Iranian events on the International Archeology Day, observed by many countries annually on Oct. 21, were limited to a couple of conferences and articles, an official at the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism said.
To mark the occasion, archeological organizations across the United States, Canada and a number of other countries organized archeological programs for people of all ages and interests.
In Iran, as the date coincides with the working season of Iranian archeologists, the event was wrapped up without a comprehensive program.
"Except for a few events such as the conferences of 'Young Archeologists' and 'Tehran University Archeologists', no large-scale national plan was implemented to celebrate the day," ISNA quoted Behrouz Omrani, the head of RICHT, as saying.
Scientific articles were presented during these scattered events, which RICHT has arranged to publish.
"Considering the busy schedule of Iranian archeologists and experts, who are presently involved in excavation projects, it is far-fetched to expect their active participation in such congregations," Omrani said.
However, to fill the gap, Iranian experts in the field present reports on their activities and achievements during the National Research Week (Dec. 16-20).
Based on rules set by the Archeological Institute of America, after a year of research and excavation, ancient sites could be opened for public visit to raise awareness and impart the thrill of discovery to enthusiasts.
Iran has made similar efforts at the pre-historical site of Tepe Damghani in Sabzevar, Khorasan Razavi Province, that once welcomed public visitors during excavations.
Iran's many archeological projects offer the opportunity to implement such public programs on the international day.
The official noted that since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21), 106 permits have been issued for archeological research projects, excavations, buffer zone designation and training programs.
He hoped Iran's participation in the international ceremony would increase further.
In last year's International Archeology Day, over 700 worldwide programs were organized by 530 collaborating organizations. The programs were held in at least two dozen countries, including Argentina, Belize, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Greece, Guyana, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, the Netherlands, the US, Peru, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and Spain.
The largest numbers of events were concentrated in the United States (550), the Czech Republic (70) and the Netherlands (60).
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