Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sit... more Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sites have resulted in the presentation of different chronologies for the region. Most of the research in Fars centered on the Kur River Basin (KRB). Fars has always had a different environment for the formation of different cultures over time, therefore, in order to reach a better understanding of the prehistoric cultures of the region it is necessary to make a brief review of the geographical zones of the plains and valleys of Fars province. Taking into account the existence of several questions and ambiguities regarding Neolithic Fars, the Hormangan site, located in the Bavant River Basin, was excavated. During the excavation, two settlement phases were identified that contained cultural materials relatively comparable to Tol-e Mushki, Tol-e Jari B, Kushk Hezar, and Rahmat Abad sequences. The goal of this paper is to explore the absolute chronology of the Hormangan site as well as other ...
Eastern Iran, especially in the prehistoric period, is a completely unknown region on the Iranian... more Eastern Iran, especially in the prehistoric period, is a completely unknown region on the Iranian archaeological map. More than one hundred years after the beginning of archaeological excavations in Iran, the eastern regions have received little or no attention from archaeologists for various reasons, and there are very limited publications as well. Kale Kub is a prehistoric site that is located in Ayask town, in Sarayan District, South Khorasan Province, eastern Iran. It has sufficient cultural deposits to provide a chronological timeframe of cultural sequence for the prehistoric cultures of this region. The first season of Kale Kub excavations, carried out in 2019, led to the identification of unknown prehistoric cultures in the region, which are introduced in this article. Perhaps the most significant achievement of this excavation was the identification of the 4th millennium BCE cultures, which are well known in the southwest of Iran and Mesopotamia and for which evidence has been obtained far from the centre of this culture. These cultural evidences, which can be considered to belong to the Susa II horizon or late Uruk cultures, include the typical pottery of this period, such as bevelled rim bowls, rough Banesh trays, tubular and nose handle jars, and fine and painted wheel-made pottery, which is well known in the southwestern , western, northwestern , southeastern regions and central plateau of Iran, but which have now been identified and introduced for the first time in eastern Iran. In general, based on the excavation of two stratigraphic trenches (A and B) in this site, three cultural periods have been identified so far. They have been classified from the bottom level and the top of the virgin soil are: 1:
Tracking the Neolithic in the Near East (Edited by Y. Nishiaki, O. Maeda and M. Arimura, 2022, Sidestone Press), 2022
Hormangan is a Mushki phase (c. 6400-6000BCE) site, located in the Bavanat River Basin in northea... more Hormangan is a Mushki phase (c. 6400-6000BCE) site, located in the Bavanat River Basin in northeast Fars, southwest Iran. This site was excavated by Morteza Khanipour in 2016. Later on, Masashi Abe and Saiji Arai studied lithics and faunal remains from Hormangan in 2017. Recent excavations at Rahamatabad and Qasr-e Ahmad show that cereal cultivation and herding of domestic animals were introduced to Fars, likely from the Central Zagros, and became major activities for subsistence during the Aceramic Neolithic (c.7500-7000BCE). However, our research strongly suggests that agricultural societies in Fars never steadily developed from the Aceramic Neolithic onwards. The analysis of the faunal remains excavated from Hormangan reveals that the hunting of wild animals , such as onager and gazelles, became critical once again during the Mushki phase. The examination of the lithics excavated from Hormangan also demonstrates that the increase in the importance of hunting caused re-microlithisation during the Mushki phase. These changes during the Mushki phase in Fars likely occurred in response to the 8.2 ka event.
Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceram... more Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceramic Neolithic lithic assemblage from contexts dating from the later half of the eighth to the early seventh millennium BC. The techno-typological analysis presented here assigns it to one of the south-easternmost examples of the early M'lefaatian industry. This discovery demonstrates that Fars was a part of the large cultural sphere known as the ‘East Wing of the Fertile Crescent’ during the earlier Neolithic period. At the same time, the data from Rahmatabad, along with data previously obtained from other late (Tall-i Mushki) and post-M'lefaatian (Tall-i Jari B) sites, help to elaborate the reconstruction of the Neolithic sequence from the early, late and post-M'lefaatian in the Fars. This sequence, which is contextualised by secure radiocarbon dates, provides a basis for evaluating comparable sequences in other parts of the Zagros region.
