Journal of Archaeological Studies

Research Paper

The Sham Valley and the Question of the Ilkhanids’ Religious Leniency in Northwest Iran (Jolfa)

Soraya َAfshari; Liliy Niakan; Behrooz Omrani; Mohammad Mortezayi

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 1-23

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.323475.143018

Abstract

Archaeological inquiries into the Islamic period show both in quantity and quality that targeted and wide-ranging studies aiming to identify the pertinent monuments and sites have obvious ... Read More Archaeological inquiries into the Islamic period show both in quantity and quality that targeted and wide-ranging studies aiming to identify the pertinent monuments and sites have obvious limitations, and for this very reason our understanding of this time period is mainly limited to the information deriving from textual evidence. Accordingly, with the aim of identifying and studying the Ilkhanid sites on the banks of the Aras, a season of reconnaissance survey was carried out in 2019. Focusing on the Sham Valley region of Jolfa County on the border of the two Iranian provinces of East and West Azerbaijans, the fieldwork recorded 53 monuments and sites (Afshari,2019). Given the region’s strategic, geopolitical position in the vicinity of such regions of Caucasia, Turkey and Central Asia as well as its obvious location on major regional lines of communication, several different cultures flourished there spanning in date the second millennium BC to the latest periods. In other words, the foremost factor responsible for the formation of settlements was the region’s location on trade routes and its easy intra- and extra-regional communications, especially during the Ilkhanid period, which played a conspicuous part in the cultural evolution of the Sham Valley. Concurrently, given the region’s religious importance under the Ilkhanid rulers which echoes their religious clemency as part of their foreign policies, revealing data were obtained regarding the local social and religious structures in different periods, especially the era in question. In other words, the correspondence between the field survey’s findings and the historical texts make it clear that the Ilkhanids’s lack of religious prejudice, termed as religious toleration, was an upshot of a series of apparent and latent factors, which in general stemmed from the political orientations they adopted towards religious convictions (Morgan,2004؛ Torkamani Azar,1992 ). Recruitment of Christian females in the court (Bayani, 2011), employing Christian advisors and agents, maintaining contacts with Christian businessmen, missionaries and priests, and the particular attentions paid to the affairs of the Christian populations in Iran were all driven by the prerequisites underpinning their internal and external relations as it is evidenced by the fact that the changes in such relationships in the later Ilkhanid period would be associated with changes in the religious approaches due to political developments

Research Paper

The Archaeological Survey of Shahivand Region in Chegeni County, Lorestan Province

Mohammad Bahrami

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 25-51

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.357444.143193

Abstract

Chegani County is situated in the western portion of Luristan province. In pursuit of comprehensive studies and investigations within Luristan province, the author conducted a survey ... Read More

Research Paper

Typo-technological Classification of the Chipped Stone Assemblages of Hotu Cave from the Mesolithic to the Transitional Chalcolithic: Reflections on Local Raw Material Procurement in the Caspian Sea Littoral Ecozone

Mozhgan Jayez; Mojtaba Safari; Sana Ghasemi

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 53-86

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.357605.143194

Abstract

Prehistoric investigations in the southeastern region of the Caspian Sea commenced more than a century ago, resulting in the identification of several prominent archaeological sites, ... Read More Prehistoric investigations in the southeastern region of the Caspian Sea commenced more than a century ago, resulting in the identification of several prominent archaeological sites, notably the caves of Kamarband, Hotu, Komishan, and Altappeh. These caves have become well-known for their rich archaeological deposits, spanning from approximately 16,000 years ago in the Mesolithic period to the Historic period. Hotu Cave, situated on a cliff along the northern slope of the Alborz mountain range, gained significant attention following its initial excavation in the 1950s by Carleton S. Coon. Excavations conducted over two field seasons lasting nine weeks each revealed valuable insights into the region's prehistoric occupation. In 2021, a team led by Hasan Fazeli from the University of Tehran undertook the re-excavation of Hotu Cave, unearthing 124 archaeological contexts spanning from the Mesolithic to the Historic period. Among the notable findings were 1,539 chipped stone artifacts, predominantly crafted from locally sourced Behshahr chert. The chipped stone assemblage from Hotu Cave exhibits distinctive characteristics indicative of different periods, including pressure removal technique evident in blade-lets and sickle trapezoids dating back to the Neolithic period, alongside ubiquitous scrapers and notched-denticulated tools found across all layers. Technological shifts within the chipped stone assemblage, observed during the recent excavations, reflect changes in subsistence patterns inferred from archaeozoological research on animal remains. However, the interpretation of these technological and subsistence changes is nuanced, as it remains unclear whether they occurred locally and gradually or resulted from external influences, such as demographic movements or the diffusion of ideas from neighboring regions. The chronological gap between the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods complicates the determination of the precise mechanisms driving these transformations solely based on material evidence from Hotu Cave. Further interdisciplinary research integrating archaeological, chronological, and environmental data is warranted to elucidate the dynamics of cultural change in this region during the transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic period

