INDEX:
USA: Conference: Portugal, the
Persian Gulf and Safavid Persia (Jan 2007).
Iran: Portugal’s Private Sector
to Restore Portuguese Forts (Dec. 2006).
Iran: In Search of Achaemenid
Remains in Portuguese Fortress (Nov. 2006).
Iran: Iran & Portugal to
Renovate the Portuguese Fort of Hormoz (Oct. 2006).
Iran: Earthquake Damaged Portuguese
Fortress (Nov. 2005).
Iran: Portuguese Fortress, Symbol of
Hormuz Old Glory (Jan 2004).
Portugal, the Persian Gulf and
Safavid Persia
Conference - Introduction 7-9 September 2007 Freer &
Sackler Galleries, Independence Avenue, Washington DC
Source:
http://www.iranheritage.org/portugalconference/
On the 500th anniversary of Afonso de Albuquerque's
attempts to take Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, this conference will focus on the contacts of
the Portuguese with Safavid Persia and various aspects of their activities in the Persian
Gulf basin. We are now approaching the 500th anniversary of Portuguese contacts and
relations with the Persian Gulf region and Safavid Persia, around the first attempts by
Albuquerque to take Hormuz in 1507. As part of an exploration of the wider contacts of
Portugal with Asia, Africa and South America, the Freer and Sackler Galleries (Smithsonian
Institution) in Washington DC will commemorate this important historical moment with a
series of exhibitions in the summer of 2007 entitled 'Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and
the World from the Fifteenth to the Eighteenth Centuries.'
This quincentennial is also the occasion for a
conference on Portuguese relations with the Persian Gulf and Safavid Persia between 1500
and 1700, that will be held under the auspices of the Iran Heritage Foundation and the
Freer and Sackler Galleries. The meeting is scheduled to take place on 8-9 September 2007
at the Freer and Sackler Galleries, coinciding with the last week of the exhibitions.
The meeting aims to examine various aspects of the
activities of the Portuguese in the Persian Gulf basin and their interaction with other
forces in the region, Safavid Persia, the Ottoman Empire, Arab principalities around the
Gulf’s littoral, India, and rival European merchants active in the area. Topics to be
discussed include sources and historiography, mutual perceptions, trade, diplomacy and
politics, missionary activities, and cross-cultural exchange.
The members of the conference committee, Rudi Matthee,
Jorge Flores, Farhad Hakimzadeh and Ann Gunter have the pleasure of inviting you to submit
a proposal for a presentation at this scholarly gathering, which is designed to bring some
twenty of the most well-know specialists in the field together.
The papers presented in the conference will be published
in a volume of proceedings, edited by Rudi Matthee and Jorge Flores. All papers submitted
should therefore be of publishable quality, constitute new work, and reserved to be
exclusively published as part of the conference proceedings. No previously published work
should be submitted.
We are very enthusiastic about this meeting and hope and
expect that it will generate a great deal of intellectual excitement.
For enquiries contact Farhad Hakimzadeh, Iran Heritage
Foundation, 5 Stanhope Gate, London W1K 1AH, United Kingdom,
T 44 20 74934766, F 44 20 74999293.
Portugal’s Private Sector to
Restore Portuguese Forts
Restoration of three Portuguese
fortresses in southern Iran has been relegated to Portugal’s private sector which
will cooperate with the Iranian experts in this project.
Source:
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=6846
Tehran, 4 December 2006 (CHN ) -- After a series of
negotiations and meetings held between the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Organization (ICHTO) with Portuguese restoration experts through the Iranian embassy in
Lisbon, renovation of three Portuguese fortresses of Qeshm, Hormoz, and Lark in southern
Iran was relegated to Portugal's private sector active in restoration of ancient
monuments. Last year, Portugal's Galust Gulbenkian Foundation asked Iran to allow its
renovation experts restore the three fortresses. However, since the plan submitted by the
Portuguese experts was incongruous with the one proposed by their Iranian counterparts,
the two sides had to hold several meetings in order to incorporate the two plans into a
single one. Finally, since the forts are located in Iran, the Portuguese experts agreed to
modify their plans in keeping with historical accounts in Iran. According to
Mohammad-Ebrahim Larijani, deputy director of Qeshm Free Zone Organization for tourism
affairs, once the plan is materialized, the Portuguese private sector will take charge of
restoring the three fortresses. However, he added that experts of Qeshm Free Zone and
ICHTO will supervise the process of renovation. Portugal invaded southern Iran in 1522 AD
during the Safavid dynastic period (1501-1736 AD), constructing buildings and forts in the
Persian Gulf islands of Qeshm, Hormoz, and Lark. The Portuguese navy had to retreat later
in the face of an attack by Shah Abbas who captured Hormoz and reunited the three islands
with mainland Iran.
