Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract Nowadays, Archaeologists use spatial analysis of environmental data and archaeological field findings to clarify the patterns relating to the scattering of ancient settlements and their relation to their natural environments. Settlement pattern analysis is one of the topics in archeology that, rather than focusing on a specific ancient place, probes the region. The interpretation of past human behavior in relation to its dependence on components of the natural and ecological environment is at the center of this type of thought. The results of these  analyses will identify factors that influence the choice of the ancestors' places of residence, such as: easy access to agricultural land, water, marine resources and exploitation of extractable mineral resources. The protection that the geographical location provides is another important and well-known factor in the context that it has a great influence on the shape of the deployment of human groups in an area. According to this method and by analyzing the results of the field survey in the west of Urmia Lake, the geographical variables affecting the settlements of the Parthian period in this area were investigated. In the field survey of the western plain of Urmia Lake, 14 sites of the Parthian period had been identified, which was drawn by analyzing the results of this survey and environmental data available, therefore, the pattern of settlement regions based on GIS maps was drawn. These patterns lie in the western plain of the Urmia Lake and have variables such as: sea level height, proximity to rivers, climate type, soil fertility, land use, vicinity to today's settlements, and salt extraction and trade. All the patterns from the west coast of Urmia Lake, have been measured; and the results of these field studies are presented in the upcoming article.

Abstract Srōš is a great Zoroastrian diviniy in the Avesta and Middle Persian texts. He functioned as a warrior and a fighter against evil, a high priest, and one of the judges of the soul in the afterlife. In the Avesta, four separate hymns are dedicated to Srōš, which implies his important position among the Zoroastrian divinities. The name of Srōš survived as a divine messenger in the Iranian literature of the Islamic period. However, Srōš’s name was missing in royal inscriptions, and his name did not appear among the pantheon of Iranian divinities in Greek, Roman and Syriac sources. Due to this absence, the status of Srōš in ancient Iran and his possible visual representation has not given due recognition or attention. In this paper, first the characteristics and functions of Srōš in Zoroastrian literature studies are described. Then, on the basis of Zoroastrian textual sources, and Srōš’s status and iconographic evidence in pre-Sasanian Iran and in eastern Iran, and his possible visual representation is investigated during Sasanian period. The results of this study indicate that Srōš was probably depicted both anthropomorphically (charioteer motif) and non-anthropomorphically (the rooster and ear motif), and these images were inspired by Zoroastrian beliefs

Abstract Tang-i-Chakchak complex is located at eastern Fars Province. As one of the biggest religious Sassanid architectural complex, it consists of two main architectural spaces including a Chahartaq or a domical squared space. One of the two main spaces, with a square plan, considered the place of maintenance of the holy fire. Present paper attempts to suggest a plan of the structure of the religious architecture, during Sassanid period, following investigating architectural square space of Tang-i-Chakchak in comparison to similar structural spaces, in order to understand historical and realistic function of the building. Purposefully, it is a fundamental research, with a historical and descriptive-analytical methodology and nature, while data collected bibliographically and following fieldwork. The conclusions present a modern classification of the sanctuaries attributed to Anāhitā during Sassanid period, consisted of two different religious architectural spaces, furthermore, there is an introduction of the square architectural space of Chakchak as a sanctuary that attributed to Anāhitā. Some of the religious spaces relate to Arədvī Sūrā Anāhitā the ancient Zoroastrian goddess, and some other structures connect to Anāhitā, with Mesopotamian origin. The architectural spaces indicate various religious attitude for different reason, not a development during Sassanid period. It appears that there was an attempt to diminish the latter, for their non-Zoroastrian origin during late Sassanid phase. Present paper potentially is Important for suggesting a new structure of the sanctuaries of Anāhitā, in addition to revising earlier theories and assigned structure to Anāhitā, which explain various religious attitude within Zoroastrian framework during Late Antiquity of Iranian history.

Abstract Archaeological excavations at Bishapour have begun in 1921 by Asian department of Louver museum and then continued by Iranian archaeologists till 2009. The 9^th season of excavation at Bishapour was carried out by Mosayyeb Amiri in summer 2011 which have resulted most informative finds. As an important characteristic of the recent work was considering a new approach for documentation and reordering of data. The recent work was conducted on the part of the site known as monarchy citadel located in the south of mosaic hall. So, due to the importance of shard gathered from the last excavation, this paper will focus on classification and typological study of shards of the site.