A clay cylinder found under the walls of Babylon is a key link to our past . It has continued to feature in political debate , being the symbol of the celebration of 2,500 years of Iranian monarchy in 1971 , and also celebrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran , as evidenced by its popularity during the recent exhibition in Tehran . Neil MacGregor : the Cyrus Cylinder describes rare act of tolerance . It tells the story of Persian King Cyrus , who allowed conquered people to return home . 2018 : Cyrus Cylinder will tour all major U.S. museums starting in September .
A clay cylinder found under the walls of Babylon is a key link to our past . Neil MacGregor : the Cyrus Cylinder describes rare act of tolerance . It tells the story of Persian King Cyrus , who allowed conquered people to return home . 2018 : Cyrus Cylinder will tour all major U.S. museums starting in September .