Barveh Tepe, an archaeological site from the Early
Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, wa... more Barveh Tepe, an archaeological site from the Early Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, was the focus of an archaeometric analysis in this study. The aim was to evaluate the firing temperature of excavated pottery sherds from Barveh Tepe and to gain insights into the pottery-making techniques employed. A range of analytical methods, including optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), was utilized to characterize the pottery sherds. The results revealed the utilization of two primary types of raw clays: calciterich (calcareous) and calcite-poor (non-calcareous). The presence of calcite in calcareous pottery samples was confirmed, with the calcareous pottery showing a low CO3 2 vibrational band, indicating a low firing temperature. Through the integration of SEM images, FTIR spectra, TGA curve and XRD pattern results, the estimated firing temperature range for Barveh Tepe pottery was determined to be between 600 and 1100C. These findings provide new insights into the potterymaking practices of the Early Bronze Age and shed light on the technological advancements of the period.
Excavations in Tepe Barveh were conducted with the aim to shed further light on the period of pai... more Excavations in Tepe Barveh were conducted with the aim to shed further light on the period of painted Bronze Age wares and to refine the existing chronology for the Lesser Zab Basin in the first half of the 3 rd millennium BC. Thanks to its location in the upper valley of the Lesser Zab, the Barveh region served as a natural pathway for interaction between the Zagros foothills zones with the Rania and Peshdar Plain in Sulaimaniyah province in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the southern basin of Lake Urmia. By its overlapping Bronze Age sequence, the site offers a strong potential to fill the existing gap of information for the Early Bronze Age occupation in northwestern Iran. A foremost purpose of this paper is to situate Barveh within northwestern Iran, and to explore intra- and inter-regional interactions. The stratified occurrence of Painted Orange Ware (POW) is helpful to establish a sequence for the region and to fill the existing lacuna. EBA sites in northwestern Iran beyond the Kura Araxes zone remain understudied, and few sites offer deposits of considerable depth. The Early Bronze Age is generally associated with the burnished black pottery, while the orange pottery, a coeval and equally important cultural hallmark, has attracted less attention and remains a little known tradition. Hence, in light of the material culture excavated at Barveh, this paper seeks to gain an insight into the ways in which Tepe Barveh interacted with other regions dominated by the orange pottery culture. The ca. 8-meter deep EBA deposit at Barveh built up over c. 300 years and represents this period of POW in an uninterrupted sequence, attesting to cultural continuity over an extended period of time. The culture shows parallels with EBA sites in the southern Urmia Lake Basin and in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The archaeological site of Tepe Gird-i Ashoan in the Little Zab basin of Piranshahr County was ex... more The archaeological site of Tepe Gird-i Ashoan in the Little Zab basin of Piranshahr County was excavated in two consecutive seasons. The work yielded remarkable information about the regional cultural traditions in the Late Chalcolithic period. The recovered material culture indicates the presence of the chaff-faced/Pisdeli pottery tradition, and the relative chronology evinces that the strongest interactions were with Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Notwithstanding the fairly extensive archaeological work in northwest Iran, the Zab basin remains almost totally neglected as regards botanical and zoological studies. The present study explored the biological evidence from the site and attempts a reconstruction of the subsistence patterns prevailing in the Late Chalcolithic northwest Iran in light of the evidence from Gird-i Ashoan. To gain an insight into the regional societies in the 4 th and 5 th millennium BC, the subsistence patterns of the inhabitants of the Little Zab basin was examined. In effect, recovery of an abundance of ash deposits alongside other burned materials at Gird-i Ashoan permits such interdisciplinary enquiries as archaeobotany and Zooarchaeology. Drawing on excavations as well as botanical and osteological analyses, the present study attempted to explain the local subsistence patterns through a descriptive-analytical approach. Thus, the two major topics addressed here were the subsistence patterns adopted by the mid/late Chalcolithic populations of Gird-i Ashoan, and the animal species represented in the excavated assemblages. Animal husbandry seemingly constituted the major component in the local subsistence system and surpassed agriculture judging from the fact that the faunal evidence outnumbers the floral remains. Therefore, the results of the study pointed to a mixed agro-pastoral subsistence pattern, and attested to the cultivation of bread wheat and barley, indicating that agriculture also played in part in the local economy.
Many archaeological studies, especially those on obsidian artefacts and their origins, have been ... more Many archaeological studies, especially those on obsidian artefacts and their origins, have been conducted in the western half of Iran. An exception is the province of Kurdistan as previous studies have mainly taken place in the surrounding provinces. However, the diversity of prehistoric cultures in the surrounding areas increases the importance of studying sites within the province of Kurdistan. In this paper, the results from studies of Late Chalcolithic obsidian artefacts from the site of Tepe Gheshlagh in eastern Kurdistan are reported. Geochemical studies of the obsidian show that they belong to the Nemrut Dag and Meydan Dag sources located north of Lake Van in eastern Turkey. These obsidians seem to have been exchanged through Mesopotamia by paths that connect the Zagros to Tepe Gheshlagh.
Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2023
Excavations at Tepe Gheshlagh provided new information on the chronology of the eastern
areas of ... more Excavations at Tepe Gheshlagh provided new information on the chronology of the eastern areas of the Central Zagros and their interaction with the southern basin of Lake Urmia. While the cultural relationship between the two regions have been investigated in earlier archaeological studies, no information was available on the intermediate areas between these two zones: hence, more information on the Chalcolithic period in this region has been obtained through new excavations. Tepe Gheshlagh is located at the center of the Talvar valley, which connects these two regions like a natural corridor. Archaeological data suggests that cultural interactions took place between these two areas during the Chalcolithic period. Tepe Gheshlagh rises about 14 m above the surrounding lands. The excavations recognized more than 12 m of deposits of different phases from the Chalcolithic period. These phases include six cultural periods: indexes of Dalma culture from the lowermost deposit, and traces of Godin type VII from the uppermost one. This discovery indicates a non-interrupted continuity of at least two thousand years. After the Early Chalcolithic, perhaps due to ethnic displacements in the region and the replacement with the Kura-Araxes culture, this region was abandoned (contemporary with the period of Godin VII). Only two short-term occupation phases in the Late Bronze and Iron III periods were recorded at the site and, after that, the site was definitively abandoned.
The small site of Cham Routeh lies in the Seimare Valley in the Central Zagros, at the midst of a... more The small site of Cham Routeh lies in the Seimare Valley in the Central Zagros, at the midst of a canyon on the Seimare River. It represents one of the several points recently identified in regional archaeological surveys. Excavation at Cham Routeh aimed to establish the local occupational sequence and the possible function the site served. The main question the present study addresses is the situation of the settlements in the Seimare Basin in the Sasanian Period. The excavations revealed that the structures were of small floor plans, and that the foremost comparison linking Cham Routeh to other known Sasanian sites in western Iran is the typical contemporary standard pottery. Closer analysis of the pottery assemblages suggests a Sasanian date for the site, where the occupation continued well into the early Islamic centuries.
