Journal of Archaeological Studies

The Jalalabad Seal, A Reappraisal

Massimo Vidale; Francois Desset; Dennys Frenez

Volume 12, Issue 4 , May 2021, , Pages 251-263

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.323646.143020

Abstract

We re-discuss the so-called Jalalabad seal, a well-known cylinder seal dating of the late 3rd millennium BC, reportedly found in Fars. It displays a scene related to a south-eastern ... Read More

Iconography of Animal Motifs in Seals of Magi in Sasanian Period

meysa shahsavari; seyed mehdi mosavi kohpar; Javad Neyestani

Volume 13, Issue 2 , September 2021, , Pages 271-291

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.274985.142673

Abstract

So far, many researches have been done about clergy, their hierarchy, role and position in the Sassanid era and there is considerable information about them. Most of this awareness ... Read More

Local and Regional Styles of Parthian – Sassanian Pottery in the East of Iran Based on the Pottery Sherds from the Nehbandan County (Khorasan-e Jonoubi Province)

Meysam Labbaf-Khaniki; mohammad farjami; Ahmad Heidari

Volume 13, Issue 3 , September 2021, , Pages 287-314

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.301702.142871

Abstract

From the archaeological point of view, pottery contains valuable information about living conditions and economic, social and cultural interactions between peoples who live in a region ... Read More From the archaeological point of view, pottery contains valuable information about living conditions and economic, social and cultural interactions between peoples who live in a region or beyond in past. Identifying the pottery characteristics and its common styles in the region are the first steps for extracting and analyzing this information. Parthian-Sassanian pottery in the east of Iran consists of prominent features that show transregional interactions along with the persistence of local traditions. The collection of pottery sherds newly found in the Neh plain and the Chaharfarsakh Valley of the Nehbandan county provide indicative properties of the traditional pottery styles in eastern Iran during the Parthian and Sassanian periods. Comparative study of the diagnostic Parthian-Sasanian potteries of Sisatn and southern Khorasan demonstrates a close relationship between the pottery traditions of these two regions. Accordingly, the materials wich used as temper and the style of decorations bear an equal resemblance. This resemblance can be detected also in the form of the ceramics from Nehbandan with those from the historical sites of Sistan. Moreover, almost all of the potteries were manufactured using the wheel and only the sherds belonged to the handles, lids, or spouts are handmade. The study of potteries from the Nehbandan county shows that the historical processes in the Parthian and Sassanian periods and passing important roads such as the ancient Khorasan–Sistan route through the region have had a profound impact on the making and processing methods in the manufacturing of the potteries. This study shows that some styles in the Nehbandan region have indigenous and local traits, following the common pottery patterns in the east of Iran. A considerable number of studied cases are influenced by the prevalent designs in Iran which are comparable to the Parthian–Sassanian cultural centres. This is understandable in the context of historical events and cultural trends during the Parthian–Sassanian period

Research on Prehistoric and Historic Settlement of Qalehganj (Chāhdādkhodā area)‎

