Smuggling of Historical Tombstones from Qeshm Cemeteries to Unknown Destinations

Some local residents of Qeshm Island have reported the smuggling of 50 ancient tombstones from the cemeteries in this region to a museum in Qatar. ILNA news agency quoted some local residents stating that the old tombstones from Dasht Tourian in Qeshm, dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries AH, have been smuggled out of the island to Gulf countries. Ibrahim Rostam Gourani, the director of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts in Qeshm Free Zone, did not deny the smuggling of these historical artifacts in an interview with ILNA but stated that 'it does not seem that the figure related to the exit of 50 tombstones from Qeshm Island is correct.' The cultural heritage manager of Qeshm also mentioned that 'we are not aware of this issue regarding the smuggling of old tombstones to museums in Qatar, and there have not been individuals on the island who have spoken about seeing the old tombstones from Qeshm in the Qatar museum or have visited the museums in Qatar to see these artifacts up close.' He did not explain what happened to these ancient tombstones if they were not transferred to Qatar, but mentioned that there is no record of the number of old tombstones from Qeshm in recent years, and since the number of these tombstones is high, the number of smuggled stones may be limited. The news of the 'disappearance' of these tombstones comes as Rostam Gourani stated that the Qeshm Free Zone is working to establish an open-air museum for the old tombstones from three cemeteries in Qeshm. Qeshm Island, with its ancient history, has numerous cemeteries and archaeological sites. These cemeteries, including the neighborhoods of Chahbahar, Seyyed Mozaffar, Kouhi, Zirkouh, Masni, and Kolghan in the city of Qeshm, as well as the villages of Kousheh, Tourian, Lafft, and Gorbadan, showcase remnants from the Islamic period and even before. One of the most prominent cemeteries is located in the village of Kousheh. This cemetery, which dates back over a thousand years, contains graves with cylindrical stones adorned with inscriptions and Quranic verses. The 'Barakh' mosque in this area, built on the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple, is also an important site that was repaired in 244 AH. The 'Goor Farangi' cemetery in the south of Khour Kolghan is the burial site of the English and Portuguese from the colonial era, dating back 392 years. In the Kolghan cemetery, remnants of towers, houses, and ancient temples can be seen, dating back to the early Islamic periods. In the Tourian cemetery, graves with Kufic inscriptions and religious poetry from over a thousand years ago exist. The removal of these historical tombstones from their original location occurs while some old graves, such as the grave of 'Khajeh Bou Akhir' in the Tam-Saniti cemetery, remain unknown. According to Rostam Gourani, 'Currently, about 20 historical tombstones on Qeshm Island have been registered nationally, and 78 files for registering tangible and intangible heritage from Qeshm are awaiting a visit from the historical registration office of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage to this island.' He further stated that the characteristics of the historical tombstones in Qeshm cemeteries include their probable belonging to the 6th and 7th centuries AH, and they feature Quranic motifs and bases, each adorned with architectural designs.