درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

In the second half of the fourth millennium BCE, a settlement was established at Shahr-i Sokhta in Sistan​​. Simultaneously, during this period, the Porto-Elamite horizon emerged in a large zone of the Near East, especially on the eastern part of the Iranian Plateau. During the first quarter of the third millennium BCE and the early urbanization phase, Shahr-i Sokhta, an early urban center, expanded largely, and many satellite sites developed around it. To obtain some information on the economic and cultural interactions between Shahr-i Sokhta and these peripheral settlements, Tepe Talebkhan has been chosen for excavations and further detailed studies. In the article, by using the materials found during the fifth season of excavations at Tepe Talebkhan, the focus was to shed more light on the main cultural characteristics of the site and its mutual ties with Shahr-i Sokhta. Ceramic data indicates that the settlement was founded at the end of Shahr-i Sokhta III period and continued through the entire posterior period i.e. Shahr-i Sokhta IV. The carbon 14 results also provided an absolute date for the settlement sequence between 2500 and 2300 BCE. 

This study aimed to identify and document archaeological sites within the catchment area of the Azaroud Dam and to prepare an archaeological map of the region. The primary research question was whether there is evidence of historical human settlements in the Azaroud Dam reservoir area and how environmental and geological factors have influenced the formation or absence of such settlements. The methodology was based on a field survey of the region. The results indicate that there is no evidence of historical human settlements within the Azaroud Dam reservoir area. Only scattered fragments of eroded pottery were found along the riverbanks, likely transported to the area by seasonal floods from upstream regions. Environmental and geological analyses also reveal that factors such as dense forest cover, steep slopes, difficult terrain, and annual torrential rainfall have created unfavorable conditions for the establishment of permanent or even temporary settlements in this area. However, these findings are limited to the reservoir area, and the possibility of human settlements in adjacent areas, particularly in upstream regions with gentler slopes and flatter terrain, cannot be ruled out. Despite this, the significant tourism potential of the studied area, both naturally and due to the construction of the Azaroud Dam, can play a prominent role in attracting investment and promoting sustainable development in the region.

Kuh-i Sukhteh in Omidiyeh, one of the most important but less-known areas in southwestern Iran, is between Omidiyeh and today’s Aghajari. This area was considered a part of the Asak region (one of Arjan environs). Active sources of fire plagued this area in ancient times due to its natural bed, and it was probably a place for the construction of shrines, including the Zoroastrian fire temple. This spatial feature was observed and written about by travelers and authors of the first and middle Islamic centuries. Historical texts refer to this area as a volcano, fire, fire temple, and fire altar. This research aims to compare the material presented by historical texts with archaeological data to locate the Asak fire temple. Conducting this research is necessary to complete the puzzle of the communication route between Ramhormoz and Arjan and identify the architectural structures related to the settlement and possible Zoroastrian shrines in this route. This research tries to answer this question: What is the connection between the Kuh-i Sukhteh area and Zoroastrian religious buildings in the Sasanian and the first Islamic centuries? Conclusion: Based on information from the historical and geographical texts of the first to middle Islamic centuries and archaeological data, including pottery and architectural remains, the Kuh-i Sukhteh in Omidiyeh is an adaptable place for the ancient fire temple of Asak. However, archaeological excavations seem necessary to document more architectural structures. The present study’s data result from authors’ survey studies and citation studies, and we have concluded by historical, descriptive analysis.

The Islamic era tombstones of Shahsavar Cemetery in Izeh, southwestern Iran, reflect a rich tapestry of religious, cultural, and socio-economic values embedded in local Bakhtiari traditions. This study explores the typology and semiotics of 632 gravestones dating from the Zand, Qajar, and Pahlavi periods to the contemporary era. These gravestones, which range from simple slabs to sculpted lion figures and tiered, crenellated forms, serve as commemorative markers and visual expressions of identity, status, and belief. Utilizing a dual-method approach —historical document analysis and ethnoarchaeological fieldwork— this research categorizes the gravestones into five primary types: simple, tiered-crenellated, stone lion (bardshir), arched (mihrab-shaped), and anthropomorphic. The study reveals that the selection and design of tombstones were highly codified within the Bakhtiari tribal hierarchy, governed by symbolic traditions and cultural legitimacy. These forms also encode valor, piety, and transcendence, linking the deceased with tribal memory and spiritual continuity. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of funerary art in post-Islamic Iran.

Fire held particular significance among Zoroastrian Iranians, possessing varying degrees of importance. There were three groups of fire associated with rituals. The most sacred of these was the fire of Bahram, known as the fire of the victorious king, which was to burn perpetually in the fire temples of Ādur Gušnasp, Ādur Farnbāg, and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr under all circumstances. The fire temple of Ādur Gušnasp is located in Takht-i Soleiman, Takab (Northwest of Iran), and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr is situated in the region of Rivand in Khorasan (Northeast of Iran). However, there is a discrepancy regarding the location of the fire of Ādur Farnbāg or the fire temple of the priests. Some researchers, orientalists, and many historical geographical documents have suggested the Karyan region of Fars, but conclusive evidence has not been provided. In the archaeological study of the Bardestān desert region and the Sasanian site of Koyu, a newly discovered seal bearing an inscription referring to the fire of Ādur Farnbāg has proposed a new hypothesis concerning the location of the state fire of Ādur Farnbāg. This paper will introduce the site and the newly found seal, and the reasons for proposing the Bardestān desert region as the location for the fire of Ādur Farnbāg will be discussed. This research was conducted through field surveys and comparative library studies, aiming to address one of the most significant questions in Sasanian archaeology regarding the location of the fire temple of Ādur Farnbāg.

Many archaeological remains from the Achaemenid empire have been found in various lands; therefore, many authors have researched and written about this empire’s cultural and civilizational features. Dahāneh-ye Qolāmān is one of the valuable sites of this empire that still stands. Dahāneh-ye Qolāmān is located 30 kilometers southeast of Zabol and was one of the important sites of the Achaemenids in southeastern Iran. The site was discovered in the 1960s by Italian archaeologist Umberto Scherato, who began archaeological excavations in 1962. Archaeological studies have shown that the structures of this city were built on a high terrace and were used in at least two periods of settlement. A look at the two different types of architectural structures, namely huge buildings and smaller buildings, indicates the various uses of these buildings. Among the large buildings, building number 3 was a large religious structure, building number 1 was a large civil building, and building number 2 was an administrative building. Buildings 4, 5, 6, and 7 were residential and private, all located in the eastern part of the city, and building 15 was an industrial building with religious production. Buildings numbers 16 and 17 were also large public buildings.