Research

The Pourdavoud Institute is a multidisciplinary research center exploring the traditional domains of Old Iranian studies – that is, the languages, literary traditions, history, and religions of the Iranian world from antiquity to the early medieval period and beyond – as well as the interactions of ancient Iran with other cultures of antiquity.

The Pourdavoud Institute will leverage its endowments to: (1) promote and sponsor original research on all aspects of ancient Iran, in particular within the context of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary discussions; (2) organize dedicated lectures, workshops, and conferences; (3) offer grants and fellowships to established or emerging scholars, to foster innovative scholarship on ancient Iran; (4) contribute to the versatile and multi-disciplinary training of graduate students; and (5) raise awareness of the importance of Iranian antiquity in informing our understanding of broader contemporary Iranian issues.

Through sponsorship of events and workshops jointly organized with UCLA faculty and external associates, the Pourdavoud Institute will be well positioned to impact the research agenda on ancient Iran by firmly integrating it into the intellectual horizon of the study of the ancient world. The Pourdavoud Institute will be disseminating innovative scholarship, in the form of monographs and conference proceedings as part of a dedicated series.