Publications
Akbar’s History of the Mongols
A rare and exquisitely illustrated manuscript, 'Akbar’s History of the Mongols' (Chingīznāma), originating from the atelier of Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605), has been meticulously documented in its current state after surviving theft, dispersal, and partial recovery. This study reconstructs the manuscript's history, detailing the loss and renumbering of 98 paintings, which were part of Rashīd al-Dīn’s 'Jāmiʿ al-tavārīkh,' a celebrated but understudied work on Mongol history. The research employs a combination of historical analysis, codicological examination, and provenance tracking to identify missing illustrations and clarify the manuscript's complex journey from Akbar's royal library in India to its eventual return to the Golestan Palace Museum Library in Tehran. This work sheds light on the cultural significance and artistic legacy of Mughal-era manuscripts while preserving a fragment of their lost visual narrative.
Aliyeh Shirazi and the Museum: The Museum in an Iranian Woman's Travelogue in the Nineteenth Century
A rare firsthand account by Aliyeh Shirazi, an Iranian woman traveler, sheds light on the early Iranian museums established under Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. Her 1892 pilgrimage journey from Kerman to Mecca, passing through Mumbai and Tehran, included visits to a royal collection in Mumbai and Iran's first modern museum at Golestan Palace. Her brief but detailed observations provide overlooked insights into these historical collections, complementing existing accounts by male courtiers and Western travelers. This study highlights the significance of Shirazi's narrative in expanding our understanding of Iran's museum history during the 19th century.
Aliyeh Shirazi and the Museum: The Museum in an Iranian Woman’s Travelogue in the Nineteenth Century
Aliyeh Shirazi's 19th-century travelogue offers the first known Iranian woman's account of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar's royal museums, providing overlooked details about these institutions. Her observations from visits to a British royal collection in Mumbai and Tehran's Golestan Palace complement existing accounts by male courtiers and Western travelers, enriching the historical record of Iran's early museum culture. This study highlights Shirazi's unique perspective as a female traveler, contributing to the understudied history of museums in Iran through her brief but valuable notes.
Cleaning Methods for Historic Building Facades: A Systematic Review and Decision-Making Framework
No single cleaning method universally suits historic building facades; effective intervention demands material-specific and climate-specific diagnostics. A systematic review of 78 peer-reviewed studies (1990–2025) across six linguistic traditions introduces a multi-criteria decision-making framework that operationalizes the principle of minimum intervention, emphasizing necessity assessment, substrate characterization, contaminant diagnosis, and post-intervention monitoring. The study highlights femtosecond laser cleaning, biocleaning, and nanostructured controlled-release gels as promising emerging technologies for sensitive materials in arid and semi-arid climates, where moisture ingress and salt crystallization pose significant risks. Applied to Golestan Palace—a UNESCO World Heritage Site with diverse facades—this approach underscores the need for pollutant control at source, targeted advanced cleaning, and intelligent monitoring to ensure sustainable conservation.
Representation of Power Relations in Court Photographs of the Naserid Era: A Case Study of 50 Photographs from the Album House of Golestan Palace
Court photography during the Naserid era served as a tool for consolidating and surveilling royal power, revealing how visual representation was intricately tied to the discourse of authority. A study analyzing 50 photographs from Golestan Palace's Album House demonstrated that the king was positioned as the central figure, often larger or more prominently framed than others, while servants and enslaved attendants were depicted in submissive poses, reinforcing a hierarchy of command. Naser al-Din Shah's annotations on the images—such as naming, correcting, or erasing individuals—further illustrated his absolute control over representation. The photographs functioned as visual archives, extending the king's surveillance beyond the palace walls. This research challenges the notion that photography captures 'naked reality,' instead framing it as a constructed truth shaped by power dynamics. The study employed qualitative methods, including visual and semiotic analysis, grounded in Foucault's theories of power and Tagg's concept of photographic evidence.
