Following extensive research, the provinces of East and West Azarbaijan are slated to set up Iran’s first databank for the country’s historical gardens and cultural sites, ISNA reported.
The databank will include information on historical gardens, cities, villages and architecture found in the provinces.
Archeological studies and the project to establish a databank have been carried out by the Center for Historical-Cultural Structures and Textures at the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, headed by Mahnaz Ashrafi.
Speaking to ISNA, Ashrafi said, “Last year, a working group to study agricultural heritage was formed, which paved the way for the creation of the databank.”
Elaborating on the center’s other projects, Ashrafi said there are plans to prepare a guideline on how to use laser to help restore historical textures.
“We also composed, compiled and printed a number of scientific papers on cultural heritage last year,” she noted, adding that the center published around 30 papers and essays in scientific journals.
Ashrafi said as a result of the researchers’ hard work, a collection of essays, papers, and documents pertaining to handmade architecture will be published as a book in the near future. “A book on garden landscaping is also in the pipeline.”
The study on gardens and cultural landscaping is one of the 15 research projects being carried out at the research center.
Pointing to Asar, the only Iranian scientific journal on cultural heritage published by the institute, Ashrafi said the center published five issues of the periodical last year.
She said the second international conference on handmade architecture is now in the phase of obtaining a permit from the government’s cultural commission.
“We are also going to launch a website for the conference to promote the event and invite researchers to participate,” she said.
