This article deciphers and analyzes a  previously unknown Sassanian mint location represented by the inscription WLČ., based on the analysis of a Middle Persian inscription found in Persepolis, and on the linguistic changes that occurred during the transition to modern Persian. Evidence is presented to show that this previously unknown Sassanian mint designation corresponds to the modern-day ci...

The turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) represents one of the few domestic animals of the New World. While current research points to distinct domestication centres in the Southwest USA and Mesoamerica, several questions regarding the number of progenitor populations, and the timing and intensity of turkey husbandry remain unanswered. This study applied ancient mitochondrial DNA and stable isotope (δ1...

New archaeological evidences of the so-called "Bactrian-Margiana Archaeological Complex" (= BMAC) has invited a change in our knowledge of the cultural relations between Oxus civilization and south-eastern Iran during the III-II millennium B.C. transition period. The new archaeological projects in southern and western Turkmenistan, as well as attested at Gonur Depe, have showed a wider and more...

since the evidence for direct maritime trade between the sassanid empire and china is exiguous, it has often been asserted that there was no direct sea commerce between these two countries. scholars claim that there is nothing to prove direct chinese sailings to iran before islam and say that direct sea commerce between them was occurred during early islamic period. based on the historical, arc...

achaemenid ruled over a vast territory, to which included asia minor (modern turkey), that was conquered during cyrus the great campaign to lydia. following this its cities was added to persian satrapies. the name of all the persian satrapies was not mentioned in achaemenid official texts, because achaemenid political style was in this way that the conquered areas came under the central power c...

The Melammu Project investigates the continuity, transformation and diffusion of Mesopotamian culture throughout the ancient world. A central objective of the project is to create an electronic database collecting the relevant textual, art-historical, archaeological, ethnographic and linguistic evidence, which is available on the website, alongside bibliographies of relevant themes. In addition...