Background of Drama in Ancient Iran

Many theorists hold that theater derives from rituals. Iran and India are two ancient civilizations with deep and joint origins in which rituals have an important role. There are many debates about the origins of drama in ancient Iran. In this research we will concentrate on a view which holds "ritual origin" for drama. First we will shortly introduce the related theories .Then according to the theory of puppetry's priority over drama and depending on the archeological evidences from ancient civilizations of Jiroft and Shahr-I Sukhta and comparing them with similar findings from the civilization of Indus valley and their broad intercultural relations during the third millennium BC, we will express a new perspective about the background of drama in Iran.