Gird-i Ashoan is a prehistoric mound in the Zab River basin in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan. The e... more Gird-i Ashoan is a prehistoric mound in the Zab River basin in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan. The existence of an 8m-deep Late Chalcolithic deposit at the site seems to suggest that it was the place of the principal regional centre in the Late Chalcolithic (Hasanlu Period VIII). The site was excavated with the aim of delving into the cultural circumstances of the Zab basin during this period. After the Late Chalcolithic, Gird-i Ashoan was abandoned and would be reused only in the early Islamic era, as a cemetery. In this paper, an attempt is made to explain the cultural relations of the Zab basin with other regions by presenting a detailed stratigraphy, and an analysis of the recovered architectural remains and small finds. A distinctive characteristic of the Late Chalcolithic of northwestern Iran is Chaff-Faced Ware, a pottery tradition which appears over a vast geographical area due to exchanges between the eastern highlands and the western lowlands, especially during the Late Chalcolithic. The relative chronology and results of the excavation point towards cultural links between the Zab basin and Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia.
Excavations at Gird-i Ashoan, an archaeological mound in Piranshahr County in the Lower Zab Basin... more Excavations at Gird-i Ashoan, an archaeological mound in Piranshahr County in the Lower Zab Basin, have provided remarkable insights into the cultural traditions of the region during the Late Chalcolithic. Whilst reflecting some indigenous peculiarities, its material culture exhibits broad affinities with Northwestern Iran, the Caucasus, and Anatolia. This evinces the spread of the Late Chalcolithic (LC) cultures, especially LC2-3, over vast territories, which could imply either population movements or the spread of a certain pastoralist subsistence system. The central stimulus was favorable climatic conditions, presumably a significant reduction in cold that fostered a climate almost similar to present conditions. Building on the finds from Gird-i Ashoan, the present paper addresses the reasons for the chaff-faced pottery's extension over a wide geographic area from the Caucasus to Mesopotamia, northern Syria and northwestern Iran. Excavations at the site brought to light a Late Chalcolithic settlement of an unprecedentedly substantial range, consisting of about 8 m of continuous deposits. The pottery assemblages from the site include chaff-faced ware and Painted Pisdeli ware, suggesting that the site's strongest interactions were with the Caucasus, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia.
Journal of Iran's Pre-Islamic Archaeological Essays /, 2021
Girdi Ashoan tepe is located on the eastern edge of Piranshahr plain, and on the eastern side
of ... more Girdi Ashoan tepe is located on the eastern edge of Piranshahr plain, and on the eastern side of Lavin river. The site is within the boundaries of the modern village, flanked by its buildings. It is a mound with a circular base of about 55 m in diameter. Measuring about 55m north-south and 50m east-west, it occupies a total area of ca. 2750 sq. m. The east and south slopes gently descend against the walls of the villagers’ houses. Archaeological excavations of Girdi Ashoan hill led to the identification of cultural materials of the Iron Age II-III. Northwestern Iran has been very important due to its special strategic position and has had a great cultural impact from the Caucasus, Anatolia and Mesopotamia since the fifth millennium BC. In later periods, especially in the Iron Age, the region was strongly influenced by political issues. Recent studies in new archaeological sites expand our knowledge of Iron Age II/ III. As a result of archeological excavations in this hill, three cultural periods were identified. Phase I- Islamic Cemetery. Phase II - Iron Age III, Phase III, - Chalcolithic period. According to the preliminary results of the Iron Age III, it is considered as one of the important cultural periods of Girdi Ashoan. Therefore, in this article, the results of the study of cultural materials of the Iron Age III are presented. This article tries to answer the question of how the cultural relations of the area with the neighboring areas have been by descriptive / analytical method and by studying the cultural materials of Girdi Ashoan. The results of studies and relative chronology of pottery showed that the most interactions and cultural influences were with areas of Anatolia, Bukan, zandane Suleiman and parts of Kurdistan. The present study is based on archaeological excavations and then chronology of cultural materials. During this excavation, it was found that the cultural basin of Mana government is known in the southern region of Lake Urmia (lesser Zab basin of Piranshahr).
In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replac... more In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replacing the glossy black burnished pottery. Painted ware, also termed Urmia Ware, became widespread in Northwest Iran in the Middle Bronze Age. The same scenario is reflected at the archaeological mound of Barde Zard in the Little Zab Basin. Situated in Piranshahr city of West Azerbaijan Province, this settlement represents one of the several formed across the basin in prehistoric times. The fieldwork at the site was aimed at specifying the occupation sequence, the cultural interactions of its residents with neighboring regions, and the characteristics of the Middle Bronze Age there. The excavations at the mound brought to light a mid-Bronze structure associated with a burial. Also identified were cultural ties with the Urmia Lake Basin and inspirations from the Khabur tradition of Mesopotamia.
The aim of this paper is to date, introduce and document the ancient
Jareh bridge-dam which had r... more The aim of this paper is to date, introduce and document the ancient Jareh bridge-dam which had remained intact for hundreds of years, and was submerged in 2015 due to the construction of a new, larger dam on the Zard River. It is a solid structure with a height of 19 meters and a length of more than 89 m. The width of this dam from one end to the other varies from 1 m to 10 m. The location of this bridge is appropriate in terms of the river’s course according to the type of the land, materials and design of the base, body and calculation of resistance during the outbreak of water, which are fastened to the base strength with their rocks and masonry. This dam can be found 35 km northwest of the Ramhormoz township in Khuzestan province, Iran; and has been constructed in narrow valleys within the Zard River by stones and plaster. Two OSL samples were taken from this bridge in 2007. By employing the Minimum Age Model, the date of erection of the Jareh bridge-dam was estimated to be between 1420-2090 years ago, falling within the Sassanid period. The Jareh bridge-dam is one of the largest Sasanian bridge-dams in the Khuzestan province. This study provides an understanding of the performance, the structure, and the hydraulic mechanism of the Jareh bridge-dam, and also the role played by it as a deterrent against the outbreak of the Zard River.
In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replac... more In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replacing the glossy black burnished pottery. Painted ware, also termed Urmia Ware, became widespread in Northwest Iran in the Middle Bronze Age. The same scenario is reflected at the archaeological mound of Barde Zard in the Little Zab Basin. Situated in Piranshahr city of West Azerbaijan Province, this settlement represents one of the several formed across the basin in prehistoric times. The fieldwork at the site was aimed at specifying the occupation sequence, the cultural interactions of its residents with neighboring regions, and the characteristics of the Middle Bronze Age there. The excavations at the mound brought to light a mid-Bronze structure associated with a burial. Also identified were cultural ties with the Urmia Lake Basin and inspirations from the Khabur tradition of Mesopotamia.
