Persepolis at the Internet Archive

A number of traveler's accounts and works of early scholarship on Persepolis are beginning to emerge in open access formats at the Internet Archive. Among these are:

Travels in Assyria, Media and Persia : including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of persepolis (Volume 1) - Buckingham, James Silk, 1786-1855

Travels in Assyria, Media and Persia : including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of persepolis (Volume 2) - Buckingham, James Silk, 1786-1855

Nineveh and Persepolis : an historical sketch of ancient Assyria and Persia, with an account of the recent researches in those countries - Vaux, William Sandys Wright, 1818-1885

Narrative of a residence in Koordistan : and on the site of ancient Nineveh; with journal of a voyage down the Tigris to Bagdad and an account of a visit to Shirauz and Persepolis (Volume 1) - Rich, Cladius James, 1787-1820

Observations made on a tour from Bengal to Persia, in the years 1786-7; with a short account of the remains of the celebrated palace of Persepolis and other interesting events - Francklin, William, 1763-1839

Remains of lost empires: sketches of the ruins of Palmyra, Nineveh, Babylon, and Persepolis, with some notes on India and the Cashmerian Himalayas - Myers, P. V. N. (Philip Van Ness), 1846-1937

MDPs online

This is not strictly speaking Persepolis related, but certainly worth noting. The Internet Archive has posted online the first 16 volumes of the publications of the Mission archéologique en Iran (cited variously as Délégation en Perse; Mission archéologique de Susiane; Mission archéologique de Perse, and commonly known as MDP).

Of particular interest for Persepolis is V. Scheil's MDP IX: Textes Elamites-Anzanites : troisieme serie. If you simply must use a hard copy, you might be able to find one at a library near (or not so near) you, or you might borrow mine, if you're nice to me!

NIAC Facebook group: "Save Persepolis Artifacts!"

The NIAC - National Iranian American Council blog: niacINsight: Beltway insights for the Iranian-American community, has posted the following anouncement

NIAC has created a group on Facebook entitled “Save Persepolis Artifacts!” Priceless 2,500 year old Persian tablets - currently on display at some of America’s preeminent institutions - may be put up for auction as plaintiffs seek to recover court-awarded damages against the Iranian government. NIAC has been following developments in the case closely and will be acting as Amicus Curiae for the lawsuits. To read a background analysis of the case click here.

NIAC believes that to auction off these ancient artifacts would be detrimental, not only to world history, but also to the practice of cultural and academic exchange. Most important to us, however, is the devastating effect that their sale would have on the Iranian-American community. These objects form an important element of Iranian-American cultural identity and historical pride. To sell them would be to punish Iranian Americans for the actions of a government they do not support.

Please show your support for our fight by joining the group!