National Museum of Iran Honors UNESCO Recognition of Khorramabad Valley's Ancient Prehistoric Sites

On Tuesday, a significant ceremony was held at the National Museum of Iran to celebrate the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the Prehistoric Sites of Khorramabad Valley. This momentous event was part of the 871st session of the Bukhara Magazine Nights series, drawing a large audience that included notable figures such as Professor Jalaleddin Rafifar, an anthropologist from the University of Tehran, and Dr. Mansour Ghorbani, President of the Geological Society of Iran. Heritage enthusiasts and various officials were also in attendance, marking a pivotal moment in Iran’s cultural heritage.

Session Secretary Ali Dehbashi commenced the event by extending congratulations to the Iranian nation for this remarkable cultural milestone. He expressed concern over the lack of national recognition regarding the significance of this achievement, emphasizing the need to raise public awareness about its importance and potential impacts.

The first speaker, Dr. Ata Hassanpour, who is the Manager of the Inscription Dossier and Director-General of Lorestan province’s Cultural Heritage, acknowledged the contributions of all involved. He elaborated on the procedural steps taken from November 2023 onwards:

The dossier was officially submitted to UNESCO on January 31, 2024.
A dedicated “Committee for Resolving World Heritage Inscription Obstacles” was formed to tackle challenges through collaboration with various entities, including the Housing Foundation and Municipality.
Key initiatives included:

Clearing caves of graffiti and relocating resident herders.
Constructing dry-stone access paths.
Installing protective gating at cave entrances.
Organizing adjacent villages with infrastructure improvements like asphalting and sewage systems, along with cultural programs.
Cleaning Falak-ol-Aflak Castle walls of sediments and invasive plants.
Establishing a modern Prehistory Museum.
Installing 94 bilingual signage boards across sites and the city.
Conducting new excavations at Ghamari Cave under the guidance of Dr. Biglari.

Dr. Hassanpour highlighted the importance of public awareness through the “Khorramabad Valley World Heritage Inscription Channel,” managed by Dr. Atusa Rahmati and Dr. Mohammad Farzanmanesh. He concluded by announcing that after a visit from UNESCO evaluators in August 2024 and the successful addressing of two inquiries from ICOMOS, the dossier was inscribed on the World Heritage List on July 17, 2025, becoming Iran’s oldest inscribed World Heritage site.

Dr. Ali Darabi, Deputy Minister and Vice President for Cultural Heritage, attributed the inscription’s success to the synergy among various stakeholders, international engagement, and national commitment. “The inscription of Khorramabad’s prehistoric sites, one of Iran’s most significant archaeological dossiers, sends a clear message: Iran is a living, dynamic, and dialog-oriented civilization,” he noted. He underscored the scientific and cultural value of the sites, emphasizing that this achievement is the culmination of years of dedicated efforts by researchers, archaeologists, and national and provincial managers.

Dr. Mohammad Ebrahim Zarei, Director of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT), spoke about the deep historical and cultural significance of Iran. “It is a source of pride that a lesser-known aspect of this land’s past – the prehistoric world, Paleolithic periods, and the earliest epochs of human life on the Iranian Plateau – is now recognized globally through this inscription,” he stated. He pointed out that while international researchers have acknowledged the importance of these landscapes, the world is now recognizing the unique value of ancient Iran’s cultural spaces.

Dr. Zarei highlighted previous research that primarily focused on prominent historical periods such as the Elamite, Achaemenid, Sassanian, Seljuk, Safavid, and Qajar eras, along with renowned sites like Susa and Persepolis. “Now, there is an opportunity to register and showcase another aspect of the Iranian Plateau’s cultural richness – often overlooked due to its complexity – on a global scale,” he added. He described the Zagros Mountains as a crucial prehistoric refuge and cradle of ancient cultures.

Dr. Mohammad Hassan Talebian, University Professor and Ministerial Advisor, discussed the technical and scientific aspects of the dossier. “Through extensive field surveys, comparative studies, geological analyses, and collaboration with specialized institutions, we compiled a comprehensive dossier that enhances Iran’s scientific and cultural standing,” he explained. He pointed out significant challenges, including construction activities in the cultural landscape buffer zone and resistance from herders to vacate caves.

“The turning point was the unprecedented consensus among ministries, the provincial government, municipality, and the public,” Talebian remarked. He stressed that the inscription is not an endpoint but rather the beginning of a responsibility to implement the management plan, publish excavation results, and educate the public about the sites’ prehistoric values. “We haven’t fully utilized the potential of World Heritage. Inscription is not an endpoint; it is the start of a cultural, social, economic, and scientific process.”

Dr. Rasul Vatandoust, University Professor and Ministerial Advisor, emphasized the importance of safeguarding and promoting Iran’s extensive historic and prehistoric sites. He stated that World Heritage inscription serves as a strategic capacity in cultural, tourism, and research domains, attracting global scientific attention and fostering specialized research centers. “A priority must be to transform World and National Heritage sites into effective research hubs, both nationally and internationally,” he asserted.

Dr. Sonia Shidrang, Faculty Member at Shahid Beheshti University and key contributor to the dossier, highlighted the dual significance of this achievement: it marks Iran’s first Paleolithic sites on the UNESCO list and demonstrates success even amidst the challenges of wartime conditions. She noted that Khorramabad Valley has a rich research history dating back to the late 1940s, making it one of Southwest Asia’s most significant Paleolithic study areas.

Dr. Shidrang emphasized that the unique geological features of the Central Zagros region have allowed for human habitation for over 60,000 years. The dossier’s scientific foundation for UNESCO criteria focused on the Baradostian culture, identified first in Iraqi Kurdistan. The wealth of findings at sites such as Yafteh Cave, Kaldar, and Gar Arjeneh Rock Shelter made Khorramabad a focal point. Significant discoveries, including decorative pendants at Yafteh Cave, reflect advanced behaviors and cultural practices in early modern humans.

Dr. Fereidoun Biglari, director Deputy of the National Museum of Iran, concluded the ceremony by outlining the history of Paleolithic studies in Iran. He noted that the focus on historical periods initially overshadowed the importance of prehistoric archaeology, despite the fact that over 99% of human occupation history on the plateau belongs to this era. He credited the early work of Western archaeologists and the subsequent revival of Paleolithic studies by a new generation of Iranian archaeologists since the mid-1980s.

“As a result, Iran is now one of the leading countries in Paleolithic studies in Southwest Asia,” Biglari stated proudly. He expressed that the inscription of Khorramabad Valley on the UNESCO list is a testament to Iranian archaeology’s capabilities in international research and conservation. “This is a significant victory for Iran’s culture, archaeology, and history,” he concluded, highlighting Lorestan Province’s prominence in the protection and presentation of its rich Paleolithic heritage.