A female archaeologist in Iran
Jennifer Booth describes her experiences in Iran…
As I stood in the queue for passport control at Imam Khomeini airport, several things were running through my mind. I was about to enter Iran - a country, which when mentioned to people as my destination, had elicited less than positive responses: “Why on earth would you want to go there?”, “Aren’t you worried that you will get arrested/attacked/stoned/killed?” and “What’s the point, surely women are not allowed to do anything in Iran?” Having spent three years studying Near Eastern archaeology as part of my degree, I was thrilled to be asked to work on a new excavation in Iran. It would be my first excavation as a qualified archaeologist and I was going to get a chance to see a country that had fascinated me for years, but one that I never thought I would get the opportunity to visit. I knew perhaps slightly more than the average person on the street what to expect, had argued with every person to make a comment similar to those mentioned, knew that what is featured in the media is rarely the full story, and yet I will admit to a definite feeling of trepidation. As the minutes ticked by, and only one person had made it through passport control, I did start to wonder if I was really so confident in all those arguments I had made.
My main concern was my visa. I had only been given leave to remain for 30 days and yet my flight home was in 40 days time. My site director had assured me that it would be no problem to extend my visa once I was there, but I was concerned that it would still be an issue. The rest of the dig team had all arrived together; I was on my own and my Persian extended to ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Eventually, it was my turn. Plastering a smile on my face, I stepped up to the booth and handed over my passport with its inadequate visa. “You have come to work in Iran?” asked the official. I assented and explained about being an archaeologist, and waited for the next question. “Have you heard of our famous poet Hafez?” Definitely not what I was expecting… different possibilities raced through my mind: is it some kind of test? How should I reply? Will my lack of knowledge deny me entry, or is the work of Hafez a text banned by the government that an interest in could get me arrested? I went for what seemed the safer option: “Sadly no, I am not familiar with the work of Hafez” I replied. To which the official’s response was to spend the next few minutes quoting verse after verse of poetry. The guy could have been saying anything for all I know, but I continued to smile and gave what my US friends call a very British response “How lovely”. The official smiled, grabbed his stamp, whacked it into my passport and confidence restored, I was on my way!
C. Jenni Booth
This experience at passport control was to be the first of many during my month in Iran that would challenge what I knew about the country. Almost immediately on leaving the airport, I was to realise that another misconception I held was the way that women had to dress. I had been sent a list of instructions by my supervisor stating that I needed to cover my hair completely, and wear a loose tunic that reached my knees, with full-length sleeves and a high neck. As we drove down a shopping street in Tehran, featuring many shops recognisable from UK high streets, I suddenly felt very out of place. The reason? I was too covered up; my new Iranian friends described my outfit as comparable to a nun’s! I soon learnt that to fit in with Iranian women in Tehran I needed to buy some very stylish mantu (tunics) that looked more like dresses, show at least a few centimetres of hair, and most definitely wear make-up; the frequent stories about crackdowns on women’s dress suddenly seemed rather exaggerated. Although, whilst in my friends’ homes I was told I could wear whatever I wanted (“you can wear bikini if you like”), caution was still required on the streets outside.
Tehran is an enormous, modern city and gives an initial overwhelming impression of crazy traffic. Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to have a car (including women, who contrary to what some people think, are allowed to drive), and anything relating to motoring in general is a good talking point; from F1, to the doubling in petrol prices (to $0.25 a litre).
I visited many cities, but the city of Hamadan was particularly special. The dusty and barren drive up to this place, high in the foothills of the Alvand Mountains, belied the incredibly green and deliciously cool city, that was to be found absolutely buzzing with life. Arriving on a Thursday evening, the many parks, green spaces, and even the pavements, had been colonized by visitors camping out – there was an infectious party atmosphere throughout the city. Hamadan is thought to be one of the oldest cities, not just in Iran, but also in the world, and as a consequence of this is full of cultural sites; plenty archaeological, but also many to interest people who are not such huge fans of digging. An example is the tomb of Avicenna (Ibn Sina/Abu Ali Sina) who is considered by many to be the father of modern medicine.
For the avid shoppers amongst us there is the bazaar – with a difference. Unlike those in countries more accessible to tourists, the bazaars in Iran are the real deal. Still a main shopping source for locals, the different lanes remain defined by the different trades. Rather than selling tourist trinkets, artisans can be found in most areas providing the purchaser with the chance to see how wares are made, re-quest certain styles or designs, and have proof that what they are buying is not an inferior import. I was enthralled by the man making samovars, who let me watch for ages and take photos. If I could have thought of an easy way to transport one home I would have done, despite complete incompetence in working the one in our accommodation. Iran is a country with a closed currency, so the bazaar also provides a place to change money. Rather than a bank, head to the gold souk and prepare to barter…
Outside the cities, Iran has stunning scenery. The Western Zagros are awe-inspiring mountains with hidden towns and villages, in a fertile farming area that is a striking contrast to the desert south of Kermanshah. Fields of sunflowers provide a surprising comparison with southern France, and the mud brick architecture of the villages means that there are moments where you almost feel you have gone back in time. Until, of course, the village children come rushing to take a picture of you, with their camera phone, because you are the first person they have ever seen with blonde hair.
C. Jenni Booth
Everywhere I went in Iran, the warmth and friendliness of the people was incredible. It was not false kindness extended to tourists because they are necessary for income, but it was an appreciation of someone who was interested in their country and was willing to look behind the headlines. People were desperate to show that there is more to Iran than the extremist, nuclear weapon hungry country that is the common depiction in Western media, and after a month there, I definitely agree. Within Iran there are many different provinces, each with tremendous variety of natural scenery, and sites of extraordinary historic significance. I saw only a few and there are so many more, I cannot wait to go back. For the adventurous traveller, who has an open mind, Iran has so much to offer – it really mustn’t be missed solely because of its media portrayal.
One cannot, though, be totally ignorant of the political and social climate and anyone visiting Iran needs to be culturally sensitive. There are some areas that are safer than others; anywhere in the southeast and near the borders with Afghanistan or Pakistan might be best avoided. With the recent elections and subsequent demonstrations, getting involved in political discussions might not be a good idea. Neither would be going to Iran with an agenda, for example to protest against anti-feminist regulations. If you can cope with certain restrictions for example wearing a headscarf, or not travelling alone as a woman (this is more taboo than a legal restriction; you would not be arrested), then you will get to experience a fascinating and beautiful country and meet many generous, friendly, people. If you cannot accept certain constraints then perhaps Iran is not the place for you, but that is a shame because accepting that job in Iran, gave me some of the most interesting, exciting and rewarding experiences that I have ever had.
in the queue for passport control at Imam Khomeini airport, several things were running through my mind. I was about to enter Iran - a country, which when mentioned to people as my destination, had elicited less than positive responses: “Why on earth would you want to go there?”, “Aren’t you worried that you will get arrested/attacked/stoned/killed?” and “What’s the point, surely women are not allowed to do anything in Iran?” Having spent three years studying Near Eastern archaeology as part of my degree, I was thrilled to be asked to work on a new excavation in Iran. It would be my first excavation as a qualified archaeologist and I was going to get a chance to see a country that had fascinated me for years, but one that I never thought I would get the opportunity to visit. I knew perhaps slightly more than the average person on the street what to expect, had argued with every person to make a comment similar to those mentioned, knew that what is featured in the media is rarely the full story, and yet I will admit to a definite feeling of trepidation. As the minutes ticked by, and only one person had made it through passport control, I did start to wonder if I was really so confident in all those arguments I had made.
Jennifer Booth
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