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2025-09-21 17:10
Met Museum’s tiny clay figurine reveals ancient origins of the mighty Hyrcanian tiger
TEHRAN - A seemingly unremarkable clay fragment, housed for decades in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections, has been identified as a landmark archaeological discovery. New research confirms the artifact is one of the oldest known depictions of a tiger, reshaping the history of the animal’s role in Iranian art and culture.
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2025-09-19 17:00
Elymaean, Sassanid artefacts seized in Yasuj
TEHRAN – A number of historical objects dating back to the Elymaean and Sassanid periods have been seized in Yasuj, the head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province said on Wednesday.
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2025-09-15 16:32
Iran heritage official responds to concerns over orchestra concert at Persepolis
TEHRAN – An Iranian heritage official said on Monday that a permanent, safe venue will be designated for cultural events at Persepolis after a concert by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra at the ancient site sparked concern among cultural heritage advocates and archaeologists.
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2025-09-14 17:28
Iranian scholars link Bishapur palace motif to global symbols
TEHRAN – Archaeologists in Iran say a decorative motif known as Gardoun-e Mehr (literary “Mithra Wheel”) or cross-like pattern, carved in plasterwork at an ancient royal palace of Bishapur in Fars province, influenced artistic and architectural designs across the world.
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2025-09-12 16:55
Rock carving of Sassanid ‘nobleman’ discovered in southern Iran
TEHRAN - A Sassanid-era rock carving estimated to be more than 1,500 years old has been discovered on the cliffs of Marvdasht in southern Iran’s Fars province, an Iranian historian said on Thursday.
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2025-09-03 17:11
Commemorative stamp unveiled to mark Khorramabad’s UNESCO World Heritage inscription
KHORRAMABAD — In a landmark celebration of Iran’s deep prehistory, a commemorative stamp honoring the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley has officially been unveiled at Falak-ol-Aflak Castle.
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2025-09-02 16:54
Damghan’s historic fortifications undergo restoration
TEHRAN – A new phase of restoration has been commenced on the historic walls and towers of Damghan, a city in Semnan province known for its ancient fortifications and cultural heritage, an official said on Sunday.
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2025-09-02 16:40
Effort underway to safeguard Persepolis from ongoing erosion
TEHRAN – Iran is finalizing a comprehensive management and conservation plan for Persepolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Fars province, amid growing concerns from experts about erosion of its ancient stone reliefs, the site’s director said.
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2025-09-01 15:22
Beijing exhibit features 7,000 years of Iranian civilization in digital format
TEHRAN – Iran’s National Museum is showcasing 7,000 years of civilization in digital format at a new exhibition in Beijing that brings together cultural relics from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
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2025-08-30 16:11
Echoes of the Past: Millennia-old painted pottery vessel
The pictured vessel is a masterful example of the celebrated Cheshmeh Ali ware tradition, dating to the Transitional Chalcolithic period, approximately 5200-4800 BC.
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2025-08-29 17:01
Iran to host debut tourism expo focused on children and teens
TEHRAN – Iran will host its first festival and exhibition on children and youth tourism in Tehran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, a senior official said on Wednesday.
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2025-08-27 17:33
Geophysical scans reveal widespread ancient metallurgy in Iran’s Masouleh
TEHRAN - New evidence points to a sophisticated history of iron production intertwined with pastoral life in the renowned cultural landscape.
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2025-08-25 18:00
18th-century Vakil Mosque undergoes restoration in Shiraz
TEHRAN – The historic Vakil Mosque, part of an 18th-century ensemble in downtown Shiraz, has undergone restoration, a provincial official said.
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2025-08-25 17:57
‘World’s smallest’ ancient inscription discovered in southern Iran
TEHRAN – An Iranian historian has announced the discovery of what he says is the “world’s smallest known ancient inscription”, a 1,600-year-old text carved on a rock wall in Marvdasht, Fars province, dating to the late Sassanid period.
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2025-08-24 16:42
‘Oldest handicrafts’ traced to Lorestan, local official says
TEHRAN – Iran’s oldest known handicrafts have been traced to its Lorestan province, according to a local official.
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2025-08-23 15:18
Gilan’s tourism potential could rival oil revenues, minister says
TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Saturday that the northern province of Gilan has the capacity to generate revenues on par with oil if investment in tourism infrastructure is prioritized.
