Typology of the Ancient Sites in Kohgilouyeh Region

This paper presents general information on the typology of various ancient sites in the Kohgilouyeh region, which have been identified and recorded as a result of the second and third seasons of archaeological surveys in this important region. These surveys were carried out in an area of about approximately 3,000 square kilometers in the Cheram, Qaleh Raeesi, and some parts of Dishmouk and Lendeh districts. The main aim of the survey was to identify the ancient sites of this region. We adopted an extensive and relatively intensive approach in our survey, and our basis was topographic maps at the scale of 1/25000 to obtain a general understanding of the geographical situation of the Kohgilouyeh region. At the end of these surveys, a total of 374 sites from the Middle Paleolithic to the Late Qajar and the Early Pahlavi periods were identified and studied. In general, the identified sites can be divided into 15 groups: sites, mounds, caves, rock shelters, public utility buildings, ossuaries, fortified manor house, religious monuments, mountain fortresses, cemeteries, paved roads, water conveyance channels, water stones, petroglyphs, and trenches. The most important sites identified from the prehistoric period encompass open sites, caves, and rock shelters such as Kamkenak, Eshkaft Siyah, Ghafelehbeh 1, 2, and 3 rock shelters, and Kabgi rock shelter and cave, providing evidence of the Middle Paleolithic, Epipaleolithic, and possibly Proto-Neolithic periods. Historical sites include some sites with stone architecture, ossuaries, and cemeteries. Due to today's semi-sedentary lifestyle of people in the Kohgilouyeh region, it was predictable that the majority of the identified sites were of the nomadism type. Moreover, many of these sites belong to the Islamic era and are most likely related to the prosperity of the ancient city of Dehdasht in the Middle and Late Islamic centuries and the subsidiary regions around it.