Salman Anjomrouz; Mohammad Mortezayi

Volume 12, Issue 3 , December 2020, , Pages 293-325

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.270070.142645

Abstract

Chāhdādkhodā is located at the southernmost of Kerman province; on the border with ‎provinces ‎of Sistan & Baluchistan and Hormozgan.‎ In the administrative divisions ... Read More Chāhdādkhodā is located at the southernmost of Kerman province; on the border with ‎provinces ‎of Sistan & Baluchistan and Hormozgan.‎ In the administrative divisions of Iran, This area is one of dual districts of Qalehganj towns. ‎In 2016, the first archaeological survey season of Qalehganj was carried out for completing ‎the ‎archaeological map of Iran and identifying the cultural sequence in this area.‎ In present paper, it's tried to determine the regional and trans- regional interactions of study ‎area ‎with its adjacent regions by analyzing and integrating the results of survey.‎ Based on the carried survey, 66 sites and traces were identified that chronologically ‎belonging to ‎periods of Paleolithic (2 cases), fifth millennium bc (2 cases), fourth millennium ‎bc (10 cases), ‎third millennium bc (27 cases), Historic periods(29 sites) and Islamic era (3 cases) ‎and Recent ‎century(2 cases.).‎ Morphologically and functionally, the Ancient sites can be divided to 8 types: 1-Wide multi-‎‎ ‎functional sites 2- Historical Crain burials 3- Ancient tepes 4- Metallurgy sites 5- religion ‎buildings ‎‎6- fortresses 7- Rock engravings 8- Ancient sites with small cultural domination.‎ Based on geographical location, all of above sites situated on two areas as highland zone ‎and ‎plain.‎ Finally, by analyzing of preliminary results of present study area and its adjacent area at ‎northern ‎highlands of Persian gulf, Baluchistan (Bampur) ,Halilroud basin (Jiroft) and Soghan valley) we can consider the study area as a intermediation for connection of mentioned areas in prehistoric and historical periods.‎ Qal’eh Ganj is located on the mostsouthern place of Kerman province. Chāh-e Khodādād is one of two districts of the present Qal’eh Ganj County, on the border of Sistan & Balouchestan and Hormozgan (Figure 1). In 2016, the first season of archaeological survey and reconnaissance of town of Qal’eh Ganj has been carried out as a part of the Iranian National Archaeological Map Project in which the authors tried to clarify the cultural status of the region in different periods in Chāh-e Khodādād District (Mortezayi & Anjomrouz, 2017). In addition to the purposes as mentioned above, the present research attempts to analyze and compound the results of this research and to discern regional and trans-regional connections and interactions with the neighboring areas. This region has a strategic situation because it lies at the trijunction of three significant culturalgeographical zones in the southeast of Iran (Mokrān shores, the Persian Gulf shores and Halīlrūd Rūd (Halīl River) basin (Figure 1). This survey resulted in the discovery of 66 archaeological localities dating from Palaeolithic to Islamic periods. The sites as mentioned earlier which are morphologically influenced by the geographical factors of their places can be categorized into two different types: plain areas and highlands (foothill and mountainous areas). The first season of archaeological survey and reconnaissance of town of Qal’eh Ganj has been carried out as a part of the Iranian National Archaeological Map Project in which the authors tried to clarify the cultural status of the region in different periods in Chāh-e Khodādād District (Mortezayi & Anjomrouz, 2017). The present research attempts to analyse and compound the results of this project and discern regional and trans-regional connections and interactions of this area with the neighbouring areas. Throughout historic and prehistoric period, how is assess the cultural connection of survey area with surrounded regions? Based on geographical location of study area and archaeological document from surrounded area, we can assume survey area as an intermediation for cultural connection between Halilroud basins, Baluchistan and northen beach of Persian Gulf. Based on the survey, 66 sites and properties have been identified and registered which belong to the Paleolithic (Figure 7 & 8; Table 1), 5th millennium BC (Figure 9; Table 1), 4th millennium BC (Figure 10 & 11; Table 1), 3rd millennium BC (Figure 12 & 13; Table 1), Historical period (Figure 15 & 16; Table 1), the Islamic period (Table 1) and the recent century (Table 1). Considering the morphology and forms of the settlements, all of the recollected sites have been divided into eight types of sites including large compound sites, historical cemeteries, ancient tepes (mounds), archaeometallurgical sites, religious buildings, fortresses, petroglyphs and ancient sites with a few numbers of cultural materials. The sites as mentioned earlier which are morphologically influenced by the geographical factors of their places can be categorized into two different types: plain areas and foothill and mountainous areas. This survey which begins with an investigation on some cases dating back to the middle Paleolithic is in line with other similar researches, but it is the starting point of a series of studies in the area in question as well as in the southeast of Iran. The preliminary findings prove, at least, the noticeable potentials of the area under study for further Paleolithic researches. New finds of Paleolithic period from survey area provide a base to develop Paleolithic research in southeastern Iran especially for asses this area in dispersal of human at southern corridor of Iran (Vahdati nasab et al, 2012). Typology and dating of prehistoric sites (Table 2-4) along with their quantity an dispersion of cultural materials indicates potentiality of survey area for appearance and development of third millennium bc occupations and probably cities of this period on the margin of episodic rivers. Vicinity and interference of third millennium sites with chalcolithic occupations suggest fifth and forth millennium cultures for searching origins of Bronze Age occupations formation in same regain. The analysis of the preliminary findings as well as other few investigations in the neighboring regions in the northern heights of the Persian Gulf (Podat, 2010) including the vast sites of the Bronze Age in the seasonal riversides of the sites under study, these findings can function as a bridge between basin of Jazmurian and the northern shores of the Persian Gulf. Presence of special pottery of historical period, namord and londo in study area (Figures 15 & 16; Table 5), implies on intermediating role of southern Jazmurian between areas from Baluchistan to southern shores of Persian Gulf in Arabian Peninsula.

