Vol. 4, 2013

Introductory Note

Mohammad Bahramzadeh

Technological Notes Concerning “Partially Faceted Butt” on Débitage from the Initial and Early Upper Palaeolithic Levels of Ksar Akil, Lebanon

Katsuhiko Ohnuma and Christopher A. Bergman

Abstract

The “partial faceting” for the core striking platform preparation in the Initial and Early Upper Palaeolithic periods at the rock-shelter site of Ksar Akil, Lebanon could be an intermediate form between the Middle Palaeolithic faceting to arrange the angle de chasse and the Upper Palaeolithic overhang removal by abrasion. At Ksar Akil, the frequency of this unique faceting is high in Levels XXIII to XX and the striking platform overhang removal by percussion dramatically increases in Level XXI, continuing in considerable frequency until Level XVIII, while the overhang removal by abrasion increases in Level XIX and continues until Level XVI. The frequencies of these three forms of striking platform preparation present a high probability that the “partial faceting” was an important basis for the establishment of the Upper Palaeolithic overhang removal by abrasion around the time of Level XIX, replacing the crude overhang removal by percussion in the earlier levels. It is concluded that the Upper Palaeolithic blade production at Ksar Akil was initiated with a combination of newly adopted technological treatments such as “partial faceting”, consistent use of soft hammers, marginal flaking and production of thinner flake-blades or blades.

Palaeolithic rock art in Gobustan, Azerbaijan. The study case of rock 44 of Böyük Das, Gobustan

Dario Sigari

Abstract

Rock art of Azerbaijan is concentrated in four main areas: Gobustan, Aperon, Nakhchivan and Kelbajar. The most interesting one, due to its richness in quantity and antiquity is Gobustan. Its rock art was discovered in 1930 by quarrymen while working. Since then Djafarzade first, Rustamov and Muradova later on, have discovered more than 6.000 petroglyphs on more than 1.000 rocks (Farajova 1999-2011; Fossati 2004; Sigari 2009) in the area of Kiçik Daş, Böyük Daş and Jinghirdag-Yazily tepe. The supposed chronology of the excavation findings combined with the petroglyphs starts from the upper Palaeolithic and continues to the modern age (Farajova 1999-2011; Fossati 2004; Sigari 2009). In this paper, I will present the study of the rock 44 of the upper terrace of Böyük Daş in order to give a further support to the chronology and further elements to the study of the upper Palaeolithic of Gobustan and the macroregion around Caspian Sea.

A preliminary study on the Neolithic human skeletal remains from Tepe Abdul Hosein

Akira Tagaya and Yuko Miyauchi

Abstract

Neolithic human skeletal remains were excavated from Tepe Abdul Hosein by Judith Pullar in 1978 and housed in the osteological department of the National Museum of Iran. The materials were already studied by other researcher regarding Neolithic cranial deformation, but lack of their basic descriptive study seems to have caused a misidentification of materials in that study. We hope that this report contributes to improving the situation. In this report we give the basic descriptions and measurements for four of seven individuals. We briefly describe their condition of preservation, give diagnoses about age and sex, and present measurements of extremity long bones. The skeletal materials consist of one sex-unknown infant, one male juvenile estimated as six years of age, and two adults. One adult estimated as over 40 years old seems to be female. Another adult estimated as 20-40 years old has a male-like cranium but tentatively diagnosed as female according to morphology of hip bones. However, their individuality is somewhat uncertain because of the lack of detailed in situ drawings and descriptions of burials. In addition, descriptions and measurements of a female Islamic skeleton are reported

Preliminary Report on the First Season of Excavations at the Chalcolithic site of Surezha in the Erbil Governate Kurdistan Region, Iraq, 2013

Gil J. Stein; Abbas Alizadeh; Loghman Ahmadzadeh; John Alden; Henrike Backhaus; Barbara Coutouraud; Hamid Fahimi; Sam Harris; Kate Lieber;

Mehdi Omidfar; and Max Price

Abstract

Kurdestan is the cradle of the first steps towards civilization. This ancient region of the Middle East was occupied by our early ancestors in the Paleolithic times, some 40,000 years ago. After a long period of hunting and gathering, the inhabitants of ancient Kurdestan established some of the earliest villages in the ancient Near East. Although Kurdestan provided one of the earliest evidence of village life with domesticated animals and plants, we are only now beginning to investigate the development of urbanism at sites such as ancient Erbil and the mound of Surezha. The joint Kurdish and American project at Surezha is designed to understand the beginnings of towns and the first cities in the 5th millennium BC in Kurdestan and Mesopotamia during the Ubaid, Late Chalcolithic and Uruk periods.

