Khalid Nabi cemetery blends archaeology and pilgrimage

TEHRAN – Surrounded by vast skies, green hills in spring, and golden grasses in late summer, Khalid Nabi Cemetery stands as one of northern Iran’s most distinctive heritage destinations. It embodies a convergence of myth, memory, landscape, and identity—where pilgrimage, archaeology, and tourism meet on a remote mountain ridge overlooking Turkmen Sahra.

Iran’s Neolithic communities excelled in antler craft, research shows

TEHRAN - A recent archaeological study published in the journal Anthropozoologica sheds new light on the sophisticated craftsmanship and resource strategies of early human societies on the Iranian Plateau.

Damghan proposed as hub for eastern Iran civilizational studies

TEHRAN– Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts on Thursday called for Damghan in Semnan province to be developed into a center for civilizational studies in eastern Iran, stressing the need for scientific protection and integrated management of two major historical sites in the city.

By Maryam Rostami

Before refrigerators, Iran had Yakhchals: Where did summer ice come from?

GONABAD – Have you ever paused, while sipping a chilled sharbat or juice with ice cubes floating inside, or enjoying an iced tea or iced coffee, to wonder how people kept their drinks and food cool before modern refrigerators and ice makers existed? Did they have access to cold water during the scorching days of summer? To find the answers, one can look to the heart of Iran’s desert cities—places where architectural ingenuity and human adaptation to nature gave rise to remarkable structures known as yakhchals, or icehouses.

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.

Ancient Sadeh festival can reinforce social cohesion and unity, governor-general says

TEHRAN – Kerman’s governor-general Mohammad-Ali Talebi said on Wednesday that the ancient Sadeh festival is a national ritual belonging to all Iranians and can contribute to social cohesion and unity.

Urgent repairs ordered after water leak damages Isfahan’s UNESCO-listed mosque

TEHRAN – Cultural heritage authorities have launched emergency measures to contain water leakage and ground subsidence at the UNESCO-listed Jameh Mosque of Isfahan after moisture and cracks were detected near its centuries-old Nezam al-Molk dome.

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.

Siraf historic port dossier submitted to UNESCO for World Heritage review

TEHRAN - Iran has formally submitted the nomination dossier for the historic port of Siraf to UNESCO for review and possible inscription on the World Heritage list, the deputy minister for cultural heritage said on Wednesday.

Jashn-e Sadeh: Khur residents prepare for ancient fire festival

TEHRAN – Residents of Khur, a city in Isfahan province, are preparing to observe Jashn-e Sadeh, an ancient Persian festival marked by a communal fire ritual, local cultural heritage officials said.

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.

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.

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.

Sightseeing along ancient spice route added to Iran’s tourism calendar

TEHRAN – Sightseeing tours along sections of the ancient spice route located in Iran have been officially added to the country’s tourism calendar, a move aimed at highlighting Iran’s historical role in regional and global trade networks, a local tourism official said on Sunday.

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.

By Afshin Majlesi

Golestan at a glance: forests, ancient monuments and Caspian landscapes

GORGAN - Golestan is one of the least visited provinces in Iran, yet for many travelers who take the time to explore it, the region may quickly become a favorite destination.

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.

By Afshin Majlesi

An inside look at Gorgan’s tribal festival

The 17th International Festival of Tribal Culture, scheduled to take place in Gorgan, the capital of Iran’s Golestan province, from Dec. 16 to 19, is often described as a celebration. But to see it only as a cultural event is to miss its deeper significance.

By Afshin Majlesi

Sa’dabad director outlines major restoration, conservation push at former royal complex in Tehran

TEHRAN – The director of the Sa’dabad Cultural-Historical Complex says the former royal residence in northern Tehran has accelerated restoration and conservation work, completing a long-delayed digital inventory of its holdings while advancing new projects to safeguard thousands of stored objects.