این فایل شامل بخش اول شمارۀ چهارم مجلۀ جامعۀ باستان شناسی ایران از صفحۀ 1 تا 103 است.
این فایل شامل بخش دوم شمارۀ چهارم مجلۀ جامعۀ باستان شناسی ایران از صفحۀ 104 تا 195 است.
چرا نام موسسۀ شرقی دانشگاه شیکاگو تغییر کرد؟
درسی از جدی ترین بحران دهۀ اخیر در موزۀ بریتانیا
With increasing awareness of climate change, war and conflicts, social inequalities, and environmental crises, there has been a growing interest in concepts such as sustainable development and resilience. This shift has also found its... more
With increasing awareness of climate change, war and conflicts, social inequalities, and environmental crises, there has been a growing interest in concepts such as sustainable development and resilience. This shift has also found its place in various scientific disciplines, including archaeology. The ability of societies to withstand these unpredictable changes lies in their knowledge of effective strategies to navigate such conditions. This knowledge and experience can empower us to consciously manage
resources, effectively address crises, and adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of the modern world. These approaches are still relatively new and not as widely recognized as they should be. Consequently,
this article aims to introduce the resilience approach and explore its application in archaeology. It delves into the background of the term, provides a general definition, and presents various interdisciplinary
approaches associated with this framework. Given the current conditions in Iran, embracing these interdisciplinary and multidimensional approaches can transform archaeology to resonate with society.
Moreover, it establishes a vital connection between the past and the present of Iran.
resources, effectively address crises, and adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of the modern world. These approaches are still relatively new and not as widely recognized as they should be. Consequently,
this article aims to introduce the resilience approach and explore its application in archaeology. It delves into the background of the term, provides a general definition, and presents various interdisciplinary
approaches associated with this framework. Given the current conditions in Iran, embracing these interdisciplinary and multidimensional approaches can transform archaeology to resonate with society.
Moreover, it establishes a vital connection between the past and the present of Iran.
This article introduces the Rahimābād-e Poshtroud archaeological site located 2.5 km east of the citadel of Bam and the central limits of the Bam cultural landscape. The site presents on its surface a variety of pottery sherds from late... more
This article introduces the Rahimābād-e Poshtroud archaeological site located 2.5 km east of the citadel of Bam and the central limits of the Bam cultural landscape. The site presents on its surface a variety of pottery sherds from late Chalcolithic up to the middle Bronze Age (4000-2500 B.C). During the typological comparisons for relative dating of the site, not only a relative chronology was acquired, it was revealed that this settlement had vast connections with cultural domains of southeastern Iran,
Helmand, and south and southwest Afghanistan. Additional information about a possible older occupation requires archaeological excavations.
Helmand, and south and southwest Afghanistan. Additional information about a possible older occupation requires archaeological excavations.
With the development of cuneiform studies and the discovery of more textual evidence from the cuneiform archives in western Asia, the evidence of Indo-Iranian presence in the second millennium BC in the region becomes clearer. Among the... more
With the development of cuneiform studies and the discovery of more textual evidence from the cuneiform archives in western Asia, the evidence of Indo-Iranian presence in the second millennium BC in the region becomes clearer. Among the critical documents published by researchers, one can mention the treaty between the Hittite king Šuppiluliuma and the Mitanni prince Šattiwazza (CTH 51 and CTH 52) from the middle of the 14th century BC. The treaty was found during excavations at Hattuša, the capital city of the Hittites (now Boğazkale), and it contains significant historical accounts regarding the political developments between the Hittite and Mitanni kingdoms, which led to Šuppiluliuma's expedition into the western territories of the Mitanni kingdom, supporting Šattiwazza
in reaching the Mitanni throne. Apart from the historical importance of the treaty, attestations of the Indo-Aryan gods Mitra, Varuṇa, Nāsatyas, and Indra, as well as throne names like Šattiwazza and Artatama, have made the treaty significant textual evidence of the presence of the Indo-Aryans and their gods in the middle of the second millennium BC in western Asia. The treaty also plays a significant role in the field of Iranian studies. Since there is no complete Persian translation of the treaty, I have decided
to translate the entire text of CTH 51 (based on the Akkadian version) into Persian and briefly discuss historical and linguistic issues concerning the treaty.