RAN-JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PERSIAN STUDIES, 2013
Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceram... more Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceramic Neolithic lithic assemblage from contexts dating from the later half of the eighth to the early seventh millennium BC. The techno-typological analysis presented here assigns it to one of the south-easternmost examples of the early M'lefaatian industry. This discovery demonstrates that Fars was a part of the large cultural sphere known as the ‘East Wing of the Fertile Crescent’ during the earlier Neolithic period. At the same time, the data from Rahmatabad, along with data previously obtained from other late (Tall-i Mushki) and post-M'lefaatian (Tall-i Jari B) sites, help to elaborate the reconstruction of the Neolithic sequence from the early, late and post-M'lefaatian in the Fars. This sequence, which is contextualised by secure radiocarbon dates, provides a basis for evaluating comparable sequences in other parts of the Zagros region.
The aim of this paper is to reconsider the date of Riffa type burial mounds of the Early Dilmun p... more The aim of this paper is to reconsider the date of Riffa type burial mounds of the Early Dilmun period by introducing new radiocarbon data from Wadi al-Sail in Bahrain. Wadi al-Sail is a wadi on the inland plateau of Bahrain. Hundreds of Riffa type burial mounds are scattered along the wadi. The authors have been excavating Wadi al-Sail since 2015. Previous studies suggest that construction of Riffa type burial mounds began around 2200 or 2250 BCE. In our excavations, nine twig charcoal samples were collected and radiocarbon dated. The new data suggest that the beginning of construction of Riffa type burial mounds at Wadi al-Sail could date back to around 2300 BCE or much earlier. The new data are very important not only for dating burial mounds in Bahrain but also for the study of Dilmun's history.
Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sit... more Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sites have resulted in the presentation of different chronologies for the region. Most of the research in Fars centered on the Kur River Basin (KRB). Fars has always had a different environment for the formation of different cultures over time, therefore, in order to reach a better understanding of the prehistoric cultures of the region it is necessary to make a brief review of the geographical zones of the plains and valleys of Fars province. Taking into account the existence of several questions and ambiguities regarding Neolithic Fars, the Hormangan site, located in the Bavant River Basin, was excavated. During the excavation, two settlement phases were identified that contained cultural materials relatively comparable to Tol-e Mushki, Tol-e Jari B, Kushk Hezar, and Rahmat Abad sequences. The goal of this paper is to explore the absolute chronology of the Hormangan site as well as other Neolithic sites located in the northern half of the Fars region with a special reference to the local cultural and technological sides of different Neolithic sites throughout the region. Bearing in mind the similarities of Bashi materials with Hormangan, Rahmat Abad, and Mushki regions and the absolute chronology of these regions, consideration of Bashi phase does not seem logical. Therefore, by comparing the cultural materials and absolute chronology done in other regions, a sequence chronology including Rahmat Abad (7500-7000 BC), formative Mushki (7000-6400 BC), Mushki (6400-6000 BC), Jari (6000-5600 BC), and Shams Abad (5600-5200 BC) for the Neolithic period of Fars can be presented. According to the excavation of Rahmatabad and Tale Sangi, it seems that Fars was inhabited in the middle of the 8th millennium BC and the Neolithic package entered this area, and there is no evidence of the Neolithization process. In the past, the Mushaki period was introduced as the oldest pottery Neolithic period, but with new excavations, it seems that the use of pottery had become common in Fars, as in many parts of Southwest Asia, around 7000 BC.
During the fourth millennium BCE similar wares used to produce and use in the extended area in Ne... more During the fourth millennium BCE similar wares used to produce and use in the extended area in Near East which is so-called Beveled rim bowls. Its importance is for high quantity and similarity in production techniques. There are different studies on dating, function, and the main reason for the spread of this pottery style have been done. Although beveled rim bowls were found in many sites in west, south, south-eastern, and central plateau, hereby new finding from Kale Kub seems that this pottery style was spread in the more extended area than what we expect. Kale Kub is located in the eastern part of Iran, Southern Khorasan, and Sarayan county. By excavation in 2018 in this site, in two trenches for stratigraphy high amount of beveled rim bowls in addition to other pottery styles belong to fourth millennium BCE which are well-known from west south of Iran were found. In the second period of this site which is called Kale Kub II. This site is the eastern area that includes beveled rim bowls meantime. The current study would be clarifying the importance of the Kale Kub site for identifying the dispersal zone of Beveled rim bowl pottery style by an endeavor firstly to classification and typology of the potteries and then a comparison between the pottery style in this site with other sites related to this period and found the possible routes for this pottery style to the East and the interaction between east and west of Iran. Pottery collection from the excavation in Kale Kub includes a high amount of beveled rim bowls, Banesh tray, and some other pottery styles which are well-known from the fourth millennium BCE such as nose handle and spouted wares. Beveled rim bowls are about 15 percent of pottery collection in related contexts and other styles have a few quantities in the collection. In production techniques and style, Kale Kub finds it similar to samples from the southwest of Iran.
