مجله مطالعات باستان شناسی
سال پانزدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 33، Summer-Autumn 2023)

This paper examines in detail the little-known Friday Mosque (masjid-i jāmi‘) of Firdaus, located southwest of the Khurasan, which has had a key role in developing Saljuq architecture in the area. The original scheme of the mosque was unclear. The lofty īwān and two flanking dome chambers on the west (qibla) side of the courtyard are the central core of the mosque. The main aim of the article is to analyse the architecture of the mosque and demonstrate its association with the architectural style of the Saljuq mosque in the Khurasan area.  During the conservation and restoration measures in 2006, some fresh materials were unearthed. The new findings shed light on the original features of the mosque and revealed its formation. The paper describes the city's history, defines its architectural characteristics, and then analyses the present information for replying to the research questions. Owing to the outcomes of the archaeological investigation, the study suggests the general scheme of the mosque as a further example of the two- īwān mosque, which may be dated to the late years of the 6th /12th century. Despite the importance of the mosque, no lengthy study has been published about the building. The accurate drawing of the plan and sections of this monument, with the proposal scheme for the reconstruction of the mosque, are being published in this paper for the first time

The presence of water resources, particularly rivers, significantly influences site selection. Throughout history, settling near rivers has brought numerous advantages, but it has also posed certain risks. This study focuses on the sub-basins southeast of the Caspian Sea. Initially, we explore the connection between the layout of ancient settlements and the drainage networks. Additionally, we analyze the relationship between flood risk and the settlement patterns of these ancient sites by estimating the flooding risk based on linear, areal, and relief aspects. This research marks the first time such an analysis has been conducted. The findings underscore the importance of proximity to rivers in site selection, with areas close to rivers with lower stream orders being the most favorable for settlements. The study reveals a decrease in the frequency of sites near higher stream orders in relation to flooding risk. Conversely, there is an increase in the frequency and density of ancient sites near the first stream orders and at greater distances from the rivers, coinciding with an elevated flooding risk in the sub-basins. These results indicate that the inhabitants of the southeastern areas of the Caspian Sea sub-basins were cognizant of the flooding danger and factored it into their decision-making when selecting settlement sites

Archaeobotany is one of the interdisciplinary sciences in archaeology. Archaeobotany studies plant remains in archaeological contexts. Based on plant findings, it discusses topics such as people's livelihood, agriculture, vegetation, climate changes, dating, etc. So, this course can reply to many questions archaeologists face about an ancient site and people. In recent years, archaeologists have paid a lot of attention to this field and tried to use experts in excavations. One of the excavations that has paid a lot of attention to archaeobotany, is Feyzabad site. This site has Islamic periods. During the excavation in 2022 in this site, some ovens were found, as well as some samples from them. In this research, we intend to answer questions such as the functioning of the sampled ovens and the identification of plant remains in the ovens. Finally, by combining the information found, we will shed light on the lives of the people of this period. By doing this research, our information about the life of the people belonging to this area, their livelihood and the common types of plant remains used in this area will increase. Also, micro information about climatic conditions will be obtained. After carrying out the necessary investigations and research, it was found that the ovens found in the trench D8 are related to cooking to the inner part of the royal citadel. Besides the more specialized work that is being done, animal husbandry and agriculture are popular. Some climate changes such as warmer weather and less humidity were also identified

The Kerman region stands out as one of the most significant mining areas globally, owing to its extensive and abundant mineral resources. Bam County, situated in the southeastern part of Kerman, has historically served as a crucial hub connecting the southeast of Iran with Sistan and Afghanistan, attributed to its distinctive geological and geomorphological characteristics. Enjoying considerable commercial and military importance since the Sassanid era, Bam County has garnered attention in archaeological research as a strategically vital region. The exploration of Bam's archaeological sites becomes imperative for historical governments, highlighting the need to investigate and comprehend ancient centers engaged in metal smelting and mining activities. Consequently, an archaeological survey of the central part of Bam County was initiated in 2018-2019 with the specific objective of identifying metal smelting workshops and ancient mines. This article presents the outcomes of a field survey conducted in the central part of Bam County, shedding light on evidence of metal smelting centers, furnaces, and historical mining activities. The primary research inquiries center around the chronology of mining evidence in the central part of Bam County, the types of metals extracted, and the processes involved in metal mining and metallurgy within this region. Employing field and documentary methods, the research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The study identified and examined eight sites showcasing evidence of smelting and slag, one ancient mine, and two active mines. These sites have been associated with the extraction and processing of metals and elements such as tin, zinc, lead, silver, iron, and, to a lesser extent, gold. Notably, the substantial volume of zinc and zinc oxide processing in seven sites holds significance. Although cultural materials for chronological dating were absent in the investigated sites, historical sources indicate that the extraction and smelting of these metals in the region date back to at least the 3rd century AH (9th century AD) and persisted until the Qajar period

