Preliminary Report of Archaeological Excavation of Kaboud - Circular Site of Maragheh (East Azerbaijan, Iran)

Maragheh is one of the oldest cities in Azerbaijan province, Iran. However, it has been neglected archaeologically and the available information about the history of settlement in its context is very limited; therefore, the results of archaeological excavations in the historical context of Maragheh, can have valuable information about the history of its establishment, development and physical expansion in different periods.
The present study is the results of the second chapter of the archaeological excavation of the Kaboud-Circular Site. In this study, based on the results of an archaeological excavation chapter and relying on written sources of the Islamic period, the authors seek to answer the following questions: 1- Based on the results of archaeological excavations, what is the history of settlement in this area? 2. What are the most important cultural findings obtained from the archaeological excavation of the Kaboud-Circular Site and to what extent are these data compatible with written sources? The results of the excavation of the trenches show that there is evidence of permanent settlement in this area from the historical (Parthian) to the contemporary period. Also, a comparative study of excavation data with descriptions of written sources from the Islamic period shows that this area was known as a part of the "Qozzat" neighborhood during the Seljuk period. It has buildings such as a school, a mosque and the tombs of the Seljuk Atabaks, especially the tomb of the Abbasid Caliph. Other results show that the number of tomb towers in this area is 5, which is compatible with the five domes of Atabakan Seljuk.