Sounding at the archaeological site of Tepe Pirtaj in Bijar of Kurdistan aimed to investigate the... more Sounding at the archaeological site of Tepe Pirtaj in Bijar of Kurdistan aimed to investigate the foremost cultural phenomenon of the third millennium bce across the Near East, namely the Kura-Araxes culture, in the eastern Central Zagros, as the site promised to provide important insights into the spread of the culture in an easternmost tract of the Central Zagros. Characterized by a grey body often bearing incised decorations, the Kura-Araxes material from Pirtaj shows high expertise in manufacture. The present study explored the pottery technology and manufacturing by selecting a sample of 12 sherds for petrographic and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses. The main objective was to examine the composition and structure, differences and comparisons, firing temperature and origin (local or imported) of the ceramics. This is of particular significance given the dearth of contemporaneous sites in Bijar. Petrographic and XRF analyses showed the ceramics to be indigenous to the region and, thus, locally produced. The whole sample was found to have been fired at temperatures below 800°C. Geological data attest to the abundance of slate, lime, quartz and calcite in the regional mountains and sediments. Thus the ceramics were locally produced, though some slight differences are discernible as regards technological aspects.
Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2020
The Cham Ruoteh site is located along the Seymare River, Sirvan Township, in the Ilam
Province. ... more The Cham Ruoteh site is located along the Seymare River, Sirvan Township, in the Ilam
Province. The Seymare River has created very favorable conditions in the valleys and plains
in the part of the central Zagros Mountains and caused many habitats and settlements to
form on its margin. Of course, the impassable routes and highlands have reduced the amount
of communication that has led to the formation of local native cultures in this area.
The Cham Routeh site is one of the most endangered sites that is located within the catchment
area of the Seymare Dam. Due to the filling of the Seymare Dam it will be drowned.
The goals of salvage archaeological excavation in the site are as follows: Readout of the
architectural context of the site, determining the functionality of the architectural context,
comparing cultural materials for the descriptive typology of archaeological data, determining
the relative date, estimating the area and extent of the architectural context of the site,
and studying the cultural correlation of the site with other sites and other areas.
Archaeological excavations in the Little Zab river in the areas of GirdiAshoan, Barveh, Bardeh Za... more Archaeological excavations in the Little Zab river in the areas of GirdiAshoan, Barveh, Bardeh Zard and Akhoran, in order to identify the cultural sequence of Zab, were carried out over four Seasons, which led to the identification of the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. The Zab area is one of the areas where Archeological research has been conducted infrequently, so there is no information about its cultural sequence. In the studies of the Northwestern Iran, new excavations in the Zab basin have completed the knowledge and Chronology of the region.Hasanlu VII, is of great importance in this region, but the period has been given relatively little attention. Results of Archaeological excavations show that the site is possibly the most important Early Bronze Age settlement in the region and the duration of occupation, as evidenced by a depth of deposit of 8 meters. The settlement manifests strong parallels with other parts of northwest Iran, especially Hasanlu VIIA and GirdiHasan Ali. In Hasanlu VI ,The painted ware or the Urmia type pottery became widespread in the Middle Bronze Age areas of North Western. This tepe is one of various settlements formed there in different prehistoric periods.The excavations of this tepe led to the identification of the Middle Bronze Age settlement and a burial ground. Also, the exploration of the site made visible its cultural attachment with the Urmia Lake Basin and influences from the Khabur culture of Mesopotamia. Generally The results obtained indicate Hasanlu VIII,VII ,VI in zab basin.
The excavation of the Pirtaj mound carried out by the aim of identifying the establishment sequen... more The excavation of the Pirtaj mound carried out by the aim of identifying the establishment sequence and examining the role of the region in the development of the Kura-Araxes culture. The issue that is the largest cultural phenomenon in the Near East, can provide a valuable insight into the development of this culture in one of the eastern most parts of the central Zagros. One of the reasons for the expansion of this culture seems to be the environmental changes in the Trans-Caucasian and increase in population and the shortage of environmental resources. The Pirtaj mound is located at 35 K.M of the Bijar township, Kurdistan province.The mound consists of an ancient stack with dimensions of 140 and a width of 120 meters and a height of 5 meters. In the sound of T.T.10. three layers identified. The first layer is Agricultural accumulation and the second and third layer are cultural Accumulation belonged to the Early bronze Age. The pieces of pottery, bones and ash remains are the cultural materials available in this sound. In the excavation of the T.T.11 sound, four layers were identified. The two upper layers represent the cultural accumulation Belonging to the Early bronze Age and the two lower layers represent sedimentary deposits.( Figure 3) Due to the sequence of layers in this sound, the cultural layers of the Pirtaj are formed on the surface of a low-volume and low-level natural hill. The results of the Pirtaj excavations led to the identification of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region.
Barveh Tepe, an archaeological site from the Early
Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, wa... more Barveh Tepe, an archaeological site from the Early Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, was the focus of an archaeometric analysis in this study. The aim was to evaluate the firing temperature of excavated pottery sherds from Barveh Tepe and to gain insights into the pottery-making techniques employed. A range of analytical methods, including optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), was utilized to characterize the pottery sherds. The results revealed the utilization of two primary types of raw clays: calciterich (calcareous) and calcite-poor (non-calcareous). The presence of calcite in calcareous pottery samples was confirmed, with the calcareous pottery showing a low CO3 2 vibrational band, indicating a low firing temperature. Through the integration of SEM images, FTIR spectra, TGA curve and XRD pattern results, the estimated firing temperature range for Barveh Tepe pottery was determined to be between 600 and 1100C. These findings provide new insights into the potterymaking practices of the Early Bronze Age and shed light on the technological advancements of the period.