To date, no experimental investigations utilizing petrographic, XRF, ICP, or TL methodologies have been undertaken for the analysis of Sasanian and Early Islamic pottery in Western Iran. Consequently, the findings of this study are anticipated to contribute valuable insights into the pottery production processes prevalent during this historical period in Western Iran. To achieve this objective, eight pottery specimens retrieved from the excavations of the Jahangir monument were submitted to the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the Geological Survey for petrographic analysis, while two samples each were designated for XRF, ICP, and thermoluminescence assessments. The primary research inquiries pertain to elucidating the composition and structure of the pottery, determining the firing intensity in the kiln, and discerning whether the pottery is of indigenous or imported origin. The outcomes of the experiments indicate the presence of three predominant compounds—quartz, iron oxide, and calcite—in the majority of samples procured from the Jahangir monument. Nonetheless, certain pottery specimens incorporate mica particles or chert stone in the clay composition. With few exceptions, the pottery is ascertained to be domestically manufactured, denoting its local provenance within the region. The texture of the selected pottery samples is characterized as silty, porphyritic, and inhomogeneously silty. The identification of calcite in the clay of all Jahangir pottery suggests a maximum kiln temperature of 800°C during the firing process. Furthermore, notwithstanding a limited number of exceptions, the scarcity of soil variations in the majority of pottery specimens implies a shared geographical origin

Analyzing administrative documents holds significant importance within the realms of archaeology and sociology, akin to the study of other archaeological evidence. These examinations play a pivotal role in reconstructing various systems, encompassing management, social dynamics, economic structures, and political frameworks. Delving into administrative management within prehistoric societies unveils the intricate social intricacies and the supervision exercised by a designated leader or head over a subordinate group, representing an internal control mechanism. Notably, seals, impressions on seals, and diverse accounting artifacts serve as pivotal administrative documents. However, the exploration and investigation of such cultural data in northwestern Iran remain relatively scarce. Therefore, the current study endeavors to present, evaluate, and scrutinize the administrative records of Chalcolithic societies in northwestern Iran, employing a descriptive-analytical approach. Numerous inquiries persist without resolution regarding the administrative records and evidence pertaining to the later prehistory of northwest Iran. Ambiguity surrounds the quantification of Chalcolithic administrative documents within this region. Furthermore, the methodology for analyzing and evaluating the ownership and managerial evidence from the later prehistoric era in this area remains unclear. Addressing these uncertainties can establish a definitive framework and a solid foundation for investigating these matters in northwest Iran. Leveraging administrative data obtained from various sites including Tepe Chay Khoy, Chakhmaqluq, Tepe Kulyeri (Tepe Caravanserai), Sohachay Tepe, and others, the authors conduct an assessment of managerial evidence in the northwestern region of Iran. Furthermore, utilizing extant cultural artifacts and drawing upon the outcomes of prior studies facilitates an exploration into phenomena such as long-distance trade, economic endeavors, social intricacies, and cultural exchanges with neighboring areas

The contractor of the gas line transition from Damghan to Neka destroyed and recovered two tombs in 2014. The site is located 80 km south of Sari. Archaeological excavations led to discovering two historical cemeteries, settlements, and an Islamic castle and cemetery. Architectural remains and objects indicate historical catacomb burials. There are questions about the site including the architectural structure of the catacombs, burial method and dating. Systematic survey and excavation and subsequent comparison of data, with burial method, suggest a vast Parthian settlement in the site. Vestemin is the first Parthian site in Mazandaran. What distinguishes the site from the other Parthian cemeteries is the family catacombs. The Vestemin catacombs consist of three parts, including 1) the rectangular space or the corridor, 2) threshold or entrance between the rectangular space and the catacomb chamber, 3) the catacomb chamber. Armaments including swords, daggers, arrowheads, trefoil arrowheads, and armor were among the findings of the cemetery. Varieties of the objects and using armaments as gifts, had nothing to the deceased’s gender. Investigating the types of armaments reveal how the cavalries applied them, because armaments such as swords, daggers, and arrowheads, are light weapons that Agile Parthian cavalries used against the romans’ heavy weapons, as their classic enemy