In 2018, the authors started excavations at Kale Kub in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. Excavation... more In 2018, the authors started excavations at Kale Kub in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. Excavations yielded a number of Uruk pottery such as beveled rim bowls and nose lugged jars. So far Kale Kub is the north easternmost Urukian site. The distribution range of the Urukian culture was expanded further 600km to the east than previously known by the discovery of Kale Kub.
Parseh Journal of Archaeological Studies 4 (12), 2020
The site of Kale Kub is located in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. The excavations at Kale Kub in 2... more The site of Kale Kub is located in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. The excavations at Kale Kub in 2018 yielded a number of fragments of Beveled Rim Bowls (BRB). Kale Kub is currently the north easternmost site, which yielded BRB.
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50 (2020): 171–187, 2020
The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase ... more The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase of the Early Dilmun period (c.2250– 2050 BC). This site is remarkably important for our understanding of the emergence of the tribal society and the succeeding developments of a kingdom on the island along with the flourishing maritime trades. This paper provides a preliminary account of five seasons of excavations conducted by the Japanese team. In the northern part of the site that was permitted for our excavations, 266 possible burial mounds were identified, among which fifteen burial mounds were excavated by the Japanese and eleven by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities between 2015 and 2019. While all the excavated burial mounds represented cairn burial mounds, several types, which seem to reflect diachronic changes of mound types, were defined based on the construction methods of the mounds and the shapes of the chambers. Eight 14C dates from the excavations indicate a time span between 2300 and 1900 BC. Grave-goods recovered from some of the mounds included a few Mesopotamian and Umm anNar pottery and stone beads, indicating that the island was part of the maritime trade by the end of the third millennium BC. This evidence from the recent excavations has updated our understanding of Early Dilmun society.
In S. Nakamura, T. Adachi and M. Abe, Decades in Deserts: Eassays on Near Eastern Archaeology in honour of Sumio Fujii, 305-317. Tokyo, Rokuichi Syubou, 2019
Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sit... more Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sites have resulted in the presentation of different chronologies for the region. Most of the research in Fars centered on the Kur River Basin (KRB). Fars has always had a different environment for the formation of different cultures over time, therefore, in order to reach a better understanding of the prehistoric cultures of the region it is necessary to make a brief review of the geographical zones of the plains and valleys of Fars province. Taking into account the existence of several questions and ambiguities regarding Neolithic Fars, the Hormangan site, located in the Bavant River Basin, was excavated. During the excavation, two settlement phases were identified that contained cultural materials relatively comparable to Tol-e Mushki, Tol-e Jari B, Kushk Hezar, and Rahmat Abad sequences. The goal of this paper is to explore the absolute chronology of the Hormangan site as well as other ...
Eastern Iran, especially in the prehistoric period, is a completely unknown region on the Iranian... more Eastern Iran, especially in the prehistoric period, is a completely unknown region on the Iranian archaeological map. More than one hundred years after the beginning of archaeological excavations in Iran, the eastern regions have received little or no attention from archaeologists for various reasons, and there are very limited publications as well. Kale Kub is a prehistoric site that is located in Ayask town, in Sarayan District, South Khorasan Province, eastern Iran. It has sufficient cultural deposits to provide a chronological timeframe of cultural sequence for the prehistoric cultures of this region. The first season of Kale Kub excavations, carried out in 2019, led to the identification of unknown prehistoric cultures in the region, which are introduced in this article. Perhaps the most significant achievement of this excavation was the identification of the 4th millennium BCE cultures, which are well known in the southwest of Iran and Mesopotamia and for which evidence has been obtained far from the centre of this culture. These cultural evidences, which can be considered to belong to the Susa II horizon or late Uruk cultures, include the typical pottery of this period, such as bevelled rim bowls, rough Banesh trays, tubular and nose handle jars, and fine and painted wheel-made pottery, which is well known in the southwestern , western, northwestern , southeastern regions and central plateau of Iran, but which have now been identified and introduced for the first time in eastern Iran. In general, based on the excavation of two stratigraphic trenches (A and B) in this site, three cultural periods have been identified so far. They have been classified from the bottom level and the top of the virgin soil are: 1:
Tracking the Neolithic in the Near East (Edited by Y. Nishiaki, O. Maeda and M. Arimura, 2022, Sidestone Press), 2022
Hormangan is a Mushki phase (c. 6400-6000BCE) site, located in the Bavanat River Basin in northea... more Hormangan is a Mushki phase (c. 6400-6000BCE) site, located in the Bavanat River Basin in northeast Fars, southwest Iran. This site was excavated by Morteza Khanipour in 2016. Later on, Masashi Abe and Saiji Arai studied lithics and faunal remains from Hormangan in 2017. Recent excavations at Rahamatabad and Qasr-e Ahmad show that cereal cultivation and herding of domestic animals were introduced to Fars, likely from the Central Zagros, and became major activities for subsistence during the Aceramic Neolithic (c.7500-7000BCE). However, our research strongly suggests that agricultural societies in Fars never steadily developed from the Aceramic Neolithic onwards. The analysis of the faunal remains excavated from Hormangan reveals that the hunting of wild animals , such as onager and gazelles, became critical once again during the Mushki phase. The examination of the lithics excavated from Hormangan also demonstrates that the increase in the importance of hunting caused re-microlithisation during the Mushki phase. These changes during the Mushki phase in Fars likely occurred in response to the 8.2 ka event.
Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceram... more Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceramic Neolithic lithic assemblage from contexts dating from the later half of the eighth to the early seventh millennium BC. The techno-typological analysis presented here assigns it to one of the south-easternmost examples of the early M'lefaatian industry. This discovery demonstrates that Fars was a part of the large cultural sphere known as the ‘East Wing of the Fertile Crescent’ during the earlier Neolithic period. At the same time, the data from Rahmatabad, along with data previously obtained from other late (Tall-i Mushki) and post-M'lefaatian (Tall-i Jari B) sites, help to elaborate the reconstruction of the Neolithic sequence from the early, late and post-M'lefaatian in the Fars. This sequence, which is contextualised by secure radiocarbon dates, provides a basis for evaluating comparable sequences in other parts of the Zagros region.
RAN-JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PERSIAN STUDIES, 2013
Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceram... more Abstract Recent excavations at Tepe Rahmatabad (Fars Province, south-west Iran) yielded an aceramic Neolithic lithic assemblage from contexts dating from the later half of the eighth to the early seventh millennium BC. The techno-typological analysis presented here assigns it to one of the south-easternmost examples of the early M'lefaatian industry. This discovery demonstrates that Fars was a part of the large cultural sphere known as the ‘East Wing of the Fertile Crescent’ during the earlier Neolithic period. At the same time, the data from Rahmatabad, along with data previously obtained from other late (Tall-i Mushki) and post-M'lefaatian (Tall-i Jari B) sites, help to elaborate the reconstruction of the Neolithic sequence from the early, late and post-M'lefaatian in the Fars. This sequence, which is contextualised by secure radiocarbon dates, provides a basis for evaluating comparable sequences in other parts of the Zagros region.
The aim of this paper is to reconsider the date of Riffa type burial mounds of the Early Dilmun p... more The aim of this paper is to reconsider the date of Riffa type burial mounds of the Early Dilmun period by introducing new radiocarbon data from Wadi al-Sail in Bahrain. Wadi al-Sail is a wadi on the inland plateau of Bahrain. Hundreds of Riffa type burial mounds are scattered along the wadi. The authors have been excavating Wadi al-Sail since 2015. Previous studies suggest that construction of Riffa type burial mounds began around 2200 or 2250 BCE. In our excavations, nine twig charcoal samples were collected and radiocarbon dated. The new data suggest that the beginning of construction of Riffa type burial mounds at Wadi al-Sail could date back to around 2300 BCE or much earlier. The new data are very important not only for dating burial mounds in Bahrain but also for the study of Dilmun's history.
Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sit... more Over the past few decades, several excavations that have been performed in the Fars Neolithic sites have resulted in the presentation of different chronologies for the region. Most of the research in Fars centered on the Kur River Basin (KRB). Fars has always had a different environment for the formation of different cultures over time, therefore, in order to reach a better understanding of the prehistoric cultures of the region it is necessary to make a brief review of the geographical zones of the plains and valleys of Fars province. Taking into account the existence of several questions and ambiguities regarding Neolithic Fars, the Hormangan site, located in the Bavant River Basin, was excavated. During the excavation, two settlement phases were identified that contained cultural materials relatively comparable to Tol-e Mushki, Tol-e Jari B, Kushk Hezar, and Rahmat Abad sequences. The goal of this paper is to explore the absolute chronology of the Hormangan site as well as other Neolithic sites located in the northern half of the Fars region with a special reference to the local cultural and technological sides of different Neolithic sites throughout the region. Bearing in mind the similarities of Bashi materials with Hormangan, Rahmat Abad, and Mushki regions and the absolute chronology of these regions, consideration of Bashi phase does not seem logical. Therefore, by comparing the cultural materials and absolute chronology done in other regions, a sequence chronology including Rahmat Abad (7500-7000 BC), formative Mushki (7000-6400 BC), Mushki (6400-6000 BC), Jari (6000-5600 BC), and Shams Abad (5600-5200 BC) for the Neolithic period of Fars can be presented. According to the excavation of Rahmatabad and Tale Sangi, it seems that Fars was inhabited in the middle of the 8th millennium BC and the Neolithic package entered this area, and there is no evidence of the Neolithization process. In the past, the Mushaki period was introduced as the oldest pottery Neolithic period, but with new excavations, it seems that the use of pottery had become common in Fars, as in many parts of Southwest Asia, around 7000 BC.
During the fourth millennium BCE similar wares used to produce and use in the extended area in Ne... more During the fourth millennium BCE similar wares used to produce and use in the extended area in Near East which is so-called Beveled rim bowls. Its importance is for high quantity and similarity in production techniques. There are different studies on dating, function, and the main reason for the spread of this pottery style have been done. Although beveled rim bowls were found in many sites in west, south, south-eastern, and central plateau, hereby new finding from Kale Kub seems that this pottery style was spread in the more extended area than what we expect. Kale Kub is located in the eastern part of Iran, Southern Khorasan, and Sarayan county. By excavation in 2018 in this site, in two trenches for stratigraphy high amount of beveled rim bowls in addition to other pottery styles belong to fourth millennium BCE which are well-known from west south of Iran were found. In the second period of this site which is called Kale Kub II. This site is the eastern area that includes beveled rim bowls meantime. The current study would be clarifying the importance of the Kale Kub site for identifying the dispersal zone of Beveled rim bowl pottery style by an endeavor firstly to classification and typology of the potteries and then a comparison between the pottery style in this site with other sites related to this period and found the possible routes for this pottery style to the East and the interaction between east and west of Iran. Pottery collection from the excavation in Kale Kub includes a high amount of beveled rim bowls, Banesh tray, and some other pottery styles which are well-known from the fourth millennium BCE such as nose handle and spouted wares. Beveled rim bowls are about 15 percent of pottery collection in related contexts and other styles have a few quantities in the collection. In production techniques and style, Kale Kub finds it similar to samples from the southwest of Iran.
In 2018, the authors started excavations at Kale Kub in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. Excavation... more In 2018, the authors started excavations at Kale Kub in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. Excavations yielded a number of Uruk pottery such as beveled rim bowls and nose lugged jars. So far Kale Kub is the north easternmost Urukian site. The distribution range of the Urukian culture was expanded further 600km to the east than previously known by the discovery of Kale Kub.
Parseh Journal of Archaeological Studies 4 (12), 2020
The site of Kale Kub is located in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. The excavations at Kale Kub in 2... more The site of Kale Kub is located in South Khorasan, Eastern Iran. The excavations at Kale Kub in 2018 yielded a number of fragments of Beveled Rim Bowls (BRB). Kale Kub is currently the north easternmost site, which yielded BRB.
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 50 (2020): 171–187, 2020
The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase ... more The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase of the Early Dilmun period (c.2250– 2050 BC). This site is remarkably important for our understanding of the emergence of the tribal society and the succeeding developments of a kingdom on the island along with the flourishing maritime trades. This paper provides a preliminary account of five seasons of excavations conducted by the Japanese team. In the northern part of the site that was permitted for our excavations, 266 possible burial mounds were identified, among which fifteen burial mounds were excavated by the Japanese and eleven by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities between 2015 and 2019. While all the excavated burial mounds represented cairn burial mounds, several types, which seem to reflect diachronic changes of mound types, were defined based on the construction methods of the mounds and the shapes of the chambers. Eight 14C dates from the excavations indicate a time span between 2300 and 1900 BC. Grave-goods recovered from some of the mounds included a few Mesopotamian and Umm anNar pottery and stone beads, indicating that the island was part of the maritime trade by the end of the third millennium BC. This evidence from the recent excavations has updated our understanding of Early Dilmun society.
