The Archaeological Project of the Mehrān Plain: The Survey of the Initial Urbanization and

During the March of 2010, the archaeological survey of the Mehrān Plain aiming to review the previous surveys, identifying and recording the Prehistoric sites was carried out. The main question and aim of the survey was to identify and mapping of the Prehistoric sites and to survey and analysis their distribution pattern making the suitable condition for more precise and extensive archaeological investigations. As expected, however, the prehistoric potential was great and high, as 36 sites, including open-air site, Rock- shelter and Mound were identified and recorded; of them, 15 sites were attributed to the Prehistoric times(Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Urbanization Period) of which, the Initial Urbanization and Urbanization sites being discussed. Generally, 6 sites are attributed to the Initial Urbanization and 9 sites to the Urbanization Period. The undertaken investigations have revealed the strong interaction with the Prehistoric societies of the Khuzestan, Deh Luran and Mesopotamia. The settlement pattern of the sites by the Initial Urbanization has proved the existence of big center for the first time on the Plain. The identified sites have contains strong evidence on the mass production, craft specialization and highly-organized societies by the time. This article will introduce the sites attributed to the Initial Urbanization and Urbanization Periods, meanwhile their main characteristic, distribution pattern and function has been noticed. Finally, by studying and assessing of the identified sites, some directions and notes aiming to do more accurate investigations in the near future have proposed.