Excavations in Tepe Barveh were conducted with the aim to shed further light on the period of pai... more Excavations in Tepe Barveh were conducted with the aim to shed further light on the period of painted Bronze Age wares and to refine the existing chronology for the Lesser Zab Basin in the first half of the 3 rd millennium BC. Thanks to its location in the upper valley of the Lesser Zab, the Barveh region served as a natural pathway for interaction between the Zagros foothills zones with the Rania and Peshdar Plain in Sulaimaniyah province in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the southern basin of Lake Urmia. By its overlapping Bronze Age sequence, the site offers a strong potential to fill the existing gap of information for the Early Bronze Age occupation in northwestern Iran. A foremost purpose of this paper is to situate Barveh within northwestern Iran, and to explore intra- and inter-regional interactions. The stratified occurrence of Painted Orange Ware (POW) is helpful to establish a sequence for the region and to fill the existing lacuna. EBA sites in northwestern Iran beyond the Kura Araxes zone remain understudied, and few sites offer deposits of considerable depth. The Early Bronze Age is generally associated with the burnished black pottery, while the orange pottery, a coeval and equally important cultural hallmark, has attracted less attention and remains a little known tradition. Hence, in light of the material culture excavated at Barveh, this paper seeks to gain an insight into the ways in which Tepe Barveh interacted with other regions dominated by the orange pottery culture. The ca. 8-meter deep EBA deposit at Barveh built up over c. 300 years and represents this period of POW in an uninterrupted sequence, attesting to cultural continuity over an extended period of time. The culture shows parallels with EBA sites in the southern Urmia Lake Basin and in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The archaeological site of Tepe Gird-i Ashoan in the Little Zab basin of Piranshahr County was ex... more The archaeological site of Tepe Gird-i Ashoan in the Little Zab basin of Piranshahr County was excavated in two consecutive seasons. The work yielded remarkable information about the regional cultural traditions in the Late Chalcolithic period. The recovered material culture indicates the presence of the chaff-faced/Pisdeli pottery tradition, and the relative chronology evinces that the strongest interactions were with Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Notwithstanding the fairly extensive archaeological work in northwest Iran, the Zab basin remains almost totally neglected as regards botanical and zoological studies. The present study explored the biological evidence from the site and attempts a reconstruction of the subsistence patterns prevailing in the Late Chalcolithic northwest Iran in light of the evidence from Gird-i Ashoan. To gain an insight into the regional societies in the 4 th and 5 th millennium BC, the subsistence patterns of the inhabitants of the Little Zab basin was examined. In effect, recovery of an abundance of ash deposits alongside other burned materials at Gird-i Ashoan permits such interdisciplinary enquiries as archaeobotany and Zooarchaeology. Drawing on excavations as well as botanical and osteological analyses, the present study attempted to explain the local subsistence patterns through a descriptive-analytical approach. Thus, the two major topics addressed here were the subsistence patterns adopted by the mid/late Chalcolithic populations of Gird-i Ashoan, and the animal species represented in the excavated assemblages. Animal husbandry seemingly constituted the major component in the local subsistence system and surpassed agriculture judging from the fact that the faunal evidence outnumbers the floral remains. Therefore, the results of the study pointed to a mixed agro-pastoral subsistence pattern, and attested to the cultivation of bread wheat and barley, indicating that agriculture also played in part in the local economy.
Many archaeological studies, especially those on obsidian artefacts and their origins, have been ... more Many archaeological studies, especially those on obsidian artefacts and their origins, have been conducted in the western half of Iran. An exception is the province of Kurdistan as previous studies have mainly taken place in the surrounding provinces. However, the diversity of prehistoric cultures in the surrounding areas increases the importance of studying sites within the province of Kurdistan. In this paper, the results from studies of Late Chalcolithic obsidian artefacts from the site of Tepe Gheshlagh in eastern Kurdistan are reported. Geochemical studies of the obsidian show that they belong to the Nemrut Dag and Meydan Dag sources located north of Lake Van in eastern Turkey. These obsidians seem to have been exchanged through Mesopotamia by paths that connect the Zagros to Tepe Gheshlagh.
Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2023
Excavations at Tepe Gheshlagh provided new information on the chronology of the eastern
areas of ... more Excavations at Tepe Gheshlagh provided new information on the chronology of the eastern areas of the Central Zagros and their interaction with the southern basin of Lake Urmia. While the cultural relationship between the two regions have been investigated in earlier archaeological studies, no information was available on the intermediate areas between these two zones: hence, more information on the Chalcolithic period in this region has been obtained through new excavations. Tepe Gheshlagh is located at the center of the Talvar valley, which connects these two regions like a natural corridor. Archaeological data suggests that cultural interactions took place between these two areas during the Chalcolithic period. Tepe Gheshlagh rises about 14 m above the surrounding lands. The excavations recognized more than 12 m of deposits of different phases from the Chalcolithic period. These phases include six cultural periods: indexes of Dalma culture from the lowermost deposit, and traces of Godin type VII from the uppermost one. This discovery indicates a non-interrupted continuity of at least two thousand years. After the Early Chalcolithic, perhaps due to ethnic displacements in the region and the replacement with the Kura-Araxes culture, this region was abandoned (contemporary with the period of Godin VII). Only two short-term occupation phases in the Late Bronze and Iron III periods were recorded at the site and, after that, the site was definitively abandoned.
The small site of Cham Routeh lies in the Seimare Valley in the Central Zagros, at the midst of a... more The small site of Cham Routeh lies in the Seimare Valley in the Central Zagros, at the midst of a canyon on the Seimare River. It represents one of the several points recently identified in regional archaeological surveys. Excavation at Cham Routeh aimed to establish the local occupational sequence and the possible function the site served. The main question the present study addresses is the situation of the settlements in the Seimare Basin in the Sasanian Period. The excavations revealed that the structures were of small floor plans, and that the foremost comparison linking Cham Routeh to other known Sasanian sites in western Iran is the typical contemporary standard pottery. Closer analysis of the pottery assemblages suggests a Sasanian date for the site, where the occupation continued well into the early Islamic centuries.
Gird-i Ashoan is a prehistoric mound in the Zab River basin in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan. The e... more Gird-i Ashoan is a prehistoric mound in the Zab River basin in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan. The existence of an 8m-deep Late Chalcolithic deposit at the site seems to suggest that it was the place of the principal regional centre in the Late Chalcolithic (Hasanlu Period VIII). The site was excavated with the aim of delving into the cultural circumstances of the Zab basin during this period. After the Late Chalcolithic, Gird-i Ashoan was abandoned and would be reused only in the early Islamic era, as a cemetery. In this paper, an attempt is made to explain the cultural relations of the Zab basin with other regions by presenting a detailed stratigraphy, and an analysis of the recovered architectural remains and small finds. A distinctive characteristic of the Late Chalcolithic of northwestern Iran is Chaff-Faced Ware, a pottery tradition which appears over a vast geographical area due to exchanges between the eastern highlands and the western lowlands, especially during the Late Chalcolithic. The relative chronology and results of the excavation point towards cultural links between the Zab basin and Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia.
Excavations at Gird-i Ashoan, an archaeological mound in Piranshahr County in the Lower Zab Basin... more Excavations at Gird-i Ashoan, an archaeological mound in Piranshahr County in the Lower Zab Basin, have provided remarkable insights into the cultural traditions of the region during the Late Chalcolithic. Whilst reflecting some indigenous peculiarities, its material culture exhibits broad affinities with Northwestern Iran, the Caucasus, and Anatolia. This evinces the spread of the Late Chalcolithic (LC) cultures, especially LC2-3, over vast territories, which could imply either population movements or the spread of a certain pastoralist subsistence system. The central stimulus was favorable climatic conditions, presumably a significant reduction in cold that fostered a climate almost similar to present conditions. Building on the finds from Gird-i Ashoan, the present paper addresses the reasons for the chaff-faced pottery's extension over a wide geographic area from the Caucasus to Mesopotamia, northern Syria and northwestern Iran. Excavations at the site brought to light a Late Chalcolithic settlement of an unprecedentedly substantial range, consisting of about 8 m of continuous deposits. The pottery assemblages from the site include chaff-faced ware and Painted Pisdeli ware, suggesting that the site's strongest interactions were with the Caucasus, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia.
