Much of what is known of ancient Persia's history has been informed by studies of the magnificent site of Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire from the 6th to the 4th centuries BC. As UNESCO world cultural heritage sites since 1979, these well-preserved ruins in southwestern Iran constitute the most important examples of Achaemenid dynastic architecture in Iran.

Although it has long been known that these monuments and reliefs were painted, Alexander Nagel, assistant curator, Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington, DC, shows what new research in the fascinating field of polychromy has revealed about the role of color in the ancient world.

A reception follows the lecture.