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2025-08-22 14:25
Archaeologists uncover lusterware fragments, Islamic-era ruins in Isfahan excavation
TEHRAN – Archaeologists in Iran have recently unearthed fragments of Persian lusterware ceramics, historical coins, and remnants of Islamic-era architecture during the second phase of excavations at Kamar-Zarrin passage in Isfahan, a local official said on Thursday.
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2025-08-20 17:51
6,000-year-old fishing village reveals ancient maritime diet and fishing technology in Iran’s Makran
TEHRAN - Archaeologists working at the Koupal site in Dashtyari county, southeast Iran, have uncovered remarkable evidence of a 6,000-year-old fishing settlement, providing detailed insights into ancient maritime subsistence strategies.
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2025-08-19 16:57
Archaeological survey launched to protect Surt in northern Iran
TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists has begun a survey to determine the boundaries and propose a protective buffer zone for the ancient site of Surt in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, officials said on Monday.
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2025-08-18 17:34
Iran police seize 11 ancient Parthian coins in Khorramabad
TEHRAN – Iranian police have seized 11 historical coins believed to date back to the Parthian era in Khorramabad, the capital of western Lorestan province.
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2025-08-18 17:23
Echoes of the Past: Stucco plaque of Sasanian lady
The pictured Sassanid-era stucco plaque set within a central square depicts the bust of a smiling woman—likely a Sasanian princess, suggested by her ornate adornments. Unearthed at Tepe Hessar in Damghan, modern-day Semnan province, it dates to the late 6th or early 7th century CE.
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2025-08-16 17:42
Fars province, cradle of the Achaemenid Empire, seeks tourism rise
TEHRAN – Iran’s Fars province, home to ancient Achaemenid sites including Persepolis and Pasargadae, recorded 7.4 million tourist visits last year, officials said, as the government steps up efforts to position the region as a leading cultural tourism hub.
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2025-08-15 16:25
Ancient carving shows Assyrian soldiers using goat skins to cross river 2,900 years ago
TEHRAN – A 2,900-year-old carved panel from the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud shows soldiers swimming across a river using inflatable goat skins, according to the British Museum.
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2025-08-12 17:34
Iran’s culture minister calls for accelerated excavations at ancient city of Istakhr
TEHRAN – Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts has urged faster archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Istakhr in southern Iran, citing the site’s historical importance and the need for stronger protection against illegal digging.
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2025-08-10 17:07
Iran monitors subsidence at UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower
TEHRAN – Iranian heritage authorities are carrying out subsidence monitoring and technology studies on the UNESCO-listed Gonbad-e Qabus tower in Golestan province, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.
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2025-08-10 16:58
6th excavation season launched at Qal-e Kord cave, one of oldest human settlements in Iran
TEHRAN - The sixth season of archaeological excavations at Qal-e Kord cave in the Avaj county of Iran’s Qazvin province has begun under permits from the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, the institute said on Saturday.
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2025-08-10 16:57
Ancient stone artifacts in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province date back to Paleolithic era
TEHRAN - Archaeological studies in Iran’s Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province have revealed that the region's earliest stone artifacts date back to the Upper Paleolithic and early Neolithic periods, according to local cultural heritage authorities.
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2025-08-09 17:43
Sassanid-era Vigol fire temple undergoes restoration
TEHRAN – Restoration work has commenced on the Vigol fire temple, a rare archaeological site from the Sassanid era located in the central province of Isfahan, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.
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2025-07-27 18:13
Centuries-old qanats in Ardakan undergo restoration
TEHRAN – Restoration and rehabilitation work has begun on a series of historic qanats located in the old urban fabric of Ardakan, Yazd province, as part of a preservation initiative for the region’s ancient water infrastructure, local officials said.
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2025-07-25 17:22
Iranian paleontologist unveils world’s first fossilized bird mating dance in Miocene strata
TEHRAN - In a groundbreaking paleontological discovery, Iranian scientist Dr. Nasrollah Abbassi, researcher at the University of Zanjan, has uncovered the world’s first fossilized evidence of an ancient bird mating ritual—captured in stunning detail in the Miocene Upper Red Formation of northwestern Iran.