Human Figure proportionality in the Iranian Achaemenid and Egyptian Arts

Rahim velayati

Volume 9, Issue 2 , April 2018, , Pages 211-227

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2018.225885.142384

Abstract

Achaemenid art is royal Courtly art which has been influenced by subordinate nations arts. The different nations like Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Anatolian. As it is clear that Achaemenid ... Read More

Archaeological Surveys in the East Azerbaijan: North of Namin, Ardebil Province

mohammad alizade; reza rezalo; karim hajizade; bheroz afkhmi

Volume 10, Issue 2 , January 2019, , Pages 221-238

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.68542

Abstract

Despite the valuable evidences in the northwestern Iran (Ardebil province) archaeology of this region is now remains unknown and its chronological order is located on the basis of the ... Read More

Archaeological Survey of Parthian Sites in Dargaz Plain, North-East of Iran

Hassan Nami; Seyed Mehdi Mousavinia

Volume 11, Issue 1 , May 2019, , Pages 233-252

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.71116

Abstract

Dargaz County is located in northeastern Iranian Plateau, near to borders of Turkmenistan. Its location so close to Turkmenistan and ancient Nisa, as the first homeland capital of the ... Read More

A Study on the Manufacturing Techniques of Bronze Objects from Tepee Foroodgah and Sangtarashan Ancient sites of Khorramabad, Luristan

Mahdie Geravand; HamidReza BakhshandehFard; Ali Sajjadi

Volume 11, Issue 2 , October 2019, , Pages 245-260

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.73180

Abstract

In recent years, two significant historical sites, Tepe Forodgah and Sangtarashan have been excavated in Khorramabad. Bronze objects explored from both sites exhibit an interesting ... Read More

Evidence of Economic Enterprise Activity in the Proto- Elamite Tablets of Susa

zehra mirashe; Kamaleddin Niknami; Bahman Firouzmandy Shirejin

Volume 9, Issue 1 , August 2017, , Pages 251-264

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2017.64015

Abstract

Considering the boom in the agricultural productions in the plains of Susiana, it seems that the proto-Elamite economic system is similar to that of feudal societies. In such a system, ... Read More

Settlement Patterns of the Bronze Age Sites of the Upper and Middle Atrak Basin in the Northeast of Iran

Alireza Hejebri Nobari; Raffaelo Biscione; nesa judy

Volume 13, Issue 2 , September 2021, , Pages 293-317

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.279390.142703

Abstract

In archaeological studies of the region of Southwest Asia, during the period from the late fourth millennium BC to the beginning of the Iron Age (second half of the second millennium ... Read More In archaeological studies of the region of Southwest Asia, during the period from the late fourth millennium BC to the beginning of the Iron Age (second half of the second millennium BC), phenomena such as the growth of settlements in terms of area and population, the emergence of early cities, Trans-regional trade, the formation of government institutions, the emergence and spread of gray and black pottery, extensive changes in technology and the dramatic development of the smelting industry and the use of bronze tools were identified. In this process, an extensive communication network aimed at controlling trade routes and access to raw materials across the plateau by land and sea connected many areas. Economically, in this era, trans-regional trade was established, and communities were connected thousands of miles away from home to obtain the resources they needed. Bronze Age cultures are well known in the most part of Iran but Khorasan is an except and the data are rare and insufficient. Moreover, information about chronology, and distribution of sites during different periods of prehistoric times in different parts of them is very limited. In this research, 38 sites from the Bronze Age period have been studied. These sites were identified in the form of archaeological surveys of the Upper and Middle Atrak during the last decade. This study was done using descriptive-analytic method. For data analysis, GIS and SPSS software, and Correlation and Cluster analysis methods were used. Settlement pattern in the Upper and Middle Atrak basin is similar. It consists of two-level models with large site and a number of small sites around it. The results of this study indicate that due to the lack of water resources in the region, access to the constant water resources is the most important factor in shaping the Bronze age Settlemens. Most sites are also formed during the Early Bronze Age, and we are faced a decrease in the number of sites in the Middle and Late Bronze Age.

