- Kharg Island
Kharg Island (PerB|جزیره خارک) is a continental island in the
Persian Gulf belonging toIran . It is located 25 km (16 miles) off the coast of Iran and 483 km (300 miles) northwest of theStrait of Hormuz (coord|29|22|N|50|30|E|). Administered by the adjacent coastalBushehr Province , Kharg Island provides a sea port for the export of oil and extends Iranianterritorial sea claims into the Persian Gulf oil fields.In 1753 the Dutch established both a trading post and a fort on the island. In 1766 the Dutch fort was plundered by the Persian army. [www.nationaalarchief.nl]
Once the world's largest offshore crude oil terminal and the principal sea terminal for Iranian oil, the Kharg Island facilities were put out of commission in the fall of 1986. Heavy bombing of the Kharg Island facilities from 1982 through 1986 by the air forces of the government of
Iraq during theIran–Iraq War all but destroyed most of the terminal facilities. Kharg Island was situated in the middle of theDarius Oilfield , also destroyed by the intensive bombing. Repair to all facilities has been very slow, even after the war ended in 1988.Trivia
Kharg or Khark is a Persian word that refers to a date that is not ready to eat.
Achaemenid InscriptionOn November 14th, 2007, a
cuneiform inscription dating back to Achaemenid era was discovered in Kharg Island inOld Persian language .The inscription is carved on a coral rock in Old Persian semi-syllabic cuneiform signs. Despite the usually well-ordered regular system of Achaemenid inscriptions, this one is in an unusual order written in five lines [ [http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=7401 Iranian Cultural Heritage News Agency] ] .On May 31, 2008, the inscription was seriously damaged by unknown vandal(s).They destroyed it with a sharp object, such that about 70 percent of the inscription has been seriously damaged [ [http://www.payvand.com/news/08/may/1307.html Khark island's Achaemenid inscription seriously damaged] Payvand News - 06/01/08] .The nature of the damage indicates that it has been done deliberately .
References
External links
* [http://www.nasa.gov National Aeronautics and Space Administration]
* [http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=16328 National Aeronautics and Space Administration]
* [http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=6872 1700-Y-Old Palmyrene Rock Graves Discovered in Khark Island]
* [http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=6891 106 Sassanid Ossuary Tombs Discovered in Khark Island]
* [http://www.chnphoto.ir/gallery.php?gallery_uid=986&lang=fa Photos of the Inscription]
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