This book examines the highly problematic politics of the past surrounding the archaeology of ancient empires in Iran. Discussing their personal and professional experiences, the authors exemplify the real, ethical dilemmas that archaeologists confront in the Middle East, calling for reflectivity and awareness among the archaeologists of the region.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents Page
• Chapter 1
• Governments, Archaeologists, and the Lasting Remains of Ancient Empires in the Middle East
  • Introduction: Identity crisis in the modern Middle East
  • Historical background: the rise of nationalism in the Middle East
• Why the archaeology of Persian empires needs to be deconstructed?
  • Chapter 2
• Archaeologists and the professional ethics
• Iran’s first modern state and archaeology: the establishment of laws and the administrative atructure
• Take your feet off me! Achaemenids Depicted in Reliefs and Inscriptions
  • Historical introduction
  • The rise of the Achaemenid Empire
• Subjectivity of materials versus objectivity of human beings
  • Chapter 3
• Reliefs, palaces, and inscriptions: the first indicators of a new empire
• Get Off Your Horse! Sasanian Propaganda in Artistic Remains
  • Historical background: A brief introduction to the Parthians
• The Concept of Enemy
  • Chapter 4
• The King’s images: Propaganda as an imposing historical fact
• Sasanian propaganda in artistic remains
• The ideal man/the ideal woman
• Mechanisms of political and social suppression in the Sasanian Empire
• The Sasanian Empire: a socio-political review based on material culture
• Nationalism and the Reproduction of the Ancient Kings/Empires by Iran’s Modern States
  • Introduction
  • Historical Background: Shah, curiosity about history and archaeology as an imported commodity
• Islamic Revolution and Achaemenid and Sasanian material culture as negative heritage
  • Summing Up
    • Chapter 5
• Iranian nationalism and the archaeology of the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods
• Qajar relief as negative heritage
• Some parts of Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al- Din Shah reliefs
• Kings Riding Bikes: Towards the Deconstruction of Official Nationalist Archaeology
  • The necessity of a politically- situated archaeology(ies)
• A practical approach towards a nongovernmental archaeology: A personal narrative
• Archaeology, sustainable development and future in developing countries
• Public archaeology(ies) as a necessity
• Acknowledgement
• Glossary
  • Geographical names
  • Historical places/archaeological sites
  • Names
  • Historical texts
  • Especial historical terms
• Bibliography
• Figure 1. Map of the Persian Achameneid Empire. Copyright Ian Mladjov.
• Figure 2. Behistun inscription and rock relief (Rawlinson 1846).
• Figure 3. Dialouge (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 4. Ardašīr I victory on Ardavan V, Tang-e Tangab, Fars province (Falndin 1977).
• Figure 5. Sasanian Persia. Copyright Ian Mladjov.
• Figure 6. Kiss (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 7. Šāpūr I’s victory on Valerianus and Philip the Arab and Gordianus, Naqsh-e Rostam (photo by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 8. Alternative 1, Kings riding bikes (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 9. Marriage gift (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 10. The burning houses (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 11. God and king enjoying their evening tea (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 12. We are all in one frame (designed by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 13. Towards point zero (designed and photo by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 14. Towards point zero (designed and photo by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• Figure 15. Towards point zero (designed and photo by A. Roustaeeyanfard).
• _GoBack
• List of figures and tables
• Foreword
  • Introduction: identity crisis in the modern Middle East
• Governments, Archaeologists, and the Lasting Remains of Ancient Empires
  • Historical background: the rise of nationalism in the Middle East
  • Iran’s first modern state and archaeology: the establishment of laws and the administrative atructure
• Governments, Archaeologists, and the Lasting Remains of Ancient Empires...
  • Archaeologists and the professional ethics
• Governments, Archaeologists, and the Lasting Remains of Ancient Empires...
  • Why the archaeology of Persian empires needs to be deconstructed?
• Take Your Feet off Me! Achaemenids Depicted in Reliefs and Inscriptions
  • Historical introduction
  • The rise of the Achaemenid Empire
  • ‘I’: the symbol of the up and coming power structure
  • Reliefs, palaces, and inscriptions: the first indicators of a new empire
  • Subjectivity of materials versus objectivity of human beings
• Get off Your Horse! Sasanian Propaganda in Artistic Remains
  • Historical background: A brief introduction to the Parthians
  • The Sasanian Empire: a socio-political review based on material culture
  • Mechanisms of political and social suppression in the Sasanian Empire
  • The ideal man/the ideal woman
  • Sasanian propaganda in artistic remains
  • The concept of enemy
    • Summary
• Nationalism and the Reproduction of the Ancient Kings/Empires by Iran’s Modern States
  • Introduction
  • Historical background: Shah, curiosity about history and archaeology as an imported commodity
  • Fath-Ali Shah and Naser al- Din Shah reliefs
  • Qajar reliefs as negative heritage
  • Iranian nationalism and the archaeology of the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods
  • Islamic Revolution and Achaemenid and Sasanian material culture as negative heritage
    • Summing up
• Kings Riding Bikes: Towards the Deconstruction of Official Nationalist Archaeology
  • The necessity of a politically-situated archaeology(ies)
  • Public archaeology(ies) as a necessity
  • Archaeology, sustainable development and future in developing countries
  • A practical approach towards a nongovernmental archaeology: A personal narrative
    • Summing up
• Acknowledgement
• Glossary
  • Geographical names
  • Historical places/archaeological sites
  • Names
  • Historical texts
  • Especial historical terms
• Bibliography
• Index