in reaching the Mitanni throne. Apart from the historical importance of the treaty, attestations of the Indo-Aryan gods Mitra, Varuṇa, Nāsatyas, and Indra, as well as throne names like Šattiwazza and Artatama, have made the treaty significant textual evidence of the presence of the Indo-Aryans and their gods in the middle of the second millennium BC in western Asia. The treaty also plays a significant role in the field of Iranian studies. Since there is no complete Persian translation of the treaty, I have decided
to translate the entire text of CTH 51 (based on the Akkadian version) into Persian and briefly discuss historical and linguistic issues concerning the treaty.
Archaeological remains from burials in eastern Iran, particularly Khorāsān south province are limited. Therefore, the burial traditions of this region cannot be securely categorized. Nevertheless, five burial traditions have been... more
Archaeological remains from burials in eastern Iran, particularly Khorāsān south province are limited. Therefore, the burial traditions of this region cannot be securely categorized. Nevertheless, five burial traditions have been attested: pit graves, cairns, riveted graves, pithos burials, and tower of
silence. Although evidence for the two latter is not conclusive. One of the achievements of the current study is the representation of the northern limit of the territory within which cairn burial was practiced.
silence. Although evidence for the two latter is not conclusive. One of the achievements of the current study is the representation of the northern limit of the territory within which cairn burial was practiced.
Qalʼeh Dokhtar Bajak, was discovered during an archaeological survey in 2009 in the Tashān region, situated in the northern part of Behbahān. It is a single period site. There are no potsherds from the Islamic period on the surface of the... more
Qalʼeh Dokhtar Bajak, was discovered during an archaeological survey in 2009 in the Tashān region, situated in the northern part of Behbahān. It is a single period site. There are no potsherds from the Islamic period on the surface of the site, suggesting the possibility that the site was exclusively occupied during the Sassanian period. Therefore, the surface pottery could serve as the characteristic pottery of the Sassanian period in eastern Khuzestan, particularly in Behbahān Plain. This should be noted that
the proposed dating is based on surface survey and comparative chronology and needs to be confirmed through excavation and absolute dating.
the proposed dating is based on surface survey and comparative chronology and needs to be confirmed through excavation and absolute dating.
This article introduces a number of Islamic-era scripts and motifs discovered during the 2021 survey at the northwestern entrance of the Apadana Hall in Persepolis. The most eminent motif is a Qibla compass engraved on the surface of the... more
This article introduces a number of Islamic-era scripts and motifs discovered during
the 2021 survey at the northwestern entrance of the Apadana Hall in Persepolis. The most eminent
motif is a Qibla compass engraved on the surface of the western pillar of the entrance. The
inscriptions seem to be prayers. This paper includes the documentation, reading, and interpretation
of inscriptions and graffiti, suggesting that during the first few centuries after Islam a local
mosque may have been constructed here. These remains might be related to the “Solomon’s
Mosque” in Persepolis reported by the early Islamic sources.
the 2021 survey at the northwestern entrance of the Apadana Hall in Persepolis. The most eminent
motif is a Qibla compass engraved on the surface of the western pillar of the entrance. The
inscriptions seem to be prayers. This paper includes the documentation, reading, and interpretation
of inscriptions and graffiti, suggesting that during the first few centuries after Islam a local
mosque may have been constructed here. These remains might be related to the “Solomon’s
Mosque” in Persepolis reported by the early Islamic sources.
The Nizari Ismailis occupied the Qumis province for about two centuries, and their importance in the area after Alamut and Quhestān led to numerous forts being captured. One of the most famous fortress of the Ismaili state of Iran in the... more
The Nizari Ismailis occupied the Qumis province for about two centuries, and their importance in the area after Alamut and Quhestān led to numerous forts being captured. One of the most famous fortress of the Ismaili state of Iran in the Qumis province is Mehrin or Mehrnegār. Only a few historical sources provide us with information about this fortress, based on which the Ismaili control over the area at the end of the 11th century resulted in the capture and restoration of the Mehrnegār
fortress. Mehrnegār Fortress has been the object of studies. However, part of the fortress is still unexplored.
