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Pilot excavation in Iraqi Kurdistan

Tue, 28/09/2010 - 12:28

The Netherlands organisation for Scientific Research NWO has granted a subsidy to prof. dr Wilfred H. van Soldt (Humanities, LIAS) and dr Diederik J.W. Meijer (Archaeology, Near East) to conduct a pilot excavation in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Archaeological expedition team in Nakhjavan discovers Iran's Median Dynastic architectural remains

Sat, 14/08/2010 - 10:18

LONDON, (CAIS) -- The joint archaeological expedition team from United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan, in the autonomous republic of  Nakhjavan (nowadays Nakhchivan), has yielded to new findings date back to the first Iranian dynastic Empire, the Medes (728-550 BCE).

The ceramic samples were also found during the archeological digs in the ancient settlement today known as Oglangala in the Sharur region of the Nakhjavan.

The glazed bricks from Bukan: new insights into Mannaean art

Sat, 24/07/2010 - 06:53
Yousef Hassanzadeh; Antiquity Vol 80 No 307 March 2006
 
Mannaean studies as an independent field began with the discovery of Ziwiye in 1936 and the initiation of scientific excavations there (Boehmer 1964, 1988; Postgate 1989; Levine 1977). The archaeological site at Ziwiye was at first identified as Izbie, one of the important Mannaean provinces in the Iron Age of Iran. After this, great efforts were made to discover Izirtu, soon identified with Qaplanto near Ziwiye (Godard 1949, 1950: 7). But these identifications have since been discarded. In 1956, R. Dyson from the University of Pennsylvania began his extensive excavations on the Hasanlu mound, proposing Hasanlu IV as a Mannaean settlement. In a short time, the presence of Mannaean at Hasanlu became abundantly apparent (Boehmer 1964; Dyson 1989; Dyson & Muscarella 1989).

Anahita Temple avoids destruction

Wed, 30/06/2010 - 07:56

Mehr News Agency, Tehran, 01/30/2010

The construction project that caused damages to the Anahita Temple in Kangavar in Kermanshah Province was halted last week. The decision to halt the project was made following publication of a report on the mess at the Parthian era site by the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency.

Kurdistan: Toward a Cultural-Historical Definition

Thu, 13/05/2010 - 04:57

By Kamal Mirawdeli, The International Conference, The Kurds Political status and Human Rights, March 1993

Introduction: Kurdistan means the land of the Kurds. And both the land and the people, of course exist. Yet, as Paul Rich (1991:Vii) has written. In political terms: “Kurdistan does not exist, which is why it is so important. This anomalous structure has long been part of the Middle East conundrum”, the understanding of which entails understanding the politics of power and the relationship between power and knowledge. It is power which creates the conditions for the production of knowledge about peoples, and which ultimately defines its boundaries, scope, and even nomenclature.

PERSIAN CARAVAN SKETCHES

Sat, 27/03/2010 - 17:12

The Land of the Lion and the Sun as Seen on a Summer Caravan Trip

By Harold F. Weston,  The National Geographic Magazine April 1921, pp417-468
Note that this copy of the article contains the sections on Kurds, pp417-425 only.
 
PERSIANS say, with a great feeling of envy, that the man who has seen the most of the world is the greatest liar. So when I am asked to tell "all about Persia," 1 generally ask if I should not include Russia, too, having been there just six hours.
What counts most in enjoying, visualizing, or telling about the "romantic East," or any strange place, is your power of imagination. I can but bring together a few faded petals; the reader’s imagination must arrange them and appropriately spray them with attar of roses.

Kurdistan Mission (VIII)

Sat, 02/01/2010 - 00:59

Kurdistan Mission, is a documentary series on the activities of the "Lutheran Orient Mission Society" in Sablax (Mahabad) and its environs in Iranian Kurdistan between 1911-1936.

In this documentary the local history and events are described based on letters and reports of American missionaries published in their newsletters “ Kurdistan Missionary” and the “Lutheran Orient Mission”.

Watery graves

Mon, 21/12/2009 - 13:47

Gaziantep, Turkey, The Economist, April 29th 2009

When Turkey's Birecik dam begins filling up at the end of the month, thousands of archaeological treasures are likely to be lost. Does anyone care?

The Local Vandals Destroy Another Piece of Kurdish History

Thu, 17/12/2009 - 16:10

Tagheh Farhad or Rawansar tomb is a rock tomb near the small town of Ravansar (Kurdish: Rewanser) 57 km north-west of Kermanshah (Kurdish: Kirmansha) in May province in Kurdistan. It is known as Tagheh Farhad among local Kurdish inhabitants of Rawansar. They believe it was cut in the rock by Farhad, a legendary character who fell in love with Shirin, the wife of Khosrau II of Persia. The first archaeologist who visited the tomb was Massoud Golzari, an Iranian archaeologist who attributed it to Median period.

Soviet Plans for Baba Gurgur

Thu, 17/12/2009 - 13:07

Henry D. Astarjian

With Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, which marked the inception of the cold war, Soviet propaganda in the world and in the Middle East escalated; they offered Marxism-Leninism as a substitute to corrupt capitalism, a system that exploited the masses for the benefit of a few. They presented themselves as advocates of justice, determined to help the oppressed people bring about radical changes in their lives. This meant overthrowing their regimes, and ridding the region from the colonialist-imperialist domination.

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