As a multidisciplinary reference work, the Encyclopaedia will be an extensive compendium on the past cultures of the Iranian-speaking peoples and their extensive contributions to the broader history of human civilization.
The geographic centrality of ancient Iran, as well as its lasting importance as the locus of hegemonic Eastern realms over millennia, have given it an important role throughout history.
The Encyclopaedia of the Ancient Iranian World seeks to capture the multifarious aspects of the Iranian experience in antiquity, in all fields of human endeavor, to showcase its decisive contribution to the development of world culture and patrimony. The greatest significance of the Encyclopaedia is that it shall serve as the repository for wide-ranging research and resources not found in any other single source, serving scholars of many disciplines and backgrounds.
As a multidisciplinary reference work, the Encyclopaedia will be an extensive compendium on the past cultures of the Iranian-speaking peoples and their extensive contributions to the broader history of human civilization: a documented, reliable reference work on the lands, life, culture, and history of all Iranian peoples and their interaction with other societies in antiquity.
The Encyclopaedia shall cover all aspects of life, history, and cultural practices of the Iranian and Iranicate peoples in antiquity (including civilizations that flourished on the Iranian plateau prior to the arrival of Iranian tribes, such as Elam).
Special emphasis shall be given to the interaction between the Iranian world on the one hand and Classical, Mesopotamian, Semitic, Egyptian, Central and East Asian, Indo-Iranian and early Muslim cultures on the other.
A special section shall be dedicated to the reception of ancient Iran from antiquity to modern times, and be concerned with the arduous process of reinterpretation and (re)discovery of the Iranian heritage in the Persianate and Western worlds, including the history of scholarship.
The Encyclopaedia will be an international undertaking and will draw on the most authoritative scholarship worldwide to ensure quality and reliability. It will be published in English to ensure that the largest possible readership may benefit from its use. All articles in other languages will be translated into English.
The overall responsibility for preparing the material for the Encyclopaedia rests with the editor, who will be seconded by the managing editor and associate editors, each a highly trained specialist in an aspect of ancient Iranian studies. An international advisory committee comprised of eminent scholars, consulting editors and specialized consultants will assist in formulating the editorial policy and its application.
The Encyclopaedia will become a permanent resource about all aspects of Iranian history and culture, continually updated and enriched by data derived from new discoveries, archeological finds, recent publications, and current events.
