IRAN ANCIENT PERSIA & THE SILK ROAD OCTOBER 7-25, 2017 TOUR LEADER: CHRIS BRADLEY Overview The Persian Empire, based within modern Iran’s borders, was a significant force in the ancient world, when it competed and interacted with both Greece and Rome and was the last step on the Silk Road before it Tour dates: October 7-25, 2017 reached Europe. It was also one of Islam’s first forays outside Arabia. In its heyday, Iran boasted lavish architecture that inspired Tamerlane’s Tour leader: Chris Bradley Samarqand and the Taj Mahal, its poets inspired generations of Iranians and foreigners, and its famed gardens were a kind of earthly paradise. In Tour Price: $10,690 per person, twin share recent times Iran has slowly re-established itself as a leading nation of the Single Supplement: $1,890 for sole use of Middle East. double room Our 19-day tour begins in Tehran with an introduction to the fine arts and Booking deposit: $500 per person traditional culture of Iran exploring the Qajar built Golestan Palace complex, archaeology and Reza Abassi museums. From here we make Recommended airline: Emirates our way west to Zanjan and the Zagros Mountains, visiting the ancient Median ruins of Ecbatana near Hamadan, and continue to the great Maximum places: 20 renaissance-era city of Isfahan. We view Iran’s remaining Zoroastrian Itinerary: Tehran (3 nights), Zanjan (2 nights), shrines, intricate and unusual Muslim mosques in Yazd and continue to Hamadan (2 nights), Isfahan (3 nights), Yazd (2 Kerman and cross the vast Central Plateau to Shiraz, the city of poets. nights), Kerman (2 nights), Shiraz (3 nights), Here we see some of Iran’s most exceptional historical monuments, such Tehran (1 night) as the magnificent relief carvings of Persepolis and the understated royal tomb of Cyrus the Great. Our tour concludes with a flight back to twenty- Date published: September 30, 2016 first century Tehran. Your tour leader Christopher Bradley has an honours degree from Liverpool University and specialises in the history of the Middle East. One of his particular interests is Iran's unique place in world art and culture. He wrote most of ‘The Insight Guide to the Silk Road,’ which is lavishly illustrated by many of his own photographs. He lectures to ADFAS, universities and the Royal Geographical Society, and has travelled along the Silk Road for over 30 years. “An unexpected highlight for many visitors is the fabulous Persian cuisine,” he says. “Being the link between East and West, the food is a delicious fusion of culinary traditions from India, China, Arabia, Turkey and the Mediterranean where traded spices make all the difference, even to the simplest of dishes. My own favourite is Fesenjan (slow-cooked chicken with pomegranate paste, onions, walnuts, cinnamon Enquiries and and saffron) on a bed of Jewelled rice (white rice with pistachios, barberries, almonds, carrots and candied orange-peel).” bookings “Chris Bradley was an excellent tour leader – his knowledge and For further information and to humour greatly enhanced the travelling experience. Our Iranian guide was secure a place on this tour excellent also and expanded our understanding of life in Iran.” please contact Stuart Barrie Feedback from a tour participant on Iran: Ancient Persia and the Silk at Academy Travel on Road, September 2015. 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected] Tour Highlights Explore the remarkable museums and Qajar palaces of Tehran including the Golestan Palace, archaeology museum, glass & ceramics museum and Reza Abassi Museums. Admire the gardens, grand residences such as Bag-e Eram and Nasir al Molk Mosque in Shiraz, where Persia's poets are celebrated. Investigate the 1000-year-old citadel of Arg-e Rayen, constructed of mud are believed to have been inhabited up until 150 years ago. Encounter the great Achaemenid sites of Persepolis built by Cyrus the Great and Pasargadae dating from the 6th century BC, and home to the great kings Darius and Xerxes. Relax in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Isfahan, centre of the 'renaissance' Safavid period and explore the Sheik Loftollah mosque and Ali Qapu Palaces around Naqsh-e Jahan square, where locals come to chat and promenade. Tower of Silence, or Dakhma in Persian Pre-dating Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Zoroastrianism is happen on earth. It has been credibly suggested that the Magi one of the world’s earliest monotheistic religions and greatly referred to in the Christian nativity story were these same influenced the later faiths with early ideas of a heaven and Zoroastrian priests. They developed their own astrology using hell. It is uncertain exactly where the prophet Zoroaster the twelve signs of the Zodiac that are recognised today. The (Zarathustra to the Persians) came from, or even when, but it Magi were not