Dr. Abdolmajid Arfaee, one of Iran’s most distinguished scholars of ancient languages and the first Iranian researcher to translate the Cyrus Cylinder directly from Neo-Babylonian into Persian, passed away on February 24, 2026 at the age of 86. His death marks a profound loss for the academic community and for all those committed to the preservation and rigorous study of Iran’s ancient cultural heritage. At a time when only a small number of specialists worldwide are capable of directly reading Elamite cuneiform texts, Arfaee was widely regarded as one of the last representatives of a generation of master epigraphists who dedicated their lives to recovering the voices of ancient civilizations through disciplined philological work.
Born on August 31, 1939 in Genu, Bandar Abbas, Arfaee developed an early interest in Iran’s pre-Islamic history and languages. After completing his education in Iran, he pursued advanced studies in the United States, spending more than eight years at the University of Chicago, where he specialized in Akkadian (Neo-Babylonian) and Elamite. This rigorous training placed him among the few Iranian scholars capable of directly reading and interpreting primary cuneiform sources. He returned to Iran in 1974, dedicating his knowledge to research, teaching, and the advancement of ancient Near Eastern studies.
Arfaee’s scholarship was defined by textual precision, historical context, and resistance to ideological interpretation. His translation of the Cyrus Cylinder distinguished itself by relying on a direct reading of the original Neo-Babylonian text and situating it within the historical framework of the time when it was created. Rather than endorsing politicized narratives, he emphasized linguistic accuracy and documentary evidence, offering a careful and academically-grounded interpretation.
The Cylinder, formed of ancient clay, included an inscribed declaration praising Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great following the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE. It was placed in the temple to the God Marduk, with the text claiming that Cyrus was chosen by Marduk to displace the impious Babylonian king and had acted to improve the lives of his new subjects. Its rediscovery in 1879 shed significant light on the Persian empire of Cyrus, Mesopotamia and the ancient world.
Beyond the Cyrus Cylinder, Arfaee played a major role in the study and translation of thousands of administrative clay tablets from the Achaemenid period, written largely in Elamite cuneiform, known as the Persepolis Fortification Tablets. These tablets provide critical insight into the economic organization, labor systems, and administrative structure of the Achaemenid Empire. Through decades of meticulous work, he helped clarify the internal governance mechanisms of the empire and reinforced the importance of Elamite as one of its official administrative languages. His three-volume publication on the Persepolis Fortification Tablets (2008) remains a landmark contribution to Iranian Elamite studies.
Arfaee was also actively engaged in efforts to facilitate the return of portions of the Persepolis tablets held abroad for decades, reflecting his deep commitment to the responsible stewardship of cultural heritage. Even in his final years, he continued to advocate for the documentation and repatriation of these materials.
In recognition of his lifetime of scholarship, Arfaee received the Iranian Cypress Award (2015) for his contributions to cultural heritage. In 2022, he was honored with the UNESCO Sun Medal, in collaboration with Iran’s National Museum and the National Committee of ICOM, acknowledging his role in safeguarding and interpreting Iran’s ancient written memory.
Fluent in the Larestani (Achomi) dialect, Arfaee viewed living local languages as part of a continuous historical thread connecting contemporary Iranian identity with its ancient textual past. His life’s work built a bridge between the silent clay tablets of antiquity and modern society, demonstrating that careful scholarship can illuminate complex historical realities. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) extends its deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Abdolmajid Arfaee, his students and colleagues, and all those in Iran and across the diaspora who cherish Iran’s cultural heritage. His dedication to scholarly integrity, cultural preservation, and rigorous historical inquiry will remain an enduring example for future generations. May his memory live on in the texts he illuminated, the knowledge he preserved, and the many scholars he inspired.