Research Paper

Explaining the Role of Ecological Variables Affecting the Survival Process - Development and Stagnation of Ardabil Islamic City Life

Seyyd mehdi Hosseyni nia; Karim Hajizade; Habib Shahbazi Shiran; Reza Rezaloo

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 87-108

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2019.284959.142750

Abstract

The city of Ardabil, due to its unique geographical and strategic location, was known in the early Islamic centuries as a crossroads and the most important city of Azerbaijan in economic, ... Read More

Research Paper

Reading the Archaeological Landscape through Contemporary Perception (a Case Study of Ozbeki Tepe)

Fatemeh Heidari; Homa Irani Behbahani; Bahman Firuzmandy Shirehjin

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 109-130

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.315621.142968

Abstract

The living environment of today is the outcome of the relationships between the people who have lived in it and nature, from the time of the emergence of the human species on Earth ... Read More The living environment of today is the outcome of the relationships between the people who have lived in it and nature, from the time of the emergence of the human species on Earth to the present day. Human activities and the changes resulting from them in the context of place have taken place under the influence of beliefs, needs, and natural restraining and reinforcing factors, and with the change of generations and climate change have taken on various forms, the remnants of which we are witnessing today. The current landscape, which bears the marks of the past, is called the archaeological landscape, which is the result of the combination of objective and subjective elements. The objective part is the archaeological remains, but the subjective part includes the relationships between societies, culture, and its changes, which are often overlooked; however, this often-overlooked part has been very dynamic and has played a significant role in shaping the existing objectivity. This paper attempts to present a method for reading the archaeological landscape in the perception of the contemporary human being through the archaeological landscape phenomenology. The phenomenology of the landscape requires a comprehensive approach in which we pay close attention to "nature" and "culture”, to places with and without evidence of change or human activity. By considering the hierarchy of historical-cultural events and the objectivity that remains from them, as well as the connection of the people who lived there with the surrounding natural environment, this method provides a reading that, in addition to emphasizing the protection of ancient objective structures, preserves the continuity of these landscapes with their context and transforms the archaeological landscape from mere protection to a dynamic and interactive landscape with contemporary humans. Therefore, understanding the evolution of archaeological landscapes and their values is of fundamental importance for conservation and planning strategies. These landscapes possess inherent natural and cultural values, which necessitate the integration of objective and subjective aspects into methods for their conservation and presentation

Research Paper

A Typological Investigation of Ground Stone from Tol-e Chega Sofla, a Middle Susiana Period

Abdulwahab Dahdouh; Abbas Moghaddam; Nasir Eskandari

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 131-154

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.355732.143185

Abstract

The Middle Susiana period in southwestern Iran has several characteristics, the most important of which are the development of agriculture and animal husbandry alongside growing numbers ... Read More

Research Paper

A Preliminary Study of Sasanian Bullae Held in the Shahrood Museum

AbbasAli Rezaeinia

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 155-183

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.359374.143208

Abstract

The Shahrood Museum holds 32 Sasanian clay bullae that were confiscated in 2005. These bullae hold invaluable information, contributing substantially to our understanding of Sasanian ... Read More

Research Paper

Systematic Survey and Site Formation Process of Khaneh-sar 1, a Paleolitic site in eastern Mazandaran

