Harvard Archaeologists to Return to Iran

The archaeology department of Harvard University, United States, and the Iranian Archaeology Research Institute are to sign a treaty that will pave the way toward a new start for joint activities.

The archaeology department of Harvard University has previously worked in Iran, in the historical site of Tepe Yahya, in Kerman province, and helped unravel some of the secrets of the 5000-year-old civilization of Iran.

According to international affairs expert of the Iranian Archaeology Research Institute, Karim Alizadeh, officials from the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) and the Harvard University have shown great interest in formally restarting their archaeological and scientific cooperations, and with the negotiations between the two sides, a new letter of agreement is soon to be signed.

The new studies by Harvard experts are planned to be carried out along Atrak River, at the border of the northern province of Golestan and Turkmenistan, aiming at identification of the civilization once residing there and its connections with the historical sites in the neighboring country.

Remains dating to prehistoric times until the Islamic era have already been unearthed in the area.

The joint excavations of Iranian and Americans are planned to start in May 2005 in Golestan province, after the treaty is signed by a representative of ICHTO and Lamberg Karlovsky of Harvard University, who is the head of the American team and have previously supervised the team working in Tepe Yahya.

During the last two years, Iranian officials have taken new steps to introduce the world to the noteworthy historical sites of Iran and to cooperate with different international institutes in exchanging information. Holding the first seminar on archaeology of southwest Asia last September was one of such steps. Many key archaeologists of the world, such as Karlovsky, who had left Iran many years before, were among the invitees.

Today many experts with different nationalities, including German, French, Japanese, and American archeaologists take part in excavations going on around the country. Jiroft of Kerman, Arisman, Natanz, Sialk of Kashan, Anshan of Fars, and numerous sites of Khuzestan are some of the major ancient areas where such cooperations are blooming.

Harvard University, who is to join the Iranian experts, has one of the most famous archaeology departments of the world, carrying out studies in Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Mesopotamia, Iran, and other countries of the Middle East and the southwest Asia region.