Collegium de Lyon
France
fellow
Seyed Abazar Shobairi
2026-2027
Home institution
National Hellenic Research Foundation
Country of origin (home institution)
Greece
Discipline(s)
Archeology and prehistory
Theme(s)
Energy & Renewable Resources; Other
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Seyed Abazar Shobairi is an archaeologist specialising in Achaemenid Iran. He completed his PhD at the University of Athens in 2018. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) in Athens, and has authored over 20 publications and international conference presentations.
Research Project
Water and Landscape: Remote Sensing Analysis of Ancient (Achaemenid) Irrigation System in Kāvar (Central Fars) — An Intra-Regional Study with Persepolis and Pasargadae
This project investigates ancient irrigation and water management systems in Fars Province, south-western Iran, during the Achaemenid period (ca. 550–330 BC). Focusing on the less-explored Kāvar region and the Qara-Aghaj River Basin, this project analyses ancient water systems rapidly being lost to modern development. Using cutting-edge methods — including declassified CORONA and HEXAGON satellite imagery, GIS mapping, and aerial photography — the project identifies and reconstructs ancient canals, fields, and water networks. Comparing Kāvar with the better-documented river basins of Persepolis and Pasargadae, this project offers an original inter-regional perspective on Achaemenid imperial strategy and environmental adaptation. The findings have broader relevance today: understanding how ancient societies managed water resources in semi-arid regions can inform contemporary responses to water scarcity and land use challenges in Iran and beyond.
FIAS Fellowhip Programme Laureate
This project is receiving funding from the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme of the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA COFUND GA-101217263).
Research Interests:
Landscape archaeology; Irrigation; Remote sensing