Persica Antiqua

Katja Föllmer was born on October 17, 1974. She was a senior researcher and lecturer at the University of Göttingen. Katja Föllmer studied Iranian Studies, Arabic Studies, and Ethnology at the University of Göttingen between 1993 and 2002, earning a Master of Arts degree. Katja Föllmer received her doctorate in Iranian Studies in 2007 with a thesis on “Satire im Iran von 1900 – 2000: Eine Analyse exemplarischer Texte” (Satire in Iran from 1900 to 2000: An Analysis of Exemplary Texts) (Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden; 2008), and her habilitation in Iranian Studies in 2017 with a thesis on “Das vorislamische Erbe Irans: Zwischen Tradition und Reform und Modernisierung” (The Pre-Islamic Heritage of Iran: Between Tradition and Reform and Modernization) (Kohlhammer, Stuttgart, 2022).Her research interests include concepts and ideas from the pre-Islamic heritage in Iranian societies, issues in Iranian cultural and religious history from antiquity to the present, Persian historiography, identity construction, classical and modern Persian literature, and Sufism and Persian Sufi literature.Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr (The Conference of the Birds or Speech of the Birds) is a Persian poem by Farid ud-Din Attar, translated into German as Die Konferenz der Vögel by Katja Föllmer (2014). She published Satire in Iran Von 1990 Bis 2000: Eine Analyse Emplarischer Texte (Satire in Iran from 1990 to 2000: An Analysis of Empirical Texts) (2008); and also, Das Vorislamische Erbe Irans: Zwischen Islamischer Tradition Und Reform Und Modernisierung (Iran’s Pre-Islamic Heritage: Between Islamic Tradition and Reform and Modernization) (2022).Dr. Katja Föllmer passed away on June 11, 2025, at the age of 50. May her soul rest in peace.

The southern part of Lorestan province in Pishkuh is one of the key areas for understanding the cultural periods of Southwest Iran. This area is located near one of the government centers of Elam (Susa in the south) and on two communication routes from south to north and west to east. Therefore, this area can be one of the essential communication areas between the Susa and the Mesopotamian lowlands, the mountainous region of Zagros, and the central plateau of Iran. However, due to the focus of Elam scholars on the two state centers of Susa and Anshan, there is no comprehensive picture of the state of settlements in this region during the Elam period. Based on this, this research aimed to determine and analyze the situation of the Elamite settlements in the area by conducting a systematic archaeological survey in 2016. As a result, 31 sites belonging to the Elamite period were identified. This research showed that most of the Elam sites were formed in the intermountainous valleys and the slopes of mounds. Most of them have a chronological sequence, and in terms of morphology, they show evidence of Elamite nomadic settlements in this region.

The collection of faunal remains considered in this study was obtained from excavations at Qara Tepe, Sagzabad, in 2013, 2014, and 2015, with a particular focus on the Iron Age II and III. A large part of the faunal assemblages was successfully identified. The collection is formed by a range of species, among them being small ruminants (Capra aegagrus, Ovis Aries, Gazella subgutturosa), large ruminants (Bos Taurus, Cervidae, Equidae (Equus caballus, Equus africanus asinus), Carnivora (Canis lupus familiaris, Sus scrofa), Rodentia, Muridae, Lagomorpha, Aves, and Camelidae (Camelus dromedarius). The total of 1200 identifiable pieces belongs to 16 discrete species. The most frequent category is small ruminants, i.e., goats and sheep, a fact indicating that a climate favorable for the breeding of these species characterized the region during the Iron II‒III. The observation also highlights the significant role these animals played in the local subsistence economy during the relevant period. Related remains are profusely associated with human skeletal remains and cemetery burials at Sagzabad. Some are pretty complete, lacking any indications of cutting or butchery. Potential reasons for the abundance of these species were their adaptation to the landscape and their ease of breeding.

Achaemenid architecture is distinguished by its columned halls and porticoes, which can be found in the empire’s major capitals, such as Pasargadae, Susa, and Persepolis. Column bases are one of the most essential parts of a column, and square and bell-shaped column bases were frequently used during the Achaemenid period. During a 2018 survey conducted in Hannā, Semirom County, Esfahan Province, the authors discovered two square-column bases that showed a striking resemblance to other column bases found in the Achaemenid Empire. The column bases, along with several partly carved slabs, were found by a bulldozer during the digging process. If these column bases and carved slabs are indeed from an Achaemenid period construction, it serves as a strong indication of the importance of the Hannā site in Semirom. An additional indication of the significance of these findings is the lack of palaces or buildings with columns from the Achaemenid period in the region of Esfahan. Furthermore, it is essential to take into account the continued use of square-column bases in post-Achaemenid structures, as well as the fact that the masonry tools employed during this period remained unchanged throughout the following centuries. By analyzing the presence of carved stone slabs and columned bases of pillared buildings and halls from the Achaemenid period and beyond, we may determine that we are dealing with a prestigious structure that is associated with the elite of society. After the decline of the Achaemenid Empire, pillared structures and this type of square and stepped column base were used.

Petroglyphs are a form of human artistic expression that can be found in various locations around the world, displaying similar features despite being created in different eras. This art form, commonly found in mountainous and rocky areas, is often associated with shepherds and hunters. The themes depicted in petroglyphs typically revolve around hunting scenes, weapons, goats, sheep, dogs, and other activities related to hunting and herding. However, religious motifs can also be observed in some cases. While a variety of petroglyphs can be found throughout Iran, sites in central regions such as Yazd province have received less attention from archaeologists due to the desert climate. The petroglyphs we will discuss in this article are located in the Chah Abdullah region of south Yazd province, in central Iran. In 2021, the author conducted an archaeological survey of Harat City, identifying various cultural and historical sites from different periods. While most of the sites identified were historical monuments, several historical sites, including the Chah Abdullah petroglyphs, were also discovered. Based on the type of motifs and the depth of carving, this site is associated with different historical periods. However, it is fascinating that the creation of rock motifs continues even in contemporary times.

The assemblage of our archaeological data and findings regarding the early Roman-Sasanian interactions is very limited. During the recent survey of the Dehlorān Plain, an accidental coin find (discovered by a passerby, Mr. A. Hosseini) was handed over to the members of the expedition. The highly corroded and perforated coin belongs to the Singara issues of Gordian III (238-244 AD), the young Roman emperor whose reign coincided with the first series of Sasanian incursions led by Ardashir I and his successor, Shapur I. Not only it is one of the few known findings that relate to this tumultuous era, it has been discovered in the vicinity of Roman Mesopotamia, where most of the fighting took place. In this article, in addition to describing the coin, the authors have discussed the historical context of this period and the possible entry scenarios of this coin into the territory of the Sasanian Empire. 

The book Late Achaemenid Texts from Šāṭer, The Archive of Šamaš-zēru-ibni, Part 1, written by Basima Abed and Johannes Hackl, is one of the new books about Achaemenid texts. It includes transliterations, autographed copies, and photographs of texts confiscated from illicit excavators by the Iraqi Antiquities Authority, along with a brief introduction and indices; these texts form part of a larger collection housed in the Iraq Museum.