Journal of Iran's Pre-Islamic Archaeological Essays /, 2021
Girdi Ashoan tepe is located on the eastern edge of Piranshahr plain, and on the eastern side
of ... more Girdi Ashoan tepe is located on the eastern edge of Piranshahr plain, and on the eastern side of Lavin river. The site is within the boundaries of the modern village, flanked by its buildings. It is a mound with a circular base of about 55 m in diameter. Measuring about 55m north-south and 50m east-west, it occupies a total area of ca. 2750 sq. m. The east and south slopes gently descend against the walls of the villagers’ houses. Archaeological excavations of Girdi Ashoan hill led to the identification of cultural materials of the Iron Age II-III. Northwestern Iran has been very important due to its special strategic position and has had a great cultural impact from the Caucasus, Anatolia and Mesopotamia since the fifth millennium BC. In later periods, especially in the Iron Age, the region was strongly influenced by political issues. Recent studies in new archaeological sites expand our knowledge of Iron Age II/ III. As a result of archeological excavations in this hill, three cultural periods were identified. Phase I- Islamic Cemetery. Phase II - Iron Age III, Phase III, - Chalcolithic period. According to the preliminary results of the Iron Age III, it is considered as one of the important cultural periods of Girdi Ashoan. Therefore, in this article, the results of the study of cultural materials of the Iron Age III are presented. This article tries to answer the question of how the cultural relations of the area with the neighboring areas have been by descriptive / analytical method and by studying the cultural materials of Girdi Ashoan. The results of studies and relative chronology of pottery showed that the most interactions and cultural influences were with areas of Anatolia, Bukan, zandane Suleiman and parts of Kurdistan. The present study is based on archaeological excavations and then chronology of cultural materials. During this excavation, it was found that the cultural basin of Mana government is known in the southern region of Lake Urmia (lesser Zab basin of Piranshahr).
In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replac... more In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replacing the glossy black burnished pottery. Painted ware, also termed Urmia Ware, became widespread in Northwest Iran in the Middle Bronze Age. The same scenario is reflected at the archaeological mound of Barde Zard in the Little Zab Basin. Situated in Piranshahr city of West Azerbaijan Province, this settlement represents one of the several formed across the basin in prehistoric times. The fieldwork at the site was aimed at specifying the occupation sequence, the cultural interactions of its residents with neighboring regions, and the characteristics of the Middle Bronze Age there. The excavations at the mound brought to light a mid-Bronze structure associated with a burial. Also identified were cultural ties with the Urmia Lake Basin and inspirations from the Khabur tradition of Mesopotamia.
The aim of this paper is to date, introduce and document the ancient
Jareh bridge-dam which had r... more The aim of this paper is to date, introduce and document the ancient Jareh bridge-dam which had remained intact for hundreds of years, and was submerged in 2015 due to the construction of a new, larger dam on the Zard River. It is a solid structure with a height of 19 meters and a length of more than 89 m. The width of this dam from one end to the other varies from 1 m to 10 m. The location of this bridge is appropriate in terms of the river’s course according to the type of the land, materials and design of the base, body and calculation of resistance during the outbreak of water, which are fastened to the base strength with their rocks and masonry. This dam can be found 35 km northwest of the Ramhormoz township in Khuzestan province, Iran; and has been constructed in narrow valleys within the Zard River by stones and plaster. Two OSL samples were taken from this bridge in 2007. By employing the Minimum Age Model, the date of erection of the Jareh bridge-dam was estimated to be between 1420-2090 years ago, falling within the Sassanid period. The Jareh bridge-dam is one of the largest Sasanian bridge-dams in the Khuzestan province. This study provides an understanding of the performance, the structure, and the hydraulic mechanism of the Jareh bridge-dam, and also the role played by it as a deterrent against the outbreak of the Zard River.
In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replac... more In the wake of the Kura-Araxes horizon, a major cultural shift brake out with painted ware replacing the glossy black burnished pottery. Painted ware, also termed Urmia Ware, became widespread in Northwest Iran in the Middle Bronze Age. The same scenario is reflected at the archaeological mound of Barde Zard in the Little Zab Basin. Situated in Piranshahr city of West Azerbaijan Province, this settlement represents one of the several formed across the basin in prehistoric times. The fieldwork at the site was aimed at specifying the occupation sequence, the cultural interactions of its residents with neighboring regions, and the characteristics of the Middle Bronze Age there. The excavations at the mound brought to light a mid-Bronze structure associated with a burial. Also identified were cultural ties with the Urmia Lake Basin and inspirations from the Khabur tradition of Mesopotamia.
Sounding at the archaeological site of Tepe Pirtaj in Bijar of Kurdistan aimed to investigate the... more Sounding at the archaeological site of Tepe Pirtaj in Bijar of Kurdistan aimed to investigate the foremost cultural phenomenon of the third millennium bce across the Near East, namely the Kura-Araxes culture, in the eastern Central Zagros, as the site promised to provide important insights into the spread of the culture in an easternmost tract of the Central Zagros. Characterized by a grey body often bearing incised decorations, the Kura-Araxes material from Pirtaj shows high expertise in manufacture. The present study explored the pottery technology and manufacturing by selecting a sample of 12 sherds for petrographic and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses. The main objective was to examine the composition and structure, differences and comparisons, firing temperature and origin (local or imported) of the ceramics. This is of particular significance given the dearth of contemporaneous sites in Bijar. Petrographic and XRF analyses showed the ceramics to be indigenous to the region and, thus, locally produced. The whole sample was found to have been fired at temperatures below 800°C. Geological data attest to the abundance of slate, lime, quartz and calcite in the regional mountains and sediments. Thus the ceramics were locally produced, though some slight differences are discernible as regards technological aspects.
Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2020
The Cham Ruoteh site is located along the Seymare River, Sirvan Township, in the Ilam
Province. ... more The Cham Ruoteh site is located along the Seymare River, Sirvan Township, in the Ilam
Province. The Seymare River has created very favorable conditions in the valleys and plains
in the part of the central Zagros Mountains and caused many habitats and settlements to
form on its margin. Of course, the impassable routes and highlands have reduced the amount
of communication that has led to the formation of local native cultures in this area.
The Cham Routeh site is one of the most endangered sites that is located within the catchment
area of the Seymare Dam. Due to the filling of the Seymare Dam it will be drowned.
The goals of salvage archaeological excavation in the site are as follows: Readout of the
architectural context of the site, determining the functionality of the architectural context,
comparing cultural materials for the descriptive typology of archaeological data, determining
the relative date, estimating the area and extent of the architectural context of the site,
and studying the cultural correlation of the site with other sites and other areas.