In Search of Achaemenid Remains
in Portuguese Fortress
Archeological studies are to start in a
historic fortress built by the Portuguese in the southern port of Kong to identify
evidence of the Achaemenid dynastic era (550 BC–330 BC).
Source:
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=6777
Tehran, 6 November 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk)
-- A group of archeologists from Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization
(ICHTO) is determined to start stratigraphy studies on a fortress built by the Portuguese
during their invasion of the Persian Gulf and southern Iran in the early 1500s. The
studies are set to begin with the aim of identifying different historic layers in this
fortified monument while looking for evidence of Achaemenid civilization (550 BC–330
BC). Based on historic documents, archeologists predict existence of 12 Achaemenid cities
in this region. Many believe that historic and prehistoric layers can still be found below
the sediments formed over time in this area. In an interview with CHN, Davoud Abyan, an
ICHTO archeologist, said that the new season of excavations at the Portuguese fortress,
which was built by the invading army during the Safavid dynastic era (1501-1736 AD), will
soon open up to look for remaining evidence from the Achaemenid dynastic period while
archeologists are also hoping to find indications of Halil Rud civilization in this
region. He also said that the cultural landscape of the Portuguese fortress will be
determined during the new excavation season to protect it from possible threats. The rich
civilization of Halil Rud is believed to have come into existence 5000 years ago at the
basin of a river by the same name located in present-day Kerman Province. However,
archeological studies revealed that the extent of this civilization goes beyond the
borders of Iran, mostly through the southern waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of
Oman. According to Abyan, the reason many of the civilization layers in southern Iran are
still left unidentified goes back to the fact that they have mostly been buried by
sediments or eroded by the Persian Gulf. Seasonal rains can also exacerbate the
conditions. “Sometimes raining causes sediments to form up to 15 centimeters. So this
time, we are planning to look for remaining evidence of the 3rd millennium BC in the
highlands and mountainous regions of southern Iran.” The Portuguese marine forces
invaded southern Iran in the Safavid reign and constructed several fortresses in the
Persian Gulf islands of Lark, Hormoz and Qeshm. The Portuguese navy had to retreat later
in the face of an attack by Shah Abbas, the Safavid king, who captured the Hormoz Island.
Nevertheless, their fortified constructions have remained as witnesses of history for
nearly five centuries.
Iran & Portugal to Renovate
the Portuguese Fort of Hormoz
Iran is about to start restoration works
on Portuguese Fortress, located southern Iran. The restoration will be in accordance with
the plan proposed by the Portuguese government.
