Chronology

North-western Iran comprises diverse geographical landscapes, including pastures of piedmonts, mountains, and well-watered plains. The present chronology of this region, nevertheless, is based exclusively on data collected from sites around the Urmia Lake, other regions being almost totally ignored. During the late Bronze Age (hereafter LBA) a new way of life took shape in the mountainous region, the most outstanding characteristic of which was fortified settlements. This paper attempts to revise the chronology of North-western Iran by deciphering LBA materials from some of these sites.

With the publication of one complete edition of the journal Expedition in 1989 on Hasanlu project by American archaeologists, engaged there during pre-revolutionary period, the present study highlights some of the accepted mistakes in the explanation and interpretation of the facts in the articles of that journal on one hand, and the beginning of the activities by Iranian archaeologists in 2000 which necessitated the changes in chronology and stratification, on the other. Dyson also implied tracing the relics found at Hasanlu IV with the Mannaean state despite the opposition by some of the investigators. However, the accepted errors with regards to the lineage of 2nd defensive wall to Mannaean, although formally declared to that of Urartian and the continuation of Urartian in Hasanlu up to later 7th and early 6th century B.C. and attributing of rooms inside the fort to them, is not verifying the findings of Iranian team. Further, going through the part of the Urartian mud brick defensive wall and the way the layer was stratified need more study and consultation. With regards to the above –mentioned changes, writer, being the head of Iranian team at Hasanlu present a new chronological chart against the one presented by Dyson in 1989.

Archaeological excavations on the western part of the Central Iranian Plateau, known as the Qazvin Plain provides invaluable information about the sedentary communities from early occupation to the later prehistoric era. Despite the past archeological data, chronological studies mostly rely on the relative use of the Bayesian modeling for stratigraphically-related radiocarbon dates. The current paper provides a new model for excavations and the chronological framework based on new radiocarbon dating of the six key archeological enclosures in the Qazvin plain. A Bayesian analysis of these data is presented on a site-by-site basis to give the best chronologies. Finally, all dates are combined into a single model of the chronology of the Qazvin Plain from the Late Neolithic to the Iron Age. The procedure aims to use the Bayesian model to predict the transition points between the archaeologically-defined periods with the highest possible precision, to redefine the existing chronology for the Qazvin Plain

Chronology of northwestern Iran is principally based on archeological excavations of the area located around Urmia Lake. Although plain and filled with water, and the outcomes of these excavations are extended to the whole northwestern region. However, northwestern Iran despite having geographical diversities with mountainous plains and low stretches, systematic and comprehensive studies have been lacking until today. Khanghah cemetery in the province of Ardebil has been one of the important archeological enclosures in Iran from where graves of the Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, and the Parthian period have been unearthed. The excavated Iron Age graves in this cemetery are of pit grave with generally individual form of burial, but in some cases, double burials are also seen there. It seems that direction was not observed in the burials. The form of potteries are comparable with ceramics found from places such as Marlik, Lamehzamini, Ghalekuti, Hasanlu V, Kordlore Tepe, Yanik Tepe, Sialk V, Qeytariyeh, Geoy tepe B, Dinkha III, Shahiryeri, Sagzabad, Lasulkan, Mariyan, Chir Chir, Ghabrestan, Khurvin, Haftavan V, Agh evlar, Chilakhaneh and Uzbeki.

Iranian Azarbaijan and the southern Caucasus have relatively good environmental conditions for the formation of ancient settlements. These include the Lake of Urmia and the coasts of Aras in northwestern Iran and the basins of the Kora River, Mill-Moghan (mountainous areas) in the South Caucasus. The archaeological evidences and recent researches in the two geographical areas provide commonalities and cultural similarities of the period. The main purpose of this article is to introduce traditions of pottery and sites and determine the chronological sequence in the study areas. In order to achieve cultural interactions in the studied geographical area in the Chalcolithic period, the following questions are proposed: What is the status of chronological sequence in the two cultural domains? The main hypothesis in this regard is the existence of chronology is almost identical in the two geographical areas. How do the settlement layers and the sequence of habitation from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic period in ancient sites show the issue of cultural continuity and transmission? The present writing is done by descriptive-analytical method. As a final result, it can be said that similarities and differences of archaeological data, including the features of pottery, architectural structure, burial etc. point out that by studying areas such as Dalma Tepe, Jolfa’s Kul Tepe, Khoy’s Dava Göz, etc. in Northwestern Iran and Leila Tepesi, Qalayeri, Poylu Tepe, etc in the South Caucasus region have been obtained and in terms of chronology, the millennium BC includes 5000 BC to 3700-3600 BC. 

One of the issues and problems in the field of recognizing BMAC is to explain the time period for the beginning and end of this culture in its geographical area and especially in Bactria region. A brief look at the sources related to this culture shows that different histories are presented for the period of emergence and end of this culture in different regions of Bactria (Northern Bactria, Southern Bactria and Eastern Bactria). Interval for the emergence of BMAC, different dates are suggested in the period between 2400 to 2100 B.C. and for its end, the date is 1700 or 1400 to 1300 B.C. This concern in the field of chronology, research and study has made it difficult to identify, correctly introduce the works and findings, as well as to compare this culture with neighbor zones and cultures. In this article, an attempt has been made to explain and propose the chronology of this culture in the Bactria region by examining the different opinions of archaeologists and examining the maximum dates of the carbon 14.

The ancient site of Chiasi, located in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, boasts a diverse cultural sequence spanning from prehistoric times to the Islamic era. Initial information about this site was first published in Goff’s archaeological reports in 1971, which highlighted the presence of surface materials belonging to the Chalcolithic Age and the Uruk period. Unfortunately, Tepe Chiasi has suffered significant damage over time, primarily due to natural erosion and, more recently, human activities. As a result, many of its cultural contexts have been lost irretrievably. To prevent further destruction caused by urban development in Kuhdasht, extensive archaeological studies were conducted at the Chiasi site. The research project began with a systematic survey of the site, followed by the excavation with 18 trenches measuring 1.5 × 1.5m to delimit the core zone and suggest the protective buffer zone. The analysis of the collected data revealed a lengthy cultural sequence at the site, ranging from the Neolithic Age to the fourth and fifth centuries AH.