Articles Bam, a Retrievable Iranian Treasure   As concerned architects ponder the ways of restoring the ancient city of Bam in southeastern Iran, some will despair at the extent of the havoc caused by the Dec. 26 earthquake. And yet, on closer inspection, they may derive comfort from the very nature of the structures that crumbled. It could be argued that a unique opportunity has arisen to test our ability at sensitively rehabilitating a site of recognized world importance. Learn more Archaeology in Iran Puts Perceptions in Place   Western archaeologists often think archaeological research in Iran has all but stopped. Yet Iranian archaeologists have continued excavations throughout the country, exploring periods stretching from the Palaeolithic to Islamic times, at major sites such as Susa, Tappeh Sialk and the Masjid-e-Jomieh in Esfahan. Learn more Mitra, Christmass and Pir Shaliyar Ceremony   Mit(h)raism has been an influential force not only in the middle East, but in the West. Christmas in the west and Pir Shaliyar ceremony in Kurdistan both mark the birth of Mit(h)ra, the Indo-Iranian god of light. Learn more The Origin of the Pre-Imperial Iranian Peoples   As late as the closing decades of the 4th century B.C., the Iranian peoples were still the largest and the most widespread group within the great Indo-European family. this position must have been held for thousands of years by their nomadic ancestors, and was not relinquished until well into the Roman period. During those distant millennia, they roamed the vast, limitless Eurasian steppes as pastoralist riders and charioteers. Learn more