TEHRAN – A ceremony marking the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley took place on Tuesday at the National Museum of Iran.

 Organized as the 871st session of the Bukhara Magazine Nights series, the event drew a large audience, including Professor Jalaleddin Rafifar (Anthropologist, University of Tehran), Dr. Mansour Ghorbani (President of the Geological Society of Iran), heritage enthusiasts, and numerous officials.

Session Secretary Ali Dehbashi opened the proceedings by congratulating the Iranian nation on this major cultural event. He lamented the insufficient national attention given to its importance, stressing the vital need to explain this significant achievement and its impacts to the public.

The first speaker, Dr. Ata Hassanpour, Manager of the Inscription Dossier and Director-General of Lorestan province’s Cultural Heritage, thanked all contributors. He then detailed the executive process from November 2023 onwards:  The dossier was submitted to UNESCO on January 31, 2024.,  A “Committee for Resolving World Heritage Inscription Obstacles” addressed challenges through coordination with the Housing Foundation, Municipality, and public participation. Key actions included: clearing caves of graffiti and relocating resident herders; constructing dry-stone access paths; installing protective gating at entrance of caves; organizing adjacent villages (asphalting, sewage, cultural programs); cleaning Falak-ol-Aflak Castle walls of sediments and invasive plants; establishing a state-of-the-art Prehistory Museum; installing 94 bilingual signage boards across sites and the city; and new excavations at Ghamari Cave led by Dr. Biglari. He highlighted the crucial public awareness role of the “Khorramabad Valley World Heritage Inscription Channel” managed by Dr. Atusa Rahmati and Dr. Mohammad Farzanmanesh. He finalized saying: following a UNESCO evaluator visit (August 2024) and responses to two ICOMOS inquiries, the dossier was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List on July 17, 2025, during UNESCO’s 47th session, becoming Iran’s oldest inscribed World Heritage site.

Dr. Ali Darabi, Deputy Minister and Vice President for Cultural Heritage, attributed the inscription to synergy, international engagement, and national commitment. “The inscription of Khorramabad’s prehistoric sites, among Iran’s most important archaeological dossiers, sends a clear message: Iran is a living, dynamic, and dialog-oriented civilization,” he stated. He emphasized the sites’ scientific and cultural value, calling the inscription the result of years of effort by researchers, archaeologists, and national/provincial managers, coupled with the intelligent cooperation of relevant bodies. “This event transcends mere inscription; it symbolizes the flourishing of the country’s cultural capital and is a major stride in Iran’s cultural diplomacy,” Darabi added, acknowledging support from past and present Ministers of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts.

Dr. Mohammad Ebrahim Zarei, director of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT), spoke of Iran’s uniquely profound historical cultural domain. “It is a source of pride that a lesser-known aspect of this land’s past – the prehistoric world, Paleolithic periods, and the earliest epochs of human life on the Iranian Plateau – is now globally recognized through inscription,” he said. He noted that while international researchers have long acknowledged the importance of such landscapes, the world now recognizes the unparalleled value of ancient Iran’s living and cultural spaces. Zarei pointed out that previous studies primarily focused on glorious historical periods (Elamite, Achaemenid, Sassanian, Seljuk, Safavid, Qajar) and sites like Susa, Persepolis, and Naqsh-e Jahan Square. “Now, an opportunity has arisen to register and introduce another facet of the Iranian Plateau’s cultural richness – often overlooked due to complexity – globally.” He described the Zagros mountains as a crucial prehistoric refuge and cradle of ancient cultures. “Gathered today at the National Museum of Iran – the most fitting venue – we celebrate this inscription. I congratulate all provincial and national colleagues and sincerely thank those involved in this national endeavor.”

Dr. Mohammad Hassan Talebian, University Professor and Ministerial Advisor, discussed the dossier’s technical and scientific dimensions: “Through extensive field surveys, comparative studies, geological analyses, and collaboration with specialized institutions, we compiled a comprehensive dossier. This simultaneously enhanced Iran’s scientific and cultural standing.” He outlined significant challenges: extensive construction in the cultural landscape buffer zone, herders’ resistance to vacating caves, and complex ICOMOS technical requirements. “The turning point was unprecedented consensus among ministries, the provincial government, municipality, and the public – from cleaning the Galal River to freeing the Falak-ol-Aflak buffer zone and establishing the Prehistory Museum.” Talebian stressed that inscription is not the end but the start of responsibility: implementing the management plan, publishing excavation results, and explaining the sites’ prehistoric values to the public are essential next steps. “We haven’t fully utilized the potential of World Heritage. Inscription is not an endpoint but the beginning of a cultural, social, economic, and scientific process.”

