Alexander Nagel is actively involved in the research and publication of materials from fieldwork in Iran (Persepolis, Susa, Pasargadae) and Greece. Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, he teaches also on the archaeology and legacies of ancient sites, the history and development of polychromy studies, the role of surface decorations and paint on monuments in the Achaemenid Persian Empire, ceramic containers, coroplastic industries and technologies in ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, Iran and South Arabia. He also writes about and teaches about the reception of ancient cultures in the New World. A recipient of many international awards, research grants and fellowships, Dr. Nagel has published articles for the Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran, and other prestigious publications. As a research associate with the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., Dr. Nagel curated a number of exhibitions and research projects, focusing on the cultures and the legacies of the ancient Mediterranean, Arabia, the Middle East and Central Asia in Washington, D.C.