Archaeologists to save relics before Iron Age cemetery submerged in dam waters

TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists, cultural heritage experts, and diggers plan to recover ancient human remains and relics from an Iron Age cemetery in Mersin, Semnan province, before the cemetery is disappeared under the waters of a nearby dam.

Mapping survey discovers ancient sites in southern Iran

TEHRAN – Tens of centuries-old relics and sites have recently been discovered during a mapping survey, which is underway across the Marvdasht plain, which is an archaeologically-rich area once the seat of power for the Achaemenid Persian Empire (c. 550 – 330 BC) in southern Iran.

We have to hire 300,000 workers to enhance cultural heritage protection: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister has said that his ministry must hire 300,000 workers in a bid to enhance the protection of cultural heritage sites, relics, and monuments.

UNESCO-tagged hydraulic ensemble to be dredged

TEHRAN – A dredging project has started at parts of Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, a UNESCO-registered ensemble in southwest Iran, which is known globally as a ‘masterpiece of creative genius’.

By Afshin Majlesi

A peek into cemetery tourism in Iran

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing phenomena in our modern world. It always makes new changes to have unforgettable experiences, to create new travel motivators, and to reach new markets. Such a trend results in new tourist spots which were unthinkable only a few years ago!

Kuhdasht cave has ample evidence of prehistorical dwellers: archaeologist

TEHRAN - Kuhdasht cave in the western province of Lorestan bears ample evidence of prehistorical dwellers and it has vast potential to be a tourism hub, an Iranian archaeologist has said.

Tehran, Athens discuss ways to cooperate in cultural heritage repatriation

TEHRAN – Iranian and Greek officials have discussed ways to share experience in cultural heritage repatriation as the two cradles of ancient civilizations are subjected to smuggling of historical relics.

Another mapping survey starts in archaeologically-rich Marvdasht plain

TEHRAN – The third archaeological season for demarcation, mapping, and documentation of Marvdasht plain has commenced in the archaeologically-rich area, which once the seat of power for the Achaemenid Persian Empire (c. 550 – 330 BC) in southern Iran.

“Hand of Achaemenid soldier” attached to bas-relief in Persepolis

TEHRAN – The left hand of a huge Achaemenid-era (c. 550 - 330 BC) bas-relief carving, depicting a soldier grabbing a spear, has recently been attached to the rock-carved art after decades in the UNESCO-registered Persepolis, southern Iran.

Archaeologist says newest Ecbatana excavations yielded ‘satisfying’ results

TEHRAN – Senior Iranian archaeologist Mehrdad Malekzadeh has said results of the 22nd archaeological season recently conducted on the ancient city of Ecbatana in west-central Iran were “satisfying”.

Open-air museum being set up featuring millennia-old relics in northeast Iran

TEHRAN – A new round of restoration work is due to commence on Tepe Rivi, which has so far yielded magnificent remains of the Bronze Age up to the Sassanid period.

Ancient relics smuggled to Austria back home

TEHRAN -  A batch of Iranian ancient relics, which had been smuggled to Austria, was recovered and surrendered to a representative of the Islamic Republic in Vienna on Thursday.

A peek into Bronze-Age Tepe Gariran, a gateway to the “Old Routes of Western Iran”

TEHRAN – In 1931, the renowned British archaeologist Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862 – 1943) surveyed Tepe Gariran in western Iran along with several others across the ancient land. His views were published in November 1969 in a book titled “Old Routes of Western Iran: Narratives of an Archaeological Journey”.

Crumbling but still fabulous: UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleyman

TEHRAN - Photos depict scenes from the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleyman (“Solomon’s Throne”), a ruined sanctuary in northwest Iran, which is still a source of charm for avid holidaymakers, history buffs and archaeologists.

Achaemenid clay tablets, Iron Age relics, and skeleton to go on show at Qazvin museum

TEHRAN – A batch of recovered Achaemenid-era (550-330 BC) clay tablets, which were on loan from Iran to the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago since 1935, along with an Iron Age collection composed of a human skeleton and burial relics, will be displayed at a museum in the city of Qazvin.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran’s trump cards to kick-start tourism in post-COVID-19 world

TEHRAN – As you are well aware, the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has plunged the travel and tourism industry in the global scene, disrupting life in ways that were unimaginable just a few months ago.

Garments of Iran’s salt mummies to be restored using German expertise

TEHRAN – A team of experts from Iran and Germany will start a project for purifying, cleansing, and restoring garments and personal belongings of ancient salt mummies which were first found in Iran’s Chehrabad Salt Mine in 1993.

Iran calls for return of relics confiscated in Austria

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has called for the return of relics, which were discovered from a safety-deposit box of a bank in Austria last year.

‘Gateway of the Slaves’: a millennia-old mudbrick town in southern Iran 

TEHRAN – Thanks to the shifting of sand dunes, foundations of forgotten buildings and relics across the globe are uncovered time after time.

Interpol seizes cache of ancient Iranian artifacts in Europe

TEHRAN – Police in a European country have seized a cache of ancient Iranian relics hidden at a safety-deposit box of a bank, ILNA reported on Monday.

Iranian, German archaeologists to shed more light on history of Persia

TEHRAN – Teams of Iranian and German archaeologists are slated to continue research on Tepe Rivi, an ancient site in northeast Iran, which has so far revealed magnificent remains of the Bronze Age up to the Sassanid period.

Lorestan registers nearly one million overnight stays in year

TEHRAN – Iranians made about one million overnight stays in Lorestan province during the previous Iranian calendar year 1398 (ended March 20), CHTN reported on Sunday.

Drilling wells near Naqsh-e Rostam banned over probable damage

TEHRAN – Drilling deep wells near Naqsh-e Rostam, a royal rock-hewn necropolis in Fars province, southern Iran, has been banned over probable subsidence of land and damage to the ancient site.

Excavations suggest 6000-year-old administrative system in Iran

TEHRAN – Relics including seals, which have newly been unearthed in southeastern Kerman province, suggest that an administrative management system was practiced some 6000 years ago in the country.

Susa, once capital of Elamite, Achaemenid empires

TEHRAN – Now sprawling in the southwest of modern Iran, Susa is one of the oldest yet magnificent cities in the world.

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.

German museums postpone Iran exhibits due to insurance

TEHRAN – Two German museums have postponed plans to hold separate exhibitions of Iranian cultural heritage relics as insurers have reportedly refused to cover transport of loans.

Iran proposes Croatia to join UN-recognition of Noruz

TEHRAN – Iran has put forward Croatia a proposal to join a multinational dossier for Noruz that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has approved for Iran and several other countries.

Frozen waterfall attracts ice climbers

An ice climber challenges a frozen waterfall, which is situated adjacent to the prehistoric rock carvings of Ganjnameh, a can’t-miss destination in Hamedan, west-central Iran, January 17, 2020.

Porticos, arches, domes and gardens, key elements of Persian architecture

TEHRAN – Iran has inherited numerous architectural traditions over the course of history. The Elamite, Achaemenian, Hellenistic, and other pre-Islamic and Islamic-era dynasties have left striking stone testaments to their greatness, such as Chogha Zanbil and Persepolis—both of which were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1979.