Excavations in Tepe Barveh were conducted with the aim to shed further light on the period of painted Bronze Age wares and to refine the existing chronology for the Lesser Zab Basin in the first half of the 3rd millennium BC. Thanks to its location in the upper valley of the Lesser Zab, the Barveh region served as a natural pathway for interaction between the Zagros foothills zones with the Rania and Peshdar Plain in Sulaimaniyah province in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the southern basin of Lake Urmia. By its overlapping Bronze Age sequence, the site offers a strong potential to fill the existing gap of information for the Early Bronze Age occupation in northwestern Iran. A foremost purpose of this paper is to situate Barveh within northwestern Iran, and to explore intra- and inter-regional interactions. The stratified occurrence of Painted Orange Ware (POW) is helpful to establish a sequence for the region and to fill the existing lacuna. EBA sites in northwestern Iran beyond the Kura Araxes zone remain understudied, and few sites offer deposits of considerable depth. The Early Bronze Age is generally associated with the burnished black pottery, while the orange pottery, a coeval and equally important cultural hallmark, has attracted less attention and remains a little known tradition. Hence, in light of the material culture excavated at Barveh, this paper seeks to gain an insight into the ways in which Tepe Barveh interacted with other regions dominated by the orange pottery culture. The ca. 8-meter deep EBA deposit at Barveh built up over c. 300 years and represents this period of POW in an uninterrupted sequence, attesting to cultural continuity over an extended period of time. The culture shows parallels with EBA sites in the southern Urmia Lake Basin and in the Rania and Peshdar plains in Iraqi Kurdistan

According to classical texts, Dara stands out as a significant city from the early Parthian era, situated on the eastern fringes of the Parthian Empire. Classical sources have documented this region under various names such as Apavortene, Zapaortenon, Partauticena, and Apauarcticena. Since the latter half of the nineteenth century, Iranologists have engaged in speculation about the location of Dara, drawing insights from descriptions provided by Justin and Pliny, as well as references to its whereabouts in classical texts. This research endeavors to offer relative conjectures concerning the location of Dara and Shahr-Tepe, a potential site representing it, through an evaluation of archaeological data alongside classical and Islamic texts. To achieve the research objectives using a descriptive-analytical approach, the study employs the library research method and incorporates archaeological data. In alignment with classical texts, the research suggests that the province of Apavortene is situated in Eastern Iran, and there exists a likelihood that the Islamic-period Abivard is a transformed manifestation of this Parthian-period province. Aditionally, a comparative examination of Dara in classical texts with present-day Shahr-Tepe in Dargaz reveals congruence, aligning with the descriptions provided by Justin and Pliny. Shahr-Tepe, located on the opposite side of Hezar Masjed Mountains between Nisa and Abivard, exhibits a singular historical period. Surrounded by Hezar Masjed Mountains, the region boasts an abundance of rivers and springs, expansive meadows, and remnants of forests within Tandooreh National Park and Tivan region. These characteristics confirm the general depiction of Apavortene and Dara found in classical sources. Collectively, these findings suggest that Shahr-Tepe, covering an area of approximately 70 hectares, could indeed represent the prominent city of the early Parthian period

Sea shells are natural-biological objects. They are embedded in geological layers in the form of fossils, but also, to find in archaeological deposits as a result of human activities. Archaeologists can use the provenance of shells in the functional analysis of ancient sites in terms of social archeology and prehistoric trading activities. Aarcheological excavations in several sites of the Iranian Plateau have shown that from the 3rd third millennium B.C. onwards, finds of of sea shells (e.g. Lambis, Dentalium, etc.) rapidely increased. Such shells were for instance discovered from ritual cemetery contexts such as Shahdad, Tepe Hesar, Kale Nisar cemeteries or Bani Surma. These objects are mainly used as natural or polished shells. In some cases, they served as a raw material for making all kinds of beads, buttons, and other ornamental objects.. The main question is to understand the relationship between the use of seashells and archaeological context, and also, their role in Bronze Age ritual life. In this article, the descriptive, analytical method has been used in the biological recognition of all types of shells. This method is also used based on similar studies on this issue in Mesopotamia's archeology of the Sumerian-Akkadian period. The distribution of recognizable species shows that these objects are concentrated in the settlements from south to southeast of Iran in the coastal strip of the Persian Gulf, and from the Oman Sea to the Zagros intermountain valleys, as well as in the northwest and northeast of Iran. The biological origin can be placed in the northern shores of the Oman Sea to the Gulf of Kutch on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean. It seems that with the growth and development of urbanization in Southwest Asia and especially the development of sea trade, oysters have been traded as valuable goods and other prestige goods. The importance of the shell findings is more than the value of the shells themselves because they were used as sacred goods in religious affairs. Analysis of the fields where the shells were discovered is more related to cemeteries and temples as sacred spaces. Also, the significant presence of Lambis shells for the production of specific ritual bowls, placed together with bronze axes in graves, can be seen as the reflection of a patriarchic tradition in the social-political organisiation of the third and second millennia B.C. Despite many excavations and the discovery of many samples of these types of shells, no furthergoing investigation on these specific objects was undertaken so far. This desideratum reveals more valuable findings in the archeology of the Iranian plateau. Therefore, one of this article's final goals is to focus more on analyzing the context of the discovery of seashells in future Excavation

