Dr. Rezakhani’s talk series
Starting on 17 November, Dr. Rezakhani’s will deliver a series of talks under the general title of The Orient’s East: Iran and Eurasia in the First Millennium CE as an invited speaker/lecturer at the University of Lille’s Histoire, Archéologie et Littérature des Mondes Anciens (HALMA), invited by Dr. Ekaterina Nechaeva’s Ex-Patria project and sponsored by the Faculté des Humanités.
More information can be found here.
The second ETHS Talk: Patryk Skupniewicz
The second ETHS talk, Elephants in Central Asian and Iranian Art of Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages, was delivered by Dr. Patryk Skupniewicz of the University of Siedlce.
May 13, 2025, 18:00 CET, in person at University of Lille, Pont-de-Bois, Building E. 51.
Elephants entered Western Asian history in the Hellenistic period; earlier Achaemenid references are late and likely reflect ethnic diversity in the army facing Alexander. Actual military use began with the Hellenistic dynasts and expanded under the Sasanians. Though used in warfare and executions, elephants remained marginal in Iranian visual culture, with rare depictions in sigillography and Taq-e Bustan. In Central Asia, elephant imagery ranged from naturalistic to stylised, shaped by Kushan and Buddhist influences. Linked to royal power and narrative art, these motifs spread via Sogdiana to Tibet and China.
Your can view a video of this talk on YouTube
The first ETHS Talk: Pavel Lurje
The first ETHS talk was delivered by Dr. Pavel Lurje of State Hermitage Museum, Saint-Petersburg & Paris Institute for
Advanced Study on the subject of Ibn Khurdâdhbih’s “Books on Roads and Kingdoms” 17-18, and the Sasanian “Book of Thrones”. This presentation discussed a short passage from Ibn Khurradadbih’s geographical treatise in light of the political geography of the first Sasanian King of Kings. It will explore the possible content and organization of the lost Sasanian Gâhnâmag (Book of Thrones) and suggest that Ibn Khurdâdhbih’s passage may have been derived from this text. By including numismatic and archaeological evidence evidence, the presentation will make conclusions about the early Sasanian rule and issues such and the length of Kushan-Sasanian rule.
April 3, 2025, 18:00 CET, in person at University of Lille, Pont-de-Bois, Building E. 30.
Your can view a video of this talk on YouTube
14 Juillet
The Forum will start tomorrow, Monday 15 July 2024, on the campus of the University of Lille. We are very excited to welcome all our friends and colleagues and look forward to a week of learning, collegiality, and discussions. We hope the spirit of mutual aid, scholarly collegiality, and a genuine interest in helping each other out is maintained throughout.
One last minute change: the Keynote 1 by Touraj Daryaee will be delivered via Zoom, as he cannot sadly be present in person due to an unexpected health issue.
The subsequent hour on Historiography, originally meant to be led by Dr. Daryaee, will now be conducted by Dr. Rezakhani. Please see the programme for a slightly tweaked title.
Programme and Venue
We now have a more updated programme and new information about the location of the event. Please note that each day will now include a poster session as well.
Forum’s Format
We have updated the site with information about the format that the forum will take. You can access this information, and any further updates to it, by clicking on the menu on the left.
Extended deadline
We have extended the deadline for the Call for Participants to May 20th as many junior scholars have told us that it is in the middle of their working terms. We would like to still be able to provide acceptance to applicants by the end of May and would encourage interested junior scholars to apply as soon as possible.
Please check out the Programme for a preliminary list of participants, including keynote lectures and their titles.
Ērān Tūrān Hrōm Network 