Austria keen on studying ancient sites in western Iran
Austrian Iranologist Florin Schwarz has called for conducting further studies on Iran’s ancient sites in the west of the country. Archeological works are aimed at locating ancient settlements in the area, said Schwarz, according to Research Institute of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), reported IRNA.
Schwarz pointed to the programs which had been previously been presented by the team, and said: “We intend to examine a large perspective in a small site as part of a long-term plan in the field of archeology. In addition to archeology, the studies would also include history and for this reason we have come together from three institutes.
“We do not consider undertaking an extensive archeological project, but rather we intend to achieve the objectives through geophysical activities, survey on the surface, and so on and then expand it to wider areas.”
Parts of Shirvan (Sarab Kalan) village date back to the Sassanid era and no construction has been made in the region and therefore could be studied, she added.
Schwarz noted that the Austrian team intends to conduct studies about the Neolithic period, from the Pre-history to the Sassanid era in the area while incorporating the historical period and archeology in general.
“Historically, we can reach the conclusion that the Sassanid era came to an end at a period of time but understanding the reason is a task which calls for an overall study.”
Meanwhile, Andreas Polz, head of the Institute for Ancient Culture Studies, elaborated on the process shaping the settlements which extended from the plains to the hills and then to the mountain. The study of those historical passages and presenting them as a pattern for the Middle East are among the questions which will be pursued in the current studies.