A Non-Uniform Processing Method (NUPM) for Large Photogrammetry Datasets: Case Study of Shams-ol-Emareh, Golestan Palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Iran
A novel Non-Uniform Processing Method (NUPM) for large photogrammetry datasets enables high-quality 3D reconstruction of cultural heritage sites using consumer-grade computers, significantly reducing computational demands and output file sizes without compromising data quality. Applied to the Shams-ol-Emareh building at Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iran, NUPM fragmented the object based on importance and roughness, processed segments separately, and then merged them. This approach reduced point cloud points by over 90% and mesh triangles by over 97%, yielding efficient textures and resolutions suitable for virtual reality, augmented reality, and gaming engines while maintaining geometric and aesthetic accuracy.
Accounting Difference: Institutional Avant-Gardism and Class Representation in Mir Seid Ali’s Photographic Archive
Mir Seid Ali's photographic archive from Golestan Palace reveals a distinct Iranian photographic modernism characterized by metacritical awareness of representation and power, challenging conventional narratives that pit institutional conservatism against artistic innovation. His strategic use of formal elements, such as the balustrade motif and dual representational modes, served as theoretical propositions on photographic mediation and social classification. This 'institutional avant-garde' approach not only prefigured visual strategies used during the Constitutional Revolution but also positions Mir Seid Ali as a pivotal figure in late Qajar visual culture. The study analyzes his corpus to demonstrate how his work, when compared with contemporaries like Antoin Sevruguin, offers new insights into the development of modernism and class representation in Iranian photography.
Iconological Analysis of the Man and Lion Fight Tilework in Golestan Palace: Representation of the Qajar Discourse of Legitimization
A new interpretation of the 'Fight of Bahram with the Lion' motif in Golestan Palace's tilework reveals its use by Qajar rulers, particularly Fath Ali Shah, as a symbol of political and military legitimacy. This study applies Erwin Panofsky's iconological method—description, analysis, and interpretation—to uncover how the motif, rooted in Mesopotamian traditions but deeply embedded in Persian literature and history, was strategically employed to legitimize monarchy. Findings from historical sources and field research indicate that the motif transitioned from ancient narratives to Qajar propaganda, associating Bahram's legend with ruling authority.
Revisiting the fall of the Veramin meteorite
Historical records of the Veramin meteorite, one of the few witnessed falls of a rare mesosiderite, reveal significant inconsistencies regarding its fall location and date. The study clarifies that the meteorite likely fell in the Booghin-Eshtehard area west of Tehran between February and April 1880, not near the village of Karand as previously reported. Key sources include accounts by Ferdinand Dietzsch (1881), Iranian official Mohammad Hassan Khan Sani' od-Dowlah, explorer Sven Hedin, and a preserved Persian text from Golestan Palace. The research relies on historical documentation and eyewitness reports, including those from the Shahsevan-e Baghdadi tribal confederacy. Geologist Henry A. Ward's 1901 description confirmed the meteorite's composition, securing its scientific significance.
Within the Realm of a Dying Harem
A notable finding from the Golestan Palace Archives reveals the complex social dynamics and photographic culture within the Qajar harem during the late 19th century. The study highlights how photography, already a staple of court life, shaped relationships among women, including the shah’s temporary wife, Khanom Bashi, and Anis al-Dowleh, the 'Queen of Iran.' By analyzing these photographs through Ariella Azoulay’s framework, which treats photography as an act rather than a mere document, the research demonstrates how visual representation influenced courtly behavior and hierarchy. This approach offers a unique lens to understand the agency and ontology of women in Iranian court life during this period.
Investigating the Impact of Cultural Tourists on the Establishment of Friendly Relations and Peace in the World
Cultural tourism significantly contributes to fostering friendly international relations and global peace, according to a study examining the impact of visitors to Golestan and Saadabad Palaces in Tehran. The research found that tourists' exposure to cultural heritage often transforms previously ambiguous or hostile attitudes into more amicable ones, highlighting the role of cultural exchange in promoting peace. Using a mixed-methods approach—combining documentary analysis with field surveys—the study collected data from 273 valid respondents via a structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed positive correlations between cultural tourism experiences and shifts in perception, reinforcing the potential of heritage tourism as a tool for diplomatic soft power.
