“Silk Legacy” exhibition celebrates centuries-old cultural ties between Iran and China

TEHRAN— The National Museum of Iran has opened the exhibition “Silk Legacy: A Review of Iran–China Relations,” highlighting the enduring cultural and historical connections between the two ancient civilizations

Iran-China joint cultural heritage plays effective role in deepening ties

TEHRAN--Joint cultural heritage of Iran and China plays an effective role in deepening relations between the two countries and should be considered as a bridge between the hearts of the people of the two nations, said Minister of Cultural Heritage Reza Salehi-Amiri.

Tehran to host exhibit dedicated to Iranian, Chinese arts

TEHRAN — An exhibition, featuring a selection of archaeological and artistic treasures from Iran and China, will officially open at the National Museum of Iran on Tuesday, October 14.

Echoes of the past: Fragment of an Achaemenid relief                      

‘Narrators of Ancient Iran’ on view at National Museum

TEHRAN – A new exhibition titled “Narrators of Ancient Iran: A Selection of Objects from the National Museum” has opened its doors to the public at the vast, prestigious museum, which is located in downtown Tehran.

Mehran plain is home to key prehistoric sites, archaeologist says

TEHRAN – The Mehran plain, situated west of the Zagros Mountains, is home to important archaeological hubs with evidence of human settlement dating back to prehistoric times, an archaeologist said on Monday.

Tehran inaugurating 40 tourism facilities

TEHRAN-Concurrent with Tourism Week (September 27-October 3), 43 tourism facilities including traditional hotels, hotel apartments, traditional restaurants, recreational and entertainment centers and travel agencies will be inaugurated, Ali Tolouei, the head of Tehran Cultural Heritage Department has said.

National Museum is to reopen after three-month closure

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran is set to reopen tomorrow after more than three months of closure, starting with an exhibition titled “Narrators of Ancient Iran,” the museum announced.

Echoes of the Past: Elymaean Worshipper Stone Statue

Discovered in Kalgah Zarin, southwest Iran, by the Iranian Oil Company, this statue is a significant find that was accompanied by a hoard of Seleucid and Parthian coins.

Met Museum’s tiny clay figurine reveals ancient origins of the mighty Hyrcanian tiger

TEHRAN - A seemingly unremarkable clay fragment, housed for decades in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collections, has been identified as a landmark archaeological discovery. New research confirms the artifact is one of the oldest known depictions of a tiger, reshaping the history of the animal’s role in Iranian art and culture.

Commemorative stamp unveiled to mark Khorramabad’s UNESCO World Heritage inscription

KHORRAMABAD — In a landmark celebration of Iran’s deep prehistory, a commemorative stamp honoring the Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley has officially been unveiled at Falak-ol-Aflak Castle.

Beijing exhibit features 7,000 years of Iranian civilization in digital format

TEHRAN – Iran’s National Museum is showcasing 7,000 years of civilization in digital format at a new exhibition in Beijing that brings together cultural relics from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Echoes of the Past: Millennia-old painted pottery vessel

The pictured vessel is a masterful example of the celebrated Cheshmeh Ali ware tradition, dating to the Transitional Chalcolithic period, approximately 5200-4800 BC.

Sheila R. Canby, who shaped the study of Islamic art, dies at 76

TEHRAN - The world of Islamic art history is mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished figures, Sheila R. Canby, who passed away this week.

Echoes of the Past: Stucco plaque of Sasanian lady

The pictured Sassanid-era stucco plaque set within a central square depicts the bust of a smiling woman—likely a Sasanian princess, suggested by her ornate adornments. Unearthed at Tepe Hessar in Damghan, modern-day Semnan province, it dates to the late 6th or early 7th century CE.

'Iran, The Land of Legends' hits bookstore shelves

TEHRAN – “Iran, The Land of Legends” is the latest publication by acclaimed photographer and artist Davoud Vakilzadeh, produced in collaboration with the National Museum of Iran.

National Museum of Iran celebrates UNESCO inscription of Khorramabad Valley Prehistoric Sites

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.

Seljuk, Ilkhanid oil lamps transferred to National Museum of Iran

TEHRAN--According to an official in charge of the dossier for the UNESCO registration of Masuleh Cultural Landscape, two metal oil lamps from the Seljuk (11th–12th centuries) and Ilkhanid (13th–14th centuries) periods, discovered in Masuleh, have been transferred to the National Museum of Iran for permanent display.

Echoes of the past: gold rhyton in the form of a winged lion

TEHRAN - Drinking vessels of varied designs flourished throughout the Near East from the 1st millennium BCE well into the Islamic era.

Early Islamic metallurgical complex discovered at Masouleh; strengthens revised World Heritage file

TEHRAN - A joint Iranian-Chinese archaeological team has uncovered a significant early Islamic-era settlement and a sponge iron smelting workshop at the Khanbaji Sara site within the Cultural Landscape of Masouleh in northern Iran.

Echoes of the past: silver plate with lion hunt scene

The pictured silver plate of ancient Iran depicts a royal horseman engaged in a lion hunt.

Sang-e Chakhmaq's 8,000-year-old flute featured in museum's new video project

TEHRAN - The National Museum of Iran, in collaboration with the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, has begun producing a series of short videos to introduce its artifacts to the public.

Echos of the past: Chopper tool from Kashafrud, northeast Iran

This chopper-shaped tool, made of quartz, was discovered near the Kashafrud River in Khorasan Razavi province, northeast Iran, and dates back to the Lower Paleolithic period. Evidence of flaking and the removal of several flakes can be seen at one end.

Groundbreaking discovery in northern Persian Gulf sheds new light on early human migration

TEHRAN - A major archaeological discovery in the northern hinterlands of the Persian Gulf is transforming our understanding of early human migration into Asia.

Wezmeh Cave in west Zagros reveals window into prehistoric ecosystems

TEHRAN - In a landmark archaeological discovery, researchers have uncovered a remarkably diverse assemblage of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene animal remains from Wezmeh Cave in western Iran’s Zagros Mountains.