| Encyclopædia Iranica | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | 1200 named contributors. Editor in chief: Ehsan Yarshater |
| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Iranistics and Greater Iran studies |
| Genre(s) | Reference encyclopedia |
| Publisher | Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University |
| Publication date | 1985-present |
| Media type | 45 Hardback Volumes 15 Volumes have been published by 2009. |
| ISBN | 1568590504 |
| OCLC Number | 59605200 |
Encyclopædia Iranica is a project whose goal is to create a comprehensive and authoritative English language encyclopedia about the history, culture, and civilization of Iranian peoples from prehistory to modern times.[1] It is a project of Columbia University, started in 1973 at its Center for Iranian Studies, and is considered the standard encyclopaedia of the academic discipline of Iranistics.
The scope of the encyclopedia goes beyond Iran (formerly "Persia") and encompasses other geographical areas where Iranian languages dominated at certain times: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Anatolia and Kurdistan, as well as some regions of the Caucasus, South Asia, Central Asia, and Mesopotamia. Relations of the Iranian world with other cultures (China, European countries, etc.) are also covered.
The project has published 15 volumes, and is planning on publishing a total of up to 45 volumes. The full text of most entries is available free for on-line viewing encoded with unicode.[f 1]
The editor-in-chief is Professor Ehsan Yarshater and managing editor is Ahmad Ashraf. The editorial board includes Nicholas Sims-Williams, Christopher J. Brunner, Mohsen Ashtiany, Manuchehr Kasheff, and over 40 Consulting Editors from major international institutions doing research in Iranian Studies.[2] A growing number (over 1,200 in 2006) of scholars from academic institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia have contributed articles to Encyclopædia Iranica.
Many foundations, organizations, and individuals have supported Encyclopædia Iranica. Since 1979, the encyclopaedia has been sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, which, as of 2007[update] has been covering one-third of the project's budget for a few years.[1] The list of sponsors includes American Council of Learned Societies, Union Académique Internationale, Iran Heritage Foundation, and many other charitable foundations, philanthropic families and individuals.