Hosein Ramzanpour; Kamaleddin Niknami; Sajjad Alibaigi

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 185-205

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.322540.143010

Abstract

The archaeological site of Khaneh-sar 1 represents a geological facies comprising Pleistocene deposits situated southeast of the Caspian Sea, approximately 700 meters east of Komishan ... Read More

Research Paper

Archaeological Survey of the Water Supply System and Water Cycle at the ʿĀli Qāpu Palace of Isfahan

Elahe Rouhollahi; Ali Shojaee Esfahani; Saeed Ghaseminezhad

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 207-230

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.360435.143214

Abstract

The Āli Qāpu Palace, one of the grand constructions erected during the Safavid period (907-1135 AH) in Isfahan, stands out as one of the most renowned architectural marvels of its ... Read More

Research Paper

Forging Historical and Cultural Monuments in Iran

Mohamad reza Zahedi; Hasan Karimian

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 231-251

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2020.285309.142753

Abstract

Since the onset of the Enlightenment in the early 18th century, and the subsequent establishment of museums, galleries, and private collections, the acquisition of cultural artifacts ... Read More

Research Paper

Iconographical Analysis of the Royal Hunting Scene on the Sasanian Bear Hunting Plate of Abkhazia Museum

Esmaeil Sangari; Farzad Rafieifar; Sara Yousefi

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 253-275

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.366742.143237

Abstract

The bear hunting silver plate housed in the Abkhazia Museum stands out as a distinctive example of artwork from the Sasanian period. Its portrayal of bears being hunted, alongside the ... Read More

Research Paper

Semantic Analysis of Rock Art in the Villages of Moin-Abad, Darbar, Haftan, and Qaleh Gandam-Koh of Tafarsh City

Maryam Mohebali; Ahmad Aliyari

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 277-297

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.359699.143221

Abstract

In ancient times, artists employed simple lines to carve images, leaving behind marks that reflect their identity and skill. These artworks, characterized by their distinctive features, ... Read More In ancient times, artists employed simple lines to carve images, leaving behind marks that reflect their identity and skill. These artworks, characterized by their distinctive features, prompt a more discerning examination of the engraved shapes on stone surfaces. They offer valuable insights into ecosystems, as well as the interplay between human life and the natural world, enriching both the fields of art history and archaeology. Within Tafarsh City and its environs, notable examples of such artwork endure, contributing significantly to the study of art and archaeology in the region. The primary objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive and systematic investigation into the petroglyphs found in the villages of Zaghar, Derbar, Haftan, and Qaleh Ghamt Kuh, situated within Tafarsh City. This investigation aims to analyze these petroglyphs in terms of their typology, cultural symbolism, relative chronology, and geological context. By addressing these aspects, the research endeavors to answer two key questions: firstly, the timeframe to which the petroglyphs in the Tafarsh region belong, based on typological comparisons; and secondly, the societal context in which these petroglyphs were created, specifically whether they were produced by nomadic or settled communities. The data collection process involved initial identification through field surveys, followed by photography and documentation using the mollage vector method. However, due to the absence of laboratory facilities, the determination of their temporal context relies primarily on semantic and conceptual interpretation, allowing for only an approximate estimation of their age. The prevailing belief is that these paintings date back to the Sassanid period. Given that all four locations are situated adjacent to the Mal-Rou roads, likely part of the nomad route, it is hypothesized that the petroglyphs are associated with communities linked to the Koch-Ro nomadic groups

Research Paper

The Qumis Earthquake of 856 CE:A Review of Paleoseismological Studies of the Astaneh Fault System, Central Alborz

Hamid Nazari; Jean-François ritz; Magali Rizza; Reza Salamati; shenon mahan; mohammad ali shokri; J-L Michelot; m Massault; mohammad foroutan; Shirin Zarei

Volume 16, Issue 1 , February 2024, Pages 299-328

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.358711.143202

Abstract

The Astaneh Fault is classically described as the source of the most destructive seismic event in the history in Northeastern Iran, the 856 CE Qumis earthquake with an estimated magnitude ... Read More