In S. Nakamura, T. Adachi and M. Abe, Decades in Deserts: Eassays on Near Eastern Archaeology in honour of Sumio Fujii, 305-317. Tokyo, Rokuichi Syubou, 2019
Proceedings of the Seminar For Arabian Studies, 2020
The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase ... more The archaeological site of Wādī al-Sail in Bahrain is a large-scale graveyard of the early phase of the Early Dilmun period (c.2250–2050 BC). This site is remarkably important for our understanding of the emergence of the tribal society and the succeeding developments of a kingdom on the island along with the flourishing maritime trades. This paper provides a preliminary account of five seasons of excavations conducted by the Japanese team. In the northern part of the site that was permitted for our excavations, 266 possible burial mounds were identified, among which fifteen burial mounds were excavated by the Japanese and eleven by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities between 2015 and 2019. While all the excavated burial mounds represented cairn burial mounds, several types, which seem to reflect diachronic changes of mound types, were defined based on the construction methods of the mounds and the shapes of the chambers. Eight 14C dates from the excavations indicate a time span between 2300 and 1900 BC. Grave-goods recovered from some of the mounds included a few Mesopotamian and Umm an-Nar pottery and stone beads, indicating that the island was part of the maritime trade by the end of the third millennium BC. This evidence from the recent excavations has updated our understanding of Early Dilmun society.
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However, our research strongly suggests that agricultural societies in Fars never steadily developed from the Aceramic Neolithic onwards. The analysis of the faunal remains excavated from Hormangan reveals that the hunting of wild animals , such as onager and gazelles, became critical once again during the Mushki phase. The examination of the lithics excavated from Hormangan also demonstrates that the increase in the importance of hunting caused re-microlithisation during the Mushki phase. These changes during the Mushki phase in Fars likely occurred in response to the 8.2 ka event.
2050 BC). This site is remarkably important for our understanding of the emergence of the tribal society and the succeeding
developments of a kingdom on the island along with the flourishing maritime trades. This paper provides a preliminary account
of five seasons of excavations conducted by the Japanese team. In the northern part of the site that was permitted for our
excavations, 266 possible burial mounds were identified, among which fifteen burial mounds were excavated by the Japanese
and eleven by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities between 2015 and 2019. While all the excavated burial mounds
represented cairn burial mounds, several types, which seem to reflect diachronic changes of mound types, were defined based
on the construction methods of the mounds and the shapes of the chambers. Eight 14C dates from the excavations indicate a time
span between 2300 and 1900 BC. Grave-goods recovered from some of the mounds included a few Mesopotamian and Umm anNar pottery and stone beads, indicating that the island was part of the maritime trade by the end of the third millennium BC. This
evidence from the recent excavations has updated our understanding of Early Dilmun society.
However, our research strongly suggests that agricultural societies in Fars never steadily developed from the Aceramic Neolithic onwards. The analysis of the faunal remains excavated from Hormangan reveals that the hunting of wild animals , such as onager and gazelles, became critical once again during the Mushki phase. The examination of the lithics excavated from Hormangan also demonstrates that the increase in the importance of hunting caused re-microlithisation during the Mushki phase. These changes during the Mushki phase in Fars likely occurred in response to the 8.2 ka event.
2050 BC). This site is remarkably important for our understanding of the emergence of the tribal society and the succeeding
developments of a kingdom on the island along with the flourishing maritime trades. This paper provides a preliminary account
of five seasons of excavations conducted by the Japanese team. In the northern part of the site that was permitted for our
excavations, 266 possible burial mounds were identified, among which fifteen burial mounds were excavated by the Japanese
and eleven by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities between 2015 and 2019. While all the excavated burial mounds
represented cairn burial mounds, several types, which seem to reflect diachronic changes of mound types, were defined based
on the construction methods of the mounds and the shapes of the chambers. Eight 14C dates from the excavations indicate a time
span between 2300 and 1900 BC. Grave-goods recovered from some of the mounds included a few Mesopotamian and Umm anNar pottery and stone beads, indicating that the island was part of the maritime trade by the end of the third millennium BC. This
evidence from the recent excavations has updated our understanding of Early Dilmun society.