Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract The terminology of "Middle Persian" or "Parsic" for Sassanian inscriptions and writings are well known within the Iranian and foreign scholars of linguistics and archaeologists. But there is a special kind of Sassanian and early Islamic writing, which used to be very easy to inscribe at that time (7and 9A.D) but very difficult for deciphering and the Pahlavi readers which is called "Cursive Pahlavi". From this kind of Pahlavi inscriptions and writings we possess some texts on papyrus and parchment, belonging to the period of Sassanian king of Khosro Parviz, who conquered Egypt for about 9 years (619-628A.D). Some of these texts were deciphered and published by Olaf Hanson in 1938 in the book entitled "Die mittelpersischen Papyri der Papyrussammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin". And another groups are written on broken potteries called Ostraca (pl.of Ostracon), a small number of which were explored by Erich Schmidt and George Miles in 1936 and were published in 1976 by Deborah Thompson in her book "Stucco from Chal Tarkhan-Eshqabad, near Rayy". In 1926 some of the same types were found by Ernest Herzfeld from a district near Varamin which were called "Ostraca from Near Varamin". In 1957 the images of Herzfeld’s findings were published with no decipherments by de Menasce in "CII.VOL.IV-V" though in 1992 most of them were translated and published by Dieter Weber in" CII. Part III Pahlavi Inscriptions, Ostraca, Papyri und Pergamente Textband".
"The Ostracon from  Hegmataneh" which is discussed and presented here has been explored by Mohammad Rahim Sarraf director of Hegmataneh Excavation Project in 1984. This Ostracon is the same type as Ostraca found from Chal-Tarkhan Eshqabad near Rayy; around Varamin; Teppe-mill-e Varamin and Qasr-e Abu Nasr in Shiraz­.

Abstract Aiming to identify and record the Prehistoric sites of the Mehrān Plain, the archaeological survey was carried out During the March of 2010; this, has lid to identifying 36 archaeological sites including tell site, open air site and rock-shelter.Of them, 15 sites have attributed to the Prehistoric Times; Of which, the Village period sites being studied and presented over this article. Overall, 1 site can be attributed to the Pre-pottery Neolithic, 2 sites Initial Village Period, 5 sites Early Village period, 8 Sites Middle Village Period and 3 sites can be attributed to the Late Village Period. The undertaking investigations have attested the high interaction between the prehistoric societeis of the Plain with neighbor areas in Khuzestan and Dehluran ine the east and Mesopotamia in the west of the Plain. This paper is trying to focus on the attributed sites to the Prepottery Neolithic to the Late Village period Settlements.  

Abstract TransformationProcessesdebate ontheinteractionsbetween archaeological artifacts  and structures based on their natural and cultural environments. These processes provide a good picture about the site formation after its creation until now. Recognition of these processes and their context help archaeologists to interpret archaeological data in an appropriate way. In this paper I would argue about the abandonment of the site and demolition of the artifacts and structures by presenting some Iranian cases. Transformation processes play a significant role in archaeological studies; however such detail studies may lead archaeologists to get involved into ethnographical and anthropological point of views.      

Abstract   Kurdistan Province is located in western Iran and its geographical position as a corridor has always been routs of attacks by western invaders from the most ancient times including Assyrians. So, Inhabitants of this region to protection against enemies have created defensive fortification structure by which they could protect themselves. Studying and evaluating these habitats can help us to achieve their spatial-physical and social organization features. One of these example is Hasan Abad Dej-Shahr that is located 5 Km from west of Sanandaj city. Use of this complex after Il-khanid (Mongol) assaulting by Ardalan local governors is an important point that should be considered. This paper has been trying to dealing with its geographical situation, locational characteristics, forming, its architectural and urbanism structure, function and its importance in region. By the way, the research question raised by this study include; how the relationship between the fortress and their functions? Is its structure comparable with spatial–physical urban configuration? Filed studies of this complex demonstrated that the fortress functioned not as a defensive structure but indeed because of its most social buildings such as the large halls, mosque and school spaces as well as the residential areas for its inhabitants it seems that it has acted as a Kohandejh during the peace periods. It was center of Kurdistan for a while. According to Soleiman Khan and Shah-Safi, in 1046 AH, this castle with 3 others (Zalm, Marivan and Palangan) were destroyed and was located by the new city of Sanandaj as a center of Kurdistan province.    