Source:
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=6705
Tehran, 3 October 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk)
-- In a joint cooperation, Iran and Portugal are determined to restore the historical
fortress known as the Portuguese Fortress, located in the southern Iranian province of
Hormozgan. Portugal contributes to this project by providing the Iranian experts with the
restoration plan while Iran will take care of restoration itself. The plan has been
submitted to Iran and the restoration experts of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Organization (ICHTO) are currently waiting for the budget to start their project. Last
year, some restoration experts from Portugal visited the Fortress which was built during
the domination of Portuguese naval forces in southern Iran. The experts decided to restore
the Fortress with the cooperation of Iran. Therefore, they started some negotiations with
the Iranian authorities and proposed a plan for restoring the Fortress. “Portugal
declared its readiness for cooperating in the restoration of the Fortress. However,
authorities of Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization as well as
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided that the restoration of fortress should be
undertaken by Iranian experts without direct participation of Portugal but in compliance
with the plan proposed by the Portuguese experts,” said Kamran Mousavi, deputy
director of Preservation and Restoration Department of ICHTO. According to Mousavi, the
Iranian government was expected to provide the budget for the restoration to start;
however, it has not fulfilled its promises yet. Iranian experts are determined to start
their restoration activities as soon as the project receives financial support. Commenting
on the limited attempts made for restoration of the Portuguese Fortress until now, Mousavi
said: “Considering the limited budget which was put in our hands, we have only
carried out some emergency restorations to save the Fortress from falling apart.” The
remains of the Portuguese Fortress in Hormozgan province are in a poor condition and their
situation is getting worse due to lack of attention they receive. The authorities of the
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department of the province are trying to get financial
support from the Iranian government to save this historical fortress from further
destruction. The 500-year-old Portuguese Fortress, also known as Hormoz Fortress, is
located on the southern Hormoz Island and has been registered in the list of Iran’s
National Heritage Sites. There is also anther fortress built by the Portuguese around the
same time in Qeshm Island, close to Hormoz. The two fortresses were constructed by the
Portuguese after they occupied and dominated the Hormoz Island in 1507 AD. The Portuguese
Fortress of Hormoz had a tall tower and a central courtyard. Its style resembles that of
the European forts of the Middle Ages and was partly inspired by traditional Iranian
architectural style as well. The Fortress was captured during the Safavid dynastic era
(1501-1736 AD) by Imam Gholi Khan, one of the commanders of Shah Abbas, the Safavid
monarch.
Earthquake Damaged Portuguese
Fortress
The earthquake in Qeshm Island, south of
Iran, destroyed the eastern wall of the historical Portuguese fortress, bringing
excavations there to a halt.
Source:
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=5985
Tehran, 29 November 2005 (CHN) -- An
earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck Qeshm Island on November 27,
destroying the eastern wall of the historical Portuguese fortress before excavations were
carried out on that section of the site. Portuguese Fortress is situated in the northern
part of Qeshm Island and on Persian Gulf shores. The fortress was built in 1507 by order
of Albuquerque, Portuguese admiral in Qeshm Island. Ehsan Yaghmayi unearthed the fortress
in 1999, and carried out archaeological excavations there until the spring of 2000.
“During the excavations in the Portuguese fortress which took from 1999 to 2000, 3 of
the 4 walls were excavated both from inside and outside,” said Ehsan Yaghmayi.
According to Yaghmayi, the eastern wall of the fortress was supposed to be excavated
within the next few months, however the earthquake destroying the wall caused the work to
remain incomplete. During excavations in Portuguese Fortress in Qeshm Island, some
chinaware dishes from China, glasses from Venice, and cannons were discovered. Portuguese
Fortress was built to establish relations with Hormoz Fortress and providing services and
equipments for this central fortress of Qeshm. Portuguese Fortress is an important
evidence from the Portuguese occupation of the Persian Gulf region. Portuguese Fortress
was captured during the Safavid era by Imam Gholi Khan, one of the commanders of Shah
Abbas.
Portuguese Fortress, Symbol of
Hormuz Old Glory
Source:
http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=1062
Tehran, 30 January 2004 (CHN) -- The only remnant of the glorious past of Hormuz
Island in southern Iran, is the large Portuguese stone fortress located by the seashore.
Based on historical documents, the city was first built at the time of Ardeshir I, the
Sassanid King. At the beginning of the Islamic era and in the seventh century Hejira, it
expanded and in the recent century turned into an important business center. Hormuz Island
was attacked and occupied in 1507 by the Portuguese commander Alfonse d©Albuquerque, who
ordered his men to build a fortress with high towers and left himself for India. After his
departure, the residents defeated the Portuguese, but d©Albuquerque occupied the area
once more in 1515. The Hormuz Fortress is located in an area 125 meters on each side, with
four 12-meter towers at its four corners. Its style is that of the European fortresses of
the medieval ages inspired by the Iranian architecture. Hormuz Fortress, known also as
Portuguese Fortress, guarded the colonial interests of Portugal for 107 years until 1622,
when it was freed along with the Island by order of Shah Abbas, the Safavid King.
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