The unexplored heartland: institutional landscapes and networks in eastern Fārs. Phase 2: Operating the institutional landscape: Nīrīz

Building on the results of the first project phase, the second funding phase will examine the functioning of early historical institutional landscapes within the Niriz region, Fars Province, Iran. Based on the extremely rich cuneiform tradition (above all from the Persepolis Fortification Archive), a network analysis of the relative administrative structure of this part of the empire will be undertaken. At the same time, the past settlement structure will be documented archaeologically. Both models will then be collated into a high-resolution synthesis of local imperial structuring principles, with the aid of advanced archaeometric methods (e.g. chemical determination of the origin of clay tablets), among others. In the diachronic analysis, the significance of centrally administered institutional landscapes for the development of social resilience will be investigated.

Institution: Institut für Altorientalistik
Leitung: Dr. Wouter Henkelman, Prof. Dr. Eva Cancik-Kirschbaum
Förderung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - HE 7759/1-2 AO 692997
Laufzeit: 01.08.2023 - 31.07.2026