The Secure Architecture of Immortality

The period of 1933–1934 was particularly crucial for the site, marking the formal, large-scale scientific excavation that brought Persepolis into the forefront of global archaeology. Before the Oriental Institute’s systematic work, the site had been plundered and partially cleared, but Herzfeld’s team, with von Busse as their visual chronicler, initiated the process of scientifically understanding its architectural layout and recovering the thousands of artifacts and inscriptions that lay buried. The images document this turning point, showing the ruins transitioning from grand but neglected remnants to carefully studied and conserved archaeological treasures.