"Innsbruck for me is a context of cultural mixture where various traditions meet each other."

 

I am visiting the University of Innsbruck because...

The University profit from an international reputation in the field of oriental archaeology and the Institute für Alte Geschichte und Altorientalistik is well known for its brilliant researches in Iran, Iraq and the Caucasian region (Armenia and Georgia). At the meantime, because of good interuniversity relations and cooperation, the University of Innsbruck is a suitable platform for scientific and cultural exchanges. Moreover, the rich library of the Zentrum für Alte Kulturen (Atrium), is a good calm place for advancing the borders of our knowledge in the field of oriental archaeology.

 

Innsbruck for me is...

A context of cultural mixture where various traditions meet each other: from the rich Austrian music culture, and cuisine traditions to Tirolian local customs as well as the Bavarian and Italian cultural influences. From the other side, the environmental characteristics of Tirol, in general, and Innsbruck specifically, is quite nice and rich that differ considerably from my homeland. From cultural heritage point of view, the region of Tirol is interesting and full of ancient backgrounds and monuments.

 

At the University of Innsbruck I will...

I will give lectures on the Iranian archaeology, Central Asian Archaeology and on the World Heritage Site of Shahr-i Sokhta to the Bachelor and master students. In parallel, with our colleagues from the Institute für Alte Geschichte und Altorientalistik, Sandra Heinsch and Walter Kuntner, we will work on our common project Digital Archaeological Documentation of the Iranian Monuments (DADIM). In fact, one of the main reason is to prepare some publications on the Sassanian rock reliefs already documented in the field (from 2015 to 2017) by photogrammetric and other digital image treating techniques and soft wares. One of my other aim at the University of Innsbruck is to update myself with the latest publications in the field of theoretical archaeology.

 

For my students I give the following advices...

I advise my students to go deep in knowledge and to have always a multidisciplinary approach in their research vision. Respecting different ideas and perspective and to have a tolerant attitude toward other cultures.