U.S. Returns Ancient Griffin Rhyton to Iran
Posted on September 28, 2013
The U.S. has returned this ancient rhyton to Iran. The 2,700 year-old silver chalice was created in the form of a griffin, a mythical beast. It has the body of a lion and the face and back talons of an eagle. There are drinking vessels on the back and side of the rhyton. It was made during the Achaemenid Persian empire around 700 BC. NBC says the vessel is worth over $1 million dollars.
The U.S. Department of State shared the photograph on Twitter and wrote, "This week, the U.S. returned to #Iran this 7th century artifact that @CustomsBorder seized from a smuggler in 2003."
CNN reports that vessel has sat in a U.S. customs warehouse for the past 10 years. The return of the item now appears to be a diplomatic gesture. CNN says that Mohammad-Ali Najafi, vice president and head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, is very pleased to have it back. Najafi told CNN, "We are taking this as America's souvenir to the Iranian people."
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