It is always heartening to hear discussion of historical artifacts not strictly as museum pieces but as instruments that can transmit other cultural messages and interpretations of identity. The Cyrus Cylinder is an example of ancient cultural heritage that resonates with new meanings today. Inspired by the blogs by Jay Wang and Naomi Leight my interest was sparked on this subject.

This week at CPD, we hosted Dr. Timothy Potts, the director of the J. Paul Getty Museum, who discussed the Cyrus Cylinder as a cultural icon and museums as vehicles for promoting global dialogue. Potts shared with us the history and meaning of the Cylinder; a clay foundation deposit no larger than a loaf of bread inscribed following Cyrus the Great’s incorporation of Babylon into the Persian Empire in 539 BCE.

At a recent reception in Orange County, Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA/39th) and Manoucher “Fred” Ameri spoke to OCTV’s Executive Producer Alex Bolourchi about the U.S. Cyrus Cylinder Tour and human rights. On loan from the British Museum, the Cyrus Cylinder has been on display since March 2013 in five major museum venues throughout the United States. The cylinder exhibition is currently being displayed at its final stop at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles portion of the tour is sponsored by the Farhang Foundation.