Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract The Central Zagros received pioneering research on the emergence of early agricultural and village life by R. Braidwood in 1959-60. However, later shifts in research toward the Levant put the Central Zagros in shadow for several decades until recently, when investigations have once again highlighted its key place in the Neolithization processes in West Asia. Unlike the Levant, where a protracted change from the Epipaleolithic to the Neolithic is seen, the border line between these two periods is evidently sharp in the Central Zagros suggesting that unprecedented features appeared during the first two millennia of the Holocene, a foundational time that is poorly known in the region. In light of new evidence, this period is addressed here under the chronological term ‘Transitional Neolithic’ (ca. 9800-8000 BCE). Current datasets suggest that, following an environmental improvement at the end of the Younger Dryas, local communities engaged in short-term inhabitations, collective or communal ceremonies, and had an increasing reliance on the wild progenitors of early domestic plant and animal species. This time span’s close interactions with natural resources provided people with growing ecological knowledge. We may think of longer occupation in desirable places and thereby population increases in the 9^th millennium BCE. This instead could have gradually resulted in an environmental depression, however, caused either by population growth or by possible unfavorable climatic events. Archaeological evidence shows that from the mid-9^th millennium BCE on, a change happened in subsistence strategies toward low-level food production. In fact, this was an eco-cultural event that broadened the human diet. The central Zagros saw multiple creative behaviors during both the early and late phases of the Transitional Neolithic, providing people with a robust foundation for the succeeding truly Neolithic way of life that took shape during the 8^th millennium BCE

Abstract In this article, by analyzing the research activities conducted in the Central Zagros region in the Iron Age, the shortcomings, contradictions, questions and theories have been expressed, and in addition to presenting the general framework of previous researches, they have been criticized and analyzed. For this purpose, past and current published activities as well as some unpublished reports have been considered. This can be useful in identifying future research priorities. The transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in the Central Zagros is largely unknown, and in archaeological excavations in this area, due to lack of accurate stratigraphic excavations, terms such as Iron Age I, II and III cannot be used for its different areas. Therefore, in this article, the general term of the Early Iron Age for Iron Age I and II is used.The Central Zagros region has long been interesting to archaeologists. The French geologist Jacques de Morgan visited the Luristan region in the 19th century and identified many sites. Ernst Herzfeld in the early years of the twentieth century surveyed many areas of the Zagros region and identified Tepe Giyan in the county of Nehavand. This site was later excavated by G. Contenau and R. Ghirshman. Stein conducted archaeological research in Luristan and excavated several Iron Age tombs in Hulailan and Badawar. Almost at the same time as Stein, the Holmes expedition was one of the teams that conducted archaeological studies in the Luristan region under Schmidt’s direction. In 1934 and 1935, he conducted archaeological surveys and excavations in Luristan, and in 1938, he excavated Surkh Dum for three weeks; this site is highly important for reasons such as being a settlement land and having hundreds of different objects. Sites such as Kamtarlan, Chigha Sabz and Surkh Dum were excavated during performing this research. A review of the research background conducted in the Central Zagros region indicates that the excavations were scattered and non-purposeful and at first, more attention was paid to objects. In the early studies of the Iron Age, there was no definite plan, and most of the information obtained was based on individual, and in some cases, incidental research. The lack of necessary standards in excavations has made the problem more complex. Some of the excavations were not fully published or were later conducted by others. These problems are observed in some sites such as Tang-i Hamamlan, Surkh Dum, Cheshmeh Mahi, Tepe Giyan, Khatun Ban, Jameh Shuran, Tepe Guran, Chigha Sabz, and Kamtarlan. The Iron Age in the Central Zagros is often based on studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. These researches started with scattered studies, and projects related to Luristan bronzes were revived. Attempts to identify bronze makers as well as their stylistics, and their geographical origin were among the reasons for focusing on Iron Age activities in the Central Zagros. Previous scattered studies were mostly based on the stylistics of objects. In the following decades, Luristan bronzes were strongly considered, and the research teams of the Danish in Hulailan, the British team in Delfan (Dilfan), and the Belgian delegation in Pusht-i Kuh (Ilam Province) conducted extensive studies in this field. In the 1970s and 1980s, during the Godin project, valuable surveys and excavations were conducted, based on which a purposeful approach on chronology, settlement patterns, comparison to the Bronze Age, and connections of the Central Zagros to other regions were considered. Nevertheless, problems, such as separation of Iron Age I and II phases from each other, involvement of theories in the north of the Central Plateau in the Central Zagros region, and uncertainty of the period of some pottery traditions like Elamite/Kassite goblets are among its shortcomings. It should also be noted that this study did not cover all parts of the Central Zagros. Clare Goff's research in the 1970s considerably contributed to the understanding of the Iron Age in the Luristan region. The excavations of Louis Vanden Berghe in Pusht-i Kuh led to excavation of 11 Early Iron Age cemeteries, which have been thoroughly investigated in the chronology of objects obtained from this area. The Danish excavation in Tepe Guran had a good sequence, but the speed of the excavation and the lack of phasing have somewhat reduced the quality of the work.The timing of the use of iron metal, either as a decoration or as a public tool in the Central Zagros, has not been precisely determined. Among the findings of Iron Age I, currently there is no conclusive evidence, and the beginning of this phase is based more on pottery changes. In the studies of this area, the emergence of gray Gray Ware as well as Kassite/Elamite pottery and the end of Godin III pottery tradition is regarded as the beginning of the Iron Age. Lack of gray pottery in all areas of the Central Zagros as an indicator, contradiction at the beginning of the Iron Age, existence of different traditions such as the difference between Pish-i Kuh and Pusht-i Kuh, and lack of separation of pottery from settlement sites with cemeteries are among the challenges of this phase. This complexity is intensified in Iron Age II, so that it is not presently possible to distinguish between this phase and the previous phase. Although pottery has been introduced as Iron Age II, firstly, these samples exhibit regional differences and secondly, their start, end or phasing time is unknown. Among the types of gray pottery, no distinction can be made between Iron Age I and II pottery. Based on surveys and excavations of cemeteries in this period, we encounter a decrease in settlement or a change in settlements, and our evidence from this period is more incomplete than that of the previous period. In general, , lack of a chronological framework for its various regions, scattered surveys, lack of standards in excavations, or long delays in the publication of reports, are among the problems in the Central Zagros region. Additionally, inadequate recording, different interpretations, lack of separation of the different phases of the Iron Age, imposing theories on data, paying attention to objects and neglecting details like architecture, and not paying sufficient attention to the findings of northern Mesopotamia are other problems. Furthermore, uncertainty of the beginning of the Iron Age in different parts of the Central Zagros, lack of detailed study of economic, technological and political changes from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, uncertainty of the impact of atmospheric factors on sites, ambiguity of the Central Zagros association with the Ilam civilization and lack of accurate excavation in areas covering all phases of this period are among the other problems. Moreover, insufficient knowledge of Luristan bronzes and unknown details such as manufacturers, production centers, accurate stylistics, and time of their production are other shortcomings of the Iron Age of the Central Zagros region. To start research activities in the Central Zagros region, considering these shortcomings, we need purposeful, long-term, question-based projects using interdisciplinary studies.