Archaeological excavations in the Little Zab river in the areas of GirdiAshoan, Barveh, Bardeh Za... more Archaeological excavations in the Little Zab river in the areas of GirdiAshoan, Barveh, Bardeh Zard and Akhoran, in order to identify the cultural sequence of Zab, were carried out over four Seasons, which led to the identification of the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. The Zab area is one of the areas where Archeological research has been conducted infrequently, so there is no information about its cultural sequence. In the studies of the Northwestern Iran, new excavations in the Zab basin have completed the knowledge and Chronology of the region.Hasanlu VII, is of great importance in this region, but the period has been given relatively little attention. Results of Archaeological excavations show that the site is possibly the most important Early Bronze Age settlement in the region and the duration of occupation, as evidenced by a depth of deposit of 8 meters. The settlement manifests strong parallels with other parts of northwest Iran, especially Hasanlu VIIA and GirdiHasan Ali. In Hasanlu VI ,The painted ware or the Urmia type pottery became widespread in the Middle Bronze Age areas of North Western. This tepe is one of various settlements formed there in different prehistoric periods.The excavations of this tepe led to the identification of the Middle Bronze Age settlement and a burial ground. Also, the exploration of the site made visible its cultural attachment with the Urmia Lake Basin and influences from the Khabur culture of Mesopotamia. Generally The results obtained indicate Hasanlu VIII,VII ,VI in zab basin.
The excavation of the Pirtaj mound carried out by the aim of identifying the establishment sequen... more The excavation of the Pirtaj mound carried out by the aim of identifying the establishment sequence and examining the role of the region in the development of the Kura-Araxes culture. The issue that is the largest cultural phenomenon in the Near East, can provide a valuable insight into the development of this culture in one of the eastern most parts of the central Zagros. One of the reasons for the expansion of this culture seems to be the environmental changes in the Trans-Caucasian and increase in population and the shortage of environmental resources. The Pirtaj mound is located at 35 K.M of the Bijar township, Kurdistan province.The mound consists of an ancient stack with dimensions of 140 and a width of 120 meters and a height of 5 meters. In the sound of T.T.10. three layers identified. The first layer is Agricultural accumulation and the second and third layer are cultural Accumulation belonged to the Early bronze Age. The pieces of pottery, bones and ash remains are the cultural materials available in this sound. In the excavation of the T.T.11 sound, four layers were identified. The two upper layers represent the cultural accumulation Belonging to the Early bronze Age and the two lower layers represent sedimentary deposits.( Figure 3) Due to the sequence of layers in this sound, the cultural layers of the Pirtaj are formed on the surface of a low-volume and low-level natural hill. The results of the Pirtaj excavations led to the identification of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region.
Abstract
A research project in the area of the Jareh Dam, northeast of the city of Ramhormoz, was... more Abstract A research project in the area of the Jareh Dam, northeast of the city of Ramhormoz, was conducted under my supervision in Khuzestan province, Iran. At this stage of the field research, the dam extends to a height of about 500 meters above sea level and the pond covers an area of about 14km². This area was subjected to Archaeological surface survey. Several settlements were observed in the dam area, mostly belonging to historic and Islamic periods with glazed or painted pottery. One site, Kalge Tepe, belongs to the Susiana period. These have mainly been identified near border of villages and in the current settlements that represent the displacement and restriction on the location of settlements. The main goals of exploring this area, in addition to locating and preserving the sites as defined for the entire Jareh Dam project area, were to determine the residential context and understand its architecture spaces, reconstruct settlement patterns in different historical periods, and identify cultural interactions between the cultures of the region. According to relative chronology, the architecture shows three residential phases, with Phase 1 and 2 belonging to the Sassanian to Islamic period (Ilkhani period), and the third phase belonging to the Nomadic tribes of recent decades.
Cultural traditions of the little zab basin in the 3th Millennium BC in light of recent excavatio... more Cultural traditions of the little zab basin in the 3th Millennium BC in light of recent excavations in NW Iran
cultural heritage organization (iranian center for archaeology research), 2020
thos book deals about early chalcolithic (Dalma) period in east of central zagros and northwest o... more thos book deals about early chalcolithic (Dalma) period in east of central zagros and northwest of iran.
This book deals about 3 seasons excavation in Gheshlagh tepe in east of central zagros. Results ... more This book deals about 3 seasons excavation in Gheshlagh tepe in east of central zagros. Results of archaeological excavations shows early (Dalma traditions with 9 deposit and 4 architecture phases ) ,middle and late chalcolithic period with 3 architecture phases.
Uploads
Papers by mahnaz sharifi
Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, was the
focus of an archaeometric analysis in this study. The
aim was to evaluate the firing temperature of excavated
pottery sherds from Barveh Tepe and to gain insights
into the pottery-making techniques employed. A range
of analytical methods, including optical microscopy,
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning
electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive
X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis
(TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), was utilized to
characterize the pottery sherds. The results revealed the
utilization of two primary types of raw clays: calciterich
(calcareous) and calcite-poor (non-calcareous).
The presence of calcite in calcareous pottery samples
was confirmed, with the calcareous pottery showing a
low CO3
2 vibrational band, indicating a low firing
temperature. Through the integration of SEM images, FTIR spectra, TGA curve and XRD pattern results,
the estimated firing temperature range for Barveh Tepe
pottery was determined to be between 600 and 1100C.
These findings provide new insights into the potterymaking
practices of the Early Bronze Age and shed
light on the technological advancements of the period.
deposit at Barveh built up over c. 300 years and represents this period of POW in an uninterrupted sequence, attesting to cultural continuity over an extended period of time. The culture shows parallels with EBA sites in the southern Urmia Lake Basin and in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Iraqi Kurdistan.
areas of the Central Zagros and their interaction with the southern basin of Lake Urmia.
While the cultural relationship between the two regions have been investigated in earlier
archaeological studies, no information was available on the intermediate areas between
these two zones: hence, more information on the Chalcolithic period in this region has been
obtained through new excavations. Tepe Gheshlagh is located at the center of the Talvar valley,
which connects these two regions like a natural corridor. Archaeological data suggests
that cultural interactions took place between these two areas during the Chalcolithic period.