astrologers or astronomers in the modern was probably somewhere in northern Persia, between 1000 sense; rather they were “searchers of wisdom” and regarded BC and 600BC. He preached that there was a single God, as the scholars of their time. They tried to explain and called Ahura-Mazda (Wise Lord) who represented truth and understand the world around them by calculating time, order. Through good thoughts and good deeds his followers developing calendars, predicting tides and studying the early could keep chaos and evil at bay. sciences – medicine and alchemy – as well as poetry, art and religion. Ahura-Mazda communicated with his devotees via their dreams. The meaning of these messages was not always Today it is estimated that the worldwide population of clear, so the priests of the Median Empire (known as Magi, Zoroastrians is about 200,000. The largest group belong to from the Greek magoi or wise men) became powerful with India’s Parsee (meaning Persian) community, who became their interpretations. The Greek historian Herodotus, writing in successful as middlemen between the elite ruling British and the 5th century BC, records that the Magi had appeared some diverse Indian nationals, with the Tata family name becoming 200 years earlier and were particularly skilled at reading one of the most famous. The population in Iran is significantly dreams. These Magi were part of Persia’s elite and valued smaller, having been driven out or converting to Islam during advisors to their rulers, successfully spreading their faith and the 7th century. Iran’s Zoroastrians are concentrated in other ideas around the expanding Persian empire. Tehran and Yazd, where there is still an operational Zoroastrian fire temple (fire being a ritual purifier). Their Their speciality was studying the night sky, because they practice of laying out dead bodies inside the Towers of believed that whatever they observed in the heavens would Silence is now restricted, and many Zoroastrians are instead be reflected in events on earth. By monitoring movements in buried in concrete-lined graves to prevent the decaying the sky, they could make predictions about what would corpse from polluting the earth. Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D. Saturday 7 October Arrive The tour commences at the hotel in Tehran. Meet Chris in the lobby this afternoon for a tour briefing and dinner in the hotel. Overnight Tehran (D) Sunday 8 October Tehran Museums Our touring today provides an overview of Iran’s history and culture and arts, with visits to several of Tehran’s well regarded museums including the archaeology museum, the glass and ceramics museum and the Reza Abassi Museum. Overnight Tehran (B, L, D) Monday 9 October Golestan Palace and the crown Above: architect Hossein Amanat combined elements of Sassanid and jewels Islamic architecture in his design for what is now known as Azadi or Freedom Tower in Tehran This morning our focus is the Golestan Palace Complex, built by the Qajar Kings. Featuring the Marble Throne, an Below: gold rams head in the Reza Abassi Museum; and the Mausoleum of intricately carved ensemble of more than 65 pieces of stone, Oljeitu, erected from 1302 to 1312 AD, has the oldest double-shell dome in Iran the complex also includes an Ethnography Museum and the Painting Museum. This afternoon we visit to the Crown Jewels Museum housing some of the magnificent jewellery belonging to the last kings of Iran. Overnight Tehran (B, L) Tuesday 10 october To zanjan Today we travel to Zanjan via Qazvin, a Sassanian city that prospered under Seljuk rule, characterised by architecture that was to become a precursor to Isfahan. After lunch we visit the magnificent Mausoleum of Oljeitu. Its huge dome ranks amongst the largest in the world. Overnight Zanjan (B, L, D) Wednesday 11 october Takht-e-soleiman A full day’s journey to the Zagros Mountains where we visit the site of Takht-e-Soleiman. What remains are the massive stone walls, thirty-eight watch towers, palaces, the fire temple and the Anahita temple, built by the Sassanians in the 6th century. Overnight Zanjan (B, L) Thursday 12 october To Hamadan Today we depart by coach to Hamadan stopping for refreshments and lunch along the way. Overnight Hamadan (B, L, D) Friday 13 october Ancient ectabana This morning we visit the tomb of Esther and Mordeccai and the ruins of the ancient city of Ecbatana. After lunch we return to Hamadan and visit Avicenna's tomb, the lion gates of the Old City and visit Ganj Nameh, to see the ancient rock-cut inscriptions Overnight Hamadan (B, L) Saturday 14 october To Isfahan Today we travel to Isfahan, stopping at Malayer to see the Median site of Tappeh Nush-e Jan. We continue to Isfahan and take an evening stroll along the banks of the Zayandeh River, which originates in the Zagros Mountains and flows through the city.