Published March 11, 2013
A clay cylinder from the sixth century BCE is making its debut at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington D.C. Inscribed with messages from King Cyrus the Great of ancient Persia - present-day Iran -- the object is regarded as the world’s first declaration of human rights and was an inspiration for democratic reformers going back centuries. VOA reporter Julie Taboh attended the exhibit's opening.