Seifollah Kambakhshfard

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Seifollah Kambakhshfard (21 March 1929 – 28 November 2010) was an Iranian archaeologist who specialized in Iran’s archaeology and ancient history. Born in Tehran, he studied at local schools and earned a master's degree in archaeology from the University of Tehran in 1964. He began his career as a teacher while pursuing his studies, then joined the National Museum of Iran’s prehistory division in 1959. He later served as assistant director of the Institute of Archaeology and, in 1965, became the chairman of the Archive division at the National Museum.

From 1961 to 1967, he led excavations at Marlik, Rudbar, Nishapur Germi, Haft Tepe, Meshkin Shahr and Gheytarieh. Between 1968 and 1977 he directed a series of excavations at the Temple of Anahita in Kangavar, a major project that advanced knowledge of Iran’s ancient history. His work at Gheytarieh helped reveal Tehran’s long-standing human presence dating back to the first millennium BCE.

In 1977 he was appointed General Manager of Culture and Arts in Khorasan Province, and in 1979 he became Director of the National Museum of Iran. After the 1979 Revolution, his leadership role was interrupted, but he later worked as an adviser at the Iranian Archaeology Center until his retirement in 1986. He published many books and articles on Iranian archaeology, including studies on the Anahita Temple and Tehran’s ancient sites.

Seifollah Kambakhshfard died in Tehran in 2010 at the age of 81.