Publishing an international book by a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology, University of Zabol

The international book "Mannea and Beyond: A Study of Iron Age and Later Pottery from Zanjan in the National Museum of Iran" was published by the Italian Institute of ISMEO in collaboration with the University of Zabol and the National Museum of Iran as the 40th issue of the new series "SERIE ORIENTALE ROMA" of the ISMEO Institute in Rome. This book was published by a faculty member of the University of Zabol and researchers from the Iranian Archaeological Research Institute and the ISMEO Institute. The corresponding author and first author of this book is Dr. Reza Naseri, a faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Zabol. His research interests include the archaeology and art of the Bronze and Iron Ages of Iran, and he has participated in more than 30 archaeological seasons as a supervisor, deputy director, and member. This book presents a systematic analysis of the pottery collection attributed to Zanjan, which is kept in the National Museum of Iran. Due to the lack of archaeological context, this study focuses on typology and careful comparison with similar sites. This heterogeneous assemblage is mainly from the Iron Age with some fragments from the Islamic period. A large part of this pottery belongs to the "Manaean" culture, which enriches our understanding of this relatively obscure cultural horizon. The integrity of the pottery in this assemblage suggests that it was probably obtained from a cemetery of unknown location (possibly Zanjan). The study of such assemblages without a specific archaeological context reveals and brings to life the secrets and untold stories hidden and buried within them. Books such as these help archaeologists, museum owners, and students to study unknown collections in museums with greater freedom.