TEHRAN – Iranian archaeologist Fereidoun Biglari, deputy director of the National Museum of Iran and head of its Paleolithic Department, has been elected a Full Member of the International Academy of Prehistory and Protohistory (AIPP), becoming the first Iranian scholar to receive this distinction.

According to the National Museum of Iran, Biglari was selected as one of five new Full Members of the AIPP’s College of Prehistory, which is dedicated to the study of hunter-gatherer societies. The academy’s 2026 membership list also includes newly elected members from Egypt, the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Founded in Paris on December 7, 2021, following an initiative by the International Union of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences (UISPP), the AIPP was established to address the limited representation of prehistorians and protohistorians in national academies worldwide. The academy aims to promote research and scientific knowledge on human prehistory and protohistory, spanning from the earliest origins of humanity to the end of the Iron Age.

Among its prominent academicians are renowned archaeologists and prehistorians such as David Lordkipanidze of Georgia, known for groundbreaking discoveries at Dmanisi; Eudald Carbonell of Spain, co-director of the Atapuerca research project; Barry Cunliffe of the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s leading archaeologists; Jean Guilaine of France, a pioneering scholar of Neolithic and Mediterranean archaeology; Hermann Parzinger of Germany, former president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation; Marcella Frangipane of Italy, internationally recognized for her work on the origins of complex societies in the Near East; Paolo Biagi of Italy, noted for his extensive research on the prehistory of South and Central Asia; Yoshihiro Nishiaki of Japan, a leading authority on the Neolithic cultures of Southwest Asia; Mehmet Özdo an of Türkiye, whose work has significantly advanced understanding of the spread of farming from Anatolia into Europe; and Dolores Piperno of the United States, a leading expert on archaeobotany and the origins of agriculture.

The AIPP is organized into two colleges: Prehistory, focusing on hunter-gatherer societies, and Protohistory, dedicated to early farming and herding communities. Membership is limited to 120 scholars divided among three categories—Emeritus, Full, and Corresponding Members—with each category restricted to 40 members equally distributed between the two colleges. Candidates are selected based on academic qualifications, professional achievements, fieldwork experience, scientific publications, international recognition, and scholarly awards.

Biglari earned his Ph.D. in Paleolithic Archaeology from the University of Bordeaux in France. Throughout his career, he has directed or co-directed numerous archaeological excavations and research projects, including those at Mar Tarik Cave, Yafteh Cave, Qaleh Bozi, Wezmeh Cave, Ghamari Cave, Darband-e Rashi Cave, and the Darian Dam Salvage Program.

He also played a key role in establishing the Zagros Paleolithic Museum in Kermanshah and led the creation of the Paleolithic Gallery at the National Museum of Iran. In addition, Biglari contributed to UNESCO World Heritage nomination dossiers for the Cultural Landscape of Masouleh and the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley, the latter of which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2025.

Beyond his fieldwork, Biglari has been actively involved in academic publishing and international scholarship. He serves as Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Iran National Museum and previously held the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Iranian Archaeology. Since 2025, he has been a member of the Advisory Board of Encyclopaedia Iranica. His election to the AIPP marks a significant milestone for Iranian archaeology and highlights the growing international recognition of Iran’s contributions to prehistoric and Paleolithic research.

AM