19 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Teymareh Petroglyphs, One of the World’s Largest Rock Art Collections, at Risk of Disappearing Due to Mining Activities

Petroglyphs are among the world’s oldest practiced art forms and are as diverse as the wide-ranging cultures and civilizations that have produced them. One of these places of immense historical importance is Teymareh in the heart of Iran.

A petroglyph, also known as rock art, refers to images that are etched or carved into stone surfaces. In ancient times, pictures served as mnemonic devices to help recall data and this early use of visualization led to the development of systems of symbolic pictographs and ideographs, the precursors of alphabets.

Petroglyphs are powerful cultural symbols that reflect the complex societies and religions of the surrounding tribes.

The ancient rocks of Teymareh symbolize the long past of human existence and art throughout the ages. Some of Iran’s prehistoric habitats can be seen in the valleys and mountainous regions that surround Khomeini and Golpayegan. Teymareh is an ancient and rocky region in the city of Khomein, which holds 21,000 petroglyphs with amazing secrets.

The placement of these Petroglyphs in 31 archaeological sites with an area of over 50 square kilometers has brought an unmatched museum in the heart of the region. Qeydu and Mazayen are the oldest remains of the petroglyphs in Teymareh.

Teymareh carvings feature representations of plants and animals in a variety of styles, from realistic to abstract. There are lots of animal representations, particularly of goats with big, pointed horns. Feline species, canids, horses, dromedaries, owls, fish, tigers, cows, and birds like partridges, storks, and hoopoes are among the other animals portrayed. Figures of plants include wheat, pine, and cedar. Martial arts, magic dances, pregnant ladies, camel caravans, and people with big hands are among the other images.

The petroglyphs found in Teymareht are some estimated to be as old as 40,000 years. However, these invaluable artifacts have been left unprotected and neglected.

Photo: Tehran Times

Today, Teymareh stands as one of the largest repositories of such prehistoric art, yet it receives minimal attention from authorities and lacks adequate protective measures.

Teymareh has been neglected to such an extent, according to ILNA, that no national foundation has been established to safeguard this cultural heritage, leaving these antiquated relics exposed and unprotected. With thousands of petroglyphs and rock canvases, Teymareh is undoubtedly the largest open-air museum in the world, according to the report.

For years, the Teymareh petroglyphs went unnoticed and unappreciated. Local organizations such as the Teymareh Friends Association were recognized for the efforts of communities coming together to raise awareness.

Talking to ILNA, Rasoul Majidi, the director of the Teymareh Friends Association and a leading researcher and guide on Teymareh petroglyphs, has provided insights into the current condition of this vast archaeological site.

“Teymareh was completely unknown until a few decades ago,” Majidi explained. It was only in the early 1990s that Dr. Morteza Farhadi introduced Teymareh to Iranians and the world through his book, titled Museums in the Wind.

Following this publication, more scholars began writing books and articles about Teymareh, slowly bringing its petroglyphs to light. However, Teymareh still hasn’t received the recognition it truly deserves.”

Photo: A. Ghasemi. Hi Persia

Four Italian travelers and scholars who had read Farhadi’s book made the trip to the region in 2005. Until Majidi, their guide, showed them the extensive rock carvings, they had no idea where to find the petroglyphs. The sheer quantity of petroglyphs astounded the visitors, who, upon their return, urged the site’s preservation, highlighting the invaluable value of these artifacts.

“Until then, we were unaware of Teymareh’s significance and value,” Majidi admitted. “It was the comments from these Italian researchers that changed the course of our lives and inspired us to delve into historical studies and tourism training.”

The locals weren’t initially convinced that Majidi could keep the site intact. A lot of people made fun of the association’s efforts, calling the petroglyphs simple illustrations made by shepherds or, worse, claiming the association had drawn the images themselves. But following in-depth research and international comparisons, the community came to understand that the petroglyphs were a part of a global phenomenon that other countries fervently guard and exploit for tourism.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Majidi recounted how the efforts to attract tourists and archaeologists to Teymareh gradually shifted public perception, but this progress met with a new obstacle: mining activities. These activities threaten the integrity of Teymareh’s petroglyphs.

“The world’s largest open-air museum is now at the mercy of miners,” Majidi lamented. “Five major mining operations extracting silica for the glass and steel industries are active in the area. These mining activities posed a severe threat to this ancient collection until our persistent advocacy managed to halt three of the operations. However, two mines are still operational.”