Royal Gardens in Republican Iran: a case study of the Golestan Palace Garden, Tehran
Golestan Palace Garden, a surviving remnant of Qajar-era royal gardens, has undergone significant transformations under successive regimes, losing its symbolic and social dimensions despite conservation efforts. Research reveals that museum-like restoration approaches, focusing solely on material preservation, fail to revive the garden's intangible heritage, which is crucial for its cultural relevance. The study highlights how political shifts—from Reza Shah Pahlavi’s regime to the Islamic Republic—reshaped the garden's meaning and function, rendering its traditional symbolism ineffective. Even after being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013, the garden remains incomplete, underscoring the need for a more holistic approach that integrates social and symbolic elements into conservation strategies.
Study of Biodeterioration Potential of Microorganisms Isolated in the Paintings Storeroom of Mouze Makhsus Museum, Golestan Palace, Tehran
A diverse array of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, was identified as potential agents of biodeterioration in the paintings stored at Mouze Makhsus Museum within Golestan Palace. Among the isolated fungi, genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Curvularia, Chaetomium, and Trametes were detected, with notable cellulolytic activity observed in fungal isolates, posing a significant threat to the integrity of the paintings. Bacteria predominantly belonged to the Bacillus genus, alongside other genera like Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Paenibacillus, Arthrobacter, Heyndrickxia, Priestia, and Rathayibacter. The study employed culturable-based analyses combined with molecular techniques, including PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS regions, followed by phylogenetic analysis using the Neighbor-Joining method to identify and characterize these microbial communities.
A Comparative Study of the Religious Components of Qajar and Pahlavi Carpets
A comparative analysis of Qajar and Pahlavi-era carpets reveals that religious motifs, particularly those depicting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Shiite Imams like Imam Ali (AS), were more prevalent and enduring in Qajar carpets. This study, conducted through a historical and descriptive-analytical approach, examined 28 carpet samples with religious themes from seven Iranian museums, including the Golestan Palace Museum. The findings indicate that Qajar carpets played a significant role in transmitting Islamic concepts due to their strong religious influence on society, whereas Pahlavi-era carpets showed fewer religious motifs as social conditions evolved. This research highlights the cultural and artistic shifts between these two periods, providing insights into the evolving use of religious imagery in Iranian carpet art.
A Technical Study of Red Paints in the Retouching Layer of Some Wet-Collodion Glass Plate Negatives of Golestan Palace Photo Archive
A technical analysis of red paints used in retouching wet-collodion glass plate negatives from the Golestan Palace photo archive, dating back to the mid-19th century Qajar era, reveals that red lead and red iron pigments were employed with precision. These pigments, identified using micro Fourier transform infrared (µ-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and stereo microscopy, served distinct purposes: red lead was used to cover boundaries, enhance brightness, and bind masking papers, while red iron corrected emulsion defects and ensured a clear background. The binder in all paints was identified as gum Arabic, a natural resin. This study provides valuable insights into the deliberate use of retouching materials during this period, contributing significantly to the understanding and preservation of historical photographic techniques.
Application of FTIR Microscopy to Identify Some Glass Plates of Golestan Palace Photo Archive
Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared (µ-FTIR) spectroscopy has been demonstrated as a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive technique for identifying photographic glass plate emulsions, offering significant advantages over traditional visual or optical microscopic analyses. This study applied µ-FTIR to analyze glass plates from the Golestan Palace photo archive, confirming its efficacy in revealing material composition without requiring destructive sampling. The findings highlight the potential of this method as a routine diagnostic tool for heritage conservation, enabling deeper insights into photographic materials and ancient techniques while supporting preservation efforts.
On the Materia Medica of Dioscorides and a Report About a Copy of It in Tehran
A previously undocumented Arabic manuscript of Dioscorides' Materia Medica, one of the foundational pharmacology texts of the Islamic era, has been identified and reported for the first time. This manuscript, housed in the Golestan Palace library in Tehran, is noted for its exceptional quality and significance. The study highlights its historical value, emphasizing its role as a rare and unrecorded treasure in bibliographic literature. The research focuses on the manuscript's attributes, its translation lineage, and its contribution to understanding Islamic pharmacological traditions.
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