Tas Tape: A Parthian Site in Khorasan Based on Field Evidence and Preliminary Results

Azita Mirzaye

Volume 13, Issue 3 , September 2021, , Pages 315-340

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.276241.142682

Abstract

Iran's eastern borders have been constantly affected by various events, especially the arrival of different ethnic groups in Central Asia in the form of migration or invasion. However, ... Read More Iran's eastern borders have been constantly affected by various events, especially the arrival of different ethnic groups in Central Asia in the form of migration or invasion. However, ancient sources provide researchers with little knowledge of such events, and this little information is specific to incidents that were widely considered a threat to the central government of Iran. Therefore, written sources do not answer the questions of archaeologists on political, military, various urban planning, and cultural interactions of Iran with its eastern neighbors. On the other hand, extensive and continuous field research that purposefully answers such questions has been limited and scattered. One of these researches is the purposeful activities that have been carried out in the middle part of the Kopet Dag -Aladagh corridor in the north of Khorasan in the last decade; and this has become the basis for the formation of other research by other researchers in this geographical area (albeit limited). "Tas Tape" is one of the sites in the northeast of Iran. Its location is in the middle part of the Kopet Dag -Aladagh corridor and the east of Quchan city. According to the results of two seasons of field research, this site is one of the important sites of the Parthian period that has been settled until the Sassanid period. Around Tas Tape, a large settlement site was identified during additional studies after archeological surveys in Quchan city. The existence of questions about the synchronicity of the settlement with the fort hill, how the two parts are related to each other, and the continuation of life until the Sassanid period led to the definition of a long-term research project to answer the questions and better understand this ancient monument. This article is based on the research conducted in the first season of this site, which includes reviewing the area of the site, geomagnetic surveys, and sounding for delimitation of the Tas Tape site. The results of this season include the identification of a site from the Parthian period with an area of 80 hectares, which consists of two parts: a) Fort mound b) Unenclosed settlement. According to preliminary results, the settlement probably was only in the Parthian period, but the fort hill was used until the Sassanid period. The Clinky pottery is the most significant cultural find on this site in terms of chronology and distribution of this type of pottery. The location of this site is also very remarkable because it is the link of the north of Kopet Dag sites, including Nisa, into the Iranian plateau.

The role of Environmental Factors in the Location and Genesis of Parthian Sites in North Khorasan (Central Kopeh dagh-Aladagh Corridor)

