German Archeologists to Help Protect Tabriz Heritage

Iran and Germany will expand collaboration in archeological studies and protection of cultural heritage sites in Tabriz, East Azarbaijan Province, according to the head of the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.

At the opening ceremony of the first Irano-German International Symposium on Archeometry held on November 1-4, Morteza Abdar added that strengthening relations with Germany is key to Iran’s foreign policy, adding that cooperating on cultural heritage research and protection helps achieve that.

Archeometry is the branch of archeology that deals with the dating of archeological specimens through specific techniques, such as radiocarbon dating and amino-acid dating.

Tabriz, selected by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as the tourism capital of the Islamic world in 2018, boasts a rich collection of prehistoric and ancient sites as well as unspoiled natural landscapes, IRNA reported.

Elaborating on one of his office’s major plans, Abdar said the provincial office has prioritized restoration projects for the city’s historical sites, such as Tabriz Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Arg-e-Alishah and Rab-e Rashidi.

The symposium is to review the importance of natural sciences and engineering in archeological and cultural heritage investigations, presenting a part of the achievements of the joint projects to the younger generation of scientists and archeologists.

As noted in the event’s statement, after more than two decades of productive scientific cooperation between Iranian and German scientists and archeologists, arcaeometric studies in Tabriz can reveal the numerous aspects of the evolution of ancient technologies as well as the patterns of ancient trades and connections between societies.

Organized under the auspices of the German Archeological Institute in close collaboration with ICHHTO, the event hosted experts, academics and university students from both countries, giving them the opportunity to exchange views and present articles on issues, including archeological dating methods and conservation knowledge.