Abstract Abstract: Sar-e Pol-e Zahab region in the western of Central Zagros is located between Central Zagros highland and Mesopotamia and Khorasan high road as only western- eastern road passes from that. In other hand this road after passing Sar-e Pol-e Zahab enter to Qasr-e Shirin and Mesopotamia low lands. Therefore, this region is very important in archaeological studies of Central Zagros and Mesopotamia. However, unfortunately, a few archaeological researches have been done in this region. The present study aims in representing a perspective about the Sar-e Pol-e Zahab during the Akkadian period as well as reviewing the written documents regarding the mutual relations and Akkadian cylinder seals discovered in archeological excavations in order to help the interpretations about the presence of Akkadians in this region. In this paper we will discuss about the  Mountainous Passage of western Central Zagros and Khorasan High Road on the Akkadian Seals and will explain the loucation of Sar-e Pol-e Zahab on the Akkadian Seals.

Abstract One of the main goals of Harsin archaeological survey in the Gamasiab River Basin has been to understand the cultural relations of the basin with the adjacent plains and areas during the Chalcolithic period. For which, during a survey season a total of 23 Chalcolithic sites were identified. The existence of different pottery remains from early to late Chalcolithic in the area indicated various settlements distributed across the plain which can be regarded to have had suitable condition for human occupation migrated from western Mahidasht during the 5^th to 3^rd millennium B.C. Moreover the eastern Basin of Gamasiab River in the Central Zagros Area itself has formerly been in use by the ancient societies due to its special natural and geographical features such as high mountains, flat plains and irrigated valleys. This paper attempts to investigate the cultural changes of Harsin area during 2500 years of cultural process by introducing and analyzing the archaeological data of Harsin plain in the chalcolithic period.

Abstract The diagnostic Zagros highland MC I ceramic assemblage is called Dalma, after the type site of Dalma Tepe in the southern Lake Urmia basin of Azerbaijan. The remarkable issue about this period, however, is the widespread distribution of these ceramics. Chronologically, the Dalma tradition is dated back to fifth and fourth millennium B.C .in west of Iran. The Dalma type sites in northwest of Iran bearing four Dalma diagnostic wares but in central Zagros especially in interaction spheres with other pottery traditions Dalma contexts experienced more pottery types. For examples to the more eastern areas in Abhar plain or Sojasroud valley, besides these Dalma wares, small samples of Central Plateau painted wares also appeared. In this context potteries sub-divided into two main original Dalma wares and peripheral wares classes. In contrast to the more southern parts, Dalma diagnostic type turns into secondary pottery tradition. In this article XRF analysis was carried out on Soha Chai Tepe Dalma assemblages, to better understand the nature of their distribution and to further the understanding of interaction between two adjacent pottery traditions.