Azita Mirzaye; Reza Mehrafarin; Seyed Rasoul Mosavi Haji

Volume 12, Issue 3 , December 2020, , Pages 327-347

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.255365.142550

Abstract

Geographic and environmental attributes of a given region assume a pivotal role in the formation and persistence of human settlements. Nature confers possibilities and resources on ... Read More Geographic and environmental attributes of a given region assume a pivotal role in the formation and persistence of human settlements. Nature confers possibilities and resources on human, who, as per his understanding of them, employs them in pursuit of his goals, hence the rise of human–nature interaction. The frequency of and the ways in which human settlements are established and the type of functions they serve with regard to environmental characteristics give rise to the ecology, which aims to grasp the scope of the interrelationships between humans and the environment. The present paper examines the scope of human-environment interactions in the Parthian period over the geographic extent of the central part of the Kopeh dagh-Aladagh corridor. The paper seeks to ascertain the local environment’s influence on the formation and evolution of Parthian settlements and to find out the pertinent settlement patterns in northern Khorasan. Given the environmental potentialities, what were the Parthians’ criteria for site location when establishing their settlements? How did these priorities affect the distribution of sites and their settlement pattern in the study area? The present paper represents a multifaceted research drawing upon archaeological survey, ecological studies, information processing in GIS, examining the relationships between natural and cultural variables and their impact on the formation of the contemporaneous settlements, and finally archaeological analysis. The study adopts an ecological and economical approach. In this context, ecological data on the relation between soil type, geology, flora, fauna, and water table or “biosorption analysis” have been used. Processual archaeologists use ecological systems as their basic model for observing the adaptive transformations humans in response to environmental circumstances as even small environmental alterations will have the potential to affect cultural structures. The Kopeh dagh-Aladagh corridor stretches from Garmab in western North Khorasan to the Mashhad plain to the east. For the purposes of this study, the corridor is divided into the following three separate parts based on geographic features that someway affect cultural aspects: a) Western part: extending from the beginning of the village of Garmab to the border of Shirvan County (Reza Abad), this part is characterized by a mountainous terrain with narrow passes such as Badranlu; b) Central part: in this part, defined by the beginning of Shirvan County (Reza Abad) and the end of Quchan County, the plains grow wider as the mountains begin to sit back; c) Eastern part: Chenaran County and the Mashhad plain mark the extreme boundaries of this part. The focus of the present work is on the central corridor, viz. the stretch delineated by the counties of Shirvan, Farooj and Quchan (Figure: 1). Geographically, the study area encompasses the structural valley of Atrak-Kashafrud, an expanse that is bounded by the mountains of Kopeh Dagh/Hezar Masjed to the north and the Aladagh/Binalud mountains to the south (Figure:2). This plain geomorphological unit exhibits a fairly wide and flat landform, and is principally affected by the sedimentary process of the flowing water bodies of the Kashafrud and Atrak rivers and their tributaries. Geomorphology, it consists of three main units of plain, foothills, and mountains. Its northern and southern sectors are mountainous, its slopes are characterized by foothills, and its central part consists of plain. Indeed, the mountainous quarters comprise small, narrow intermontane plains, which fall in the plain sub-class. The regional heights follow the northwest-southeast trend dictated by the general orientation of the Kopeh dagh zone. The Atrak and Kashafrud rivers rise from the regional mountains, forming two drainage basins. The archeological survey of the concerned area recorded more than 500 archaeological mounds and sites spanning the Chalcolithic to the Islamic period. Based on a comparative analysis of the surface pottery, 20 Parthian sites are distinguishable. It is notable that due to the lack of adequate knowledge of common Parthian pottery forms in the region, due caution has been exercised in the identification of these sites. These Parthian sites are divided between 16 examples lying in the northern half of the plain on the southern slopes of Kopeh dagh/Hezar Masjed and 4 instances that occur in the southern half on the northern slopes of Aladagh. As stated, a main objective of this study is to pin down the influential factors of the region's ecology in the formation of Parthian sites and their distribution in the geographic setting of the central Kopeh dagh-Aladagh corridor. To this end, such components as geology, altitude, slope gradient and aspect, climate, water resources and soil are explored. Finally, the results of the study reveal a close and direct correlation between the site location and the environmental factors (Figures: 3-10). The central Kopeh dagh/Hezar Masjed corridor on the north and Aladagh/Binalud on the south form an upland district hemmed in by mountains. Due to its mountain geomorphology, the area is generally dominated by cold, dry climate. In mountainous regions, slopes and valleys generally offer more advantageous conditions for settlement as the altitude variable prompts reduced temperature and increased humidity. Dropped temperature in warm seasons results in lowered evaporation of water resources, making water resources more easily accessible throughout the year. The choice of appropriate altitude as an influential factor in human activities has thus led to the concentration of Parthian settlements on the slopes dominating the plain. Choosing slopes provided the local populations with access to montane pastures, but also enabled them to exploit alluvial and fertile plains. The same strategy is still operative in the region, where, save for the cities that lie in the plain, rural settlements mostly sit on the slopes overlooking the plain. The distribution of the sites in reference to the slope gradient and aspect shows that, with the exception of F 0026, the Parthian sites lie in proper points of terrain ruggedness and slope gradient spectra, and their dominant slope aspect indicates the maximum use of solar heat in this cold region, with advantageous impacts on agricultural production and pastures. Given their location on slopes, the hitherto identified Parthian sites mostly occur on the spring-fed influent streams that flow into the Atrak, with no instances recognized along the latter. In light of the results from environmental studies, the altitude, slope gradient, easy access to water resources, and fertile soil served as the foremost factors governing the distribution of Parthian sites in the region as they were directly linked with subsistence. It is notable that while our environmental studies drew on the present-day landscape, the survey of the study area produced about 500 sites dating between the Chalcolithic to the Islamic period, and presence of this huge number of sites over this protracted timespan testifies to the fact that advantageous environmental conditions did prevail in the past.

