With Dr. Jenny Rose
April 24 – May 10, 2012
To many, the word “Persia” evokes a distant land remote in time, the home of ancient monuments and striking works of art: carpets, tiles, fine ceramics, miniatures and metal work. Indeed, Iran is a world both ancient and contemporary, linking the heartland of Asia and the cradle of Western civilization, a bridge between East and West.
The prehistoric past of Iran is far older than the earliest Iranian dynasty, that of the Ancient Persians, or Achaemenids. There is evidence of settled human habitation in Iran as long ago as the ninth millennium BCE. During the third and second millennia BCE,western Iran was ruled by the Elamite dynasties from the great capital cities of Susa and Anshan. It was the Ancient Persian kings, beginning with Cyrus the Great, who founded the first world empire, bringing many peoples together under a single ruler. Achaemenid power ended withthe incursion of Alexander of Macedon. But following a period of Seleucid rule, the Parthians and then the Sassanians ruled over the Iranian plateau until the conquest 
by Arabs, who brought Islam in the seventh century.
Waves of invaders throughout the country's long history – the Greeks accompanying Alexander, Arab armies, the Turkish tribes that forced their way westward from Central Asia, and finally the Mongols – all left their mark upon the people of Iran, creating a vibrant tapestry that at its core, however, is indelibly Persian. Iran's history remains visible in the country's many intriguing and notable archaeological sites, its ancient monuments, and its cities, which possess some of the world's most magnificent examples of Islamic art and architecture.
Join Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural Trips for an exciting 17-day tour of Iran, with an emphasis on the archaeology, architecture, and art of this fascinating country.
(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
Day 1: Depart New York’s JFK Airport on an overnight flight to Istanbul, Turkey.
Day 2: Arrive in Istanbul in the morning and transfer to the Airport Hotel for ten hours of rest or some independent sightseeing. In the evening, board the ongoing flight to Tehran. Overnight in the Laleh Hotel for two nights.
Day 3: After a free morning to rest, meet for lunch followed by a visit to the National Museum, the country’s archaeological museum. Then view the collection at the Abguineh Glass and Ceramics Museum, impressive not only for its exhibits but for the building itself, constructed in the early 1920s as a private residence for a prominent local family and later housing the Egyptian Embassy. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Today's drive takes us to Hamadan, a major stop on the ancient royal road to Baghdad. View the Alavyan Tomb Tower, a twelfth-century structure regarded as the finest example of Seljuq art in Iran. Explore the remains of the ancient city of Ecbatana and see the latest excavations there. Visit the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai of Biblical fame as well as the Tomb of Avicenna, a world-renowned astronomer and physician of the tenth century. We will also visit Ganjnameh, where the area's oldest Achaemenid rock carving is located. Engraved on two stone panels, the inscriptions record the achievements of Darius I and his son Xerxes and the extent of their empires. Overnight in the Bu-Ali Hotel in Hamadan. (B/L/D)
Day 5: An early departure for Kermanshah takes us via the ruins of the Sasanian site at Kangavar, where the remains of a temple dedicated to Anahita, the beneficent divinity of water, are to be found. We then view the incredible Achaemenid bas-reliefs at Bisotun, one of the most famous Near Eastern archaeological sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trilingual inscriptions found here, carved 521-519 BCE in Old Persian, Elamite, and Akkadian, served as the key to the decipherment of cuneiform script in the mid-nineteenth century. The relief above the inscription shows Darius the Great facing nine rebel kings—the rulers suppressed by Darius when he came to power. The winged genius floating above the scene indicates that Darius was supported by the “great god” Ahura Mazda. Then on to the sensational site at Tagh-é Bostan, where a sacred spring emerges from a mountain cliff and empties into a large reflecting pool. Here, in what was once a royal hunting park, the Sassanian kings carved some spectacular rock reliefs, including an oversize equestrian statue of King Khosrow II mounted on his favorite charger, Shabdiz. Both horse and rider are arrayed in full battle armor. Two cosmic beings—Ahura Mazda and Mithra—also are portrayed at this site. Mithra is haloed with the rays of the sun as he is also depicted at Nemrut Dag in southeastern Turkey. He offers a bundle of sacred twigs to King Shapur II as part of the rites of royal investiture. Overnight in the Parsian Hotel in Kermanshah for one night. (B/L/D)
Day 6: Today’s all-day journey takes us to Ahvaz, the base from which we visit the impressive ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil as well as the ancient city of Shush. En route to Ahvaz we visit the rock-cut post-Achaemenid tomb at Dokan-e Davoud. We enjoy a picnic lunch and in the later afternoon view the remains of Pol-é-Dokhtar, a Sassanian bridge which crosses the river Karkeh. Overnight in the Fajr Hotel for two nights. (B/L/D)
Day 7: Begin with a visit to Haft Tepe, the site of an ancient city built 3,500 years ago. Here, view the elaborate vaulted graves of the Middle Elamite royalty. Continue to Shush, or Susa , the setting of the Biblical Book of Esther. Dating back to around 6000 BC, Susa is one of the great cities of ancient Iran. It was an important Elamite center from the middle of the third millennium BCE until it was destroyed by the Assyrians in the seventh century BCE. Darius I made it intothe Achaemenid winter capital. Explore the Royal Town, once the royal residence of the Achaemenid court officials, the Apadana, and the imperial palaces. Across the river, visit the Tomb of Daniel, said to hold the remains of the Jewish prophet, and still a place of pilgrimage. In the afternoon, see the largest man-made structure in Iran, the well-preserved Elamite ziggurat at Chogha Zanbil. This is one of the few remaining examples of ziggurats in the Middle East. We consider the distinctive construction techniques and the elaborate glass-based materials that were used for this great structure, as well as the function of the smaller buildings in the precinct. Finally, drive to the ancient fortress city of Shushtar to see the watermills dating from the Sassanian period. (B/L/D)
