فهرست مطالب

Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies
Volume:2 Issue: 2, 2012

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1392/10/13
  • تعداد عناوین: 7
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  • Massimo Vidale, Roberto Micheli Pages 1-10
    A chlorite “hand-bag” currently on exhibit in the National Archaeological Museum, Tehran, is described focusing attention on the peculiar wear traces clearly visible on the handle and along its contour. These features demonstrate that the object, for a long time, had a cord rolled up on top of the handle, and hanged in isolation (as the edges are not chipped by the contact with similar items, as it happens, for example, for vertical loom weights). Wear patterns also suggest that the object was gradually polished while rubbing against a soft surface, most probably a vertical one, covered with cloth. The evidence, on the whole, is compatible with the use of this hand-bag as a flat weight covering a cloth-covered construction. At present, in middle southern Asia, graves of saints that are worshipped are frequently covered with precious cloth, kept in place by hanging weights. While this inference is based on a single object, and therefore is far from being granted, we suggest that wear traces can provide a useful key for understanding the function of these peculiar objects. Finally, the hand-bag was broken and restored with iron fittings and nails. As there is at least another sculpture of the Halil Rud Civilization showing an insert of iron, these fittings are not necessarily due to later restorations. The edges of the great Iranian deserts are a favorable location for the recovery of iron-rich meteorites. We think that the iron parts of the Tehran hand-bag should be analyzed to test the possible presence of rare metals like nikel, niobium and others, more abundant in meteorites than in terrestrial iron.
  • Yaghoub Mohammadifar, Assef Norouzi, Ali Sharifi Page 13
    The archaeological campaign of the 16th season of excavations in Tepe Hegmataneh intended to explore the architectural structures belonging to the historical period. The excavated area consists of 4 squares including AJ45, AJ46, AK45, and AK46 with a total size of 400. Excavations in these squares recorded 55, 54, 105, and 116 loci respectively. The architecture belonging to the historical period was uncovered at an average depth of 4.00 cm from BM1, and after clarifying the spaces, determining the condition of the floors and revealing the façades of the walls, the excavations in the squares was completed. A suite of architectural spaces appeared through excavations in these squares. Though there were slight differences, the plan was similar to the standard one suggested by Mohammad Rahim Sarraf. The revealed architecture includes one passage, three complete spaces, and parts of three other spaces. Based on the results of thermoluminescence experiment, it is rejected not only that this architecture belongs to the Medes, but also that its belonging to Parthians must be reconsidered.
    Keywords: Hamedan, Tepe Hegmataneh, Parthian, Sasanian
  • Abbas Moghaddam* Page 37
    Sasanian’s imperial policy aimed to construct new towns, massive irrigation infrastructures, and land modification by depopulating rural areas in order to carry out massive agriculture projects particularly in Khuzestan. Shushtar with its ancient relics presents a unique chance to investigate some of these development activities, mainly in terms of irrigation. Several chief irrigation organs have been identified inside and to south of Shushtar to shift parts of the Karun River water to the Gargar and control its flow in order to create a complex transformed landscape where it is known as the Mianab plain today. The Gargar Channel and its expansion over the plain have not yet been systematically investigated. One of the main issues is whether the Gargar was opened as an artificial channel during Sasanian period or it was a natural stream, the flow and capability of which was utilized by ancient people for irrigation purposes. Two major obstacles to address this issue include lack of sufficient historical accounts about this ancient irrigation system, and landscape elucidation, i.e. separating changes created by human and those formed naturally through field examinations. Evidence presented and briefly discussed in this article would hypothesize that this watercourse was originally a man made channel that was later on changed its course and formed a naturally cut river. That is why two terms are presented here: the Gargar “Channel” and the Gargar “River”. It is also proposed that an avulsion had occurred at the point where Band-e Mahibazan is located and changed the course of the Gargar Channel forever.
