نشریه جستارهای باستان شناسی ایران پیش از اسلام
سال ششم شماره 2 (پیاپی 12، پاییز و زمستان 1400)

Ahranjan Tepe is one of the most prominent Neolithic sites located in the northwest of Iran which was speculated with making 30 speculations to recognize the extent of historical monuments around there, determine the area, compile a map of the width of the area, and organize the area to consider it as work of a museum park.  The results showed that despite the apparent area of the area remaining an area of 1300 m2, the actual area of the area was 2.6 hectares, a large part of which was destroyed because of wind erosion, rainfall, farmers' contravention, construction of residential houses, and so on. One of the most important questions related to this area is how it communicates and interacts regionally and transregionally with neighboring areas, which will be discussed. It is assumed that due to the location of the area in a strategic position and a highway connecting it, on the one hand, with the South Caucasus and eastern Anatolia and, on the other hand, with the central plateau and south of Lake Urmia, has been formed for commercial and cultural exchanges. Obsidian stones and their diversity in seven different colors and mother stones on their surface reinforce this claim. In this study, the findings of speculating are studied and topologized. Therefore, it shows that, in this area, the most primitive human community is formed, and inventions and innovations in fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, tool industries, and commerce are formed with neighboring regions. Regarding, most of the speculations which have been made near Ahranjan Neolithic layers the area of 2.6 hectares of this area in the Neolithic period testifies to the existence of one of the most important Neolithic centers in this part of northwestern Iran, along with Qarah Tappeh form areas before Haji Firuz.

Varamin Plain, located on the Jajroud alluvium, has provided suitable conditions for the establishment of human settlements. The result of sedimentation of this alluvium, which is suitable for cultivation, along with hot and dry weather and favorable environmental conditions, has provided the ability to settle and feed human populations in this plain from the Paleolithic period to the present day. At the end of the 6th millennium and up to the middle of the 5th millennium BC, the culture known as Chashmeh Ali was common in large areas of Iran and even outside the current borders of Iran, which, despite the general similarity, had specific characteristics of each region in details. One of these areas is Varamin plain. The creation or destruction of settlements is under the direct influence of environmental factors, and without knowing these factors it is difficult to identify the social, economic and even spiritual dimensions of ancient humans. In fact, the basis of archaeologists' studies is to search and find the interactions between human societies and the surrounding environment, as well as the technologies that human groups have invented to adapt to the environment. The purpose of this research is to investigate the environmental factors in the formation of Cheshmeh Ali culture settlements in Varamin Plain. Therefore, the most important question is what is the relationship between climatic and environmental structures and the formation of Cheshmeh Ali culture's settlements in Varamin Plain? The present research is descriptive and analytical in terms of method. The method of data collection in this research is the type of objective observation, description, and comparative study which has been analyzed and concluded using both field and library methods, along with the use of geographical software and remote sensing.

Balance and coherence of components making an artwork are the most significant and well-known principles. Proper use, an appropriate connection between the components, and the way they are presented lead to the creation of the balance factor. This factor is one of the important and influential factors on human mind and attracts attention at first sight. Any ambiguity or agitation will be eliminated from the mind of the designer and viewer if the abovementioned factor is implemented properly. Organizing visual arts in an artwork exposes the viewer to a unified totality. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study is to analyze the composition of the geometric and animal-patterned pottery of Cheshmeh Ali, in relation to the study and analysis of factors affecting the maintenance of balance and visual order in the pottery motifs discussed. North of Central Iran in the period of transition from the Neolithic Age to the Chalcolithic Age (Transitional Chalcolithic) (4300-5200) witnessed the emergence of pottery with new visual and structural features distinguishing it from the previous pottery of the region. These painted potteries of Cheshmeh Ali (4600-5200) have been noted by many due to their elegance in construction, suitable baking quality, abundance of motifs, and creation of new motifs, variety in form and type of motif composition. This study answered the question "which factor has led to the organization of visual elements and maintenance of balance in the composition of geometric and animal-patterned pottery of Cheshmeh Ali?" A qualitative method has been adopted in this research, and the required data have been collected through observing, using library documents, and visiting museum samples. Findings indicate that the quality and configuration of lines, along with the main and complementary motifs, resulted in maintaining the visual balance and organizing the composition of the geometric and animal-patterned pottery of Cheshmeh Ali.Findings indicate that the quality and configuration of lines along the main and complementary motifs, resulted in maintaining the visual balance and organizing the composition of the geometric and animal-patterned pottery of Cheshmeh Ali