Photo: The picture highlights the similarity between a petroglyph found in Yellowstone National Park (United States of America)and a petroglyph found in Teymareh. Source

Moreover, Majidi highlighted that all conservation efforts for Teymareh’s petroglyphs have been spearheaded by non-governmental organizations and the local community. Despite these efforts, the national heritage authorities have only managed to register three regions in Teymareh as national heritage sites, with no substantial protective measures implemented.

He further highlighted the contrasting situation in Saudi Arabia, where the government has invested heavily in safeguarding and promoting their 400 rock canvases. “Meanwhile, Iran, with its thousands of rock canvases, lacks any strategic plan for their protection and introduction to the world,” Majidi noted with concern.

Majidi stressed the need for a national base dedicated to Teymareh’s preservation. Despite the influx of archaeologists who recognize the area’s potential, tangible conservation efforts remain lacking.

“We have not seen any foreign tourists in three years. While archaeologists who visit Teymareh acknowledge its uniqueness and potential, these insights remain merely observational and do not translate into action.”

Cover Image: CC BY-SA 4.0

Related Articles

The Ramesseum’s ‘House of Life’ Reveals Ancient Egypt’s Educational Secrets!

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

A recent archaeological mission has unveiled groundbreaking findings at the Ramesseum, the grand mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, located...

The Headless Corpses of Somersham was Victims of Roman Executions

30 May 2021

30 May 2021

Excavations at Knobb’s Farm in Somersham, Cambridgeshire, unearthed three small late Roman graves on the outskirts of an agricultural village....

New Discoveries of Sanxingdui Ancient City to be Announced

19 March 2021

19 March 2021

Sanxingdui, which literally means “Stacks of Three Stars”, is a cultural relic of the Kingdom of Shu in ancient China....

A Circular Building with Six Towers of the Achaemenid Period discovered in Khorasan

3 April 2024

3 April 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered an almost circular adobe building with six towers, built in the 6th century BC, near Birjand in...

A rare Saint George seal was found during excavations near Suzdal

27 June 2023

27 June 2023

The archaeological survey of the Suzdal Opole, initiated by the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences more...

Medieval Weapon Chest Found on Sunken Medieval Flagship Gribshunden

20 April 2024

20 April 2024

An extensive exploration of the wreck of the royal flagship Gribshunden has unearthed a trove of new findings: new insights...

Floor Mosaic of the Early Byzantine Period Unearthed in St Constantine and Helena Monastery Church in Ordu

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported that an in-situ floor mosaic was found at the St Constantine...

Rare Indian Jital Coin Found in Elite Female “Princely” Grave Near Suzdal

3 September 2025

3 September 2025

Archaeologists working in the medieval necropolis of Gnezdilovo, near Suzdal — a historic town in today’s Vladimir Oblast, Russia —...

Statue of Roman Emperor Hadrianus found in western Turkey

14 September 2021

14 September 2021

Excavations in the ancient city of Alabanda in the western province of Aydin have uncovered pieces of the statue of...

Amarna’s Hidden Chapter: From Abandoned Pharaoh’s City to Christian Monastic Hub

26 June 2025

26 June 2025

New archaeological findings have reshaped our understanding of Amarna, the once-glorious capital of ancient Egypt founded by Pharaoh Akhenaten in...

Unusual construction material may be linked to the Tower of Babel

5 November 2021

5 November 2021

Archaeologists have recently discovered bitumen and mortar plastered onto a brick dating back to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II. This...

Neolithic Age Adults and Children Buried Under Family Homes were not Relative

3 May 2021

3 May 2021

An international team of scientists found that Children and adults buried next to each other in one of the oldest...

Archaeologists may have uncovered a 13th-century castle in Shropshire

7 August 2021

7 August 2021

Archaeologists have been working on a mound of land in Wem, Shropshire, that belongs to Soulton Hall, Elizabethan mansion and...

Unprecedented necropolis site found in Cappadocia, one of Türkiye’s most important tourism centers

8 July 2024

8 July 2024

In Cappadocia, located in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye, known for its unique moon-like landscape, underground cities, cave churches,...

Yale Archaeologist discovered an “arcade” of rock-cut ancient mancala game boards in Kenya

2 February 2024

2 February 2024

Veronica Waweru, a Yale University archaeologist conducting fieldwork in Kenya, discovered an “arcade” of ancient Mancala game boards carved into...