Yaz culture

The paper summarizes the results of the field researches of Iran-Italy expedition in Khorasan and Sistan between 2011-2018. In Khorasan the studies focused on the excavations of Tepe Chalow and on the process of formation and expansion of the “Oxus Civilization” or “Greater Khorasan Civilization" (GKC) also known as "Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex” (BMAC) in eastern Iran at the end of the third millennium and early second millennium BC. In Sistan the focus of the study was on the important Parthian-Sasanian site of Kuh-e Khwaja, and they included: photogrammetric and laser scanner survey; study on the location of the wall paintings discovered, detached and published by Stein and Herzfeld in 1915-1932; three-dimensional reconstruction of the site and insertion of the images (photos, drawings, sketches) of the paintings in their proper places; automatic generation of maps, prospects and sections of buildings; geological studies and sampling of existing mud-based plasters and mortars for petrographic studies.

Up
Search within this journal
🔍
Research
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics
Volumes
8 Issues
11
Articles
129 Open Access
13



Evaluation of components and distribution of Yaz-I-III culture in Khorasan cultural field


submission: 23/11/2020 | acception: 03/10/2021 | publication: 03/10/2021

DOI

Authors
Mohammadsadegh davari1*, hassan basafa2
1-not،m.sadeghdavari@yahoo.com

2-neyshabur uni،hbasafa@gmail.com



0
Downloads

Abstract

After the developments of the new Bronze Age on the Iranian plateau, a new era called the Iron Age emerged. Iron Age cultures of the northeastern region of Iran are completely different from the evolutionary theories and characteristics of the Iron Age culture of northwestern Iran, as well as the evolutionary approaches of this period in other cultural parts of the Iranian plateau. The Iron Age cultures of northeastern Iran, especially Khorasan, include two completely different cultures in terms of cultural materials and biological structures, which are called Yaz and Dahestan cultures. In the present study, in addition to describing the components of the two cultural systems of Yaz and Dahistan, we first try to explain the spheres of influence and common boundaries of these two cultural systems and then, according to recent studies, the biological structures of the Iron Age culture in Khorasan. Finally, an attempt is made to study and interpret the components of Yaz culture in relation to the traditions of the New Bronze Age as well as the Achaemenid period. The results of the study indicate the influence of Yaz culture in East Khorasan and Dahistan culture in West Khorasan to Gorgan plain. According to recent studies and current knowledge, Bojnourd plain in Atrak basin and Jajarm plain in Kalshour basin are the common borders of these two cultures (in North Khorasan province). In East Khorasan, the components of the Iron Age culture are closely related to the Yaz culture in Central Asia, and some local components are also evident. In addition, Yaz III period coincides with the Achaemenid period, which is ignored in the Yaz time division, which according to the types of pottery, to some extent can be traced to the components of the Achaemenid period in Khorasan.

One of the primary characteristics of the Iron Age (c. 1500–329 BCE) in southern Central Asia is the widespread absence of graves, associated with the appearance of excarnation as the most common funeral practice. Based on new data from recent excavations (Dzharkutan in Uzbekistan and Ulug-depe in Turkmenistan) and a review of available published and unpublished data found in Central Asian and Russian archives, the authors question this widely accepted fact. They show that the funerary practices of the Iron Age populations were more complex than previously understood (individual and multiple burials, primary and secondary burials, collection of selected skeletal remains, excarnation, etc.). The archaeological record refers to a broad variety of interpretations, particularly different levels of interaction between the world of the dead and the living.

In its three field seasons between 2015 and 2017 the Czech‑Uzbekistani archaeological mission has focused on the area of the eastern Kugitang piedmonts, especially the Paskhurt Valley (southern Uzbekistan) in order to examine its historical cultural development. As one of the simultaneous activities, excavations of various selected kurgans and kurgan‑like features, which were newly detected in the area have been undertaken. Special attention was paid to the connection between kurgans and settlement sites nearby, particularly those of the Yaz I period (Early Iron Age Period, late 2nd millennium BC). Three kurgans of the Yaz I period have been uncovered, however their purpose was not identified with a sepulchral use, but rather with a ritual one. Besides the excavation of – in local terms – larger kurgans at the site of Kayrit 1, lesser simple stone structures were also excavated.

The valleys of the Kugitang piedmont (Sherabad District, Surkhandarya Province, Uzbekistan) have been investigated by the Czech ‑Uzbekistani expedition since 2011. Over the last three years, hundreds of stone fea‑ tures have been detected and preliminarily interpreted as kurgans (i.e. burial mounds); the purpose of these features, however, still remains unclear. Consequently, the kurgans started to be systematically investigated in 2017. This report presents preliminary results of the field survey, a morphological description and a basic spatial analysis of the kurgans within clusters, and the clusters themselves within the surrounding landscape.