Methodological Aspects of Iranian Archaeology

Download or read book Methodological Aspects of Iranian Archaeology written by Kamal Aldin Niknami and published by British Archaeological Reports Oxford Limited. This book was released on 2000 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers an overview of the history and present state of archaeology in Iran, taking the Palaeolithic as a case study. The first goal is to evaluate the distinctively national characteristics of archaeology in Iran, specifically developments in the 1960s and 1970s in relation to the 'New Archaeology' in the USA. Not all of that agenda was adopted, and because it was pioneered by anthropologists on relatively recent and simple New World sites, it is not totally applicable to the long historical sequence of complex Iranian mounds. The author argues that Iranian archaeology was in a sense left behind, 'out of date' and generally atheoretical, as its traditional authority structure prevented discussion of new ideas; it is predicted that the future will see a move to smaller projects deliberately designed to answer specific problems, together with a necessary focus on conservation and heritage management.