David Stronach
Encyclopedia
David Stronach is a Scottish
archeologist of ancient Iran
and Iraq
. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley
.
Stronach is a leading Western
expert on the city of Pasargadae
. He obtained an Master of Arts from Cambridge University
in 1958. In the 1960s and 1970s he was Director of the British Institute of Persian Studies
in Tehran
. In the 1990s, he excavated several parts of Nineveh
. His scholarship has earned him many honors and awards, including the invitation to deliver endowed lectures at Harvard
and Columbia
. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Archaeological Institute of America
Gold Medal
for "Distinguished Archaeological Achievement."
His daughter Tami Stronach
played the role of "the Childlike Empress" in the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
archeologist of ancient Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Stronach is a leading Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
expert on the city of Pasargadae
Pasargadae
Pasargadae , the capital of Cyrus the Great and also his last resting place, was a city in ancient Persia, and is today an archaeological site and one of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.-History:...
. He obtained an Master of Arts from Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1958. In the 1960s and 1970s he was Director of the British Institute of Persian Studies
Persian studies
Persian Studies is the study of the Persian language and its literature specifically. It is differentiated from Iranian Studies which is a broader, more interdisciplinary subject that focuses more on the histories and cultures of all Iranian peoples....
in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. In the 1990s, he excavated several parts of Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
. His scholarship has earned him many honors and awards, including the invitation to deliver endowed lectures at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Archaeological Institute of America
Archaeological Institute of America
The Archaeological Institute of America is a North American nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of public interest in archaeology, and the preservation of archaeological sites. It has offices on the campus of Boston University and in New York City.The institute was founded in 1879,...
Gold Medal
Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America
The Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement is awarded by the Archaeological Institute of America in "recognition of a scholar who has made distinguished contributions to archaeology through his or her fieldwork, publications, and/or teaching."It is the Institute's highest award...
for "Distinguished Archaeological Achievement."
His daughter Tami Stronach
Tami Stronach
Tamara "Tami" Stronach is a dancer and choreographer who has also worked as an actress.Stronach was born to Israeli and Scottish parents. Her father, David Stronach, is a renowned archeologist of ruins of Ancient Persia and a professor at UC Berkeley...
played the role of "the Childlike Empress" in the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story
The Neverending Story
The Neverending Story is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983...
.