Sarsakhti castle hill with an area of ​​approximately 1.5 hectares is located inside Sarsakhti Olya village of Shazand city. This Tepe was first identified in 1977 and in 1387, the operation of determining the area and proposing its privacy was done by creating different speculations. Due to the importance of the site in archaeological studies of the Tepe and the existence of different pieces of pottery from different cultural periods in the site, the excavation and stratigraphy program was carried out with the aim of identifying its cultural periods, especially in the Ancient Bronze Age. The results obtained from the stratigraphy of the Tepe show the existence of works from the Neolithic period, Ancient, Middle, New Chalcolithic, Old, New Bronze age, Parthian, Islamic Middle Ages, and Qajar period. One of the most important cultural findings of the Tepe is the identification of pottery pieces related to the ancient Bronze Age (Kura Araxes), which is of archaeological importance due to the unknown culture in this part of Iran. One of the main questions in studying the samples of Kura Araxes pottery in the Tepe is to determine how and how the Kura Araxes relatives are present in the area. It seems that after crossing the Famenin plain of Hamedan, the Kura Araxes tribes entered the Komijan plain through the Qara Chai River and from there to the Charra plain and then Shazand province.

Bread and cereals were an important part of the ancient Iranian diet. The high nutritional value of bread had made bread have a prominent place in the culture of ancient Iranian. Despite this importance, little research has been done about bread in ancient Iran.The question is what role did play bread in the nutrition and culture of ancient Iran and what was the appearance and process of baking bread? The aim of this research is studying the nutritional and cultural status of bread, types of cereals used, types of bread in terms of shape and technique of baking in ancient Iran. This research on the base of purpose is basic research and on the base of the nature and method is historical research, the method of research is descriptive-analytical. Archaeological data, historical sources and religious and mythological texts of ancient Iran were used. Also, the methods that specified in linguistic studies for baking bread in ancient Iran were adapted to the method of baking some traditional breads in present-day Iran. The results of this study showed that cereals were the most important material for baking bread in ancient Iran. Two important advances in the process of baking bread, namely the use of dough to make dough and the use of tandoor for baking bread, occurred in ancient Iran, without abandoning the previous methods of preparing dough and baking bread. As a result, Iranians ate both unleavened bread and sourdough bread, and although the use of ovens made large-scale bread production possible, the old method of baking bread on hot ashes was still used.

Interment is one of the main sources of study on ancient cultures and religions. Interment, as a part of the material and intangible heritage of a society, has its own characteristics in different regions. Since ancient inhumation traditions originate from the beliefs of ancient societies, their study could be useful for the reconstruction of their cultural evolutionary process of them. Cairn Burials are one of the most numerous works that have been identified and recorded from the archaeological surveys of different regions of the southeast of Iran. These graves are usually created on the rock of the crest of the mountains. In the archaeological survey of Zahklot of Jazmurian in the south-eastern region of Iran, a significant number of these graves have been identified, and it indicates that in this region, the burial method of Cairn Burials is common and examples similar to the Cairn Burials of Zahklot in terms of form and distribution. It has been reported from areas such as the west and southwest of the Iranian plateau and outside the borders of Iran from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the southern area of ​​the Persian Gulf. The purpose of the current research is to investigate and study the Cairn Burials in terms of form, distribution of graves in the region, and their dating based on a comparative study with neighboring areas. The current research by conducting field survey and survey in the region identified and analyzed the intended graves and provided archaeological documentation such as the classification of the structure of the graves and the typological comparison of the pottery samples introduced, categorized, and presented the relative chronology of this burial tradition. The results of the typology of pottery and its comparison with the scientific excavations confirm the dating of the Cairn Burials.

According to several inscriptions of Shalmaneser III, the son of Ashurnasirpal II, the beginning of the presence of the Medes and Persians in the west of the Iranian plateau is attributed to the ninth century BC. However, such an absolute interpretation cannot be scientifically valid both for the reasons deduced from the same inscription and following other documents. The fact that Assyrian conquests did not extend very large to the eastern part of their land before Shalmaneser III's that the Assyrian king's vision was a criterion for judging on the one hand, and the existence of older inscriptions with similar content, on the other hand, there are the most important violators of this conception. With the antiquity of the presence of two Iranian populations is mentioned in the region. In this article, first, the problems of Medes and Manneans and the identities of these two populations are analyzed, then the methodology of the mentioned theory concerning the accuracy of reasons for arguing the oldest presence of these two populations in the west of the plateau is examined based on the mentioned inscriptions of Shalmaneser III. In the following, documents are analyzed that show significant citations from previous millennia in this regard. Also in the present article, the content of an inscription by Sargon of Akkad and the study of some specific settlements with features related to the subject of the article is discussed. The current study shows that either the inferential methodology in such issues should be changed or if the same method is the basis of judgment, the content of other texts should be used as a criterion for scientific inference

