Work on Xerxes I tomb at Naqsh-e Rostam nears completion

TEHRAN – Restoration work on the rock-cut tomb of Achaemenid king Xerxes I is nearing completion after years of conservation efforts, a local official has said.

Qasr-e Shirin needs decades of archaeological work, heritage official says

TEHRAN - Iran’s western county of Qasr-e Shirin requires up to a century of archaeological research due to the number of historical sites dating back to the Sassanid period, a senior provincial heritage official said on Tuesday.

Birjand historic core set for first archaeological excavation

TEHRAN – Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ministry plans to launch the first archaeological excavation in the historic urban fabric of Birjand, the capital of South Khorasan province, to study underground layers and prepare the ground for an open-air museum, a provincial official said on Sunday.

Heritage sites in Fars province to be monitored by drones

TEHRAN – Fars’ cultural heritage department is set to use drones and electronic monitoring systems to oversee nationally and globally registered heritage sites scattered across the southern Iranian province.

National Museum to host Symposium of Iranian Archaeology

TEHRAN – The 23rd Symposium of Iranian Archaeology is set to be held from Jan. 26 to 28 at the National Museum of Iran in downtown Tehran, organizers said.

Archaeological studies begin at Qaleh Goli mound in western Iran

TEHRAN - Archaeological studies have begun at the ancient Qaleh Goli mound in Khanmirza county in Iran’s Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, the provincial cultural heritage authority said.

Prehistoric discoveries at Falak-ol-Aflak castle strengthen UNESCO bid

KHORRAMABAD – A major archaeological campaign at the historic mound of Falak-ol-Aflak castle has uncovered important evidence that rewrites the site's history, significantly strengthening Iran's proposal for its expansion on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

By Afshin Majlesi

Shushtar residents call for UNESCO listing of historical urban fabric

SHUSHTAR (Khuzestan province) - Residents of the historic city of Shushtar in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province have launched a public campaign calling for the inscription of the city’s historical urban fabric on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, citing its cultural, architectural and living heritage value.

Archaeological evidence indicates 10th-century Persian settlement in Madagascar

TEHRAN - The mysterious archaeological site of Teniky, hidden within the remote rainforests and canyons of Madagascar's Isalo National Park, has long puzzled scientists with its unique rock-cut niches and stone walls.

Experimental archaeology at Masuleh: Medieval Iron smelting technology reconstructed

TEHRAN - An interdisciplinary research team has successfully reconstructed a medieval iron smelting and casting complex at the Old Masuleh historical site in northern Iran, revealing advanced metallurgical expertise in the region.

Sasanian-era pottery jar discovered in southern Iran

TEHRAN – A pottery jar dating back to the Sasanian era has recently been discovered in Dehqaed village of Bushehr province, southern Iran, following recent rainfall, the provincial tourism chief said on Tuesday.

Nahavand’s tumulus-shaped tomb could shed light on Seleucid era: archaeologist

TEHRAN – An Iranian archaeologist has said the discovery of a tumulus-shaped ancient tomb near the city of Nahavand could reveal new details about the Seleucid period, citing it as the only known tumulus in Iran dated to that era.

Parthian-Sasanian artifacts from Amlash culture made national heritage

TEHRAN - Iran has added three Parthian-Sasanian period artifacts discovered in Amlash county in Gilan province to its national heritage list, the provincial head of cultural heritage said on Saturday.

Sassanid-era inscription referring to royal festival discovered

TEHRAN — An Iranian archaeologist said a Sassanid-era inscription referring to the calendar of a royal festival has recently been discovered on rock cliffs in the Marvdasht Plain in southern Iran.

Facial reconstruction portrays man lived c. 10,000 years ago in western Iran

TEHRAN – An international team of archaeologists and researchers has produced a facial reconstruction of a young man who lived around 10,000 years ago at Ganj Dareh, a Neolithic site in western Iran.

National conference reviews technology use in salvage archaeology for dam projects

TEHRAN - A national conference on the use of modern science and technology in salvage archaeology for major water and energy infrastructure projects was held in Tehran on Saturday.

Elymaean rock carving discovered in southwest Iran

TEHRAN – A newly identified Elymaean rock carving has been discovered in the highlands of Kuh-e Manar in Andika, southwest Iran, according to the director of the Masjed Soleyman Cultural and Industrial Landscape National Base.

Archaeologists uncover traces of ‘7,000-year-old’ village beneath Iran’s historic Dehdasht

TEHRAN - Archaeologists in Iran have discovered evidence of a prehistoric settlement dating back up to 7,000 years beneath the historic city of Dehdasht in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, the lead researcher said on Saturday.

Persepolis launches new conservation program using advanced material and imaging technology

TEHRAN – Iranian restoration teams have launched a new conservation program at the UNESCO-designated Persepolis and the nearby Naqsh-e Rostam site using advanced imaging, special material, and stone-analysis technologies, officials said on Saturday.

Archaeology students tour historical monuments in Varamin plain

TEHRAN – A group of archaeology students from the University of Tehran visited several major historical and religious sites across the Varamin plain on Monday.

Excavations reveal secrets of seasonal pastoral camp in Hawraman Mountains

TEHRAN — Newly published findings from rescue excavations at the Bardeh Mar archaeological site in Iran’s Hawraman region are shedding fresh light on the seasonal rhythms of pastoral life during the Islamic period.

Groundbreaking research reveals two-thirds of Babylonian Bisotun inscription may be lost

A new study published in the journal IRAQ has cast doubt on the long-accepted completeness of the Babylonian version of the famous Bisotun (Behistun) Inscription, one of the most important trilingual records of the ancient world.

Third excavation season begins at Zel Hastijan cave

TEHRAN-- The third excavation season has begun in Zel Hastijan Cave, in the city of Delijan, Markazi province.

Isfahan opens intl. tourism exhibition, officials say event marks new phase in sector

TEHRAN – Officials in Iran’s central province of Isfahan said on Tuesday that the 15th Isfahan International Exhibition of Tourism, Handicrafts and Hoteling would help launch a new phase in the region’s tourism development.

UNESCO-listed Susa completes protection work on 253 Apadana Palace remains

TEHRAN – Conservation teams in the UNESCO-registered Susa have completed a project to safeguard and protect 253 architectural remains from the Achaemenid-era Apadana Palace, the head of the Susa World Heritage base said on Tuesday.

‘Narrators of Ancient Iran’ extended after popular demand

TEHRAN - Due to “its great success”, the exhibition “Narrators of Ancient Iran: A Selection of Objects from the National Museum” has been extended for one month and will now remain open to the public until December 21.