By Afshin Majlesi

Many Indonesians want to visit Iran: envoy

TEHRAN - Jakarta ambassador to Tehran said on Tuesday that many Indonesians want to visit Iran as he encouraged Iranians to visit the world’s largest island country.

Shiraz Municipality plans to restore Saray-e Moshir to its former glory

TEHRAN - Shiraz Municipality has commenced a restoration project on Saray-e Moshir in a bid to make the centuries-old bazaar and caravanserai as beautiful as it used to be.

Yazd hosting intl. workshop on earthen architecture

TEHRAN - The historical Iranian city of Yazd is hosting an international workshop on earthen architecture with its related conservation problems and challenges coming into focus.

Ancient relics, fabrics unearthed in Rey

TEHRAN – Some ancient relics and urban structures, deemed to date from Seljuk era (1037–1194), have recently been found during a construction project in the city of Rey, south of Tehran.

Pre-Islamic potteries unearthed in central Iran

TEHRAN – A total of 22 pieces of pottery have recently been unearthed in Khaveh rural district, central Iran.

Qanats offer clues to ancient way of life in Iran

TEHRAN – For thousands of years, qanat systems have supplied water to agricultural and permanent settlements in arid regions of Iran, tapping alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along underground tunnels by gravity, often over many kilometers.

Iran’s windmills a step closer to UNESCO listing

TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage body has almost completed preparations for a chain of ancient vertical-axis windmills for possibly becoming a UNESCO World Heritage. 

Shahr-e Sokhta yields rare 4000-year-old relics

TEHRAN – Iran’s UNESCO-registered Shahr-e Sokhta has yielded tens of rare relics which date back to over 4000 years ago, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Centuries-old Quran manuscripts restored

TEHRAN – Centuries-old manuscripts of the holy Quran have recently been rehabilitated with the efforts of Kordestan province’s cultural heritage department, CHTN reported.

Iranian-German team studying prehistoric climate of Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian and German researchers has commenced a survey in the plain of Varamin, Tehran province, to uncover clues about Iran’s climate in the prehistoric times, IRNA reported on Saturday.

5500-year-old human skeleton on show

TEHRAN – A human skeleton, which dates from some 5,500 years ago, has been put on show at the museum of archaeology in the city of Neyshabur, northeast Iran.

Iran’s “city of the mouthless” to get more attention!

TEHRAN – Shahr-e Yeri, a unique archaeological site in northwest Iran, is set to be turned into a national heritage base, a privilege that may bring more attention to the ancient city sometimes referred to as the “city of the mouthless”.

 Ancient mosque unearthed in southwest Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists have recently unearthed parts of an ancient mosque in Arjan, a historical region in the southwestern Khuzestan province.

Ascending to Qaleh Babak challenging but rewarding

TEHRAN – Qaleh Babak is a ruined fortress nested atop a pick in northwest Iran. Ascending the mount to set foot on the ancient fort seems somewhat arduous for many visitors but in most cases proves to be a considerable and gratifying experience.

Traces of ancient smelting discovered in northwest Iran  

TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists and researchers has recently found remnants of ancient metal smelting across two villages in northwest Iran.

Ganjnameh: A can’t-miss in Hamedan

TEHRAN – Prehistoric rock carvings of Ganjnameh is a can’t-miss destination when you are traveling to Hamedan, an ancient city in west-central Iran.

Ancient necropolis discovered in western Iran

TEHRAN – Iranian archaeologists unearthed an ancient necropolis in Andimeshk, a modern city, western Iran.

Isfahan a crossroads for ancient civilizations, traders: survey

TEHRAN – Fresh archaeological survey on newly-found prehistoric rock carvings in Isfahan suggest the central Iranian province has been a crossroads for civilizations and traders since 5,000 years ago.

7000-year-old residence found in western Iran

TEHRAN – A previously spotted residence area at Nadali-Beig Hill in western Iran may date back to around 7,000 years ago, archaeological studies suggest.

Tabriz: An open-air museum of history, architecture

TEHRAN - Soaked in history and dotted with splendid vibrant historical sites, Tabriz is one of top tourist destinations in Iran, drawing hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic travelers each year. 

Tabas’s copper work added to National Intangible Cultural Heritage list

TEHRAN – The centuries-old art of copper work in Tabas, a city in east central Iran, has been registered on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Iran seeks UNESCO recognition for ancient windmills

TEHRAN – Iran has put forward its cluster of Asbads - ancient vertical-axis windmills - as a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Iran seeks World Heritage listing for Ardestan mosque

TEHRAN – Ardestan congregational mosque ensemble in central Iran has been nominated for possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

New archaeological work starts in Burnt City

TEHRAN – The 16th archaeological season has commenced in Burnt City, a weighty UNESCO World Heritage site in southeast Iran that was thriving in the Bronze Age.

U.S. court suspends auction of ancient Iranian relief

TEHRAN – A U.S. court has suspended an auction of a prehistoric Iranian bas-relief carving that was scheduled to go under the hammer at the Rupert Wace Ancient Art on Friday, CHTN reported.

Iran-Armenia exhibit conveys massage of peace and friendship

TEHRAN – Top Iranian and Armenian cultural officials and figures cut the ribbon on a joint exhibition of historical relics at the National Museum of Iran on Tuesday. Titled “Armenia and Iran: Memory of The Land”, the event is aimed to relay a message of peace and friendship.

Naqsh-e Rostam: A must-see tourist hotspot in southern Iran

TEHRAN – A variety of spectacular massive rock–hewn tombs and bas-relief carvings at Naqsh-e Rostam has turned the ancient site to a must-see for holidaymakers traversing Iran. The Achaemenid necropolis is situated near Persepolis, itself a bustling UNESCO World Heritage site near the southern city of Shiraz.

New excavations may push history of Shiraz deeper in time

TEHRAN - Recent archeological studies and excavations in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz has led researchers to gain a fresh insight into the history of the city which may go down further in time.

Takht-e Soleyman: Harmonious sanctuary inspired by natural context

TEHRAN – Overlooking a lake with a backdrop of a snowcapped mountain range in northwest Iran, lies the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleyman (“Solomon’s Throne”), an archeological and touristic site that bears testimony to various eras of the nation’s history.

Iran pursues World Heritage listing for some ancient villages

TEHRAN – Iran is following up on possible inscription of some ancient villages on the UNESCO World Heritage list in the years ahead.