The present research examines the relationship between the two parts of the fortress, as well as the main sector for the first time by collecting information from historical sources, using inferential analysis and archaeological field surveys. The research attempts to show that Mehrnegār Fortress was built in two parts and on two neighbouring peaks (the main part in the east and the small fort/watch tower in the west). This is in line with the surface pottery and historical sources. According to the archaeological evidence, the fortress was first built in the Parthian period. With the Mongol invasion in the middle of the 13th century, the presence of the Ismailis in this fortress came to an end. Historical sources relate that the fortress was destroyed along with a number of other strongholds in the region, probably during the Timurid period. The Mehrnegār fortress was important in the Parthian and Sasanian periods due to its proximity to Qumis (Parthian Hecatompylos?) and its location on the most
suitable road connecting Qumis to Hyrcania. In the Islamic period, its strategic role on the road from Dāmghān to Astarābād and Shahriārkouh was significant for the Nizari Ismailis.
fortress. Mehrnegār Fortress has been the object of studies. However, part of the fortress is still unexplored.
The present research examines the relationship between the two parts of the fortress, as well as the main sector for the first time by collecting information from historical sources, using inferential analysis and archaeological field surveys. The research attempts to show that Mehrnegār Fortress was built in two parts and on two neighbouring peaks (the main part in the east and the small fort/watch tower in the west). This is in line with the surface pottery and historical sources. According to the archaeological evidence, the fortress was first built in the Parthian period. With the Mongol invasion in the middle of the 13th century, the presence of the Ismailis in this fortress came to an end. Historical sources relate that the fortress was destroyed along with a number of other strongholds in the region, probably during the Timurid period. The Mehrnegār fortress was important in the Parthian and Sasanian periods due to its proximity to Qumis (Parthian Hecatompylos?) and its location on the most
suitable road connecting Qumis to Hyrcania. In the Islamic period, its strategic role on the road from Dāmghān to Astarābād and Shahriārkouh was significant for the Nizari Ismailis.
This paper reports on the archaeological finds through the conservation and restoration program of Bekhradi house started at the end of November 2019. This house is in Charbagh-e Pa'in (Posht-e Bāro quarter) in Isfahan, near the Safavid... more
This paper reports on the archaeological finds through the conservation and restoration program of Bekhradi house started at the end of November 2019. This house is in Charbagh-e Pa'in (Posht-e Bāro quarter) in Isfahan, near the Safavid court. During the restoration, a linear trench was
dug along the external side of the eastern wall of the house, from which a large amount of cultural remains, including glazed and plain potteries, celadons, glass sherds, human and animal bones were unearthed. Furthermore, through field survey in the vicinity of the house and examination of historical documents, parts of defensive city wall, probably from Daylamite era, as well as a tombstone from Safavid era was discovered.
dug along the external side of the eastern wall of the house, from which a large amount of cultural remains, including glazed and plain potteries, celadons, glass sherds, human and animal bones were unearthed. Furthermore, through field survey in the vicinity of the house and examination of historical documents, parts of defensive city wall, probably from Daylamite era, as well as a tombstone from Safavid era was discovered.
This article is the presentation of Tappeh Chāhār Mour and its archaeological findings. The site is located in the Dālin Plain, south of Ardakān in Sepidān County, northern Fars Province. The present research shows that Tappeh Chāhār Mour... more
This article is the presentation of Tappeh Chāhār Mour and its archaeological findings. The site
is located in the Dālin Plain, south of Ardakān in Sepidān County, northern Fars Province. The present
research shows that Tappeh Chāhār Mour more probably was a road station from the Achaemenid period
and is corresponded with the toponym Kurra. Another significant outcome of this research is the identification
of the geographical expansion of the administrative area of Sealing No. 3 known as the Kaupirriš
area mentioned in the Persepolis tablets. This area includes the northwestern part of the plain of Baizā,
the Dālin Plain, and the region of Doshman Ziyāri.
