Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism, Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
Abstract
Until recently, the culture of the late Iron Age in the central Iranian Plateau had only been identified at the southern mound of Sialk. In this study, a newly discovered site, called Qolam Tepe, is introduced in the foothills of western Kashan at a very close distance to Sialk. None of the surface findings of Qolam Tepe show any era other than the Iron Age III, or there is no Sialk VI, so we have ascertained one of the satellite sites of Sialk VI. Since the Qolam Tepe is exclusively a single-period site (Iron III), given the apparent fact that the decorative bricks found in Qolam Tepe in every aspect match the decorative bricks of “la Grande Construction” of Sialk. They can be attributed to a single cultural period and are surveyed as a single chronological horizon, thus again leading to the attribution of the “la Grande Construction” of Sialk to the end of the Iron Age. Surface survey finds from this site indicate that it is contemporaneous to the Iron Age, layers 5 and 6 of the southern mound of Sialk (and Cemeteries A and B)
Keywords
Main Subjects
Azarnoush. M. / Helwing. B. 2005. “Recent Archaeological Research in Iran – Prehistory to Iron Age”, Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran und Turan XXXVII, pp. 189-246.
Bahranipour. H. 2006. Investigation on pottery making in Iron Age of Tepe Sarm (Kahak-Qom) based on excavations of Khosrow Pourbakhshandeh. MA thesis of Tehran University (in Persian).
Boehmer. R. M. 1965. “Zur Datierung der Nekropole B von Tepe Sialk”, Archäologisher Anzeiger 1965, Heft IV, pp. 802-822, 8 fig.
Danti. M. D. 2005 “The Sialk Regional Archaeological Survey 2005: Sialk Reconsideration Project”, In: Malek Shahmirzadi, Sadegh (ed.), The Fisherman of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report IV, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 7, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, pp. 67–77.
Dolati. M. 2012. An investigation on metal objects of Sarm cemetery in Qom province based on the archaeological excavations. MA thesis of Tehran University (in Persian).
Dyson JR. R. H. 1965 “Problems of protohistoric Iran as seen from Hasanlu”, Journal of Near Eastern Studies XXIV/3, pp. 193-217.
Fahimi. H. 2003a. “Shamshirgāh: A Setllement Related to the Cemetry of Sarm”. Iranian Journal of Archaeology and History. 18(1). Series no. 35. pp. 61-69 (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2003b. “The Iron Age in Sialk: The preliminary report of studying the Iron Age potteries in Sialk”. In: Malek Shahmirzadi. Sadegh (ed.). The Silversmiths of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report II. Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 3, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, pp. 67–77 (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2004. “The architectural remnants of Sialk VI (Iran Age III) in Sialk southern mound: the report of excavation in Trench R19”. In: Malek Shahmirzadi. Sadegh (ed.). The Potters of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report III. Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 5, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, pp. 55-89 (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2005. “Cultural Sequence pf Sialk V and VI in southern mound of Sialk: The excavation report of trenches R18, R19 and J21”. In: Malek Shahmirzadi, Sadegh (ed.), The Fisherman of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report IV, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 7, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, pp. 107-144 (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2009. “The Iron Age Culture in the southern Part of the Central Plateau: Preliminary Report on the Analysis of the Artifacts Recovered From Milajerd, Natanz”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 23(1). Series no. 45. pp. 32-42. (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2010 “An Iron Age Fortress in Central Iran; Archaeological Investigations in Shamshirgah, Qom, 2005. Preliminary Report”, In: Matthiae, Paolo et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the 6th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East May, 5th-10th 2008, “Sapienza” - Università di Roma, Volume 2, Excavations, Surveys and Restorations: Reports on Recent Field Archaeology in the Near East, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, pp. 165-183.
Fahimi. H. 2011. “Distribution of Iron Age pottery in the southern part of the Central Plateau of Iran; Report on the archaeological site of Milājerd, Natanz”, In: Vatandoust, Abdolrasool et al. (eds.), Early Mining and Metallurgy on the Western Central Iranian Plateau The first five years of work, Archäologie in Iran und Turan IX, Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Außenstelle Teheran, Mainz: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, pp. 499-521.