Day 8: Today’s long drive to Shiraz takes us through the oil-rich province of Khuzestan and the tribal areas of Mamasani and Boyer-Ahmadi and into the upland province of Fars. En route, visit the magnificent Elamite sanctuary at Kurangun where, after a small amount of climbing, we can admire the detail of the ancient rock reliefs and enjoy the vista of the valley below. At Bishapur, explore the remains of the city of King Shapur I, and six important rock carvings at Tang-e Chogan, nearby. The temple at Shapur’s palace has been identified by several archaeologists as sacred to Anahita, the Zoroastrian goddess associated with the waters. Time permitting, visit the Sassanian rock carving at Sarab-é Bahram. Overnight at the Homa Hotel in Shiraz for three nights. (B/L/D)
Day 9: Today, explore Shiraz, the City of Roses and Nightingales. Visit the Eram Garden, with its beautiful cypress-lined avenues leading to an elegant summer palace. Continue to the pink-tiled nineteenth-century Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque and the Narenjestan Gardens, with the richly decorated pavilion featuring a mirrored porch set among graceful trees. Visit the tomb of Hafez, Iran's greatest lyric poet. Late this afternoon, spend some time in the famous Shiraz bazaar. (B/L/D)
Day 10: An early start takes us to Persepolis (Takht-é Jamshid), the heart of the Persian Empire. Here, walk through a complex of palaces and temples that is said to be one of the architectural wonders of the world. Massive winged bulls, derived from Assyria but given a characteristic Persian stateliness, greet us at the head of a grand stairway wide enough for five horses to ride abreast. The stairway leads up to the vast platform on which the entire site is built. On the stairway up to the Apadana, the reception hall to the palace of King Darius I, survey the hundreds of figures carved in low relief exactly as Darius and Xerxes saw them. They look so fresh they might have been carved yesterday. The small museum at Persepolis has been created from the ruins of a building called the “harem of Xerxes”. Nearby, visit Naqsh-e Rajab, where magnificent Sassanian reliefs are located in an alcove in the rocks. (B/L/D)
Day 11: An early morning drive takes us to a couple of historical sites north of Shiraz. At Naqsh-e Rostam, gaze upon the immense memorial carved for the Sassanian Ardashir I after his conquest of the Parthians. The oversize frieze remains a powerful testimony to his victory and subsequent coronation as king of Iran. Hewn into the great vertical bluff of tawny rock are also the four elaborate tombs belonging to the great Achaemenid rulers Darius I, Xerxes, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II. Just below these tombs are eight large reliefs from the Sassanian dynasty, depicting imperial conquests and royal investitures. On one of them, the Roman Emperor Philip the Arab is shown kneeling in respect before the renowned Persian king, Shapur I. Then it’s on to Pasargadae to see the impressive, elevated Tomb of Cyrus, and to walk through the different sections of the ancient city: the Residential Palace, the Audience Hall, the Gatehouse, and the curious Zendan-e Soleiman. Drive a short distance to view the fire plinths behind Pasargadae. Continue to Yazd and overnight for two nights in the Moshir Garden Hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 12: Located in the remote desert, the old city of Yazd is built almost entirely of adobe and is an architectural wonder. To deal with the extremely hot summers, many old buildings have magnificent wind towers, with large underground areas to circulate cooling air. Yazd has been a Zoroastrian center since Sassanian times. Zoroastrians still make up a significant minority of the population, and the Atashkadeh in Yazd is the most important Zoroastrian fire temple in Iran. The sacred flame visible behind a glass in the interior of the fire temple is said to have been burning for over 1500 years. We visit the temple and its grounds, and then a Tower of Silence, or dakhma, where in Zoroastrian funerary tradition the bodies of the deceased were placed, to avoid contaminating the earth. Towards evening, we will visit the Zurkhaneh, the traditional gymnasium, where amateurs practice their strength and flexibility to the accompaniment of devotional music. (B/L/D)
Day 13: Drive this morning to Isfahan. Iranians say that their lovely city is “half the world.” The capital of the Safavids from the 16th century on, Isfahan is said to have the most beautiful bridges, and we will view two of them today, as we visit a myriad of spectacular sites. These include one ofthe world's biggest squares, Naqsh-e Jahan, created in the 17th century as the center of the city. The huge, open plaza is framed by a wall of arches and surrounded by two of the Islamic world's most impressive mosques, the 
Masjed-e Sheikh Lotfollah and the Masjed-e Emam. Both houses of worship contain magnificent architecture and tile-work. Walk through the Ali Qapu Palace with its enchanting music room and balcony overlooking the Maidan where the Safavid kings sat to watch polo tournaments. Finish our day in the Qeisarieh Bazaar, located just off the Maidan, where hundreds of shops and stalls offer a rich variety of carpets, tiles, hand blockprinted cloth, miniature paintings, and jewelry. Overnight for two nights in the Kowsar Hotel, with views overlooking one of Isfahan’s striking bridges. (B/L/D)