The archaeological evidence presented here refutes the geographical identification of the Kaupirriš,
administrative area with the Kāmfiruz Plain. This site was recently featured in a brief article where its
finds were only partially and somewhat inaccurately presented. To enhance and elaborate upon the
archaeological evidence from Tappeh Chāhār Mour, this paper offers a detailed discussion and critical
analysis.
is located in the Dālin Plain, south of Ardakān in Sepidān County, northern Fars Province. The present
research shows that Tappeh Chāhār Mour more probably was a road station from the Achaemenid period
and is corresponded with the toponym Kurra. Another significant outcome of this research is the identification
of the geographical expansion of the administrative area of Sealing No. 3 known as the Kaupirriš
area mentioned in the Persepolis tablets. This area includes the northwestern part of the plain of Baizā,
the Dālin Plain, and the region of Doshman Ziyāri.
The archaeological evidence presented here refutes the geographical identification of the Kaupirriš,
administrative area with the Kāmfiruz Plain. This site was recently featured in a brief article where its
finds were only partially and somewhat inaccurately presented. To enhance and elaborate upon the
archaeological evidence from Tappeh Chāhār Mour, this paper offers a detailed discussion and critical
analysis.
Remembering Seyyed Javad Tabatabaee/به یاد سید جواد طباطبائی
این فایل حاوی کل مطالب شمارۀ سوم مجلۀ جامعۀ باستان شناسی ایران است.
Urban development and the preservation of cultural heritage has been an important issue across disciplines such as urban anthropology, architecture history, sociology, and city and spatial planning around the world in the past century. It... more
Urban development and the preservation of cultural heritage has been an important issue across disciplines such as urban anthropology, architecture history, sociology, and city and spatial planning around the world in the past century. It also remains one of the most challenging issues in Iran. While development and modernization are an inevitable aspect of modern life, creating a contradiction between urban cultural heritage and the necessity of being modernized triggers tense environment among urban experts, developer, authorities, city dwellers, and urban archaeologists. Over time human settlements, particularly urban centers have always been transformed, evolved, and changed in response to political, environmental, economic, or social conditions. However, the historical and cultural heritage of each city contribute to the formation of cultural identity that fosters historical awareness. Demolishing urban cultural heritage leads to eliminating collective historical memory by breaking from the centuries of generational the cultural continuity. ’Urban Archaeology‘ has shown effectiveness in addressing the contradiction and is widely acknowledged as an effective approach. In this article we explain the significance and definition of urban archaeology, its development in Iran, and its practices in vibrant, metropolitan cities of Iran.
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Tol-e Khosrow is a key site located in Beshār valley, one of the inner valleys of Southwestern Zagros in the southeast of Yāsuj. The site was excavated in 2009. The archaeological evidence demonstrated that it is one of the few recognized... more
Tol-e Khosrow is a key site located in Beshār valley, one of the inner valleys of Southwestern Zagros in the southeast of Yāsuj. The site was excavated in 2009. The archaeological evidence demonstrated that it is one of the few recognized settlements in the region that belongs to the fifth and fourth millennium B.C.E. A pit grave containing the remains of three inhumations with three intact ceramic vessels was discovered in the lowest layers of the mound dated to the fifth millennium B.C.E. Three individuals were not buried simultaneously, and next to the last burial were found three pottery vessels. One of the grave goods is an open bowl with unique geometric and plant motifs that helps us understand the history of one of the cultural traditions in nomadic societies. These vessels significantly enable the dating of the grave, and most importantly, clarify the cultural boundaries of the Bākun A Phase in a part of the high valleys of the Zagros. Archaeological research has indicated that the Bākun A Phase, especially in its terminal stage, is essential to study the transition from simple rural communities to complex urban societies and later the formation of states. Determining the geographical extent of Bākun A culture is one of the significant issues of archaeology in southern Iran in the fifth and fourth millennia BCE.