The Recognition of Timurid Architectural Decorations on the Basis of Kamal Al-Din Bihzad Miniature Paintings

mehdi kazempour; mehdi mohammadzadeh; raziye heydari

Volume 10, Issue 2 , January 2019, , Pages 239-258

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.68543

Abstract

Visual evidences are considered to be the most important documents in history and especially in the history of Iranian architecture. There are different types of painting that they ... Read More

Explaining Structure, Function and Chronology of Moshkouyeh Kiln

Reza Nouri Shadmahani

Volume 11, Issue 2 , October 2019, , Pages 261-271

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.73181

Abstract

The archaeological site of Moshkouyeh that nowadays called Moshkin tape is located in northern part of the Iranian plateau, between the two historical cities of Rey in the north and ... Read More

Zoroastrians of Maybod (Yazd): A Historical Archaeological Perspective of the Two Villages, Mazra’e Kalantar and Asr’ Abad

Ruth Young; Taha Hashemi; Ashkan Pooryan Avvali; Sepideh Jamshidi Yeganeh; Zeinab Nazari Tehrani; Mohamad Hossein Azizi Kharanaghi; Hassan Fazeli nashli

Volume 13, Issue 2 , September 2021, , Pages 319-341

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.266881.142623

Abstract

A joint program by the University of Tehran and the University of Leicester carried out a first season of archaeological exploration of Zoroastrian societies in Maybod, Yazd province ... Read More

A Research on Zoroastrian Dakhmagozari Rituals Based on Architectural Structure Study of the Zoroastrian Dakhmas

rasoul ahmadi; Reza Mehrafarin

Volume 12, Issue 1 , May 2020, , Pages 1-17

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.264448.142609

Abstract

According to the Zoroastrian religious teachings, and in order to prevent the contamination of the four sacred elements of water, soil, wind and fire, dead bodies should be put in an ... Read More

A suggestion on the location of the islamic Torshiz city based on interdisciplinary studies (GIS, Written texts and archaeological data)

Mohammad Esmaeil Esmaeili Jelodar; Reza Heydari

Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2020, , Pages 1-21

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.249157.142520

Abstract

One of the most important reasons for the formation of cities is their geographic location. Sometimes these particular geographic conditions themselves cause the city to be displaced ... Read More

Parthian History and Syriac Sources by Looking at the Impact of National Iranian Historical Traditions on Syriac Resources

Narges Asadpur; Kamaleddin Niknami

Volume 13, Issue 4 , September 2022, , Pages 1-20

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.289750.142782

Abstract

We are justlfied in our study of Iran’s historical period by the invisible and clear vestiges of the mysterious Parthian empire, which has piqued the interest of a lot of ... Read More

Typology and Chronology of Pottery Findings in the Bagh-Bamid site of Sirjan from the Early Islamic Centuries to the Thirteenth Century AD

Zeinab Afzali; Sattar Khaledian

Volume 15, Issue 1 , April 2023, , Pages 1-27

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2022.343725.143120

Abstract

According to written sources, the city of Beymand was one of the cities of Kerman province in the early centuries of the Islamic era. Beymand was considered to be one of the more important ... Read More

An Analysis of the Role of Natural Factors in the Spatial Distribution of Castle Settlements in Ardabil Province Using GIS and AHP

parviz purkarimi; Karim Hajizadeh; reza rezaloo; behrouz afkhami

Volume 12, Issue 1 , May 2020, , Pages 19-40

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.261578.142594

Abstract

Castle monuments are one of the settlement types whose location, formation and space distribution are strongly influenced by natural factors and communicational factors. The present ... Read More

Explanation and Analysis of Bronze Pottery Making in Khorassan Case Study: Shahrak-e Firouze Site in the Neyshabur Plain

Hassan Basafa

Volume 13, Issue 4 , September 2022, , Pages 21-37

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.296601.142842

Abstract

The study of pottery production and organization in the Bronze Age helps us to know the cultural and technical characteristics. Knowing this issue is done by relying on production ... Read More The study of pottery production and organization in the Bronze Age helps us to know the cultural and technical characteristics. Knowing this issue is done by relying on production technology and recognizing the traditions used in pottery production, as well as by examining the possibility of exchange or trade and internal and external regional actions. Accordingly, it is necessary to know about the explanation and analysis of the Bronze Age pottery-making in the prehistoric settlement, especially in the Bronze Age. In Khorasan, we don’t have enough archaeological pieces of information about the Bronze Age and this area consists of many plains such as Neyshabur plain that this plain is one of the most important. The location and suitable environment of Neyshabur plain are the most important reasons for the development of human societies. The basis of this research is the construction of furnaces, production techniques, topology, and distribution of pottery pieces, which have been obtained during the 5 seasons of Shahrak-e Firouze archaeological excavations. Based on this, the process of producing pottery has been done outside the residential zone and has been formed centrally, such as large-scale industrial centers on the outskirts or adjacent to the settlement. Their production technology has also been selected and designed with the aim of mass production. The forms are simple and varied and are dated in a comparative approach in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, while in their development, the influences of the Bactria Margiana Archaeological complex (Oxus Civilization) are seen as the most important known culture of Central Asia in the Bronze Age. The similarities between the pottery traditions and, in a way, the specialized pottery production organization between the Neyshabour plain and Central Asia show similar traditions on a trans-regional scale. The results of this study show that the pottery making of Neyshabour in the Bronze Age has been associated with Central Asia more than the interior of the Iranian plate.

