Khorasan

The burial process of the deceased is among the most tangible evidence for reconstruction and understanding the culture of human societies, which includes both material and spiritual dimensions. Study of material evidence in archaeological excavations can contribute to partial interpretation of ideological motifs. In this context, recognizing burial practices and interpretation of objects within the grave is a manifestation of human culture and philosophical ideas of the other world, customs, religious beliefs as well as social structure and complexity. There are a few studies in this field in cultural zone of Great Khorasan with strategic importance and proximity with several cultural zones around Great Khorasan Ancient Road, although archeological excavations in recent years have resulted in specific material evidence. This article includes structural study of burials in late Bronze Age with a comparative approach encompassing cenotaph, primary, secondary and common human-animal tombs as well as origin of burial cultures. Assessment of evidences indicates similarity of burial practices of Khorasan in late Bronze period with the advanced culture of BMAC in Central Asia, which has been documented in Afghanistan, Pakistan, South East Iran, Caucasus and south Persian Gulf littoral.

Dari apparently began to spread in Greater Khorasan only in the aftermath of the Arab invasions of Iran. As the official language of the Sasanian court, it would experience a substantial proliferation following the shift in power from Ctesiphon and Fars to eastern Iran, particularly Khorasan, which appeared as a safe haven for the king and the prominent court families during the first two decades of the invasions. The question then arises as to the relation between the spread of Dari in Khorasan and the resettlement of western and southern Iranian populations in the eastern part of the collapsing empire. Our inquiry into the Sasanian-Islamic transition in quest of the fire temples that persisted in the early Islamic centuries led to the conclusion in view of the fluctuating numbers of coeval sites that the earlier harsh attacks had apparently forced inhabitants of southern Iran in particular Fars and Ctesiphon to take refuge in Khorasan, the land of Adur Burzen-Mihr Fire. In their new home, these refugees would adopt two different modes of subsistence, thereby settlement, systems: sedentary rural life, and nomadic lifestyle involving periodic moves within a certain area. This dichotomous approach would guarantee their survival. Among the manifold results of the late Sasanian peace treaties between the dehgâns and the Arabs was the preservation of Iranian culture and language in Khorasan, where it contributed to several advances. Several years of efforts by Iranian immigrants to revive architectural and poetic styles in Khorasan proved that they were triumphant in the cultural battleground despite of losing the actual battle.

Hezar Masjed and Shahneshin mountain ranges can be considered amongst the easternmost heights of Iran in Khorasan Razavi Province, which stretch in the northwest-southeast direction and have created a natural corridor leading to the Harirud River banks. This feature, along with favorable living conditions, has attracted human communities and habitats for a long time. The historical site of -Sarab Tepe- is one of these settlements, which is located 30km west of Saleh Abad County and at the northeast of a village of the same name. Abundant and diverse cultural materials on the surface of the site and archaeological reports show the importance of this site in terms of archaeological studies. Therefore, this research is carried out to understand the eras of settlement and its cultural interactions. The results show that this site was home to settlements in the prehistoric era (Early Bronze Age) and the Islamic era (9th to 11th century AD). Sarab Tepe’s findings from the prehistoric era indicate its cultural interactions and connections with other sites of the Early Bronze Age in northeastern Iran. The findings belonging to the Islamic era are also similar to the findings of Neyshabur. The results show the extensive connections of this site with the most important cultural centers of its time.