Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract Esfahan is one of the cities that, despite its ups and downs, retains part of its historic texture and is relatively healthy. Two factors have contributed to the maintenance of the relative health of the old city: relatively low rainfall and low relative humidity on the one hand, and the lack of destructive earthquakes on the other. The quarter of Jobareh (or Jubara) has a brilliant history as the oldest quarter in the city of Esfahan. The mosque is the main core of the city of Esfahan, and its oldest residential quarter dates back to the Achaemenid period; it is reknowned for the centrality of the establishment of the Jewish community there. This quarter was famous for its Jewish population from the beginning of Islam until the fifth century AH. During the Seljuk period, this quarter was located adjacent to important monuments, including the mosque and the Seljuk and market complex, and the city square. This paper tries to answer the following questions: what was the impact of the Jobareh quarter on the formation and growth of the city of Esfahan in the early Islamic centuries and what was the role of the Jews as its native and primary inhabitants in the formation of this historic quarter? The research method used in this study is descriptive–analytical, based on archaeological data including archaeological sites, cultural sites and all monuments ranging from pre-Islamic times to the Safavid period. According to the arguments presented in this paper, one can conclude that one of the most important centers of Esfahan for immigrant Arabs was the Jubara quarter, with the Arabs living in this quarter and with its growing prosperity, it became an important quarter; as time went on, it became larger than the Jay quarter, and the throne of Esfahan was thus transferred from Jay to Judea.

Abstract As it appears from historical texts, the favourable bioclimatic conditions of the Natanz region and its location in the communication network of Iran’s central plateau, have provided the ground for the formation of numerous settlements, as well as diverse and yet valuable architectural works. Presence of pre-Islamic ancient sites (Such as Arisman ancient site, fire temple, castle, karezes) and also monuments from the Islamic era in Natanz (Such as Juma Mosque, Sheikh Abdul Samad Complex and collections of public, commercial and residential monuments), have turned this city into one of the most valuable ancient settlements in the country; highlighting the importance of the region from prehistoric up to the present century. According to published sources, Natanz's socio-political developments in early-Islamic centuries were influenced by the changes that occurred in the cities of Isfahan and Kashan. Also, the brilliant effects of the historical monuments of Kashan and Isfahan cities have caused the neglect of the monuments of the city of Natanz by tourists and historians of different periods. Neglect that has also affected archaeological, urban, architectural and historical research.  The authors have tried to determine the evolution of the city of Natanz, relying on the written sources, in order to identify the factors and events that have influenced the formation and development of this city. Results of the present study revealed that the construction history of this city can be traced back to the Sasanian Empire. Moreover, it became clear that Natanz’s location on the communication network of Iran’s central plateau and It has been one of the centers of caravans crossing and trade and the Central Plateau of Iran, and also its geographical location, environmental conditions and the special defensive function of the natanz city Its importance in different historical periods, especially the Ilkhanid and Safavid periods it has figured

Abstract The historical site of Tesmijan, 300 hectares in area, is located northeast of Kashan city. According to archaeological data, this site was used during the Iron Age, Parthian, Sassanid, and early Islamic periods. According to the surface archaeological materials, the peak of settlement in Tesmijan was during the Sassanid period, during which the site has probably been a Sasanian city. The site is one of the few Sassanid sites in Kashan that has been expanded during the Parthian period. According to the quantity and quality of data, this site can help understand the Sassanid period in the Iranian Central Plateau. In the present study, we want to answer these questions: What are the basic characteristics of the Sassanid pottery typology and forms in the site; how does a comparative analysis of these forms with other Sassanid sites help to gain a better understanding of the archaeological processes in the region? What are the main arguments regarding the origin of stylistic forms and decorations of local types in this site? For this purpose, the ceramics were sampled through systematic survey and networking of the Tesmijan site to determine the typology and forms of Sassanid pottery in the site, and a comparative analysis of these forms with other Sasanian sites has been presented We have attempted to investigate the local origin of the pottery in the site; Although the cultural material of the site is comparable to various Sassanid sites, especially in western Iran. Some local forms are also identified and introduced in this research using descriptive-analytical methods.