Parvin Barzin

Parvin Barzin
پروین برزین
Born	1919/20 Tehran, Iran
Died	2003/04
Education	University of Tehran University of Pennsylvania
Scientific career
Fields	Archaeology, Islamic archaeology

Parvin Barzin (Persian: پروین برزین; c. 1919/20–2003/04) was an Iranian archaeologist, museum curator and scholar. She was a pioneering woman in Iranian archaeology and museology, and Iranian biographical sources describe her as the first woman to serve as an official representative of the Iranian government on an archaeological excavation. During David Stronach's first season of excavations at Pasargadae in 1961, Barzin served as the representative of the Iranian Archaeological Department.

Early life and education

Barzin was born in Tehran in 1298 SH (1919–20). Her mother died when she was young, and she and her two brothers were raised by their father, an employee of the Ministry of Industries and Arts. His work took the family to Isfahan, where Barzin completed her secondary education at the Behesht Ayin school.

After secondary school, Barzin joined the newly established Museum of Ancient Iran, later incorporated into the National Museum of Iran, initially working as a translator. While employed at the museum she pursued university studies. Although initially interested in languages and law, she turned to archaeology following the encouragement of archaeologist and museum director Mohammad Taqi Mostafavi. She studied archaeology at the University of Tehran and was the only woman in her class according to later biographical accounts.

On 3 January 1959 (13 Dey 1337 SH), the Iranian Council of Ministers approved her travel to the United States on a one-year scholarship provided by the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania for scientific study. A 1960 staff list published by the University Museum identifies "Parvin Barzin" as a student assistant in its Near Eastern Section. Iranian biographical sources state that she received specialist training in museology during her stay in Pennsylvania.

Museum and archaeological career

Following her return to Iran, Barzin resumed work at the Museum of Ancient Iran, where she was involved in cataloguing, documenting and studying the museum's Islamic collections. She subsequently became curator of the Islamic Department. Her position is independently documented by art historian A. S. Melikian-Chirvani, who acknowledged "Parvin Barzin, curator of the Islamic Department" for providing information on objects from Nishapur in a 1974 article in The Metropolitan Museum Journal.

Barzin participated in the first season of the British Institute of Persian Studies excavations at Pasargadae, directed by David Stronach from 16 October to 16 December 1961. In his preliminary report, Stronach described "Miss Parveen Barzin" as "an experienced member of the staff of the National Museum in Tehran" who acted as the representative of the Archaeological Department. Later biographical accounts also record her participation in archaeological work at Persepolis.

Her museum work extended beyond Tehran. She was involved in establishing or arranging regional museums at Kashan, Urmia and Miandoab, as well as in the display and organization of the museum in Tabriz. During the final years of her government career, she worked at the museum in the Shahyad (later Azadi) Tower, where she served in a deputy administrative role.

Barzin also represented Iranian museums and cultural institutions at exhibitions of Iranian art abroad. Biographical accounts record her involvement in exhibitions in Europe and the United States, including the travelling exhibition 7,000 Years of Iranian Art, during which she and fellow museum curator Nouchine Naficy gave lectures about the exhibited objects.

Research and publications

Barzin published extensively on Iranian archaeology, museum collections and the history of art. Her subjects included ceramics, metalwork, textiles, carpets, Islamic art, Qur'an manuscripts and the interpretation of ancient Iranian imagery. The Iranian periodical database Noormags indexes nineteen works under her name, eighteen of them published in the journal Honar o Mardom.

Selected publications include:

• "نقوش انسان بر روی ظروف سفالین از قرن سوم تا هشتم هجری" ("Human figures on ceramic vessels from the third to the eighth centuries AH"), Honar o Mardom, 1963–64.
• "قالی‌های قدیم ایران" ("Old carpets of Iran"), Honar o Mardom, 1967.
• "پارچه‌های قدیم ایران" ("Old textiles of Iran"), Honar o Mardom, 1967.
• "معرفی سه اسطرلاب موجود در موزه ایران باستان" ("Three astrolabes in the Museum of Ancient Iran"), Honar o Mardom, 1968.
• "نگاهی به تحول صنعت فلز کاری در ساخت اشیاء هنری در ایران" ("A look at the development of metalworking in Iranian art objects"), Honar o Mardom, 1968.
• "معرفی چند نمونه از ظروف سفالی نوشته دار و تاریخ دار موزه ایران باستان" ("Inscribed and dated ceramic vessels in the Museum of Ancient Iran"), Honar o Mardom, 1969.
• "جمشید و زندگی افسانه‌ای او" ("Jamshid and his legendary life"), Honar o Mardom, no. 162, 1976, pp. 71–75.

Her study of Jamshid was later included in the bibliography of the Encyclopaedia Iranica article on the myth of Jamshid.

Death and legacy

Barzin died in 1382 SH (2003–04). She is remembered in Iranian biographical literature as one of the early women to establish a professional career in both archaeology and museum work in Iran.