Site Formation Process as Seen from Tpe Bimarestan-e Ashkhane Excavations Data

Transformation Processes cover the issues on interactions between tools and structures with natural and cultural environments. These processes provide a profound concept on the archaeological site formations through which the sites were subjected to the various alterations. Understanding of these processes and their context helps archaeologist to interpret archaeological data in an appropriate way. In this research we have tried to use transformation processes for interpreting of cultural material of a rescue excavations carried out at Tepe Bimarestan in Ashkhane town, North Khorasan Province. Tepe Bimarestan Cemetery is located on the natural hill in the southern periphery of Ashkhane town. The aim of the excavations at this site was at the first to rescue cultural data Bulldozer diggings. This mound was used as cemetery during Iron Age and then by Islamic Periods. Because of the latter, many of Iron Age graves were destroyed except just one escaped. By this process there have been a great number typical Iron Age sherds were scattered over the site. Pottery sherds of Tepe Bimarestan show a close similarity to those found from the Northern Central and northwestern Iran as well as to the potteries of Archaic Dehistan Culture from South-West Turkmenistan. A more detailed study of these pottery comparisons clarified two periods of the Iron Age; 1- Early Iron Age and or earlier; and 2- Late Iron Age. The results obtained could help to conclude that the site was firstly used as a cemetery during the early Iron Age but then during the Late Iron Age this place was altered to have been settled temporarily by the nomadic peoples.