Due to the importance of Tabriz in various historical periods after the Mongol’s invasion to the end of the Qajar period, as continuously being the capital city or the residence city of the prince, entrance to this city has been reflected in various reports. Most of the foreigners who entered Iran from European countries came from Caucasus Road to Tabriz and reported many buildings on their way. Moreover, this road was one of the most significant roadways for Caravans on the Silk Road, where various residential buildings have been constructed. Alaki caravansarai is one of the most important roadside accommodations in Northwest Iran, and so many reports about it and the quality of its façade decorations can be traced in the travelogues of foreigners who traveled to Iran. Its vastitude and elegant entrance gate nevertheless, this building has unfortunately been neglected and was about to be ruined in the 19th century and afterward. However, the beauty of its entrance gate has gained the attention of many people and has been reported in many sources. Based on the ornaments used, recent sources in the history of architecture have estimated its date to the 12th century and Ilkhanid Abū Saʿīd Bahādor Khan and the Timurid period. These sources based their estimation only on the type of ornaments used on its entrance gate and its probable that the existence of dated artworks of the Ilkhanid period nearby, such as the Mihrab of Marand’s Jame Mosque, has influenced this speculation. This article aims to meticulously study this building in various travelogues, al-Wqafīyya al-Rashīdīyya, and other sources in the history of architecture and discusses the ornament types used and their history. The detailed study of the documents and sources indicated that this building could belong to the presidency period of Ḵᵛāja Rašid-al-Din Fażl-Allāh, and based on his emphasis to establish this building, can be dated 1297-1309. The ornaments, moreover, indicate the transient period from brickwork to tilework which happened in the late 13th and early 14th centuries

The communities of the Kura- Araxes cultural complex with their highly distinctive cultural and economic features represent the occupation of some parts of the Near East and Caucasia during the Bronze Age.  Generally, the origin of this culture is sought in the Southern Caucasus. In Iran, the spread of this cultural tradition represents not only a rupture in the cultural development of the Mesopotamian traditions. Environmental changes linked to Rapid Climate Change (RCC) also forced the population to develop new economic strategies. Until about two decades ago, knowledge of the flourishing Kura Araxes occupation was limited to the north-west of the country and to some parts of the Central Zagros, but recent research in the zones south and north of the Alborz Mountain Range, on the northern edge of the Central Plateau allows by now to present a more detailed picture of the Kura Araxes occupation in both diachronic and synchronic perspective. Recent archaeological excavations in the two sites of Qaleh Tepe and Ali Yourd Tepe revealed some important new data from Kura-Araxes settlements in the corridor of the north Central Plateau and northwestern Iran. The two sites are located in the eastern Zanjan Province in the Abhar Rood Basin. This paper aims to update the chronology of the Kura-Araxes culture based on the radiocarbon dates from the two sites of Qaleh Tepe and Ali Yourd Tepe. The stratigraphy and radiocarbon dates of the two sites reveal the beginning of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region from c. 2900 BCE, followed by a quick extension into the northern Central Plateau, where it is represented by sites such as Shizar, Doranabad, Ostur, and Barlekin. Similarity and diversity characterize the Kura-Araxes cultural complex.  However, based on the current data, the ceramic style represents a common feature, but also the architectural remains indicate a common cultural tradition during the first quarter of the third millennium BCE in the Central Zagros, northwestern Iran, and on the Central Plateau