Abstract According to zooarchaeological evidence, Central Zagros as a center of domestication experienced independently the first step of livestock domestications. It seems that Capra hircus have been domesticated about 10,500 B.C in Central Zagros and since then, has played a key role in the food economy of this region. Outstanding development of genetics shed new lights on the origins of goat and domestication process of this species in southwestern Asia. The aim of this study was a pure extraction of ancient DNA and then amplification of hypervariable segment of mtDNA through PCR technique. Then the prime query of this research was recognition of Neolithic goat haplotypes and their comparison with the modern standard haplotypes through phylogenetic tree.

Abstract The higher mountainous region of the Central Zagros is regarded as one of the important regions for the early human settlements. Although archaeological studies have been initiated from the early 20s but there has been little precise information on the absolute chronology and also transitional processes of cultural sequences especially on the eastern parts of the region including eastern Luristan. Archaeological excavation of Tappeh Qela-Gap carried out in 2009 in the Azna district. The previous study including four seasons of surveying identified 280 archaeological sites; one of which is Tappeh Qela-Gap is selected for excavation because of its different cultural sequences. The main aim of the excavation project firstly was to evaluate the regional chronology of the region as a whole and then to see the local variations of the site to establish a chronological framework for Azna plain. Two small soundings and also a wide trench dug out on the site provided some evidences corresponding to the early village life, pastoralism and cultural transformations of the region during the late Neolithic through the late Islamic phases.

Abstract   Archaeological landscape of western Iran is representative of great and important socio-cultural changes in various periods of prehistory in Iran. The region that the Central Zagros range comprises its most parts has attracted many archaeologists’ attentions who have conducted many archaeological surveys and excavations in this region since the early 20^th century. Despite its environmental characteristics, Sarfirouzabad Plain in southern Kermanshah has just been the subject of surface surveys and studies. To collected reliable data a systemic field survey by a team from Tehran University in 2009, was conducted in Sarfirouzabad Plain which yielded important results and added most to our limited knowledge of the history of the region. Among the various explored sites, there have been 24 sites of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages (Godin III). Distribution of such sites and their patterns in the plain has been connected to the environmental factors specially access to the water resources, while other factors presumably affecting the settlement formation were based on the cultural and political issues. The goal of this article is to improve the quality of techniques in the understanding of archaeology of the region as well as the regional and cultural systems of Bronze Age.

Abstract One of the cultural characteristics of eastern zone at central part of Zagros Range during 3rd millennium BC and at early Bronze Age is the extension of the related habitats to Yaniq Culture (Ancient City near Abhar) in this region. Within field study conducted in 2008 in the plains covering central Zagros eastern side that is situated in Alvan Basin, we managed to identify more than habitats relating to Early Bronze Age. According to analysis done on the data derived from this survey in GIS software environment and by adaption of statistical methods, the relationship between site of habitat and its ecological factors has been assessed. Based on design of this model, we managed to interpret some reason for creation of settlements in this region during Early Bronze Age as well as the existing relationship among the given habitats and archaic routes passed between Iranian Plateau and Mesopotamia at 3rd millienium BC. Using GIS software made it possible for us to identify the reason for many settlement displacements based on archeological evidences at Early Bronze Age so that to describe their settlement models. We can purpose this point, as result of this study, that one may suggest a type of pseudo- nomadic and dry- farming system as economic system for people at Early Broze Age within a limited scale in this region.

Abstract Early Bronze Age (EBA) in the Middle East is considered to be the dawn of civilization, spread of writing, and proto-urbanism; and Mesopotamia was the center of these historical events.
Cultural material remains at the beginning of this period in this vast area – including Western Iran, Caucasus (also beyond), Anatolia, Levant and Northern Mesopotamia – have wonderful similarities in spite of different names (EBA, Trans-Caucasian, Yanig culture, Kura-Arax culture).
Unluckily, for many reasons Archaeological researches focused on this vast area like Caucasus separately. For recent three decades there have been numerous surveys and excavations and multi-disciplined studies in western Iran. It seems EBA culture spreads out to Central Plateau of Iran so that the core of this culture could be Arax-Urmia-Kura basin.
Presented here are the results of an archaeological analysis on Early Bronze Age from Northwest of Iran, Central Zagros, Central Plateau of Iran and borderlands using some scientific information and data such as GIS and obsidian provenance studies.