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BMAC refers to an archaeological cultural complex (2400/2300 to 1400/1300 BC) with a set of settlements, cemeteries, industrial centers, and ritual structures which developed and expanded in the geographic area of Greater Khorasan. One of... more
BMAC refers to an archaeological cultural complex (2400/2300 to 1400/1300 BC) with a set of settlements, cemeteries, industrial centers, and ritual structures which developed and expanded in the geographic area of Greater Khorasan. One of the issues concerning the BMAC is determining a relatively precise timeframe for it in its area of geographic extension and especially in the Merv oasis as the core area for its formation. A brief overview of related resources shows that different timeframes are proposed for BMAC. For its beginning, different dates are suggested from a range between 2400 to 2100 BC and for its end, the dates between 1700 to 1300 BC. Examining different perspectives and published C.14 dates, in this paper I attempt to explain and propose a new chronology in the oasis of Merv.
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This paper surveys the material remains of Tol-e Sefid, a site located in an intermountain plain in the northwestern part of the Shiraz plain. Far from flat cultivatable plains, Tol-e Sefid is one of the few well-preserved archaeological... more
This paper surveys the material remains of Tol-e Sefid, a site located in an intermountain plain in the northwestern part of the Shiraz plain. Far from flat cultivatable plains, Tol-e Sefid is one of the few well-preserved archaeological sites of the Fars Province. The material remains are spread over a natural hill, and the archaeological layers are not deep. Surface collected material suggests two main periods of occupation: The Paleolithic and the first millennium BCE (including Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid periods). The limited ecological resources and the shallow depth of the material remains can point to a nomadic occupation.
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This paper introduces the ceramic typology of Tappeh Qasrdasht, located in the Kamin Plain, in northern Fars. Qasrdasht is a multiperiod site with an important pre-Achaemenid archaeological sequence. Before the excavation at Tappeh... more
This paper introduces the ceramic typology of Tappeh Qasrdasht, located in the Kamin Plain, in northern Fars. Qasrdasht is a multiperiod site with an important pre-Achaemenid archaeological sequence. Before the excavation at Tappeh Qasrdasht, there was a hiatus the archaeological evidence of Fars, between the Taimurān and Achaemenid periods (c. 900-600 BCE). This hiatus has often been interpreted as an increase in nomadism and subsequent changes in the region’s economic and social structures. However, the excavation at Qasrdasht has yielded ceramic finds for this poorly understood phase. Pre-Achaemenid ceramics of Qasrdasht, as the type site of this period, fall into four categories: Mottled Hand-made Ware, Burnish Orange Ware, Matt Redslipped Ware, and Smoothed plain and Painted Buff Ware. The study of these finds sheds light on a better understanding of Fars’ pre-Achaemenid pottery, and relative chronology concerning the Shoghā-Taimurān and the early Achaemenid periods.
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To avoid pollution of the three sacred natural elements such as water, earth and fire clean, according to in the Zoroastrian’s beliefs, deceased bodies should be left outdoor to decompose and then bones should be gathered and placed in... more
To avoid pollution of the three sacred natural elements such as water, earth and fire clean, according to in the Zoroastrian’s beliefs, deceased bodies should be left outdoor to decompose and then bones should be gathered and placed in the astōdāns. In another manner, bodies should be placed in a restricted but hypaethral place called Dakhma and be abandoned there. This manner of inhumation which is called the tower of silence, remained popular among Zoroastrians until recently. Although there are some references of inhumation in Pahlavic texts, but we didn’t have any archaeological pieces of evidence from the Sasanian period. In this article, two or perhaps three large structures filled with human bones will be introduced. These structures are located in a gulley near Hajiabad village in Marvdasht plain. Considering material remains and proximity to the ancient city of Istakhr, I argue that these structures represent Dakhmas serving Zoroastrians living near Istakhr and its satellite settlements. Using pottery remains from these Dakhmas, it is possible to date these structures to the Sasanian and early Islamic periods.
