‘Mantis-man’ describes puzzling petroglyph found in Iran

TEHRAN – A team of entomologists and archaeologists has concluded a previously founded petroglyph showcases a six-limbed creature with the head and arms of a praying mantis.

Parthian-era relics recovered from a second-hand shop in Tehran

TEHRAN – Tens of ancient relics, estimated to date from the Parthian era (247 BC – 224 CE), have recently been recovered from a second-hand shop in downtown Tehran.

Remnants of prehistorical settlement discovered in Iran’s Jiroft

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian and German archaeologists has recently discovered remnants of a prehistorical settlement during a survey in an ancient hill in Jiroft, southeast Iran.

Atashgah: A hillside Zoroastrian fire temple in Isfahan

TEHRAN – Though Iran is a Muslim-majority country, it is home to ancient Zoroastrian sites still retaining otherworldly charm.

Qaleh Gardan: A crumbling Iron Age fort in northern Iran

TEHRAN – Nearly all over the Iranian Plateau you can find traces of antiquity though the main areas of Iron Age development are situated in today’s southern and southwestern provinces of Khuzestan, Lorestan, Fars, and Kordestan.

ISCARSAH expertise to help restore Ilkhanid mausoleum in Iran

TEHRAN – The International Scientific Committee on the Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage (ISCARSAH) will launch a project to restore the Ala ud-Daula Simnani mausoleum, which dates back to the Ilkhanid era (1256–1353.

Tehran archaeology symposium to convene experts from around the globe

TEHRAN – A number of international cultural heritage experts, historians and archaeologists have been invited to attend the 17th Annual Symposium on the Iranian Architecture, which will be held on February 18-19.

Ancient festival of mid-winter observed by Zoroastrians across Iran

TEHRAN – A host of Iranian Zoroastrians come together in Taft county, central Yazd province, to observe Jashn-e Sadeh, a time-honored religious festival of mid-winter on January 30, 2020.

Marble Palace set to open as art museum after four decades

TEHRAN – The Marble Palace, a historical royal residence in Tehran, is set to open to the public as an art museum after 41 years.

Tokyo exhibit features ancient Iran-Japan cultural ties

TEHRAN – Sets of valuable historical relics from ancient Iran have been recently put on show by International Network for Japanese Art at Tokyo National Museum along with exquisite objects from the formative Asuka and Nara periods (593–794), showcasing the deep cultural ties of the two countries rooted in the historical past.

Tens of illegally-kept historical objects seized in Tehran

TEHRAN - Iranian authorities have recently confiscated 448 historical objects which were illegally kept in a place in the city of Tehran, IRNA reported on Wednesday.

Archeological find corroborates Japan-Persia ancient ties

TEHRAN – Japan has unveiled a rare discovery of ties between the then mighty empire of the East and people from the then Persia (now called Iran).

Iran tourism will rebound despite suffering a severe blow: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Sunday said that the country’s tourism industry has suffered a major setback but it will certainly return to “normal”.

Kermanshah exports of handicrafts surge 40 percent, hit $15 million

TEHRAN – Handicrafts exports from western Kermanshah province reached some $15 million in the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019), showing 40 percent growth year on year.

Iran’s first ‘modern university’ reopens to visitors

TEHRAN – The 19th-century madrasa of Dar ul-Funun in Tehran, known as Iran’s first modern university, has reopened doors to visitors while undergoing restoration work.

Over $950,000 allocated for Portuguese Castle restoration in Persian Gulf

TEHRAN – On Friday, Iranian tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan visited the Portuguese Castle in the Persian Gulf island of Hormuz, allocating 40 billion rials (some $952,000) for restoration of the 16th-century monument.

Newly-excavated site yields pre-historic to Islamic-era relics in Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists and researchers has recently unearthed pre-historic to Islamic-era relics and fragments of objects from a piece of land, which is speculated to be once a historical cemetery, in Asiabsar village, northern Mazandaran province.

By Afshin Majlesi

Put your skates on; Yalda is to knock the door!

A new Yalda Night is approaching the hearts of Iranians no matter which part of the globe they live. On that graceful night the winter chill is vanquished and the warmth of love embraces the entire family.

Tehran exhibit to highlight maritime history in Iran

TEHRAN – Thousands of years of human interaction with the sea is to be showcased at an exhibition titled “Human and Sea” which opened today at the National Museum of Iran in downtown Tehran. 

Recovered Achaemenid ‘guard’ to go on show at Milad Tower

TEHRAN – A limestone relief of an Achaemenid Persian guard, which was brought back home from the U.S. last year, will go show in a month-long exhibit at Tehran’s Milad Tower.

Some 2,500 historical monuments in need of restoration in Iran

TEHRAN – Of the numerous historical buildings and structures that are scattered across Iran, some 2,500 ones are in need of restoration, an official with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has said. 

Atlas of food being developed in Ardebil province

TEHRAN – A comprehensive atlas of traditional foods, which are prepared across Iran’s Ardebil province, is being developed, CHTN reported.

President Rouhani invited to Hyrcanian Forest World Heritage celebration

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has been invited to attend a ceremony to celebrate registration of Hyrcanian Forest as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Iran enjoys all attractions for Spanish travelers: diplomat

TEHRAN – Iran is a country that is highly important in terms of culture and it embraces all the necessary attractions for Spanish tourists who like to travel to the country, Spanish Charge d’Affaires to Tehran, Jose Luis Solano, has said.

Vandalized prehistorical bas-relief restored in western Iran

TEHRAN – A 3rd-millennium-BC bas-relief, vandalized on a rock surface in western Iran earlier in September, has been restored without damaging its other undestroyed sections.

Iranian police seize ancient relics from smuggler

TEHRAN – A number of ancient relics, estimated to date from prehistoric times to the [early] Islamic era, have recently been confiscated from a smuggler in Nahavand, Hamedan province, west-central Iran. 

Iranian, Danish archaeologists find new Iron Age traces in western Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian and Danish archaeologists and cultural heritage experts has recently discovered new traces of Iron Age occupation in a prehistorical cave, which is situated in Ilam province, western Iran.

Italian, Japanese expertise to help reinforce Tehran museum

TEHRAN – Italian, Japanese and Iranian engineering firms are set to join hands in a project for reinforcing and strengthening the “Ancient Iran” section of the National Museum of Iran, director of the museum said on Sunday, Fars reported.

Iranian experts build replica of two-million-year-old elephant skull

TEHRAN – A life-size replica of the skull of an elephant, which is estimated to have lived some two million years ago, was unveiled at Zanjan University on Sunday.

Over 2,000 ancient coins recovered by Iranian police

TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have recently seized over 2,000 ancient coins from five smugglers and antique dealers, who were illegally keeping the relics in a hideout in Mashhad, northeast Iran.