Day 14: Today's further exploration of Isfahan takes us to several memorable sites. First, visit the magnificent Friday Mosque with its famous Uljaitu Mihrab of the Il-Khanid Period. Then it’s on to the Armenian Quarter to visit Vank Cathedral, built in the imperial style and one of the first churches to be established in the city's Jolfa district by Armenian immigrants transplanted there by Shah Abbas I after the Ottoman War of 1603-1605. We shall also visit Chehel Sotun, a pavilion constructed as a reception hall for visiting dignitaries by Shah Abbas II, and Hasht Behesht, an octagonal pleasure palace built a few years later. (B/L/D)
Day 15: This morning, drive back to Tehran stopping to sightsee at the famous Fin Gardens in Kashan along the way. Overnight in the Hotel Laleh for two nights. (B/L/D)
Day 16: Today explore the capital city of Tehran. Begin in the Golestan Palace, part of a complex of royal buildings that were once enclosed within the mud-thatched walls of Tehran’s historic arg, or citadel. The oldest of the historical monuments in Tehran, it dates back to the Qajar Dynasty. Visit the Reza Abbasi Museum with artifacts from the 2nd millennium BCE to the 20th century CE. Gather this evening for our final dinner together (B/L/D)
Day 17: Transfer to the airport for our early morning flight back to Istanbul and on to the United States.
Jenny Rose received her MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and her PhD from Columbia University in Iranian Studies. She is
presently an Associate Professor of Zoroastrian Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Rose
was formerly a senior lecturer at Brunel University, London, and has been the invited speaker at conferences throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe. She has published extensively in her field, including articles in Encyclopaedia Iranica, a multi-disciplinary reference work designed to record the facts of Iranian history and civilization. She has recently written two books on the Zoroastrian religion, the first of which is in print under the title Zoroastrianism: An Introduction (I.B. Tauris, 2011): the second book, Zoroastrianism, is due out in the fall of 2011 (Continuum Press). Dr. Rose is conversational in Persian, reads Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Avestan and Pahlavi (Middle Persian). Her warm personality and broad knowledge of Iran makes her an ideal study leader.
April 24 – May 10, 2012
$9,995.00 (per person, double occupancy) includes roundtrip international airfare from New York to Tehran, all hotels, most meals (as noted), land and air transportation within Iran.
Cost Does Not Include: A separate donation check for $150.00 (per person) to the donation project; airport transfers for flights other than designated group flights; gratuities to guides and drivers; meals other than those listed in the itinerary; food, and beverages not on set menus; passport and visa fees; airport fees and taxes; excess baggage charges; gratuities to guides and drivers; email, telephone, and fax charges; laundry; or other items of a personal nature.
Single Supplement: $995.00. Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement must be charged.
Fuel Surcharges: Far Horizons must pass on price increases when additional fuel charges are levied.
Donation Checks: As a tour company that benefits from the cultural and natural riches of our destinations, we have a policy of donating to the scientific and cultural projects and museums we visit. This has created a bond between Far Horizons and the academic and local communities that has helped us establish an extensive list of lecturers and contacts in each of our destinations. We ask that each participant write a check to the noteworthy project we designate. The donation amount is $150.00 per person and is made by check directly to the donation project. Note that the donation is required as part of your registration for the trip and that it is non-refundable. We will be designating a donation project for this trip shortly.
A deposit of $500.00 to Far Horizons is required upon making your reservation, along with a completed and signed registration form. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information. Prior to the trip, we will send links to various websites of pertinent interest to the trip. Click here to download our Registration Form.
Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will receive a refund less a $250.00 per person administrative fee. Cancellations received less than 75 days before the departure date will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the trip, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. Registrants are strongly advised to buy travel insurance that includes trip cancellation.
If you do not fly on the group flight, you are responsible for all flight arrangements and transportation (including airport transfers) to join the group. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip for any reason, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased.
The private tours of archaeological sites and talks by specialists are scheduled in advance and include a donation to each. Specialists working at these sites are excited about showing their work to interested enthusiasts. However, please be aware that there may be times when the director or a member of the staff may not be on-site when our groups arrive due to other commitments.
Travel in IranPlease bear in mind that though Iran receives more and more tourists every year, their tourist infrastructure, particularly their hotels, have not been well-maintained and do not meet Western standards. The food offered in restaurants though good and plentiful is not always diverse. However, in spite of some inconveniences, travel in Iran is an extremely rewarding experience.
Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. A good book to read as well as a flexible attitude and a sense of humor are essential.
THIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOUR TO IRAN IS LIMITED TO 18 PARTICIPANTS
