 Excavator of ancient Persia
American expert on Iranian archaeology gets top award
By Nima Kasraie
June 23, 2004
iranian.com
Recently, UC Berkeley professor of Near Eastern Archaeology David
Stronach,
was announced the 2004 recipient of the Archaeological Institute
of America's
Gold
Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement. The medal
is the
highest honor bestowed by the AIA, and is given in recognition
of a scholar
who has made distinguished contributions to archaeology through
his or her
fieldwork, publications, and teaching. The award caps Professor
Stronach's
23-year career at UC Berkeley. [Stronach's
note cuniform]
Stronach is undoubtedly one of the world's top
experts on
Pasargadae. In the 1960s and 70s he was also Director
of the
British Institute of Persian Studies in Tehran. The breadth and
distinction of
his scholarship have earned him many honors and awards, including
the
invitation to deliver endowed lectures at Harvard and Columbia
among many
other distinguished academic institutes. In a recent interview,
the professor,
who plans to return to Iran this fall, spoke of his many memories
excavating
sites of ancient Persia.
Of Stronach's more recent and interesting research
is a Great Wall
built by Khosrow I in 531 AD in today's southern Russia.
Still standing at 7
meters high, and running 46 km long from the coastal city of Derbent
(Darband), the wall was erected in order to protect Sasanian Iran
from the
depredations of the Huns and other nomadic peoples that were then
present
north of Iran.
 Another notable interest (for me at least) is Tami Stronach,
professor
Stronach's daughter, whom many of you will remember her from
Wolfgang Peterson'
s 1984 blockbuster "The
Never Ending Story". Born in
Tehran in 1972, Tamara
played the "child empress" in the film, which was based
on Michael Ende's
novel "Die Unendliche Geschichte", which has also been
translated into Farsi.
She is currently a choreographer, dancer, and ballet teacher based
in NY. She
is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships and has choreographed
for
musical theater productions presented by The Brooklyn Theater
Company, Target
Margin Theater, and Fifthstreet Theater. Danspace Projects will
present her
own production next season at Saint Marks  Church May, 5th-8th
2005. (located
on 2nd Ave. and 10th Street in Manhattan, NY)
It is a great pleasure to have distinguished friends such as
professor Stronach back in Iran once again. May the forces of friendship
between the
United States of America and Iran once more prevail.
.................... Spam?! Khalaas!
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Excavator of ancient Persia
Another notable interest (for me at least) is Tami Stronach,
professor
Stronach's daughter, whom many of you will remember her from
Wolfgang Peterson'
s 1984 blockbuster "