Tepe Gheshlagh rises about 14 m above the surrounding lands. The excavations recognized
more than 12 m of deposits of different phases from the Chalcolithic period. These phases
include six cultural periods: indexes of Dalma culture from the lowermost deposit, and traces
of Godin type VII from the uppermost one. This discovery indicates a non-interrupted
continuity of at least two thousand years. After the Early Chalcolithic, perhaps due to ethnic
displacements in the region and the replacement with the Kura-Araxes culture, this region
was abandoned (contemporary with the period of Godin VII). Only two short-term occupation
phases in the Late Bronze and Iron III periods were recorded at the site and, after that,
the site was definitively abandoned.
of an 8m-deep Late Chalcolithic deposit at the site seems to suggest that it was the place of the principal
regional centre in the Late Chalcolithic (Hasanlu Period VIII). The site was excavated with the aim
of delving into the cultural circumstances of the Zab basin during this period. After the Late Chalcolithic,
Gird-i Ashoan was abandoned and would be reused only in the early Islamic era, as a cemetery. In this
paper, an attempt is made to explain the cultural relations of the Zab basin with other regions by presenting
a detailed stratigraphy, and an analysis of the recovered architectural remains and small finds.
A distinctive characteristic of the Late Chalcolithic of northwestern Iran is Chaff-Faced Ware, a pottery
tradition which appears over a vast geographical area due to exchanges between the eastern highlands and
the western lowlands, especially during the Late Chalcolithic. The relative chronology and results of the
excavation point towards cultural links between the Zab basin and Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia.
of Lavin river. The site is within the boundaries of the modern village, flanked by its
buildings. It is a mound with a circular base of about 55 m in diameter. Measuring about 55m
north-south and 50m east-west, it occupies a total area of ca. 2750 sq. m. The east and south
slopes gently descend against the walls of the villagers’ houses. Archaeological excavations of
Girdi Ashoan hill led to the identification of cultural materials of the Iron Age II-III.
Northwestern Iran has been very important due to its special strategic position and has had a
great cultural impact from the Caucasus, Anatolia and Mesopotamia since the fifth
millennium BC. In later periods, especially in the Iron Age, the region was strongly
influenced by political issues. Recent studies in new archaeological sites expand our
knowledge of Iron Age II/ III. As a result of archeological excavations in this hill, three
cultural periods were identified. Phase I- Islamic Cemetery. Phase II - Iron Age III, Phase III,
- Chalcolithic period. According to the preliminary results of the Iron Age III, it is considered
as one of the important cultural periods of Girdi Ashoan. Therefore, in this article, the results
of the study of cultural materials of the Iron Age III are presented. This article tries to answer
the question of how the cultural relations of the area with the neighboring areas have been by
descriptive / analytical method and by studying the cultural materials of Girdi Ashoan. The
results of studies and relative chronology of pottery showed that the most interactions and
cultural influences were with areas of Anatolia, Bukan, zandane Suleiman and parts of
Kurdistan. The present study is based on archaeological excavations and then chronology of
cultural materials. During this excavation, it was found that the cultural basin of Mana
government is known in the southern region of Lake Urmia (lesser Zab basin of Piranshahr).
Jareh bridge-dam which had remained intact for hundreds of years, and was submerged
in 2015 due to the construction of a new, larger dam on the Zard River.
It is a solid structure with a height of 19 meters and a length of more than 89 m.
The width of this dam from one end to the other varies from 1 m to 10 m. The
location of this bridge is appropriate in terms of the river’s course according to
the type of the land, materials and design of the base, body and calculation of
resistance during the outbreak of water, which are fastened to the base strength
with their rocks and masonry. This dam can be found 35 km northwest of the
Ramhormoz township in Khuzestan province, Iran; and has been constructed in
narrow valleys within the Zard River by stones and plaster. Two OSL samples
were taken from this bridge in 2007. By employing the Minimum Age Model, the
date of erection of the Jareh bridge-dam was estimated to be between 1420-2090
years ago, falling within the Sassanid period. The Jareh bridge-dam is one of the
largest Sasanian bridge-dams in the Khuzestan province. This study provides an
understanding of the performance, the structure, and the hydraulic mechanism of
the Jareh bridge-dam, and also the role played by it as a deterrent against the
outbreak of the Zard River.
Province. The Seymare River has created very favorable conditions in the valleys and plains
in the part of the central Zagros Mountains and caused many habitats and settlements to
form on its margin. Of course, the impassable routes and highlands have reduced the amount
of communication that has led to the formation of local native cultures in this area.
The Cham Routeh site is one of the most endangered sites that is located within the catchment
area of the Seymare Dam. Due to the filling of the Seymare Dam it will be drowned.
The goals of salvage archaeological excavation in the site are as follows: Readout of the
architectural context of the site, determining the functionality of the architectural context,
comparing cultural materials for the descriptive typology of archaeological data, determining
the relative date, estimating the area and extent of the architectural context of the site,
and studying the cultural correlation of the site with other sites and other areas.
The Pirtaj mound is located at 35 K.M of the Bijar township, Kurdistan province.The mound consists of an ancient stack with dimensions of 140 and a width of 120 meters and a height of 5 meters. In the sound of T.T.10. three layers identified. The first layer is Agricultural accumulation and the second and third layer are cultural Accumulation belonged to the Early bronze Age. The pieces of pottery, bones and ash remains are the cultural materials available in this sound. In the excavation of the T.T.11 sound, four layers were identified. The two upper layers represent the cultural accumulation Belonging to the Early bronze Age and the two lower layers represent sedimentary deposits.( Figure 3) Due to the sequence of layers in this sound, the cultural layers of the Pirtaj are formed on the surface of a low-volume and low-level natural hill. The results of the Pirtaj excavations led to the identification of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region.
Bronze Age in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, was the
focus of an archaeometric analysis in this study. The
aim was to evaluate the firing temperature of excavated
pottery sherds from Barveh Tepe and to gain insights
into the pottery-making techniques employed. A range
of analytical methods, including optical microscopy,
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning
electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive
X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis
(TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), was utilized to
characterize the pottery sherds. The results revealed the
utilization of two primary types of raw clays: calciterich
(calcareous) and calcite-poor (non-calcareous).
The presence of calcite in calcareous pottery samples
was confirmed, with the calcareous pottery showing a
low CO3
2 vibrational band, indicating a low firing
temperature. Through the integration of SEM images, FTIR spectra, TGA curve and XRD pattern results,
the estimated firing temperature range for Barveh Tepe
pottery was determined to be between 600 and 1100C.
These findings provide new insights into the potterymaking
practices of the Early Bronze Age and shed
light on the technological advancements of the period.
deposit at Barveh built up over c. 300 years and represents this period of POW in an uninterrupted sequence, attesting to cultural continuity over an extended period of time. The culture shows parallels with EBA sites in the southern Urmia Lake Basin and in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Iraqi Kurdistan.
areas of the Central Zagros and their interaction with the southern basin of Lake Urmia.
While the cultural relationship between the two regions have been investigated in earlier
archaeological studies, no information was available on the intermediate areas between
these two zones: hence, more information on the Chalcolithic period in this region has been
obtained through new excavations. Tepe Gheshlagh is located at the center of the Talvar valley,
which connects these two regions like a natural corridor. Archaeological data suggests
that cultural interactions took place between these two areas during the Chalcolithic period.