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The vast expanse of the Iranian Plateau falls within the arid and semi-arid zone, encouraging the historic water management strategies that focus on the use of underground water resources, such as Qanats, and the storage of seasonal... more
The vast expanse of the Iranian Plateau falls within the arid and semi-arid zone, encouraging the historic water management strategies that focus on the use of underground water resources, such as Qanats, and the storage of seasonal surface waters behind or inside various structures such as bands (dams), Ābanbārs/Houzanbārs (Pers, water reservoirs), and open water storage ponds. This paper presents an example of such water supply strategies in the medieval fortresses of the Khorasan South province of Iran, the region roughly corresponding to the historic Quhistan. Most of these fortresses, which are found on the high elevations, were probably used by Ismaʿilis. The primary water provision technique was the storage of run-off water in open water storage ponds. Some fortresses also used wells and water conveyance channels.
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During a sounding at Tis Fortress in Chabahar city of Sistān and Baluchistan province in 2009, a storage jar from early or middle Islamic era (4-8 A.H.) with a hole on its body was found. After cleaning the dirt inside the jar, a shard... more
During a sounding at Tis Fortress in Chabahar city of Sistān and Baluchistan province in 2009, a storage jar from early or middle Islamic era (4-8 A.H.) with a hole on its body was found. After cleaning the dirt inside the jar, a shard riveted to the body of the jar possibly for the purpose of restoration was also found. Usually, in the past, people didn't use riveting for the waterproofing of potteries, rather, clinching was a common restoration method. This article will focus on riveting as an unusual and failed method for the waterproofing of pottery.
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This article introduces a Bathhouse known as Dash Hammami, in the Ardabil Province of Iran. Dash Hammami (Tur. the stone bathhouse) was built in the Safavid period and is a crucial element of the local traditions and rituals. The... more
This article introduces a Bathhouse known as Dash Hammami, in the Ardabil Province of Iran. Dash Hammami (Tur. the stone bathhouse) was built in the Safavid period and is a crucial element of the local traditions and rituals. The bathhouse‘s name refers to the fact that it is a rock-cut structure with an entrance made of cobble stones. The hammam was built by expanding the outlet of a spring into a pool and adding stone benches. Yet, this spring is not the only source of water. The water from two other springs is directed to the hammam via conduit terracotta. Each spring has a different temperature. The present article introduces hammam‘s architecture, hydraulic technology, its role in the local traditions, and chronology.
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Throughout the late 4th and all of the 3rd millennium, a number of interconnected civilizations emerged in “Middle Asia.” Six specific territorial culture spheres have been recognized in this vast region. One of these spheres is Hyrmand... more
Throughout the late 4th and all of the 3rd millennium, a number of interconnected civilizations emerged in “Middle Asia.” Six specific territorial culture spheres have been recognized in this vast region. One of these spheres is Hyrmand Civilization. This civilization was located along an approximately 1000-kilometer long narrow strip of Hyrmand River, between the Arghandab River watershed in central Afghanistan and terminal Lake Hamun in the Iranian Sistan. Archaeological surveys in Sistan have recorded around 1661 sites along the southern part of Hyrmand River and around Lake Hamun, 900 of which date to the prehistoric and proto-historic periods. A short study of material from these sites points to the existence of an eight-tier settlement model: a main city (Shahr-i Sokhta), large cities, towns, large villages, villages, small villages, hamlets, and possibly small industrial centers. This article makes use of 50 years of archaeological surveys and excavations in the area to present a multi-faceted analysis of interactions between Shahr-i Sokhta and local sites in Sistan, and southern Baluchi sites and their central settlement of Bampur.
