Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract One of the most important potteries used in Persian Gulf (Middle East) maritime trade with a large part of the ancient world, including the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, and finally the country of Thailand. (Suriname ship cargo) earthenware jar called Torpedo-jar or storage jar. Although this type of pottery was dated by most researchers to Sassanian era, this type was used in trade and burial from the Parthian period to early Islamic era or 3rd century BC to 9th century AD (Kennet, 2004: 85). The most important feature of these types of jars is the coating of bitumen on its inner surface. So far, archaeologists have not succeeded in finding a kiln for the production of this type of pottery, so it is very important to know the place of pottery production and the bitumen mine used in them.  In this article, using the method of geochemical laboratory studies and a comparative study, the bitumen samples taken from the torpedo jars from the south and southwest of Iran were investigated. In this research, 15 pieces of pottery with tar coating belonging to the archaeological excavations of Siraf and Mahruban ports on the coast of the Persian Gulf (south of Iran), related to the Sassanid and Islamic period, and samples from Shush and Shushtra region from the Parthian and Sassanid periods were selected.The sample of the Susa area is from the Iran National Museum and belongs to the archaeological excavations of Susa region, the sample of Ivan-i Karkheh is related to the Dezful region, and the sample of the Dastova area is also related to the Shushtar region in Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. All bitumen samples were analyzed geochemically with the aim of determining the origin of bitumen in its specialized laboratories in Europe and America. The main result of the research shows the use of bitumen from the bitumen springs of Khuzestan, Lorestan, Ilam and Kermanshah provinces in the studied pottery (Fig.1).

Abstract The silverware works of the Sassanid period have their own significance not only for their technological components but also because their archaeological distribution reveals how this craft was very important during the Sasanian period. Their geographical distribution from the interior and exterior territory of the Sasanians Empire also shows the degree of the influence of Sasanian art. These metal works are made in different forms and unique designs, which mostly include images of royal hunting, banquets, faces and torsos of officials, animal and mythical motifs. Mazandaran was one of the important areas for making silver vessels during this period and even years after the collapse of the Sassanian Empire. The dishes introduced in this article are from the latest silver plates obtained from Mazandaran. They are unique in terms of motifs and themes. We compare these findings with other silver works found in the other parts of Iran.

Abstract Most researchers believe that the Sassanid dead bodies were left in the open air to decompose, and then bones by animals and birds remaining in the troughs and niche was created in the rocks. The spaces created in the hard rock mountain ossuary called (Ostkhan Dan). Many of these Astvdans in the Persian mountains like Naqsh-e Rajab, on a hillside on the outskirts Zangiabadi mercy, have mercy on the mountain near the pool, on a platform on a hillside Gvndashlv, isolated on a rock near Naqsh-e Rostam, the great stone cut surface Tight hay near Sivand, in close Eghlid Abade and at the top of a castle overlooking the Bishapour were detected. The Astvadans were created within the rocky mountains or conglomerate layeres both permanently and temporarily (The Dakhmak) In this study, the number of Astvdanhay identified in the Persian Gulf which is comparable to the examples of Fars , were presented and their actual applicatiion will be discussed.  

Abstract Seals and clay sealings are the most important cultural material of Sasanian period. There have been a few seals and bullas of various periods retained in the Moghadam Museum of Tehran. These materials have not been introduced so far. Authors of the present paper aim at to study and introduce the sasanian seals and bullas of this museum especially those bearing animal symbolic motifs. We do this through comparing them by the same materials of the different collections such as Qasr-i Abu Nasr and Takht-i Soleiman collections while some of them are introduced here for the first time. The most interesting thing which we foun by this sresearch have been the Mithraism elements which were used by Sasanians as iconographic motifs on their sealing systems.

Abstract Despite the lack of a clear understanding of the relationships of eastern and southeastern Arabia with different Iranian regions during pre-Sassanian era and the paucity of written evidence from this period, the huge corpus of archaeological evidence obtained from this region and the few available historical documents show that the region maintained close contacts with Iran and was under legal and formal control of the Parthians.
As its main objective, the present work seeks to analyze the archaeological material from the Parthian sites in eastern and southeastern Arabia that corroborate these contacts.
Pottery is among the major material that reflects the close ties that existed between sites in the southern and northern regions of the Persian Gulf. Pottery sherds are the most frequent evidence that support relationship between southern shores of the Persian Gulf and different regions of Iran during Sassanian and Parthian periods, in particular diagnostic examples that are widely known from Iranian sites. Of particular related examples are glazed, monochrome and bichrome painted, Londo, eggshell, and coarse black types.
Apart from pottery, other categories of the material culture such as coins, metal objects, glasses, statuettes, architecture, and Aramian inscriptions are now available from a number of Parthian sites in eastern and southeastern Arabia to prove the close contacts of the northern and southern coasts of the Persian Gulf.

Abstract Khomein city is located between the Iranian central plateau and central Zagros. The relative importance of Khomein in Sassanian period is evidenced by presence of distinctive monuments such as fire temple of Atashkooh and Mile Malyon in eastern part of Mahallat and inscriptions of Gharghab valley and also passing of a branch of Silk Road through it. Nevertheless there is not so much information about the Sassanians in Iranian Central plateau, specifically in Khomein. This study aimed to determine and reconstruct the patterns and distribution of Sassanid settlements bases on historical documents, environmental and archaeological data, which are gained from archaeological surveys. Hence for determining the influential factors in the formation and distribution of settlements, archaeological information of Khomein were incorporated in GIS system by providing environmental as well as historical information of the region.

Abstract The newly found chah?r t?qi of Mileh Milehgeh is one of the fire-temples of the Sassanian era that was built, like other fire-temples of that time, with pieces of rock and plaster. This chah?r t?qi which is the remaining core of a larger building consists of four stone walls of different sizes surrounded by a round corridor. Inside this fire-temple there is a raised platform for setting up fire furnace (adusht) and a number of plaster and stone stands which are unique in their type.
The survey of these items, i.e. the study of religious architecture of the Sassanian era, particularly Iranian fireplaces, will give us a new approach. The study of this fireplace and the fireplace at Shi?n can resolve many existing obscurities and gaps about the religious architecture of the Sassanian era, particularly the rituals for commemorate the fire.
In the Pahlavi (i.e. Middle Persian) texts, frequent references were made to Holy Fire which may indicate the significant role of Zoroastrian worshipping places in the Sassanian architecture. However, unfortunately our knowledge of Sassanian fireplaces, especially of chah?r t?qis tends to be related to architectural styles rather than the significance and status, the rank of their fire, their custodianship and relations with the clergy, way of earning and costs of these worshipping places.
In this paper, the researcher intends to describe the newly found chah?r t?qi of Mileh Milehgeh, and raise a few points on the above topics.