Abstract   Historical sources of early Islamic centuries have been introduced “Kelaar” as an flourishing city in the mountainous area between Tabarestan and Deilam which nowadays is known as “Kelardasht” in Mazandaran. In the middle of 3^rd century, this city appeared as the political center of Tabarestan uprising against Taherian dynasty under Hassan Ibn Zaid-e Alavi leadership. Despite of its importance in the early Islamic centuries, archaeologists who studied the remains of “Tappeh Kelaar” site in the Kelardasht, didn’t recognize strong evidence of continuous Islamic occupation on the upper levels of site. Although there have been some evidence of early Islamic occupations in the tappeh Kelar, but its low density layers (50 Cm) may not imply for a long term occupations to assign it as a city as written sources indicated. It is assumed that Muslim rulers selected a place with a specific defensive and subsistence capability near the sassanian Kelaar. In order to find and introduce remains of Islamic Kelaar, data gathered from studying the early and middle Islamic written sources as well as data from systematic surface survey. According to the results, it is probably obvious that “Shahr-e Dele”, a site with 25 hectares extent, in the 1.5 km north of “tappeh Kelaar” and near the northern part of “Sardabrood” river, can be regarded as the Islamic Kelaar city. So, the Kelardasht Muslim rulers have built a new city (apart from sasanian Kelaar) as their government center.    

Abstract Moreover, inscribed bricks of two Elamite kings, Šutruk-Nahhunte and his son, Kutir-Nahhunte, were also found that all of them referring to construction and repairs of a temple devoted to the Manzat goddess. In 2000, surface surveys on Deh Nou mound was done by by one of us (B. Mofidi). According to the results of these surveys and geophysical measurements which were accomplished in parts of the mound in 2002, a decision was made for a more detailed study on the various layers of this archaeological mound. This was performed in the spring of 2012. During this season of excavations, in order to identify Elamite artifacts, sections were cut at different heights in the body of the natural floodways locating in the middle of the mound. This stratigraphy showed that upper part of the mound ground consists of a 2 meter layer of Islamic artifacts. Despite the identification of Parthian pottery on the surface of the mound, no evidence of settlements from this historical period was traced in the excavated part

Abstract Archaeology and history might have many things to do with each other in historical past and present field. Both of them belong to the same category of our historical knowledge. Pickax of archaeologists have been raised from the pen of historians after the fundamental and revolutionary changes occurred in the historical thoughts and understanding of history. The main task of both as an academic discipline turned toward deeper understanding about our historical “Parousia” in the world. This article aims at giving a brief analytical view of homogeneity of two disciplines.  

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 Sakiabad is one of the most important sites in the Choqakhor pond’s basin which show remains of nomadic settlement in the Chalcolithic period. Salvage excavation was carried out for two months during autumn and winter of 2011. By digging of five trenches10×10 m, one of the nomadic settlements was exposed with mud and stone architecture made from the local materials in the region. Exposed space architectures in the site are similar to ‘nomad’s Vargah’ (residence of nomads) that an example of it is remained in 400 m south of the sites at the slope of Kelar mountain. The present article describes the excavation processes, findings and relative chronology of Sakiabad site.  

Abstract Achaemenid glazed bricks of archaeological excavation of Tall-e-Ajori in Persepolis city were studied by multiple instrumental analysis methods  such as XRF, XRD, SEM-EDS, ICP and Optical microscopy to identify the compositional features of glaze and brick body. Glaze samples are apparently white and yellow  and this phenomenon are caused by the deterioration processes in burial environment, hence optical microscopic studies on the glaze layer determined blue areas on the white substrate and, high sensitivity quantitative analysis detected copper and cobalt as the producer of blue color ions, and Sb and Pb as the producer of yellow color ions. Due to instability of glaze chromofore elements such as Cu and Sb in temperatures higher than 1000⁰C, the reported elements show that, glazed bricks should be fired less in than 1000⁰C.
The quantitative elemental analysis results are compared with the elemental analysis of Susa glazed samples of Apadana palace.