A fragment of an ancient Iranian sculpture, which could be valued at more than £30m, has been seized by UK border patrol officers.
The Sasanian rock relief, which is more than a metre tall and was carved about 1,800 years ago, had been gouged from a cliff in Iran with an angle grinder before being smuggled to Britain.
It was intercepted by Border Force officers at Stansted airport after they became suspicious of the haphazard packaging.
The relief, which depicts a male figure carved in the 3rd century AD, was apparently intended for the black market.
The sculpture is so unique and valuable that it will never be sold, despite its potential value.
It is carved from calcareous limestone, which is common across Iran, making it impossible to pinpoint its exact location.
Only about 30 known Sasanian rock reliefs exist, mostly dating back to the third century, and almost all are in a relatively small area of Iran, in Fars province.
The lack of an inscription makes it impossible to identify the person depicted, but the figure's dress and diademed headdress signify him as a person of high rank.
The gesture of greeting and submission with a raised bent forefinger is a feature of Sasanian art when figures are in the presence of royalty, which suggests that this was part of a larger composition.
The artefact was part of Operation Pandora VI, which involved actions in airports and at border crossing points and was led by Spain.
The case has been investigated by Interpol and the National Crime Agency, but no arrests have been made so far. The sender, recipient and destination of the package was a UK internet auction site, which claimed it was not expecting it.
The British Museum, which repaired the broken sculpture after it was formally forfeited to the Crown, has received permission from the Iranian government to display the artefact for three months before sending it to the National Museum in Tehran.
Dr St John Simpson, a senior curator and archaeologist in the British Museum’s department of the Middle East, said that looters were undeterred by severe penalties for trafficking antiquities, including the death penalty in Iran.
Despite this, the number of Iranian artefacts on the black market has increased in recent years, he added.
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Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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Price: On request
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
