Sumptuous Persian relics reveal legacy of cultural connections

Sculptures, ceramics, glassware, paintings, and other artifacts spanning more than a millennium of history are among the 216 exhibits on loan from museums from all over Iran. Together, they tell a concise, but splendid saga.

"Iran is located on what was a crossroads of East-West cultural communication in ancient times, and its art combined elements from various cultures," says Zhai Yi, a researcher at the Palace Museum and the curator of the exhibition. "It was influenced by many regions across Eurasia.

"From the precious collections of palaces to articles of daily use, in this exhibition, we want to reflect the marvelous material cultural heritage left by ancient Persia within the greater context of mutual learning between civilizations," she adds.

Starting from the prehistoric period, the exhibition presents a panorama of Iranian history through the Achaemenid, Parthian (Arsacid) and Sasanian empires, to the Islamic dynasties that followed.