Authentication Process

  • It all starts by selecting only the most trusted sources in the world of antiquities, from auction houses, to museums, to independent collectors, we only accept the highest ethical and professional standards in those with whom we partner.

    A COMMENT ON CULTURAL DISPLACEMENT

    Zagros Artifacts stands against cultural displacement and appropriation, as well as the dealing of artifacts not part of the cultural heritage of a gallery’s owners.

    The common refrain from colonial powers is that the population from which they stole are not able to properly care for their cultural history. We do not agree with this as a reason not to repatriate artifacts in modern times.

    It is however unfortunate that Iran’s cultural heritage, especially pre-Islamic sites and material culture, faces well-documented risks from underfunding, limited protection capacity, illicit digging/trafficking pressures, and damage from major development projects. We recognize the role non-Iranian imperial actors have had on this situation as well.

    Our preservation mission responds to these realities by working only with objects that have lawful provenance, prioritizing legacy collections and items demonstrably outside Iran prior to modern cultural-property controls. We do not commission, encourage, or facilitate excavation, removal, or export from source countries.

    We are a gallery owned by Iranian-Canadians and Persian refugees who wish to bring legally sourced Iranian artifacts to the viewing pleasure of the Iranian diaspora. We hope to put forward affordable and unique offerings to buyers that will appreciate and maintain these conserved treasures forever.

    All our artifacts are displayed for the education of the Iranian diaspora in public viewings or in museums prior to being sold.

  • Our team relies on literature, both physical and digital, to provide a risk assessment of the authenticity of any prospective item before it is added to our collection. Cultural and technical experts review every pick.

  • Every artifact for sale is cleared with Interpol and the Art Loss Registry to ensure it is not an illicit good.

  • Our analysts conduct chemical and physical analysis using ASTM or comparable methods to investigate composition, morphology, origination, and age. When advanced equipment is required, we rely on academic research labs from accredited institutions.

    Analytical methods include:

    • FTIR to confirm historical corrosion, determine qualitative composition, and identify polymeric forgeries.

    • Microscopy to investigate surface morphology, microstructures, and confirm ancient smithing methods.

    • XRF to determine inorganic composition.

    • Radiocarbon dating to determine the probable age of certain organic materials.

    • Visual comparative analysis with reference samples in the case of materials such as wood and leather.

    Our cultural experts once again conduct a visual assessment with the artifact in-hand.

  • Analysis results are interpreted in-house and reviewed by subject matter experts from our team of analysts and academics. With years of experience, they ensure nothing is missed.

  • We stand by our claims. Every item for sale comes with a Zagros Artifacts Certificate of Authenticity. This document specifies exactly what is being certified, as well as the provenance and restoration treatment of the artifact. If any piece of information on this document is discovered to be false, we will offer a full refund (shipping included), and immediately investigate the cause of the error.