Dr. Rasul Vatandoust, University Professor and Ministerial Advisor, highlighted Iran’s over one million historic and prehistoric sites, emphasizing the critical mission of safeguarding and promoting this heritage globally. He stressed that World Heritage inscription is not merely ceremonial but a strategic capacity in three areas: cultural, tourism, and crucially, transforming sites into international research hubs. “This attracts global scientific attention and fosters specialized research centers. Therefore, a future priority must be turning World and National Heritage sites into effective research poles, nationally and internationally, beyond conventional protection and tourism.” He cited scientific debates within the ICOMOS International Committee (Paris meetings and online) regarding Lorestan sites, where Dr. Sonia Shidrang played an unparalleled role in defending the dossier’s scientific validity. “The inscription of Lorestan’s dossier opens a new chapter in Iranian archaeology, revealing new horizons for focusing on the unique features of the country’s ancient hills and sites; a beginning promising a transformative movement.”

Dr. Sonia Shidrang, Faculty Member at Shahid Beheshti University and corresponding scientific author of dossier, stated the achievement’s dual significance: Iran’s first Paleolithic sites on the UNESCO list, and the final, critical stages being completed successfully amidst wartime conditions, showcasing the commitment and capability of those involved. She noted Khorramabad Valley’s research history dates back to the late 1940s, making it one of the Southwest Asia’s richest Paleolithic study areas. Its unique geological position in the Central Zagros (karst features, abundant water) created a life-sustaining oasis enabling human habitation for over 60,000 years. Dr. Shidrang emphasized that the dossier’s scientific cornerstone for UNESCO criteria was its focus on the Baradostian culture as the valley’s distinguishing feature. First identified in Iraqi Kurdistan, the wealth of evidence at sites like Yafteh Cave, Kaldar, and Gar Arjeneh Rock Shelter made Khorramabad its focal point. Key discoveries, such as decorative pendants (including deer canines) at Yafteh Cave, signify modern human behaviors, technologies, and likely complex beliefs/symbolic behavior in early modern humans (replacing Neanderthals ~40,000 years ago). “As the first such evidence in Iranian archaeology, it provided solid grounds for meeting UNESCO Criterion (iii). These artifacts, alongside advanced lithic industry, present the Baradostian – while related to the European Aurignacian – as possessing unique regional distinctions, representing an exceptional testimony to extinct human cultural traditions.”

The final speaker, Dr. Fereidoun Biglari, director Deputy of the National Museum of Iran, outlined the history of Paleolithic studies in Iran. He noted that Iranian archaeology, like much of West Asia, initially focused on historical periods, with prehistoric/Paleolithic archaeology emerging significantly later, despite over 99% of human occupation history on the plateau belonging to this era. Excavations began in 1949/1950 with Western archaeologists in the Western Zagros (Khorramabad Valley, Kermanshah). Pioneering anthropologist Henry Field first identified Paleolithic remains in Khorramabad Valley, conducting test excavation at Kunji Cave in 1950, uncovering Late Paleolithic evidence. Despite continued research until the Revolution, Iranian archaeologists paid insufficient attention. Following a post-revolution hiatus, a new generation of Iranian archaeologists revived Paleolithic studies from the mid-1980s onwards. “As a result, Iran is now one of two leading countries in Paleolithic studies in Southwest Asia – a proud milestone.” Biglari credited pioneers like Frank Hole, John Speth, and Robert Braidwood, alongside Iranian researchers’ efforts over the past four decades. “The tangible outcome is the inscription of Iran’s first Paleolithic-based dossier (Khorramabad Valley) on the UNESCO list, testifying to Iranian archaeology’s scientific capabilities in international research and conservation. This is truly a great victory for Iran’s culture, archaeology, and history.” He concluded that Lorestan Province, with its rich Paleolithic research history attracting global attention to the Zagros, is also a pioneer in protection and presentation. “At least six caves/rock shelters in the province – five fully protected – now have defined boundaries, protective gating, and infrastructure for ongoing research. While cave protection exists elsewhere in Iran, Lorestan holds a distinguished national position in the number of managed sites and quality of conservation measures.”

AM