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In the wake of religious developments supported by Darius and Xerxes, Deva Khanes (houses of deva or deities) were shut down following royal decrees, giving Zoroastrianism and its Ahuras the opportunity to flourish. In the meantime, the... more
In the wake of religious developments supported by Darius and Xerxes, Deva Khanes (houses of deva or deities) were shut down following royal decrees, giving Zoroastrianism and its Ahuras the opportunity to flourish. In the meantime, the cult of Mithraism became imbued with secrecy, as its devotees waited utill the reign of Ardashir II when they successfully presented deva Mithra as an Ahura, elevating the deity Mihr to one of the supporters and aides of Ahura Mazdā. Consequently, Mihr Yašt, having undergone some modifications compared with its original version, emerged as the tenth Yašt of Avesta. This process was the result of the efforts of those believers who rejected the dethronement of their deity. Therefore, certain verses can be found in Mihr Yašt which represent those bitter events and ordeals. A closer look at the oldest sections of Avesta may reveal traits of Mihr thinking. Clerics (Moḡān) of the cult of Mihr seem to have made fundamental changes to the foundations of Zoroastrian thought and its texts, so that it no longer resembled its original form under Achaemenid rule. Later on the cult of Mihr becomes accepted as one of the important practices of the empire by most Parthian rulers. The influence Mihr becomes even more evident during Sasanian rule, specially starting in the mid-Sasanian period and well into the Islamic period. Teachings of Mihr have infiltrated Ayyāri, Sufi, and Ešrāḡi practices, as they have everyday life in modern Iran, a fact exemplified by the “Great Čella” celebrations. What has kept this the cult alive throughout history is the firm belief of its followers in its Izad.
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Although border studies are of fundamental importance, in archaeology they have been mostly studied under the category of “territory” and “human territoriality”. Little attention has been paid to “borders” as an independent subject. This... more
Although border studies are of fundamental importance, in archaeology they have been mostly studied under the category of “territory” and “human territoriality”. Little attention has been paid to “borders” as an independent subject. This paper introduces border studies and emphasizes the significance of border studies in Iranian archaeology. I review the concept of “border,” as well as current conceptual and typological scholarship on this topic. Finally, some anthropological and archaeological examples will be provided to demonstrate the significance of “border” to archaeological studies.
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The site of Dulat Abad is located in the Persepolis plain, the southwest of the city of Marv Dasht. The site is only slightly higher than the level of the plain and is about 3 acres in area. In 2007, a season of rescue excavation was... more
The site of Dulat Abad is located in the Persepolis plain, the southwest of the city of Marv Dasht. The site is only slightly higher than the level of the plain and is about 3 acres in area. In 2007, a season of rescue excavation was conducted due to the site’s imminent destruction for construction of a new city. The excavations at the site have provided some insights into Achaemenid habitation in the Marv Dasht plain. However there was no clear evidence of architecture in the excavated trenches, but fragments of mud bricks and an in situ door socket suggested that the site was a permanent village with probably mud brick houses and buildings. Almost the entire pottery assemblage from the site dates to the Achaemenid period. The analysis of the ceramics suggests that the residents of the site would not have been able, or perhaps did not need, to store food. In connection with this, artifacts such as hand mills and mortars and pestles are also absent. Also In contrast to the poor quality of pottery production, a number of artefacts such as carved stone vessels were found on the surface of the site and in the excavation trenches. It should be noted that the site of Dulat Abad is located not so far from the Band-e Amir, an Achaemenid center in the plain. Sumner in his survey discovered a cluster of sites around Band-e Amir according to which he suggested it for the Achaemenid city of Tukras, mentioned in the Persepolis fortification tablets. The Persepolis tablets frequently mentioned workers in the Imperial workshops who were paid for their labor. This paper argues that the site of Dulat Abad may well have been a habitation site for some of these workers and may be one of several such Achaemenid sites in the Marv Dasht Plain.
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To Louis Vanden Berghe, Taimurān B culture is equivalent to the gray Iron Age II pottery from north-western Iran and Jalāābād culture and similar to Sialk VI period pottery respectively. Roman Ghirshman’s theory –migration of early... more
To Louis Vanden Berghe, Taimurān B culture is equivalent to the gray Iron Age II pottery from north-western Iran and Jalāābād culture and similar to Sialk VI period pottery respectively. Roman Ghirshman’s theory –migration of early Persian tribes from northwest to south of Iran and then to Fars—was disproved by results from Stronach’s investigations. Based on the archaeological evidence, Sumner considered a hiatus (c. 300 years long, 900-600 B.C.) between the Taimurān A Phase and the beginning of the Achaemenid Period. In 1994 he outlined his theory about the early presence of Persians in Fars. He attributed the Shoghā/Taimurān potteries to early Persians and argued that they were pastoralists. T. Cuyler Young disagreed with Sumner’s theory and argued that there are evidence of settled occupations of early Persian in Fars since there are similarities between Sumner’s survey material (Late Plain Ware) and Iron age III contexts shards. This hypothesis is consistent with some painted shards from the Persepolis Fortifications, as well as a buff painted shards with the painted bull’s head found from the sub-surface drain in the Persepolis platform. Our investigations at Qasrdasth in the Kur River Basin also may shed some light on Iron Age III in the region. Tappe-ye Qasrdasht is located in the Kamin plain and covers an area of only 2.3 hectares. Its summit stands about 16 m above the surrounding plain level. All surface materials (ca. 85000 pieces) were collected and examined. Except for local cultural material of Fars, Iron Age III, Iron Age II and low land Middle Elamite shards were identified.
