QAL’E ASRAR: A NEWLY DISCOVERED SITE FROM THE LATE IRON AND ACHAEMENID PERIOD IN EASTERN IRAN

Eastern Iran, which today almost corresponds to the province of South Khorasan, is unknown in terms of archaeological studies. The sequence and cultural characteristics of the region during various prehistoric and historical periods are still unknown. Archaeological excavations have recently begun in the area, which promises a bright future for the region's archeology. Due to the lack of excavations and, as a result, the lack of data with a clear and reliable stratigraphic and chronological context, it is sometimes possible to suggest evidence for recognizing and introducing the cultural characteristics of a period through a superficial study of an area. This is an issue that has been addressed in this article. Qal’e Asrar, 63 km northeast of Birjand, is a site discovered in the survey and identification program of Darmian city in 2016.  This area is a small monolithic castle that surface evidence, such as pottery pieces and, most importantly, a sealed piece of pottery, shows that it belongs to the late Iron Age and the Achaemenid period. Thus, the cultural material of Qal’e Asrar has been introduced as a feature of the pottery traditions of the late Iron Age and the Achaemenid period in this region of eastern Iran.