Seyed Salam Fathi is a PhD Candidate in Cultural Heritage at the University of Catania (XL Cycle, 2024–present), under the supervision of Prof. Lucia Arcifa. His doctoral research investigates the transmission and reinterpretation of Kufic script and Islamic epigraphic forms across Byzantine, Norman Sicilian, and broader Mediterranean artistic contexts between the 10th and 13th centuries. He is currently undertaking an Erasmus+ traineeship at the University of Passau, Germany, as part of his doctoral training.
He holds a Master's Degree in History of Ancient Iran from Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch (2011–2014), with a thesis on Christianity in the Western Parts of Iran during the Sassanid Era (224–651 AD), awarded the highest distinction (A+), and a Bachelor's Degree in History from Payame Noor University of Saghez. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he worked as a Teaching Assistant at Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, taught Persian and English calligraphy for the Society of Iranian Calligraphers, and worked as a researcher and guide at the Sanandaj Museum.
His broader research interests include Byzantine and Islamic art interactions, Sasanian influence on Late Antique and medieval art, Kufic epigraphy in Byzantine and Mediterranean contexts, and cross-cultural heritage and visual identity in the medieval Mediterranean.
PhD Research Project
- The Intersection of Islamic and Byzantine Art: An Analysis of Kufic Script in Byzantine Works (10th–13th Centuries AD)
- This research project investigates the transmission, imitation, and reinterpretation of Kufic script and Islamic epigraphic forms in Byzantine and Mediterranean artistic contexts between the 10th and 13th centuries, with particular attention to Norman Sicily (notably the Cappella Palatina in Palermo and Monreale Cathedral) as a key site of cultural and artistic exchange between the Islamic and Christian Mediterranean worlds.
Other Activities During the Doctorate
- Currently undertaking an Erasmus+ traineeship at the University of Passau, Germany.
- 20–21 March 2026: attended the international conference "Sant'Ambrogio alla Rienna di Montecorvino Rovella (Salerno). Lo studio, il recupero e la fruizione inclusiva di una chiesa altomedievale," University of Salerno, as part of his doctoral specialized training activities.
- 1 April 2026: attended the workshop "Byzantium & Bloomsbury," organized by the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies (SPBS) and the British School at Athens (online).
- In May 2026, conducted a research mission to Bari and Otranto (Italy) for fieldwork related to his PhD research, examining the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari and the Church of San Pietro in Otranto.
Conference and Seminar Participation as Speaker
- 14–15 May 2025: presented a paper titled The Sasanian Simorgh and Its Reflections in Islamic and Byzantine Art at the 13th Mediterranean Interdisciplinary Forum on Social Sciences and Humanities (MIFS 2025), University of Catania, Italy. The paper was subsequently published in the European Scientific Journal (ESJ), Special Edition 21(43), 2025.
- 26–29 November 2025: presented a paper titled "The Silk Road and the Formation of Global Discourse: A Study of Cultural, Artistic, and Intellectual Exchanges" at CHAIN 2025 – Landscapes and Ecology of Culture: Between Humanity and Nature, University of Catania.
- 4–5 December 2025: presented a paper titled "Sasanian Iconography and the Sculptural Program of the Holy Cross Church of Akhtamar: Transmission, Adaptation, and Royal Legitimacy" at the PhD conference "Respecting the Past, Conserving the Future," Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali, Università degli Studi di Padova. The manuscript has been submitted for the peer-reviewed conference proceedings and is currently under review.
- 18–19 May 2026: presented a paper titled Kufic Epigraphy and Institutional Identity in Norman Sicily and the Byzantine World (10th to 13th Centuries) at the 7th International Graduate Conference in Late Antique, Islamic, and Byzantine Studies, Centre for Late Antique, Islamic, and Byzantine Studies, University of Edinburgh (online).
- 1–6 June 2026: presented a paper titled The Transmutation of Kufic Script in the Mediterranean: Artistic Appropriation and Norman Legitimacy (10th–15th Centuries) at the 9th Annual International Conference on Classical and Byzantine Studies, Athens, Greece. The paper was subsequently published, in revised form, as "The Transmutation of Kufic Script in the Mediterranean: Artistic Appropriation and Institutional Identity (10th to 15th Centuries)" in the Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies, 12(3), 215–236.
- 24–29 August 2026: accepted to present a paper titled The Fatimid Court's Ceremonial Textiles: Ṭirāz in its Mediterranean Context at the 25th International Congress of Byzantine Studies (AIEB), Vienna.
- Fathi, S.S. "The Transmutation of Kufic Script in the Mediterranean: Artistic Appropriation and Institutional Identity (10th to 15th Centuries)." Athens Journal of Mediterranean Studies, 12(3) (2026): 215–236. Available at: https://doi.org/10.30958/ajms.12-3-3
- Fathi, S.S. "The Sasanian Simorgh and Its Reflections in Islamic and Byzantine Art." European Scientific Journal (ESJ) , MIFS Special Edition 21(43) (2025): 94. Available at: https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2025.v21n43p94
- Farrokh, K., Maksymiuk, K., Skuoniewicz, P., Fathi, S.S. "An Overview of Military Confrontation between the Assyrian Army and the Medes in the 7th Centuries BCE." Historia i Świat," 11 (2022): 125–144. Available at: https://doi.org/10.34739/his.2022.11.07
- Fathi, S.S. "The Role of Goddess Anahita in the Representation of Women's Status during the Sassanid Era." Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies (JSSHS), 8(1) (2022): 1–6. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/102634726/The_Role_of_Goddess_Anahita_in_the_Representation_of_Womens_Status_During_the_Sassanid_Era
- Fathi, S.S. "Siavash Status in Mythology and Rituals." International Journal of History and Cultural Studies, 2(3) (2016): 6–16. Available at: https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhcs/v2-i3/2.pdf
- Fathi, S.S. "The Silk Road and the Formation of Global Discourse: A Study of Cultural, Artistic, and Intellectual Exchanges." Paper presented at CHAIN 2025 – Landscapes and Ecology of Culture: Between Humanity and Nature, University of Catania, 2025. Pending peer review.
- Fathi, S.S. "Sasanian Iconography and the Sculptural Program of the Holy Cross Church of Akhtamar: Transmission, Adaptation, and Royal Legitimacy." Paper presented at the PhD Conference "Respecting the Past, Conserving the Future," Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padua, 2025. Pending peer review.