    Keywords: Shushtar, Mianab Plain, Gargar River, Gargar Channel, Sasanian Irrigation System
  • V. Mushrif Tripathy*, V. Shinde, K. S. Chakraborty Page 51
    The present paper deals with the primary observations conducted on human skeletal remains excavated at Harappan site of Farmana. The site (29°02’22”N and 76°18’21”E) in the jurisdiction of Meham block of Rohtak district, Haryana, is locally known as Daksh Kheda. Three cultural phases have been identified; Early Harappan, Mature Harappan and Late Harappan, dating back to 2500 BC. In all 70 burial pits were demarked, out of that 59 were excavated and skeletal remains of 35 individuals have been identified. Primary, secondary and symbolic burials were found within the site. Standard methods are used for the skeletal analysis. Detailed inventory is prepared for each individual. Observations are made which includes age estimation, sex determination, stature estimation, morpho metry and pathology. Taphonomical changes are also noted. Unfortunately not many pathologies could be identified on these specimens, as the preservation of skeletal elements is far from satisfactory. There are 11 males and 15 females and sex identification of one individual is not possible. Other than these adults, 4 children and 5 adolescents are also present. Apart from attrition, in dental pathology, only one case of enamel hypoplasia is encountered and few teeth with caries have been found. Dental fluorosis is also seen on one individual. Vertebral pathology indentified on single specimen though confirmation is not possible due to the weathering of bones.Interestingly one individual (39 B) has provided evidence of trauma which shows the beginning stages of healing. Only the skull of this individual has been preserved and therefore no comment can be made about post-cranial changes. Overall, it looks like the Farmana individuals were quite healthy
    Keywords: Indus, Farmana, Human Burials, Pathology, Trauma
  • Yukiko Tonoike Page 65
    Sixth millennium BC Dalma ceramics from the northwestern and central Zagros have previously been described as being impossible to distinguish using decorative style analysis in spite of the great distance between the two regions. In this study, petrographic (thin section) analysis and a small-scale electron microprobe project was carried out on the ceramics of the two regions, as well as a small sample of the preceding and following Hajji Firuz and Pisdeli period ceramics. The petrographic analysis of microstructure reveals minute differences in manufacturing techniques. The results suggest that the Dalma ceramics were a distinct ceramic group with a great degree of variability, suggesting that they were made locally at the household level by individual potters and their preferences for ceramic manufacturing techniques. However, there was enough communication between the different regions to keep the stylistic and to a certain degree ceramic manufacturing technique uniform over this wide area. The analyses suggest that Dalma ceramics were spread by small groups of nomadic pastoralists who maintained a relationship with the agricultural Dalma villages. In this way, petrographic analysis of ceramics and geospatial analysis allow for a better understanding of the distribution of Dalma ceramics, and suggest the role of nomadic populations in their spread.
  • Hasan Fazeli Nashli, Fariba Mosapour Negari*, Bahman Firoozmandi Shirejin, Sima Yadollahi Page 83
    Many potteries have been discovered from excavations and a surface survey at Shahdad, but few works have been done to examine craft specialization in pottery production at this important site. Different types of potteries, some of which bearing potter marks demonstrate that craftsmen of the site had involved in manufacturing of centralized pottery production. A number of kilns and many waste of pottery could also support the above idea. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine why of pottery manufacturing at Shahdad, which could be considered as craft quarter for pottery production. It seems that pottery production at Shahdad had been affected by its environmental conditions. This interaction between craftsmen and environment caused for manufacturing of special types of potteries at Shahdad. It is necessary to state that this interaction has also caused for standardization in pottery production at the site during the third millennium BC.
    Keywords: craft specialization, pottery production, Shahdad, Bronze Age
  • Mohammad Ebrahim Zarei*, Mohammad Mortazaei, Naghmeh Behboodi, Leila Thani Page 95
    Stucco decorations are among the major decorative elements of the religious structures of the Ilkhanid period in Iran. Typical examples of these decorations are found in the mausoleum of Pir-i Bakran, located some” 30 km” southwest of Isfahan. Owing to the importance of the decorative technique and its great stucco decorations, several contemporary Islamic scholars have described the mausoleum as a real museum of the stucco art; therefore, it can be a subject for several, related scientific studies. The present paper aims at exploring the structure and themes of the stucco decorations of this building to demonstrate that religious ideas substantially inspired the origination and style of these ornaments in religious constructions, in particular mausoleums.A descriptive method was adopted in the present study, which builds on library-based research and field observations. Accordingly, proper photos were taken from the decorations and architectural spaces before linear drawings of the decorations were prepared to document the data using Illustrator CS5 and Corel Draw x5 solutions. Given successful execution of the several stucco panels coupled with proper location and composition, the results of the study reveals that the artisans of this period with their unique ingenuity were able to employ this architectural element befittingly in this building, turning it into a masterpiece of stucco work from the Ilkhanid period. Further, a deeper analysis of the themes, which apart from decorative panels using floral and geometric motifs include also frequent use of sacred religious terms and phrases, demonstrates that there was a tendency among the Iranian society under Ilkhanid to employ these themes, and on this very basis, this period can be called one of the most important periods of stucco art in terms of rendering stucco decorations with religious themes.
    Keywords: Islamic Art, Ilkhanid Period, Pir, i Bakran Mausoleum, Stucco