درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Central Asia is a key unit of archaeological studies of the Ancient Near East and an issue for important questions such as primary states, Aryan people immigration has a unique role in archaeological activities. Considering the geographical location of Dargaz (Dargaz) Plain at the periphery of Central Asia, it is a vital area in the archaeology of the northeastern part of the Iranian Central Plateau and Central Asia. The region is ideally situated to research regional relationships and inter-regional interactions between those cultural-geographical regions due to its ecological potential and geographic location. Archaeologically, to comprehend Cultural Similarities in Dargaz Plain, many studies and surveys have been done since the beginning of the 20th Century. However, because of the lack of more detailed excavation in this area, the quality of cultural material of Central Asia and the Iranian Central Plateau is reassessing continuously. The first archaeological survey by Kohl and Heskel in 1978 reveals the similarities between Central Asia and this area. The Following works were done for the sake of making known the prehistoric Sites, their interaction with neighboring regions, and their ecosystem but it remains incomplete. Twenty-one prehistoric settlements have remained in the area, dating from the Neolithic to the Iron Age I/III, according to archaeological studies carried out during these years. The majority of the locations that have been found are the ruins of dispersed villages and seasonal camps that were scattered throughout the plain, as well as at inaccessible heights and other locations. With an emphasis on the material culture, particularly the local ceramic traditions and the settlement patterns of the prehistoric site, this current work investigates the connection and interconnectedness of the Dargaz Plain and proposes novel prospects for future works. A study of the Dargaz Plain may shed new light on the social and cultural history of a larger region.

Naderi Tepe is located in the southeast of Mashhad and is located next to a communication route. According to the typology, the wares of this site include the variety of species and the quantity of pottery pieces from the Chalcolithic to the historical period. During the study of this site, based on the obtained wares, 10 pieces of the sherds and two pieces of stone quern were analyzed by petrography and their thin sections were examined in order to find the minerals in them. The purpose of this experiment was to identify the components of each sherd, the difference in composition and materials between samples, determine the percentage of each composition, determine the temperature of pottery firing according to the available minerals, and investigate the origin of the raw materials that make up wares. In the laboratory, a thin section was prepared from the pottery and then studied with an optical microscope. The results of the studies show that the mineralogy of the sherds from the site shows the better quality and purer paste of the sherds produced from the middle Bronze Age to the end of this period, which shows the high skill of the potter in making and knowing the raw materials in the production of pottery. The results of this research can be the basis for the comparison of ware types in terms of construction techniques and compounds used in them in the surrounding areas, especially in the Mashhad Plain.

Tappeh Bazgir is one of the most important archaeological sites of the Late Bronze Age in northeastern Iran. At this site, a hoard of 759 Bronze Age copper-alloy objects with an approximate weight of more than two tons was excavated. This find is unique in terms of volume and the extraordinary finds it contained. This archaeological hoard was discovered by chance in 2001, and in 2010 a rescue excavation was carried out at the findspot. This hoard had been buried in the virgin soil and deliberately concealed under a residential floor in the Late Bronze Age. The objects recovered served different purposes; they include agricultural and household implements, tools, ceremonial objects and a variety of weapons. The artifacts were all located next to each other in a pit and had been arranged in a regular manner. There were also three shields among these objects. They had been placed next to each other under basins with gutter-shaped pipes and on top of daggers, hatchets, axes, two-pronged forks, and stone rods. These weapons had evidently been positioned at close to the domestic objects. The shields are of strikingly similar shapes, but they differ slightly in the number of openings and bars. Up to now, no similar shields have been found at any other archaeological site. These shields seem to be the oldest shields excavated in Iran. XRD and XRF analyses revealed that one of the shields and other objects of the hoard were made of cast copper-alloy, and they were subjected to cold forging/hammering later.

This paper tries to survey the use of geometric patterns in stucco decorations as an important identity and cultural element in the Sasanian era building designs. Seven frieze patterns were used in order to understand the practical geometry in Sasanian stucco. The studied stuccoes were found during archaeological excavations conducted between 2015 and 2017 at e Jahangir Dome and Guriye Stuccos in Eivan, Ilam province. In this article, the discovered stuccoes have been examined, results of which indicate that stuccoes can be divided into three categories based on their features and applications: geometric patterns, vegetal patterns, and animal patterns. Comparing these stuccoes with those found elsewhere such as Qale Yazdegerd, and Ctesiphon shows that the buildings of Jahangir Dome and Guriye were noble houses in the Sasanian period, with their vegetal motifs and mythological animals being e formed under the influence of religious and ritual elements. The survey of motifs on the base with seven frieze patterns shows artists’ adherence to the principle of symmetry and repetition.

Diodorus Siculus, Quintus Curtius Rufus, Polyaenus, and Arrian are the primary historians who have written about the Battle of the Persian Gates but their accounts differ in some details. Much research has been done on the cause of differences between these historians, their method of historiography as well as their sources; but in this article, the main focus has been on the identity and political status of Ariobarzanes, the general who led the Persians in the aforementioned battle. As this essay argues, the clarification of this issue hinges on a large extent understanding Ariobarzanes’ end at the Persian Gates. Of course, due to discrepancies between classical sources and the absence of any Iranian evidence in this regard, this is not an easy task, but this article tries to find the most reasonable answer by identifying the most accurate classical account, and then presents essential historical results to be drawn from it. It should be noted that so far, various researchers, have speculated on the identity of Ariobarzanes with skepticism, but in this article, with detailed criticism of classical resources, the identity and political status of Ariobarzanes are clarified.