TEHRAN, May 21 (Mehr News Agency) -- The shape of an ancient artifact raised doubts about its identity during the opening ceremony of an exhibition of ancient warfare equipment being held by the National Museum of Iran (NMI) in Tehran.

The artifact, which is one of the many items on display in the showcase at NMI, has been labeled as a "bronze mace dating back to the late second millennium BC", the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday.

"The object is very similar to a base of a mortar shell," NMI curator Mohammadreza Mehrandish said.

He said that the artifact should be examined to determine its true identity.

Meanwhile, exhibition director Dariush Akabrzadeh declined to comment on Mehrandish's remark and said that the artifact should be investigated.

Film expert Mehrandish was appointed curator of the National Museum of Iran in December 2007 by Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) Director Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaii.

Archaeologist Mohammadreza Kargar, who is a professor of Tehran's Allameh Tabatabaii University, was the former curator.

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