Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

The cave, decorated with 50 rock paintings of animals, people, abstract figures, and plants, has attracted the attention of researchers for a long time.

“The Chehel Dokhtaroon cave has evidence of habitation from the prehistoric era through the Sassanid period,” said Mohammad Sabet-Eqlidi, the Director-General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Fars Province.

Of particular interest are the ochre drawings on the southern wall, which depict geometric motifs, animals, people, and plants.

Most of the drawings are abstract geometric shapes repeated throughout the cave. Some have a common design with two outstretched arms, a semicircle or square in the centre, and many dots or animal figures around.

Sabet-Eqlidi emphasised that some animal figures, possibly representing deer, have been erased due to erosion, while others are hornless quadrupeds depicted either singly or in groups, possibly suggestive of hunting scenes.

The image of a human figure riding an animal, probably a horse, deserves special attention. This indicates the domestication of animals in the first millennium BC.

In addition to the rock carvings, at the end of the cave are stone pools used to collect spring water. The irregularly shaped pools add to the historical value of the site.

Chehel Dokhtaroon cave, located in the valley of the same name, extends 15 meters deep, has an area of 200 square meters, and has a ceiling height ranging from 12 meters at the entrance to 4 meters at the back.

The recognition of the cave as a national heritage site is an important step in preserving and promoting the historical and cultural heritage of Fars Province.

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