Presentation of 12 Kinds of Stucco Works Used in the Architectural Decoration of the Islamic Period in Iran Based on Technical Properties

Ahmad Sālehi Kākhki; Hesām Aslāni

Volume 3, Issue 1 , July 2011, , Pages 89-1069

Abstract

According to technical presages, in the preliminary studies, we have found that there are at least 12 different kinds of stucco decorations belonging to the Islamic periods of Iran. ... Read More

Animal Symbolic Motifs of the Sasanian Seals and Clay Sealings Case Study: Collection of Moghadam Museum of Tehran

Mostafa Dehpahlavan; Mohamad Qanavati Hendigani

Volume 7, Issue 2 , December 2016, , Pages 47-67

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2015.57747

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. ... Read More

A Study on the Parthian Burial Traditions at Veliran Cemetery in Damavand, Iran

Mohammad Reza Nemati; Ali Sadraei

Volume 4, Issue 2 , February 2013, , Pages 103-121

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2013.32122

Abstract

Since the ancient times, burial practices have displayed certain characteristics among different Iranian ethnic groups and regions were influenced by the local religious orientations, ... Read More

How Darius Build the Suez Canal? Its Political-Economic Impact in Achaemenid Period

Rahim Velāyati

Volume 1, Issue 2 , February 2010, , Pages 177-201

Abstract

If we consider the starting of Achaemenian Empire in 559 BC, the year that Cyrus, the second, came to power and its ending in 332 BC, the year that Iran was conquered by Alexander, ... Read More

The Bathhouse of Haj Mir-Hassan Qazvin, a Bath from Early Qajar Era

Parivash Akbari; Hayedeh Laleh; Ali Shojaee Esfahani

Volume 3, Issue 2 , February 2012, , Pages 193-219

Abstract

The public bathhouses are included in buildings as public utilities that have been expanded throughout Islamic realm by arising Islamic religion that cleaning is the preamble for most ... Read More

Research Paper

Study and Introduction of Iron Age pottery of Nay Tappeh: Gorgan Plain"

Mahdi Jahed; Kamaleddin Niknami; Jebraeel Nokandeh

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 13 September 2021

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.323464.143017

Abstract

The Varkaneh / Hyrcania (Gorgan plain, Dehistan/Mashhad-i Misrian) is one of the important archaeological regions of the Iranian cultural sphere. Archaeological research in this area ... Read More

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Research Paper

Cultural Interactions of Boshar River Basin with Other Related Areas and Basins in Bronze Age Based on Comparative Typological Studies of Dezak Pottery Complex

Siavash Soraghi; Hassan Fazeli nashli; Morteza Hessari

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 24 November 2021

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.333281.143064

Abstract

Archaeological excavations in the Boshar River Basin in Kohkiluyeh Provinces have provided evidence for the first time in connection with ancient and Middle Bronze Age cultures in ... Read More

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Research Paper

The position of Zahak complex in spreading Mithraism and its related architecture

amin moadi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 22 January 2022

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2022.85614

Abstract

During history, few eras have been as ambiguous and dark as Parthians. In this way, historians undervalue the era between downfall of Achaemenian Monarchy till the formation of Sasanian ... Read More

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Research Paper

Survey of the Grave goods of the Sassanid period Northern Iran (metal utensils) from archaeological excavations

soheil ahmadi vastani; Jebrael Nokandeh; mostafa dehpahlavan

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 29 November 2022

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2022.337911.143082

Abstract

The period between the third and sixth centuries AD (Sassanid period) is very important in terms of archeology and the study of cultural changes and transformations of the Iranian plateau. ... Read More

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Research Paper

A New perspective of cenotaph Tradition in Eastern Iran: Case Studies from Shahr-e Sokhteh, Shahdad (Khabis) and Khonaman

Hassan Basafa; sadegh davari; Nasir Eskandari

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 11 January 2023

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.342386.143111

Abstract

Recognition of burial methods and interpretation of grave artifacts are reflection of human beliefs about the other world, customs, religious beliefs as well as social structures and ... Read More

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Research Paper

Maritime trade between Iran and China in the first to tenth centuries AH based on the excavated pottery from the Persian Gulf region

tayebe rahimi; hassan karimiyan; kazem omidi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 December 2023