Tepe Gheshlagh rises about 14 m above the surrounding lands. The excavations recognized
more than 12 m of deposits of different phases from the Chalcolithic period. These phases
include six cultural periods: indexes of Dalma culture from the lowermost deposit, and traces
of Godin type VII from the uppermost one. This discovery indicates a non-interrupted
continuity of at least two thousand years. After the Early Chalcolithic, perhaps due to ethnic
displacements in the region and the replacement with the Kura-Araxes culture, this region
was abandoned (contemporary with the period of Godin VII). Only two short-term occupation
phases in the Late Bronze and Iron III periods were recorded at the site and, after that,
the site was definitively abandoned.
of an 8m-deep Late Chalcolithic deposit at the site seems to suggest that it was the place of the principal
regional centre in the Late Chalcolithic (Hasanlu Period VIII). The site was excavated with the aim
of delving into the cultural circumstances of the Zab basin during this period. After the Late Chalcolithic,
Gird-i Ashoan was abandoned and would be reused only in the early Islamic era, as a cemetery. In this
paper, an attempt is made to explain the cultural relations of the Zab basin with other regions by presenting
a detailed stratigraphy, and an analysis of the recovered architectural remains and small finds.
A distinctive characteristic of the Late Chalcolithic of northwestern Iran is Chaff-Faced Ware, a pottery
tradition which appears over a vast geographical area due to exchanges between the eastern highlands and
the western lowlands, especially during the Late Chalcolithic. The relative chronology and results of the
excavation point towards cultural links between the Zab basin and Caucasia, Anatolia and Mesopotamia.
of Lavin river. The site is within the boundaries of the modern village, flanked by its
buildings. It is a mound with a circular base of about 55 m in diameter. Measuring about 55m
north-south and 50m east-west, it occupies a total area of ca. 2750 sq. m. The east and south
slopes gently descend against the walls of the villagers’ houses. Archaeological excavations of
Girdi Ashoan hill led to the identification of cultural materials of the Iron Age II-III.
Northwestern Iran has been very important due to its special strategic position and has had a
great cultural impact from the Caucasus, Anatolia and Mesopotamia since the fifth
millennium BC. In later periods, especially in the Iron Age, the region was strongly
influenced by political issues. Recent studies in new archaeological sites expand our
knowledge of Iron Age II/ III. As a result of archeological excavations in this hill, three
cultural periods were identified. Phase I- Islamic Cemetery. Phase II - Iron Age III, Phase III,
- Chalcolithic period. According to the preliminary results of the Iron Age III, it is considered
as one of the important cultural periods of Girdi Ashoan. Therefore, in this article, the results
of the study of cultural materials of the Iron Age III are presented. This article tries to answer
the question of how the cultural relations of the area with the neighboring areas have been by
descriptive / analytical method and by studying the cultural materials of Girdi Ashoan. The
results of studies and relative chronology of pottery showed that the most interactions and
cultural influences were with areas of Anatolia, Bukan, zandane Suleiman and parts of
Kurdistan. The present study is based on archaeological excavations and then chronology of
cultural materials. During this excavation, it was found that the cultural basin of Mana
government is known in the southern region of Lake Urmia (lesser Zab basin of Piranshahr).
Jareh bridge-dam which had remained intact for hundreds of years, and was submerged
in 2015 due to the construction of a new, larger dam on the Zard River.
It is a solid structure with a height of 19 meters and a length of more than 89 m.
The width of this dam from one end to the other varies from 1 m to 10 m. The
location of this bridge is appropriate in terms of the river’s course according to
the type of the land, materials and design of the base, body and calculation of
resistance during the outbreak of water, which are fastened to the base strength
with their rocks and masonry. This dam can be found 35 km northwest of the
Ramhormoz township in Khuzestan province, Iran; and has been constructed in
narrow valleys within the Zard River by stones and plaster. Two OSL samples
were taken from this bridge in 2007. By employing the Minimum Age Model, the
date of erection of the Jareh bridge-dam was estimated to be between 1420-2090
years ago, falling within the Sassanid period. The Jareh bridge-dam is one of the
largest Sasanian bridge-dams in the Khuzestan province. This study provides an
understanding of the performance, the structure, and the hydraulic mechanism of
the Jareh bridge-dam, and also the role played by it as a deterrent against the
outbreak of the Zard River.
Province. The Seymare River has created very favorable conditions in the valleys and plains
in the part of the central Zagros Mountains and caused many habitats and settlements to
form on its margin. Of course, the impassable routes and highlands have reduced the amount
of communication that has led to the formation of local native cultures in this area.
The Cham Routeh site is one of the most endangered sites that is located within the catchment
area of the Seymare Dam. Due to the filling of the Seymare Dam it will be drowned.
The goals of salvage archaeological excavation in the site are as follows: Readout of the
architectural context of the site, determining the functionality of the architectural context,
comparing cultural materials for the descriptive typology of archaeological data, determining
the relative date, estimating the area and extent of the architectural context of the site,
and studying the cultural correlation of the site with other sites and other areas.
The Pirtaj mound is located at 35 K.M of the Bijar township, Kurdistan province.The mound consists of an ancient stack with dimensions of 140 and a width of 120 meters and a height of 5 meters. In the sound of T.T.10. three layers identified. The first layer is Agricultural accumulation and the second and third layer are cultural Accumulation belonged to the Early bronze Age. The pieces of pottery, bones and ash remains are the cultural materials available in this sound. In the excavation of the T.T.11 sound, four layers were identified. The two upper layers represent the cultural accumulation Belonging to the Early bronze Age and the two lower layers represent sedimentary deposits.( Figure 3) Due to the sequence of layers in this sound, the cultural layers of the Pirtaj are formed on the surface of a low-volume and low-level natural hill. The results of the Pirtaj excavations led to the identification of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region.
A research project in the area of the Jareh Dam, northeast of the city of Ramhormoz, was conducted
under my supervision in Khuzestan province, Iran. At this stage of the field research, the dam extends to
a height of about 500 meters above sea level and the pond covers an area of about 14km². This area was
subjected to Archaeological surface survey. Several settlements were observed in the dam area, mostly
belonging to historic and Islamic periods with glazed or painted pottery. One site, Kalge Tepe, belongs
to the Susiana period. These have mainly been identified near border of villages and in the current settlements
that represent the displacement and restriction on the location of settlements. The main goals
of exploring this area, in addition to locating and preserving the sites as defined for the entire Jareh Dam
project area, were to determine the residential context and understand its architecture spaces, reconstruct
settlement patterns in different historical periods, and identify cultural interactions between the
cultures of the region. According to relative chronology, the architecture shows three residential phases,
with Phase 1 and 2 belonging to the Sassanian to Islamic period (Ilkhani period), and the third phase
belonging to the Nomadic tribes of recent decades.