Fahimi. H. 2012. Studien zur Eisenzeit im zentraliranischen Hochland unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der neuen Ausgrabung von Tepe Sialk (2001-05), British Archaeological Reports (BAR), International Series 2537, Oxford: England Archaeopress, x + 233 pp, illustrated in colour and black and white.
Fahimi. H. 2012a. “Sialk VII: A propotion on the Latest Occuption Phase at the South Mound, Sialk”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 25(2). Series no.50. pp. 97-107. (in Persian).
Fahimi. H. 2012b. “Shamshirgah; The first archaeological research”. In: Fahimi, Hamid, and Karim Alizadeh (eds.), Namvarnameh; Articles in honor of the memory of Massoud Azarnoush. Tehran: Iran Negar and Ganjine-ye Naqsh-e Jahan. pp. 241-258. (in Persian).
Ghirshman. R. 1935. “Rapport préliminaire sur les fouilles de Tépé Sialk, Près de Kashan (Iran)”, Syria: Revue d'art oriental et d'archéologie XVI, pp. 229-246, 11 fig., pls. xxxvii-xliv.
Ghirshman. R. 1938. Fouilles de Sialk, près de Kashan, 1933, 1934, 1937, vol. I, Musée du Louvre, Département des antiquités orientales, Série Archéologique IV, Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, 152 pp. + 96 pls.
Ghirshman. R. 1939. Fouilles de Sialk, près de Kashan, 1933, 1934, 1937, vol. II, Musée du Louvre, Département des antiquités orientales, Série Archéologique V, Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, 259 pp. + 101 pls.
Ghirshman. R. 1974-77. “A propos de la Nécropole B de Sialk”, Jahrbuch für Prähistorische und Ethnographische Kunst XXIV, pp.41-49, pls. 24-28.
Goff Meade. C. 1968. “Luristan in the First Half of the First Millennium B.C.: A Preliminary Report on the First Season's Excavations at Baba Jan, and Associated Surveys in the Eastern Pish-i-Kuh”, Iran VI, pp. 105-134.
Hardy. A. P. 1939. “Période VI, Vestiges des Constructions: La Grande construction”, In: Ghirshman, Roman, Fouilles de Sialk, près de Kashan, 1933, 1934, 1937, vol. II, Musée du Louvre, Département des antiquités orientales, Série Archéologique V, Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, pp. 23-25.
Helwing. B. 2006. “Tappe Sialk South Mound: Operation 3”, In: Malek Shahmirzadi, Sadegh (ed.), The Fisherman of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report IV, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 7, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, pp. 27–66.
Helwing. B. 2010. “Sialk, Tepe”, In: Reallexikon der Assyriologie und Vorderasiatischen Archäologie XII/5-6, pp. 433-437.
Herles. M. 2012. “Ziggurat”, In: Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.), Encyclopædia Iranica [iranicaonline.org/articles/ziggurat].
Javeri. M. 2004. “The Ancient site of Gourtan”. The journal of Research Institute of Cultural Heritage 2(6). pp. 35-45 (in Persian).
Kleiss. W. 1983. “Khowrabad und Djamkaran, Zweivorgeschichtliche Siedlungen am Westranddes zentraliranischen Plateaus”, Archäologische Mitteilungenaus Iran XVI, pp 69–103.
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2002. The Sialk Ziggurat, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report I, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 2, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization) in Persian).
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2003. Sialk Silversmiths, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report II, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series3, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization) in Persian).
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2004. The Potters of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report III. Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 5, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (in Persian).
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2005. The Fisherman of Sialk, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report IV, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 7, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (in Persian).
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2006. Sialk: The Oldest Fortifited Village of Iran. Sialk Reconsideration Project. Final report. Iranian Center of Archaeological Research, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (in Persian).
