A view of Qalaichi Hill in Boukan, West Azarbaijan province

Archeological excavations at Boukan’s Qalaichi Hill led to the discovery of architectural remnants dating back to the 8th and 7th centuries BC, head of the excavation team of West Azarbaijan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department said, IRNA wrote.
The department’s Public Relations Office quoted Bahman Kargar as saying, “Archeologists came across architectural remains stretching back to the Neo-Assyrian Empire during the ninth season of excavations at Qalaichi Hill,“ the official noted.
The discovered structures include a wall attached to another stone wall, he said, adding the interior of the walls is adorned with a thick layer of lime.
Kargar explained that the ninth season of excavations was aimed at unearthing architectural structures belonging to three historical periods in southern part of the ancient mound.
According to the expert, the team dug 50 trenches in the area to unearth buildings and walls, as well as the remnants of the old Qalaichi bulwark.
“The entire religious edifices of the Mannaean era (10th to 7th BC) located at the center of the hill were exposed in the excavations.“
He said the discovered objects include ornamental beads and glazed bricks of different sizes.
The expert noted that the future archeological studies on the hill would focus on unearthing residential units in the adjacency of the religious venues.
Qalaichi historical hill is the only place where archeological studies have been conducted on the Mannaean kingdom--one of the unknown governments in northwest of Iran.
Qalaichi Hill is located in West Azarbiajan province, next to Qalaichi village, eight kilometers northeast of Boukan. Some historical evidence belonging to the second Iron Age (1200 to 850 BC) and third Iron Age (850 to 550 BC) has already been found in the hill.

Martyr Mohammad Ali Rajaei, a leading figure in the history of Islamic Revolution, was born in 1933 in Qazvin. He was orphaned at the age of three. Rajaei finished primary school in his hometown in the custody of his brother. At the age of 14, he left Qazvin for Tehran and worked for several years in the capital’s bazaar. When he was 17, he became an employee of the air force.
His acquaintance with late Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleqani and Fadaiyan Islam organization led him to acquire a deeper understanding of Islamic principles. He became a committed member of the campaign against the tyrant Pahlavi regime prior to the Islamic Revolution. Rajaei actively participated in the meetings of anti-Shah political opponents. Rajaei resigned from air force in 1953. That was the year he obtained his high school diploma. He started working as a teacher in Bijar. He never abandoned teaching except for the four years he was imprisoned. After being released from the jail, he became a member of the Teachers’ Islamic Association and continued his struggle against the Shah regime. After the 1979 victory of Islamic Revolution, he was appointed as the Education Minister. He did his best to improve the quality of schooling. Later, he won a seat in the parliament. During the presidency of Abolhassan Banisadr, Rajaei was chosen as prime minister with the support of the Majlis. Since the very beginning, Rajaei and Banisadr had fundamental disagreements over a wide range of issues, including even the appointment of ministers. In the 1980s and in the throes of Iran-Iraq war, Banisadr was impeached by the parliament on charges of committing treason and anti-revolutionary acts. Rajaei ran for presidency following Banisadr’s impeachment. He was elected with an absolute majority of 13 million out of 14 million votes.
Rajaei, the then prime minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar and a number of governmental officials were martyred in a bomb explosion at the prime minister’s office on Aug. 30, 1981.

Seven months ago, archeologists at Isfahan’s Chehel Sotoun came across a historical pool in the southern wing of the monument. However, no further excavations have ever since been conducted on the 15x25 sq.m. pool believed to have been built during the Safavid dynasty (1502Ð1736), head of Bisotoun’s archeological team said.
Fariba Saeedi told IRNA that the first stage of archeological studies led to the discovery of some ornamental objects in the pool.
The team also found a canal transferring water from the western to the eastern part of the pool, she added.
The expert noted, “Now that archeological assessments of the pool are over, restoration operations have to begin.“
Meanwhile, head of Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department’s Restoration Office also insisted that the pool ought to be fixed up.
Mohsen Nikouei elaborated that the project should be endorsed by the department’s Technical Council. “But the council has not yet assessed the plan; hence the delay in implementation of the project.“
He added that restoration of the pool would be a time-consuming project.
The official elaborated that any repair at Chehel Sotoun is conditioned upon an approval by Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, “since it has to be financed through national budget.“