Research Interests:
Based on surface distribution of Iron Age III sherds on the site Qasrdasht, we opened Trench A on the eastern sharp slope of the site. Among these layers and Features 10 phases were distinguished. Phase 1 is a Sassanid massive mud-brick... more
Based on surface distribution of Iron Age III sherds on the site Qasrdasht, we opened Trench A on the eastern sharp slope of the site. Among these layers and Features 10 phases were distinguished. Phase 1 is a Sassanid massive mud-brick structure. Phase 2 consists of another mud-brick construction, dating to the post-Achaemenid period. Phase 3 is an early Islamic pyrotechnic installation. Phase 4 is a clay floor with the mud-brick walls. These structures date to the late Achaemenid or the early post-Achaemenid period. Phase 5 is another clay floor, dating to the early Achaemenid or pre-Achaemenid period. Phase 6 is a stone construction consisting of several units: two parallel walls and a floor. Phase 7 is a leveled surface and many medium sized natural stones on it. Phase 8 is a surface/floor. Phase 9 consists of some layers of soil, the remains of two fallen “mud-brick” constructions, broken fragments of a pyrotechnic installation, and the remains of a hearth. Phase 10 consists of consecutive layers a total of 4 meters deep of ashy soil, very loose orange soil, ash lenses, and numerous pieces of charcoal as well as medium sized natural lime stones. These units were part of a large and deep dump at the eastern slope of the site of Qasrdasht and were directly deposited on the virgin soil. Based on the four ceramic types (Mottled Hand-made Ware, Matte Red Slipped Ware, Burnished Orange Ware, Smoothed Plain and Painted Buff Ware) Phases 6 to 10 are tentatively dated to the pre-Achaemenid period.
Research Interests:
Based on surface distribution of Iron Age II shards we opened a deep trench on the south-eastern slope. In this trench were identified 24 layers and features. These may be grouped into five phases as follows: Phase 1 consists of a... more
Based on surface distribution of Iron Age II shards we opened a deep trench on the south-eastern slope. In this trench were identified 24 layers and features. These may be grouped into five phases as follows: Phase 1 consists of a mud-brick wall. At the western side of the wall the remains of a hearth -built on a small mud-brick platform- was discovered. It seems that the hearth was used for a long time because we identified six burnt floors in the hearth. Some interleaved layers of ash and loose soil characterize Phase 2. Phase 3 is a shape less packed clay mass that it was built on a surface. Phase 4 consists of a relatively hard soil with some ash and clay lenses. The characteristic of Phase 5 is similar to Phase 10 in Trench A. The quality of this phase proves that the throughout the eastern and south-eastern of the site was used as a dump. Therefore, the main occupation more likely lay in the western part of the site. We could not reach virgin soil in Trench B. With the exception of a few prehistoric shards, the rest of the potsherds from Phases 1 to 4 are similar to those from Phases 5 to 9 in Trench A, namely Mottled Hand-made Ware, Burnished Orange Ware, Matte Red Slipped Ware, Smoothed Plain and Painted Buff Wares. As in Phase 10 in Trench A, in Phase 5 in Trench B, all types of shards with the exception of Burnished Orange Ware are present. Typology and Classification of the pottery from Tappe-ye Qasrdasht will be published in a forthcoming article.