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2023.364689.143229

Abstract

Evidence has shown that the history of communication between the people of Iran and China goes back long before the rise of Islam. Attested by textual sources and archeological documents, ... Read More

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Research Paper

A research on Zoroastrian religion of the Sassanid period on the shores of the Persian Gulf Case study: Mehr Nuyafete from Bardestan, Bandar Deir, Bushehr province

Hossein Tofighian; Fariba Sharifian; Katayon Fekripour

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 15 January 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.364329.143228

Abstract

During the Sassanid period, due to the prosperity of Zoroastrian religion, religious buildings were built in the form of four-story fire temples. These fire temples included four-room ... Read More

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Research Paper

Comparative comparison of Tools and Archeological Textiles of the Bronze Age (Shahr-i- Sokhtah), with similar today examples

Haleh Helali Esfahani

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 27 January 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.360834.143216

Abstract

Shahr-i- Sokhtah, with a large amount of cultural data, has a special importance and position compared to other sites of the third millennium BC in the Iranian plateau; Because the ... Read More

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Research Paper

Study and analysis of the chalcolithic period of Moghan plain based on archaeological data of yatag tepesi

Ali Karimikiya; Reza Rezaloo; Akbar Abedi; Ardeshir Javanmardzade

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 28 January 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2021.319501.142989

Abstract

The Aras river and other rivers in the Moghan region have played an important role in the formation of prehistoric sites. Although the Moghan plain has not received much attention in ... Read More

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Research Paper

Cathodoluminescence Microscopy and Synchrotron based Diffraction in Identifying the Technology and Structure of Celadons from the city of Gour.

Majid Montazer zohouri; Remy Chapoulie; Mohammadamin Emami

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 February 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.363663.143227

Abstract

The use of high-energy synchrotron rays in order to identify and characterize historical and cultural materials as accurately as possible, usually in a non-destructive manner and with ... Read More

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Research Paper

Qala-Kohzad Weyzenhar/Veyzenyar : A Parthian Mithraeum or a Sasanian fire temple?

Younes Yousefvand; Farshad Miri; mousa sabzi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 20 February 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.367985.143243

Abstract

The Monument of Qala-Kohzad was built on the heights of Weyzenhar/Veyzenyar Mountain in the southwest of Roumeshgan Plain (west of Lorestan). The archeological excavation of the site ... Read More

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Research Paper

Recreating the Epic in History; Bahram Chubine's imitation of the legend of Arash Kamangir

ali akbar mesgar; sara okhravi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 April 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.373773.143254

Abstract

Historical data and reports have the ability to be matched with mythological and epic content. The emergence of special conditions in history and its similarity with epic or mythological ... Read More

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Research Paper

Studying Beveled Rim Bowls of Kaleh Kub using petrography and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy methods

Nazli Darkhal; Mohamad Hossein Azizi Kharanaghi; Yasin Sedghi; Seyed Iraj Beheshti

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 April 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.371275.143247

Abstract

Pottery is the first technological product of humans, a combination of clay and water that, when heated, was produced in the Middle East at least nine thousand years ago. Prehistoric ... Read More

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Research Paper

Symbology and study of mint activity regarding the smallest Sasanian monetary unit

Hakimeh Ahmadizadeh shendi; Reza Shabani; Javad Heravi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 18 June 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.371446.143249

Abstract

In the financial system of the Sassanid era (224-651 AD), in addition to the two monetary units of dinar (gold) and dirham (silver), there were other less valuable units, which even ... Read More

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Research Paper

Investigating the cultural sequence of the Chalcolithic period in Orzuiyeh plain based on the stratification of Tepe Morad Abad VIII

Mahbubeh Naseri Tehrani; Fariba Mosapour Negari; Mehdi Mortazavi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 30 June 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jarcs.2024.375042.143260

Abstract

The Orzuiyeh Plain, situated in southwestern Kerman province, Iran, stands as a prominent geographical site for prehistoric settlements in southeastern Iran. Limited archaeological ... Read More

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Volume 16 (2024)

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)

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