Malek Shahmirzadi. S. 2012. The Villagers of Sialk: A Collection of Article[s]. Iranian Center of Archaeological Research. Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. 2002. “Median Blade in the Scabbard of Sialk Warriors”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 17(1). Series no. 33. pp. 17-33 (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. 2003. “A Stone Structure at Zar Bolagh, Qom: A Median Sanctury (?): Report on a Preliminary Reconnaissance, Fall 2002”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 17(2). Series no. 34. pp. 52-64 (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. 2004a. “The Stone Structure at Vāsoon-e Kahak, A Possible Median period Constrution: Report on the Winter 2003 Survey”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 18(2). Series no. 36. pp. 42-51. (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. 2004b. “Ziggurat of Sialk by Sadegh Malek Shahmirzadi”. Journal of Archaeology and History. 18(2). Series no. 36. pp. 60-82 (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. 2004c. “La Grande construction” of Sialk: A Construction from Median Peiod or Ziggurat of Sun?!. Apendix to no. 12. Bastan Pazhoohi: Journal of Archeology Students of the University of Tehran. (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M. / Naseri. R. 2005. “Decorative Bricks of the Late Iron Age in Eastern Media [2]: Another Median Blade”. Bāstānshenāsi (Semiannual Archaeological Journal) 1(1). pp. 82-84 (in Persian).
Malekzadeh. M / Neseri. R. 2013. “Shamshirgāh and Sialk: Bricks with Impressions”, In: Antiquity (Project Gallery) [antiquity.ac.uk/ projgall/ malekzadeh335], vol 87, Issue 335.
Malekzadeh. M. / Saeedyan. S. / Neseri. R. 2014. “Zar Bolagh: A Late Iron Age Site in Central Iran”, Iranica Antiqua XLIX, pp. 159-191.
Manouchehri. M. / Malekzadeh. M. / R. Naseri. 2013. “Shamshirgah stone fortress: Recognition of an Iron Age settlement in the center of the Iranian plateau (based on targeted surveys of the Iron Age of Qom)”. In: Azizi Kharanaghi, Mohammad Hossein. et al. (eds.), Abstracts of International Congress of Young Archaeologists. 27-29 October 2013. Tehran. Archaeological Scientific Association of Tehran University. pp. 51-52 (in Persian).
Medvedskaya. I. N. 1983. “Horse Harness from the Sialk B Cemetery [Конская узда из могильника Сиалк В]”, Iranica Antiqua XVIII, pp. 59-79, 3 fig. (in Russian with English summary).
Medvedskaya. I. N. 1986. “A Study on the Chronological Parallels between the Greek Geometric Style and Sialk B Painted Pottery”, Iranica Antiqua XXI, pp. 89-120, viii pls.
Mehrkian. J. 1996. “Research in the newly discovered architecture of the gray pottery culture in Tepe of M’amourin”. In: Ayatallh Zade Shirazi. Bagher (eds.), Proceeding of the first Congress on History of Iranian architecture and urban planning, Arg-e Bam-Kerman, 26 February 2 March 1996. Vol. 3. Tehran: Ministry of Cultural Heritage. pp. 345-356 (in Persian).
Naseri. R. 2012. Morphological and typological analysis of brick decorations in Iron Age architecture. Master Thesis of Tehran University (in Persian).
Naseri, R. / Malekzadeh. M. 2014a. “The decorative bricks in Late Iron Age”. In: Azizi Kharanaghi, Mohammad Hossein. et al. (eds.), Abstracts of International Congress of Young Archaeologists. 27-29 October 2013. Tehran. Archaeological Scientific Association of Tehran University. pp. 53 (in Persian).
Naseri, R. / Malekzadeh. M. 2014b. “Šahr-e Šalamūt-e Khourabad (Qom): Fortress, Upper Cemetery, Lower Cemetery and Iron Age Stonecutting platform construction”. In: Azizi Kharanaghi, Mohammad Hossein. et al. (eds.), Abstracts of International Congress of Young Archaeologists. 27-29 October 2013. Tehran. Archaeological Scientific Association of Tehran University. pp. 53-54 (in Persian).
Naseri, R. / Malekzadeh. M. / Asad Beigi. K. 2014. “Typology and morphology of Qom Iron Age pottery based on a comparative study of Sarm and Shalamut sites”. In: Azizi Kharanaghi, Mohammad Hossein. et al. (eds.), Abstracts of International Congress of Young Archaeologists. 27-29 October 2013. Tehran. Archaeological Scientific Association of Tehran University. pp. 54 (in Persian).
NourouzZade Chegini, N. 2002. “Bricks with the seal impression”. In: Malek Shahmirzadi, Sadegh (ed.), The Sialk Ziggurat, Sialk Reconsideration Project Report I, Iranian Centre of Archaeological Research, Archaeological Report Monograph Series 2, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization) in Persian).
Pfälzner. P. 2008. “Das Tempeloval von Urkeš: Betrachtungen zur Typologie und Entwicklungsgeschichte der mesopotamischen Ziqqurrat im 3. Jt. v. Chr.”, Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie I, pp. 396-433.
Potts. D. T. 2006. “Building ziggurats in the air”, The Near Eastern Archæology Foundation Bulletin # 50, The University of Sydney, pp. 1-3.
Sarlak. S. 2003. “The effective agents on formation of the graves structures and funeral rites in the Iron Age cemetery of Tepe Sarm- Kahak, Qom”. Archaeological Reports 2. Tehran: Iranian Center of Archaeological Research. pp. 127-163(in Persian).
Sarlak. S. 2007. “Preliminary Report of the fourth season of Excavation in Qoli Darvish, Jamkaran, Qom”. Archaeological Report 7: Proceeding of the 9th Annual Symposium on the Iranian Archaeology. Vol. 2. Tehran: Iranian Center of Archaeological Research. pp. 187-208 (in Persian).
Sarlak. S. 2009. “An analysis of the function of architectural spaces in Iron Age site of Qoli Darvish, Jamkaran, Qom”. Athar. No. 45. pp. 86-104(in Persian).
Sarlak. S. 2010. The seventy thousand year culture of Qom city (Archaeological Excavation in Qoli Darvish, Jamkaran, Qom). Qom: Cultural heritage, handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Qom and Naqsh. pp. 391 (in Persian).
Sarlak. S. 2011. Archaeology and History of Qom: The results of archaeological excavations and stratigraphy of Qoli Darvish and Shad Qoli Khan Sites, soundings and archaeological surveys in the historical, cultural and religious axis of Qom. Qom: Qom Cultural heritage, handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Qom and Shakhes. pp 656 (in Persian).
Sarlak. S. / Aqili Niyaki. S. 2004. “Stratigraphic report of ancient site of Qoli Darvish of Jamkaran-Qom”. Archaeological Reports 3. Tehran: Iranian Center of Archaeological Research. pp. 59-96 (in Persian).
Sarlak. S. / Aqili Niyaki. S. 2005. “Architectural Techniques and Metalworking Technologies in Iron Age I and II Settlement Communities of Jamkaran – Qom”. Athar. No.38-39. pp. 124-161 (in Persian).
Sarlak. S. / Malekzadeh. M. 2005. “Decorative Bricks of the Late Iron Age in Eastern Media [1]: Mud-Brick Platform of Qoli-Darvish-e Jamkarân and “La grande construction” of Sialk”. Bāstānshenāsi (Semiannual Archaeological Journal) 1(1). pp. 52-66 (in Persian).
Stronach. D. 1974. “Achaemenian Village I at Susa and the Persian Migration to Fars”, Iraq XXXVI, pp. 239-248, pls. xlix-lv.
Tourovets. A. 1989. “Observations concernante le matériel archéologique des nécropoles A et B de Sialk”, Mélanges P. Amiet II, Iranica Antiqua XXIV, pp. 209-244, iv pls.
Young JR. Th. C. 1965. “A Comparative Ceramic Chronology for Western Iran, 1500-500 B.C.”, Iran III, pp. 53-85.
Young JR. Th. C. 1967. “The Iranian Migration into the Zagros”, Iran V, pp. 11-34.
)