http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/ Journal of Iran National Museum en daily 1 Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734272.html Altappeh (a.k.a. Ali Teppeh) is one of four major excavated caves on the southeastern margin of the Caspian Sea (the other three caves include Hotu, Kamarband, and Komishan). The site was excavated in 1963 and 1964 by Charles McBurney, and the material was given to the MMA at the University of Cambridge, the British Museum, and the National Museum of Iran. The chipped stone assemblage of Altappeh in the National Museum of Iran include 19,139 items, and based on the typological, technological, and statistical study of this collection, it seems that it might represents an older stage in the Caspian Mesolithic (compared to the other three caves), which is characterized by the use of high-quality local raw material, the production of microblades from prismatic cores, the beginning of the use of pressure technique in the production of microblades, as well as the continuation of the production of flake tools (notched or/and denticulated tools, scrapers), and the abundance of backed pieces. The technological and typological features of this assemblage (including the few number of twisted microblades, the scarcity of carinated cores, the abundance of backed blades, the beginning of geometric microliths in the form of truncated-and-backed triangulars) are most closely related to the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic of Western Central Asia, which is reflected in the industries obtained from the sites of Uzbekistan (the UP Kulbulakian industry and the Mesolithic Tutkaul). The typical geometric triangular microliths of Altappeh and the pressure technique has not been reported from other Mesolithic sites near it in Mazandaran. In terms of chronology, the old absolute chronologies by McBurney have to be revised or redone in order to clarify the development of site’s technological and typological features based on the periodization of the settlement stages in the cave and its relationship with the surrounding industries. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734275.html The lithic assemblage from Ganj Dareh, a site located in Kermanshah, is currently housed in the National Museum of Iran. Despite its considerable significance, it has received comparatively limited scholarly attention relative to other contemporary assemblages from the central Zagros region. The present study seeks to reassess this lithic collection through a typo-technological approach. Furthermore, it aims to provide new insights into the collection, the Neolithic traditions of the central Zagros, and the evolution of lithic production from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to later phases. The collection comprises 4,865 pieces, all made from chert. The diagnostic tools identified include sickle blades, borers, backed bladelets, and various types of scrapers, including end, round, and side scrapers. The core types—conical, semi-conical and bullet-shaped—demonstrate the use of pressure techniques in lithic production. Analyzing this collection and comparing it with contemporary lithic assemblages from the central Zagros region confirms its assignment to the early M’lefatian industry. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734276.html Our knowledge of the lithic industries from the Village Period (Neolithic-Chalcolithic) in the southern Caspian Sea region is primarily derived from excavated sites in the Mazandaran Province. At the same time, Gilan Province remains largely unexplored in this regard. During a rescue excavation in the winter of 2018 at the Shahran site in the Sefidrud Valley, alongside Iron Age burials, evidence of a Late Neolithic-Transitional Chalcolithic occupation was discovered. An assemblage of chipped stone artifacts, along with other finds such as pottery sherds and animal bones, provides clear evidence of the subsistence strategies among local population during the transition from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic period in the region.aaaaThe presence of a small number of bladelets, produced using the pressure technique, indicates that the inhabitants of the Shahran site were familiar with this technique. However, the examination of the cores and flakes reveals that the direct and indirect percussion techniques were primarily employed for the on-site production of lithic artifacts. The existence of small cores, whose raw material source was river pebbles and cobbles, further indicates local production of lithic artifcats. The stone tool industry of the Shahran was based on flake production, with the cores being used predominantly to produce flakes for the manufacture of geometric tools, particularly lunates.aaaaSimultaneously, utilized pieces were frequently subjected to reuse. The presence of gloss on tool cutting edges, produced by continuous contact with plant silica, indicates their use in composite sickles for reaping cereals. It appears that the Shahran was a temporary camp dating to the late Neolithic and the beginning of the Chalcolithic, whose inhabitants seasonally occupied the site to exploit agricultural products and to graze their livestock. The study of the stone tool assemblage corroborates this interpretation. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734280.html ​In the west of the central Zagros prehistoric cultural sequence, the chalcolithic period started with the so-called J ware period. This name became familiar in the archaeology of western Iran from an archaeological survey of the Mahidasht area in 1975-78 directed by L. Levine. J ware is characterized by well fired slipped and painted ceramic influenced by Halaf ceramic culture from northern Mesopotamia. The J ware was reported from more than 60 archaeological sites in the Mahidasht region. However, what we know about this ceramic style is confined to a few white and black pictures of J ceramics, plus some general information about the ceramic published in 1975 by the Mahidasht expedition. Obviously such information to study such an important cultural period is not enough and more study is needed in this regard.  Therefore, many questions concerning the naming of J pottery, the chronology of this ceramic, pottery technique, slips, paintings, temper and more remain unanswered. Therefore, in order to answer this questions and give a clearer picture from the early Chalcolithic period pottery style, with the permit of the Director of the Mahidasht  Project and the Director of the National Museum of Iran, the J ware of the Mahidasht project, stored in the National Museum of Iran, was surveyed and analyzed completely after a few decades. The J ware of the Mahidasht project is documented by authors completely. In this study we took pictures, made line drawings, and described all the shreds in terms of temper, paintings, slip, paintings and more. The main goal of the present paper is to describe and explain the early Chalcolithic period culture of west central Zagros after such a long time since 1975. The result of this study is a clearer and more complete picture of J ware culture. The current study can be considered as the most complete source for the early Chalcolithic period of the Mahidasht region. Our preliminary analysis shows that the J ware is an eastern variant of the late Halaf culture in the central Zagros in western Iran.   http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734282.html Among the most prominent features of the Chalcolithic period is the production and use of stamp seals. Seals are significant finds in archaeological studies and excavations, possessing importance beyond their structural, physical, and typological characteristics. Their origin, use, artistic, and cultural values are crucial; they are considered authentic documents in the historical and cultural reconstruction of prehistoric societies. As a primary tool of administrative management, seals are a hallmark of complex prehistoric societies, evidencing the oversight of social groups over political, social, and economic affairs. Among the artifacts discovered during the excavations of Tepe Hissar, excavated in the 1930s under the direction of Erich Schmidt, a significant number of stamp seals dating back to the Chalcolithic period were found. The stamp seals of Tepe Hissar are important findings from this site and are studied with the aim of introducing, interpreting, and analyzing the stylistic features of their designs, and comparing them with the designs of seals obtained from other contemporary settlements. This is to investigate the roots of social and economic developments in Tepe Hissar and its intra-regional and extra-regional connections with other communities. In this regard, the background of cultural developments in the fourth millennium BC, with an emphasis on administrative management techniques in north-central Iran, is first examined, and then the seals from the Tepe Hissar excavations are introduced and interpreted. The motifs of the Tepe Hissar seals have the greatest similarity to the style of seals known at Tepe Sialk in the fourth millennium BC. They also have similarities with the seals of Susa in southwestern Iran and Mesopotamia, likely due to the rich metal ore deposits on the edge of the central desert of Iran and the transfer of these resources and goods produced in the workshops of ancient sites in north-central Iran, including Tepe Hissar, to southwestern Iran and southern and northern Mesopotamia. The existence of close cultural ties and the similarity of cultural remains among the communities living in north-central Iran and the trade network with southwestern Iran and Mesopotamia are evidence of societies with a stratified structure on the verge of entering the urbanization period. Consequently, they possessed social and political mechanisms and complexities, which are observed on the seals. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734499.html Thanks to its favorable environment and strategic location, the Khorramabad Valley supported continuous human settlement from prehistory through the Islamic era. This long-term occupational sequence offers a valuable opportunity to examine the transition between successive cultural horizons. Yet, despite considerable archaeological interest in the valley, published data remain heavily concentrated in the Palaeolithic period, leaving significant gaps in the record for later eras. Situated between the distinct cultural spheres of the Khuzestan lowlands and the Central Plateau, the valley likely served as an important prehistoric corridor for trade and cultural interaction. However, key datasets from this region remain unpublished—most notably, Judith Berman’s 1979 survey and the ceramic assemblage from Frank Hole’s 1960s excavations at Ghamari Cave. Berman’s survey identified occupational evidence from the Palaeolithic through the late Islamic periods, including 15 sites dating between the Palaeolithic and the Bronze Age. Similarly, Hole’s excavations at Ghamari Cave yielded materials that bridge the late Chalcolithic and Bronze Age, with the Gelal (Khorram) River apparently serving as the primary catalyst for settlement in this area. This article introduces these prehistoric sites by synthesizing previously unpublished materials from Berman’s survey and Hole’s excavations. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734286.html This paper presents the results of the study and analysis of the rock art of Tang-e Darband Zhiwar in the Hawraman/Uramanat World Heritage Site, Kurdistan province, located in the western Zagros. The Zhiwar rock art, situated within a karstic gorge, was first identified in 2015 and subsequently documented systematically in 2017. The motifs at this site can be classified into three main groups: anthropomorphic (including hunters armed with bows, arrows, and spears), zoomorphic (including wild goats, sheeps, horses, feline, and wolves), and symbolic/geometric (such as circles and spiral lines). Based on evidence including stylistic diversity, execution techniques, and varying patina layers, it can be argued that these motifs were created during different time periods and by different human groups. A relative chronology based on the style and execution technique of the motifs suggests three main periods for Zhiwar: The first period, likely belonging to the Bronze Age, is characterized by dense and skillful depictions of wild goats and archer hunters on the higher sections of the cliff wall. The second period, associated with the Iron Age, sees the appearance of motifs such as horse riders and various animal species executed with an indirect pecking technique. The later period, related to the historical and Islamic eras, consists of simplified and imitative motifs made using a direct percussion technique. The central theme of these panels is hunting, with the wild goat motif being exceptionally prevalent and symbolically significant, indicating the pivotal role of this animal in the subsistence and beliefs of the people of that era. The presence of specific motifs like the horse, the trident spear (a potential symbol from neighboring Iron Age and historical cultures), and ropes, reflects cultural interactions and technological developments throughout different periods. These petroglyphs likely served functions such as territorial marking, recording migration routes, transmitting environmental knowledge, and possibly even for performing specific rituals. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734298.html The “Shahdad Standard”, unearthed during archaeological excavations in the ancient necropolis of Shahdad in northern Kerman, Iran, stands as a captivating testament to the rich history and cultural heritage of southwest Asia and Iran. This unique object has piqued the interest of archaeologists and art historians since its discovery. Recognizing the need for complementary comprehensive documentation, the National Museum of Iran prioritized the Shahdad Standard in its initial efforts to upgrade and digitize its collection. This paper delves into describing the meticulous process of visually recording and documenting the Shahdad Standard, followed by creating a precise 3D model of the object. Then, it presents the initial findings of this endeavour, offering detailed descriptions of the scene depicted on the Shahdad Standard and its current condition. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734305.html The historical site of Chogha Zanbil is well-known worldwide, and better understanding this historical site will help researchers and experts to reach the questions facing archaeology and history. The abundance and diversity of material culture in this site have always been surprising. Some of them are the most special archaeological works. One of this class of works is related to historical footprints left from the period of the establishment of the city of Dur Untash. Footprints are interesting in both human and animal species. For this reason, they were addressed in a research related to the “Cultural Heritage and Biodiversity” projects and with special goals in line with both the fields of animal behaviour and archaeology. In this program, an attempt was made to use animal behaviour studies in the historical site of Chogha Zanbil to examine part of the past environment and its characteristics during the establishment of the city. On the other hand, the cultural materials in this project revealed that historical traces have a special place in the culture and art of the Elamite civilization. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734306.html Discovered during an irregular excavation in 1966 and published by W. Hinz in 1969, the so-called Silver Vessel of Marv Dasht, with its late Proto-Iranian/Linear Elamite inscription (Linear Elamite Inscription no. 17/Q), remained undeciphered until recently. While the vessel was likely produced in Central Asia in the late 3rd millennium BCE, its inscription can be attributed to 21st century BCE southwestern Iran. Thanks to the recent decipherment of the late Proto-Iranian/Linear Elamite script, this 4,000-year-old Hatamtite/Elamite text, among others, can now be read. A preliminary translation is provided here. The text involves two previously unknown characters and was commissioned by Šůwar-Asu (Šowar-Asu or Šuwar-Asu), who gifted this vessel to Hůmšat (Homšat or Humšat), the Lady of Marapša(y)i (maybe a goddess), and placed it in the temple of Hiš(-)mani-r, possibly near Anzan. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734308.html An anthropoid ceramic coffin containing human skeletal remains was undocumented in the central repository of the National Museum of Iran, and no research had been conducted on it until now. The identity of this artifact was registered only with a few English letters on the inner wall of the coffin. The objective of this study was the organization, pathology assessment, and implementation of conservation and restoration measures for this coffin. This study elaborates on the conservation and restoration actions taken before and after the transfer of the artifact from the central repository to one of the rooms in the Ancient Iran Hall. Pathological examinations revealed that prior conservation and restoration efforts had been carried out on the skeleton and coffin, involving the use of unnecessary restorative materials. These materials, whose application was entirely unneeded, led to the concealment of the features of the ceramic coffin’s base. The results of the pathological assessment indicate that the primary damaging factors stemmed from unsuitable environmental and conservation conditions. These factors resulted in the physical and chemical degradation of the cortical and trabecular sections of the bones, particularly in the pelvic region and long bones. Additionally, cracks, micro-cracks, and fractures in the cortical bone sections, along with their disintegration, dispersion, and instability, were observed. Therefore, based on precise pathological assessments, this research aimed to implement conservation and restoration measures with meticulous accuracy. Furthermore, utilizing the knowledge of physical anthropology, the fractured and disordered bones and teeth were precisely restored and stabilized in their correct positions. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734309.html In November 2025, several groups of objects, including two Sasanian clay bullae, were transferred from the Cultural Heritage, Tourism & Handicrafts Office of Tehran Province to the National Museum of Iran. Of the two bullae, one is administrative, while the other belongs to the personal category. This short paper examines the sole administrative bulla in the assemblage, which bears three seal impressions. The largest of these impressions is that of a cantonal administration of mowūh (the bureau of the mages) from the Sasanian province of Abhar, although the impression has been damaged due to erosion and breakage. Our preliminary study suggests that this seal belonged to the mowūh administration of the Grdatanz? / Grdytanz? canton within the province of Abhar. It represents the second identified toponym of a mowūh cantonal administration from the province of Abhar and, overall, constitutes the third identified administrative seal impression from this Sasanian province. The identification of yet another administrative seal from the Sasanian province of Abhar further strengthens the hypothesis that the administrative restructuring of this province occurred during the reign of Husraw I, around 540 CE, and that from that time the new name “Hamadān-kust-i-Abhar” was adopted as part of this reform. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734310.html The present study analyzes 173 silver dirhams struck during the reign of the Abbasid caliph al-Muʿtamid ʿalā Allāh (256–279 AH / 869–892 CE), discovered in the 1948 excavations at Susa and now preserved in the National Museum of Iran. These coins form part of the broader assemblage unearthed at Susa and reflect the turbulent atmosphere of al-Muʿtamid’s era—a period marked by the weakening of central authority, the growing influence of the military, the appointment of multiple heirs apparent, and the emergence of semi-independent dynasties. Through a detailed analysis of personal names, honorific titles, and mint locations—such as those of Jaʿfar, Yaʿqūb b. Layth al-Ṣaffār, al-Muwaffaq bi-llāh, al-Mufawwaḍ ilā-llāh, and ʿAlī b. Muḥammad (leader of the Zanj revolt)—this research seeks to reinterpret numismatic evidence as indicators of the Abbasid Caliphate’s decline. The findings not only supplement the classical excavation report of Susa but also contribute a new layer of ideological-political analysis to our understanding of Abbasid transformations in the third/ninth century. In other words, by focusing on the dirhams struck between 256 and 279 AH, this study provides a historically grounded analysis based on numismatic data. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734311.html In this article, the author introduces a valuable stone bust discovered in 2010 during the organization of the Dash Kasan historical site near Soltaniyeh in Zanjan Province. The site of Dash Kasan served as a stone quarry during the Ilkhanid era, supplying the materials needed for the construction of Soltaniyeh, including its historic fortress. The discovered bust portrays a middle-aged woman with large eyes and a round, fleshy face. She is adorned with a forehead band and a hat. The stone artifact measures 52 cm in height and 45 cm in width.Citing reliable historical sources from the Ilkhanid period, such as the Jami' al-tawarikh, the author attributes the bust to "Bulghan Khatun Mu'azzama," one of the powerful and influential women of the Ilkhanid era. Bulghan Khatun Mu'azzama was the wife of four Ilkhanid rulers—Arghun Khan, Gaykhatu, Ghazan Khan, and Öljaitü—and played an active role in the political and social affairs of the Ilkhanate between 689 and 709 AH. She converted to Islam in 694 AH and, due to her considerable influence, acted as an intercessor on behalf of many wrongdoers.The significance of this discovery lies in the fact that it is the only surviving stone bust of a woman from the Ilkhanid period. As such, it provides researchers with valuable insight into the clothing, adornment, and social standing of influential women during this era. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734314.html Isfahan is one of the significant cultural centers of Iran before and after Islam. However, Safavid period’s architecture and its political and cultural influence on modern Iranian society have somehow led to limited studies on pre-Safavid Isfahan. An example of this imbalance can be seen in the expression “Isfahan, Nisf of the world,” which likely originated before the Safavid era but is now predominantly used to illustrate the grandeur of Safavid Isfahan. On the other hand, Abbas Amanat has put forth a hypothesis suggesting that the designation of Isfahan as the “half of the world” originates from this city being designated as the Prime Meridian in the Jalali calendar system. There is no concrete evidence to support this hypothesis, but, this paper, by juxtaposing historical and astronomical evidence, attempts to show that even if Isfahan was not formally designated as the Prim meridian in Malikshahi Zīj, nevertheless its meridian was the axis upon which the Jalali radix date was calculated. Thus, aside from its political centrality, this city has, to some extent, attained a cosmological significance for a limited period of time. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_720611.html Jām’e Fath, Nad Ali's poetry robe or Ayat al-Kursi, is basically a kind of amulet and talisman, and it has been common among kings and generals to wear it since the Safavid period. This garment was worn under armor during wars, and it was believed that having it with you gives you supernatural powers and protects its owner from any calamities.Currently, a sample of the Safavid conquest robe is kept in the National Museum of Iran, which according to its figure belongs to Shah Abbas the Great in the 11th century AH.So far, there have been many studies about the introduction of Fatah robes, and this article tries, without addressing the aesthetic issues of the work, based on the thoughts of Islamic experts, the semantic concepts of the robe in terms of its transcendental and religious effects based on the power of letters, numbers, and divine words. Examine and explain the letter on this matter. The research method is descriptive and analytical, and the data is collected and analyzed qualitatively through library sources.This research aims to find out what the mystical and semantic components of Jām’e Fath motifs are, and which religious concept is expressed through the numbers, letters, and words used in the motifs of Jām’e Fath. The results demonstrate that the belief in the properties and knowledge of the secrets of letters and words can predict future events, and the attraction of letters and the discovery of their meanings had a serious impact on the supernatural powers, mostly used it to ward off evil and disasters. The producers of the Jām’e Fatah believed that the universe is made of letters, words, and numbers, and man can conquer the universe by understanding their secrets. The Safavid period is the onset of the Jām’e Fatah production, which is closely associated to Shiism. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734315.html In Iranian culture, the tradition of expressing gratitude, respect, and honor through the offering of valuable gifts, especially from rulers and nobles, has a long-standing history. Among these gifts, textiles were one of the most symbolic and prestigious items. The study of Persian textile weaving, with an emphasis on the custom of gift-giving, requires attention to the structural, functional, and symbolic aspects of fabrics, based on historical, geographical, and travel accounts, as well as visual sources such as reliefs, paintings, and decorative objects. A distinguished example of this kind is the Termeh shawl, that reached its artistic peak since the Timurid to the late Qajar period, through the craftsmanship of Kerman’s skilled weavers. Beyond everyday use, Termeh fabrics were ceremonially presented by kings to nobles and ambassadors as symbols of honour and royal authority. Technically, Termeh shawls held special significance: they were woven from the fine undercoat wool of white Kerman goats, known for its silk-like lustre and rarity, making it a highly prized material. The weaving workshops were organized hierarchically with specialized divisions of labour, and the desert economy of the region played an important role in maintaining high production quality. The practice of presenting textiles as honorary gifts has long existed in Iran under various names and forms, such as Dastar, Negarjameh, Tiraz, and Zandaniejeh, each reflecting their distinct cultural value. Thus, throughout Iranian history, textiles functioned not only as used fabric products, but also as potent symbols of cultural, spiritual, and political identity. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_734316.html Iranian painting in the second half of the Qajar period underwent fundamental transformations influenced by Western civilization and new discourses such as modernism and Orientalism. The emergence of these modern discourses, centered around concepts like justice and equality, freedom, and progress within the framework of law, stood in contrast to visual conventions and traditional discourse. During this period, Kamal-ol-Molk, as the last prominent painter of the Qajar era, refrained from continuing the prevailing traditions. In line with the transformations of his time, he developed an independent style and academic training system, leaving a profound impact on Iranian painting and training notable students. One of his most important students was Hassan Ali Vaziri, who remained faithful to his master’s style throughout his life. His works, which mostly fall within the 19th-century style of Realism and Naturalism, reflect the academic and naturalistic influences of the Kamal-ol-Molk school.  This study examines the artistic style of Hassan Ali Vaziri through an analysis of six of his paintings housed in the National Museum Library of Iran. It seeks to answer the question of how much Vaziri’s artistic style reflects the teachings of the Kamal-ol-Molk school and the influence of Western art during the Qajar period, as well as what role he holds in the evolution of modern Iranian painting. By analyzing Vaziri’s works in the National Museum of Iran, the research demonstrates that, through his emphasis on realist elements, masterful use of color, balanced composition, and precise lighting, Vaziri not only technically mastered Western academic standards but also successfully integrated them with local cultural contexts. His works serve as evidence of how Kamal-ol-Molk’s teachings were transmitted through his students to subsequent generations, paving the way for the development of modern Iranian painting. http://jinm.irannationalmuseum.ir/article_735966.html Museums, as cultural and educational institutions, play a key role in preserving and transmitting culture, facilitating non-formal education, and strengthening intercultural interactions. By presenting artistic and historical exhibitions, offering interactive educational programs, and utilizing modern technologies, these institutions provide a unique platform for learning cultural and artistic concepts. Furthermore, by preserving and displaying valuable cultural artifacts, museums not only help transmit cultural identity to future generations but also enhance the creativity and knowledge of visitors. Alongside their educational impact, museums also play a significant role in tourism development. By attracting domestic and international tourists, they stimulate the cultural vitality of regions, create numerous employment opportunities, and contribute to sustainable tourism development. Through engaging and unique exhibitions, museums transform cities and countries into prominent cultural tourism destinations and, by strengthening the national brand, elevate the cultural standing of nations internationally. This study, employing a qualitative method of content analysis of the websites of six world-renowned museums—including the Louvre Museum and the Musée d'Orsay in France, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, the British Museum in England, and the Vatican Museums in Italy—examines the educational and touristic impacts of museums. The findings indicate that by designing creative programs and establishing extensive cultural connections, museums can play a significant role in raising public awareness, strengthening cultural interactions, and introducing cultural identity to the global community. Moreover, these institutions are considered vital tools for preserving cultural heritage, fostering economic development, and shaping national cultural identity.hrough engaging and unique exhibitions, museums transform cities and countries into prominent cultural tourism destinations and, by strengthening the national brand, elevate the cultural standing of nations internationally. This study, employing a qualitative method of content analysis of the websites of six world-renowned museums—including the Louvre Museum.