Regional Iranology Confab was held last week at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, capital of Thailand.
Intellectuals and thinkers from Iran and Thailand attended the confab which revolved around the Persian civilization and the rich Iranian culture and literature, Fars news agency reported.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony on Aug. 25 in Bangkok, Iranian ambassador to Thailand, Mohsen Pak-Ayeen gave a brief history of relations between the two countries.
Recalling that Iran and Thailand established their ties back in the 15th century, he explained that migration of Sheikh Ahmad Qomi, a merchant and religious figure of the time, to the then capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya, played an important role in expanding bilateral relations.
Sheikh Ahmad Qomi lived in Thailand for 26 years.
The official further cited efforts made by Qomi to bolster relations between Iran and Thailand, formerly known as Siam.
He was the architect of cultural relations between Iran and Thailand. Qomi was also one of the pioneers of promoting Islam in East Asia.
Pak-Ayeen expanded that Qomi’s endeavors helped followers of Buddhism and Muslims to become familiar with each other’s religious rituals.
Addressing the same gathering, head of Iranian Embassy’s Cultural Department, Mohammad Tamhidi, stated that several books about Iranian culture and civilization were published and translated in that country.
He named the books as Masnavi of Rumi, Divan of Hafez and Shahnameh of Ferdowsi in Thai language.
Several cultural exhibitions in various Thai cities, exchange of professors and students, confabs such as Sheikh Ahmad Qomi Seminar and a conference on Islam and Buddhism as well as Persian language classes have been among programs to expand Iranian-Thai cultural ties.
The tomb of Sheikh Ahmad Qomi is located in Ayutthaya.

Tomb of Sheikh Seyyed Amineddin Jebreil, father of Sheikh Safiyeddin Es'haq Ardebili in Kalkhoran village, Ardebil (Photo by Hassan Fakheri)

Archeologists excavating Delgosha Hill in Gonbad-e Kavous, Golestan province.

Archeological studies were launched on Delgosha Historic Hill in Gonbad-e Kavous, head of the city’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department was quoted by IRNA as saying.
Fereydoon Onaq noted that as per the scheme, an eight-member team comprising experts in archeology, history, architecture and renovation, would conduct the 10-day excavations to delineate the boundaries of the historic hill.
Onaq went on, “Located to the southeast of the city and adjacent to other ancient hills and historic sites, Delgosha Hill is attributed to the Islamic era. It has been registered on the National Heritage List.“
Gonbad-e Kavous city in Golestan province, boasts numerous historic attractions including Qabous Tower, Jorjan old city and the Wall of Alexander.

From a total 50,000 exquisite copies of the Holy Qur’an and manuscripts available in the Astan-e Qods-e Razavi Library, 369 have been nominated for inclusion in the Great Encyclopedia of Astan-e Qods, an expert of manuscripts with Astan-e Qods Central Library told IRNA.
Mohammad Vafadar Moradi noted that the library possesses one of the most important treasures of recorded knowledge of Iran and the Muslim world.
He said of the 15,000 Holy Qur’an manuscripts being preserved in the library, 90 are attributed to members of the infallible household of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), 10 have been written by renowned calligraphers and 26 others date back to the first century after Islam.
Vafadar Moradi unveiled that 200 priceless manuscripts had been selected from among 30,000 ones kept in the library.
He said the rich collection of old manuscripts draws the attention of international researchers and experts in cataloging and classification of manuscripts.
Vafadar Moradi went on, “This has prompted Astan-e Qods to consider launching a digital library of manuscripts.“

International archeologists have unearthed a well-preserved, 2,500-year-old mummy frozen in the snowcapped mountains of Mongolia complete with blond hair, tattoos and a felt hat, AFP wrote.
The president of the German Archeological Institute, Hermann Parzinger, hailed the “fabulous find“ at a press conference to present the 28-member team’s discovery in Berlin.
The Scythian warrior was found in June at a height of 2,600 meters in the Altay Mountains in an intact burial mound or kurgan.
Parzinger said the tomb was practically untouched when the team discovered it.
“We just had to sweep away some dust and could begin,“ he said.
Researchers said the most striking feature about the man was his light blond hair, which Parzinger acknowledged may have yellowed after his death.
The man, who was apparently well-off, was cloaked in a beaver-skin coat with sable trim and sheep’s wool lining that was in remarkably good condition, and still intact skin on his upper body revealed tattoos.
Two horses with elaborately decorated saddles and bridles, weapons and wooden, clay and animal horn vessels were placed in the tomb alongside the corpse to accompany the warrior into the next life.
The recovered items are currently in storage in Ulan Bator. Parzinger said even the contents of the horses’ stomachs would be examined to offer insights into the region’s vegetation two centuries before Christ.
Parzinger said that until now remains of the Scythians, who were Iranian nomadic peoples, had only been found on the Russian side of the Altays. He said the new find showed that their territory was much broader than first thought.
He said the ice had helped preserve the mummy and his belongings and noted that global warming also posed a threat to such archeological finds. He said that if the trend continues, in 20 to 30 years there would be no more ice kurgans.