Early life and education

Sadegh Malek Shahmirzadi (born April 24, 1940) is an Iranian

Iranian peoples

The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...

 archaeologist and anthropologist. In 1964 he finished his BA in archaeology at the University of Tehran

University of Tehran

The University of Tehran , also known as Tehran University and UT, is Iran's oldest university. Located in Tehran, the university is among the most prestigious in the country, and is consistently selected as the first choice of many applicants in the annual nationwide entrance exam for top Iranian...

. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study at the Oriental Institute

Oriental Institute

Oriental Institute may refer to a number of institutes of Oriental studies:United States* Oriental Institute, Chicago, part of the University of ChicagoEngland* Oriental Institute, Oxford, part of the University of Oxford...

 of the University of Chicago

University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...

. After returning to Iran in 1970, he started teaching at the University of Tehran. Four years later, with a fellowship from the Ministry of Higher Education and Tehran University, he studied Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...

 and obtained his Ph.D. in Prehistoric Anthropology in 1977.

Career

Shahmirzadi is the author of over 60 research articles and books. Shahmirzadi's book, Dictionary of Archeology English-Persian-Persian-English, published in 1997, is still in print.

Tepe Sialk is reportedly one of the most important prehistoric excavations in Iran, and a team of Iranian archaeologists led by Shahmirzadi launched the Sialk Reconsideration Project in 1999.

In 2004, the Iranian Cultural Heritage News Agency reported that, "Iranian archeologists planned to identify the food basket and diet of the people who lived in the historical site of Sialk over 7,000 years ago," and "Shahmirzadi, discoverer of the ziggurat, [was] head of the research team."

Speaking at the Bolaghi Gorge Seminar held on Jan. 20, 2007 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...

, Shahmirzadi said, “Until some 40 years ago, people did not show much interest toward archeological sites and the issue of cultural heritage was somehow unknown but today we are witnessing such a large gathering with the presence of a large number of experts and NGOs who show great concern for preserving cultural heritage of Iran and their heart is beating for Bolaghi Gorge as a historical and national heritage site.” "The...inundation of Sivand Dam

Sivand Dam

Sivand Dam is a planned dam in Fars Province, Iran. Named after the nearby town of Sivand located northwest of Shiraz, it has become the center of worldwide concern due to the flooding it will cause in historical and archaeologically rich areas of Ancient Persia and possible harm it may cause to...

...issue evoked strong opposition from cultural heritage enthusiasts and NGOs who are concerned with the fate of the historic site of Bolaghi Gorge, demanding Iranian authorities prevent flooding of the Dam. The majority of those who attended at the conference and also most of archeologists who work on Bolaghi Gorge categorically protested against flooding of Sivand Dam, accompanied by placards to show their objections to inundation of the Dam."

Dr. Michael D. Danti of Boston University

Boston University

Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...

's Department of Archaeology thanked "Sadegh Malek Shahmirzadi for involving me in his research project at Tepe Sialk."