Archaeological analysis and investigations on Shaharyeri in Ardabil province

The Late Bronze Age and Iron Age I represent significant alterations in material and non-material culture of people living in the Iranian plateau. The knowledge and taking advantage of iron were as a tremendous discovery in this period that has overshadowed all aspects of human life those days. The societies, by passing the Iron Age and having potential for globalization, have paved the way for establishing the vast empires. Therefore, this period can be called the period of the protohistory of Iran. One of the most significant and important sites indicating these developments in northwestern Iran is the Shaharyeri archeological site in Meshkinshahr, Ardabil province. This site was discovered following surveys of Charles Burney in 1978 in northwestern Iran, and studied under the supervision of Alireza Hejbari Nobari during 2003-2005 with the aim of identifying the Iron Age cultures of northwestern Iran. We can study the Iron Age cultural indices of the east part of northwest Iran in a continuous cultural context. The most important architectural remain, from the formation period, is an early temple that included slab stones, mortar and mud brick, and monoliths that laid to the structure. Semi pastoralist societies populated the site since Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age following constructing a basic temple, whereas developed during Middle Iron Age by construction of citadel and a vast cemetery with up to 500 anthropomorphic monoliths next to a temple. Concluding remarks shows that formation of settlement at Middle and Late Bronze ages and archaeological marker of mentioned period is early temples and development of nomadic culture