An Analysis of Structural Reasons for the Use of Bulbous Domes and their Prevalence in Iran: A Case Study of Shah Mosque in Mashhad

Zeinab Akbari; Javad Neyestani; Mohammadreza Nasiri

Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2020, , Pages 23-39

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.260100.142585

Abstract

Bulbous domes are among discontinuous double-shell domes and has been developed in Iran since the middle of the 9th century AH/ the 15th century AD, concurrent with Timurid period. ... Read More

Southern Lake Urmia in the Iron Age III Period: New Evidence from Mahabad

Vahed Joolaee; Reza Rezaloo; Karim Jajizadeh Bastani; Behrouz Afkhami

Volume 15, Issue 1 , April 2023, , Pages 29-54

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.281524.142720

Abstract

According to historical evidence, during the Iron Age III period the southern shores of Lake Urmia were a place where many tribes lived, politically divided among small kingdoms whose ... Read More

The Typology of Rusa II’s Seal Impressions on the Urartian Bullae of Bastam

Maryam Dara

Volume 13, Issue 4 , September 2022, , Pages 39-70

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.325316.143025

Abstract

Urartiand ruled over the shores of Urmia, Van and Sevan Lakes in from about 9th to 7th centuries B.C.E. Bullae are among the smallest but most significant pieces of information they ... Read More

Research on the Advantages of Archaeological Materials Found in the Underwater Archaeological Survey of Bushehr Port

Hossein Tofighian

Volume 12, Issue 1 , May 2020, , Pages 41-58

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.250382.142528

Abstract

According to the report of the Center for Marine Medical Studies affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences about the discovery of pottery fragments from the seafloor in the ... Read More According to the report of the Center for Marine Medical Studies affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences about the discovery of pottery fragments from the seafloor in the coastal waters of Bushehr Port, Department of Underwater Archeology, Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) undertook to study and identify these cultural remains during August 2016. With the participation of professional divers, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences began scientific diving in the Persian Gulf. During the underwater archaeological survey, an area containing clay fragments in the seafloor was identified. The site is located 500 meters from the shores of Bushehr Port and at a depth of three to six meters. Underwater archeological studies of the coasts of Bushehr port in the Persian Gulf, cultural materials including Torpedo jars, small and large glazed crabs and fragments of pottery in the seafloor were identified. Among the cultural findings, a small number of Torpedo jars and more broken pieces of this pottery and several glazed potteries were collected. Torpedo jars and Turquoise glaze pottery are among the most prominent Sassanid pottery in the Persian Gulf that were shipped from Iranian ports to destination ports in the maritime trade. Determining the true nature of this historic site and its dating was one of the major impetus for underwater archaeological diving operations on these beaches, which led to the discovery of cargo from a historic ship from the Sassanid era. In this article, while explaining the underwater archaeology research program of Bushehr port, the discovered pottery of this study, including turquoise and glazed pottery as the most prominent Sassanid and early Islamic pottery in the Persian Gulf, will be discussed. The Sassanid position in the Persian Gulf maritime trade and the importance of trade in this historic period from Iranian ports to destination ports in the Indian subcontinent, the southern coasts of the Persian Gulf and East Africa are carefully considered.

Volume 15 (2023)

Volume 14 (2022)

Volume 13 (2021)

Volume 12 (2020)

Volume 11 (2019)

Volume 10 (2018)

Volume 9 (2017)

Volume 8 (2016)

Volume 7 (2015)

Volume 6 (2014)

Volume 5 (2013)

Volume 4 (2012)

Volume 3 (2011)

Volume 1 (2009)

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract