Studies in the history and archaeology of the ancient and Islamic Near East greatly expanded and matured during the first half of the 20th century. Ernst Herzfeld (1879-1948), a pioneer in the archaeology, art history, and Persian language studies, significantly shaped this development. He excavated such key sites as Samarra, Paikuli, and Persepolis, and helped to define prehistoric and Islamic art. He became the world's first professor for Near Eastern archaeology in Berlin, adviser to Persia's government, and a member of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Scholars from a variety...
Studies in the history and archaeology of the ancient and Islamic Near East greatly expanded and matured during the first half of the 20th century. Er...