Masters Thesis

Nationalism and the development of archaeology in Iran

In the last few decades, archaeologists have become concerned with the relationship between nationalism and archaeology. Promoting nationalism needs the remote past (Kohl 1998: 223). This paper looks at the relationship between nationalism, politics, and the development and practice of archaeology in Iran from the late nineteenth century to the present time. The use of archaeology for political aims in France, Nazi Germany, Spain, Turkey, Iraq, and Israel will be reviewed in order to understand the role of archaeology in nation-building. It is argued that despite changes in power within Iran, Iranian archaeology has not experienced much transformation during the last 150 years. The results of this study indicate that, with the exception of the Qajar period (1787-1925), Iranian archaeology has always been a political tool rather than a professional discipline.

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