Preliminary report of first season of emergence excavation in Haji Khan Tape, Famenin in Hamadan Province; A Newfound Median Temple

Due to the construction of the Ibn Sina Petrochemical Company in Hamadan province, Haji Khan Tape is located in the middle of this complex. As a matter of fact, it was necessary to carry out archaeological researches in this area. The first exploration season in the Haji Khan area in the vicinity of the Ibn Sina Petrochemical was conducted under the supervision of Esmail Hemati Azandaryani in the winter of 2016 and the spring of 2017. The Haji Khan Tape, 17 km from the city of Famenin in Hamadan province, is located at geographical coordinates of N 35˚01 '58.11 "and E 49˚01'16.85", and is considered a part of the cultural domain of western Iran. The site is at 2 km from Zaraqan, a village close to the walls of the Ibn Sina Petrochemical Complex. In the following excavations, traces of architectural remains with a 165 cm wide wall was discovered, which led to several extended trenches in varying sizes and in the west, east and south of the above trenches. The site is at 2 km from Zaraqan, a village close to the walls of the Ibn Sina Petrochemical Complex. In the following excavations, traces of architectural remains with a 165 cm wide wall was discovered, which led to several extended trenches in varying sizes and in the west, east and south of the above trenchesThese all help identify several architectural spaces and findings including, a systematic and coherent architecture with chelepa (cross) plan with 7 spaces. Likewise, among other architectural elements of Haji Khan Temple, including the upright stepped fireplace (altar), the middle of the altar, the partition wall, niches in the walls (in Spaces 1, 2 and 3), and gateways between spaces, have a very close similarity with the other sites of median period such as: Nush-i Jan Tape, Gunepan Tape, Yalfan Tape, Moush Tape, Baba Jan Tape and Godin Tape.