After the Sassanids defeated the Parthians and came into power, they considered attributed themselves to the Achaemenian dynasty, and they considered the Parthians as foreigners. Therefore, Sassanids tried to underestimate the effects of the Parthian rule. However, in the past centuries, with the increase of archeological studies, it was found that the Parthians had a great share in transmitting culture and art to the Sassanids. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the Parthian art affects the Sassanid art by studying the art of the Parthian and Sassanid eras and citing architectural works, rock reliefs and coins. The research question indicates that in what fields and to what extent the motifs of Sassanid art have been influenced by Parthian art. The research method is descriptive-comparative, and the data are obtained from documentary studies. The results show that despite the efforts of Sassanid rulers to downplay the Parthian government, much of Parthian art has had an undeniable impact on later art, so this effect is clearly evident in the art of architecture, the visual structure of coins, and Sassanid rock reliefs. In addition, this effect was more in the early Sassanid period and in the field of architecture. Patterns such as the goddess of Nike and animals such as horses and boars, and plant motifs such as artichokes and lotus flowers, common in Sassanid rock reliefs, are indebted to Parthian art. Also, by quoting coins, religious themes of the fire altar, moon, and star, giving diadem and general image of Sassanid coins, are influenced by Parthian coins.

Achaemenid official art often appeared in wall and rock relief, and its main building was laid during the time of Darius I. The Rock reliefs of Behistun and the tomb of Darius are two main Achaemenid monuments painted alternately during the reign of Darius I, and many motifs and features of Achaemenid art appeared in them for the first time. Therefore, the study and comparison of these two illustrated monuments will lead to a better understanding of Achaemenid official art and its formation process. This research aims to study and compare the motifs and pictorial features of the Behistun relief and the Darius’ tomb relief to identify similarities and differences between these works in order to know the extent and how Darius’ tomb relief is influenced by the Behistun relief and to gain more knowledge of the developments that took place in the early stages of the formation of Achaemenid official art. The research questions are: How and to what extent the Behistun relief has influenced the tomb of Darius the great relief, and to recognize which motifs of Achaemenid art appeared for the first time in the Tomb of Darius the great relief. The current research was carried out with a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach and Its information is collected in a library manner. The results of the research show that through the representation of all the main elements of the Behistun relief in Darius’ Tomb relief, this relief has been largely influenced by the Behistun relief. Also, some motifs and pictorial characteristics of Achaemenid art first appeared in the relief of Darius' tomb and then reflected and expanded in other Achaemenid works.

At no stage in the development of civilization has human being able to separate himself from ornaments and decorative objects. Jewelry has been a means of decorating and defining the social status of the user. The Sassanid period can be called the peak period of the art of industry and metalwork of Iran before Islam, the art of jewelry making and ornaments in this period reached its peak. During archeological excavations in the cemeteries of the Sassanid period in northern Iran, a collection of jewelry made of gold, silver, bronze, glass paste, oysters, and stones has been found, which reflects the art and culture of the tribes living in this region in the Sassanid period. The main purpose of this study is to study and analyze the jewelry discovered from the cemeteries of the Sassanid period in northern Iran in terms of the type of material, construction technology, and type of use. The findings of this study have been collected and reviewed based on archaeological data and library resources. The results of this study show that some graves were without ornaments or with worthless ornaments and others have more and more valuable ornaments than other tombs, this indicates a socially and economically significant class conflict between the people of this region during the period. Casting, hammering, tapestry, soldering, and melting wax have also been used in the construction of these objects. In the decoration of ornaments, motifs of mythical animals, motifs of animals (deer, snake), plant motifs (cypress, tree), and human and geometric motifs have been used.

In archeological studies of the historical period of Iran, the Sassanid period is considered as a period in which the role of religion is more prominent than any other socio-cultural case. Sassanid ChaharTaqis are also known as the most important symbols of religious architecture of this period. Although these structures look similar to each other in general, they have significant differences in details. One of the most important ambiguities related to the Sassanid religious ChaharTaqis is their religious function and quality. In this research, an attempt has been made to study a type of Sassanid ChaharTaqis that has only a surrounding corridor and does not have any other architectural extensions. This research is trying to determine their function and religious quality. For this purpose, two ChaharTaqis of QotbAbad and Mazayejan, located in the eastern regions of Fars have been considered. The purpose of the study is to review the plan of both buildings and provide a better understanding of their religious function. In this article, an attempt has been made to answer the question of what the rank of the mentioned religious quality is. The hypothesis that can be put forward for this question is that the ChaharTaqis seem to be probably related to the court fire and have the lowest religious rank. This research is a kind of fundamental research and from the perspective of the nature and method of research is a historical and descriptive-analytical study. The method of data collection is field library and laboratory. The results of this study indicate that ChaharTaqis which has surrounding corridors and does not have any other architectural extensions can be used as Yazišngah. They are related to the fire of the court. The significance of this research is that it reviews the plan of buildings and it also offers a new function for a group of religious buildings of the Sassanid period.