New Evidence from the Middle and Late Bronze Age settlements of the western central Zagros, Iran

Mohammad Amin Mirghaderi

Abstract

Archaeological landscapes of western Iran are representative of great and important socio-cultural changes during various periods of prehistory in Iran. This region, which is largely comprised of the Central Zagros range, has attracted the attention of many archaeologists, who have conducted numerous archaeological surveys and excavations there since the early 20th century. Despite its suitable environment, Sarfirouzabad Plain in southern Kermanshah has only just been the subject of surface surveys and studies. Because of its characteristics, the plain has undergone a systemic field survey by a team from Tehran University in 2009, which yielded important results and has significantly added to our limited knowledge of the history of the region. Among the various sites were explored there have been 24 sites of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages (Godin III). The distribution of these sites across the plain has been connected to the environmental factors, especially 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 regional cultural systems.

Sealing and Weighting: The Art of Power during the Sukkalmakh Period

Enrico Ascalone

Abstract

The Old-Elamite figurative art shows a new intensive and programmatic propaganda strategy well known in stele, reliefs and seals. The new dynasties (Simashki and Sukkalmakh) imposed a radical change in the official representation of royal house now depicted in a new and more wide political program. A group of seals could be an important expression of the royal propaganda; according to the Elamite textual evidences, the corpus of seals studied in this contribute introduces the Elamite ruler in his role of defender of the rectitude, correctness and equality of the reign confirming a close relation between the royalty and the various aspects of justice.

Report of the Third Season of Archaeological Excavation at Lama Cemetery, Iran

Mohammad Javad Jafari

Abstract

Lama Cemetery is located in southern side of Lama Village, 10 km far from and in the north Pataveh Region from Dena City, Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad Province. The cemetery was discovered in 1999 during construction of Yasuj-Isfahan Road. Unfortunately, some tombs were destroyed but as the news reached to the Cultural Heritage Organization, an archeological expedition team under the direction of H. Rezvani from Iranian Central for Archaeological Research (ICAR) dispatched to region to undertake a rescue project. The team began excavation and restoration operations and 53 ancient tombs discovered during 6 months. The next season of excavation was started in August-September 2005 and more 8 tombs were discovered at the north part of the cemetery by H. Rezvani. In may 2008, the third season of excavation in the cemetery was began under the direction of the author which lasted until end of the third season of excavation of Lama cemetery started in May 2008, from May in 2008 and continued until the end of June. During this excavation 13 graves were discovered in an area of 275 m2 in two main trench and test trench. The most important structural feature of graves includes, placing rabble stone and large and small rocks for constructing the tombs and cover the grave, placing stone wall or a big rock in southern part as a symbol and having entrance to the burial chamber, the dead were re-invested to intend the burial chamber, placing clay and bronze and stone object near the dead and placing meat or burial of animal inside and outside of the grave, were some burial futures of this cemetery. Triangle decoration, different metal ornaments and weapons are the most important chronological indicators of the cemetery which related to Middle Elamite II, III and Neo Elamite I. The present report summarizes the findings in the 3rd season of excavation and its results.

Ulug-Depe in the frame of Turkmenistan Iron Age: an overview

Johanna Lhuillier, Julio Bendezu-Sarmiento & Olivier Lecomte

Abstract

Since 2001, the French-Turkmen Archaeological Mission (MAFTur) carried out excavations at the site of Ulug-depe, located near Dushak in the Kopet Dagh range piedmont. The site displays the longest stratigraphy in Central Asia, from the late Neolithic to the Middle Iron Age. The work carried out during the last 3 seasons focused on the Iron Age; it is yielding a better understanding of this period in the Kopet Dagh region. Two periods were identified, the Early Iron Age (Yaz I period) and the Middle Iron Age (Yaz II period). The main features of the occupation of each of these two periods are presented in this article (stratigraphy and architecture, ceramics, funerary practices). Furthermore, as Ulug-depe is one of the few sites of Central Asia that displays Bronze Age levels as well as Iron Age ones, we turned our attention more particularly to the transition between these two periods.

Bouyeh, an Iron Age I cemetery at Amlash, Gilan, Alborz Mountains

Vali Jahani

Abstract

This paper contains a report on the newly-discovered Iron Age cemetery of Bouyeh, located about 65 km to the east of Rasht in the Gilan Province, at the southwestern edge of the Caspian Sea. The site was located and excavated by G. Aslani and V. Jahani in 2007-2008. The excavations revealed a number of intact graves that based on their structure could be divided to three groups: 1. four-strata graves; 2. simple pit-type grave; 3. boulder-covered graves. It seems that the simple pit-type and the boulder-covered graves are the oldest known graves in the cemetery. Most of the graves, especially in four-strata graves, yielded ceramics, metal ornaments, beads, bronze and iron weapons, a golden wire, as well as rings and bracelets. The ceramics are gray, black, brown, red and orange and some were polished, carved, branded or added. The finds from Bouyeh are comparable to the assemblages found in Marlik, Gheytarieh, Khorvin, Jamshidabad, Pishva in Varamin, Mariyan, and Toul in Talesh; these sites date to the late second half of the second millennium BCE through the first half of the first millennium BCE. The existence of this cemetery, in addition to the others in the Amlash area, emphasizes that the region flourished during the Iron Age period.

The Sasanian Colonization of the Mughan Steppe, Ardebil Province, Northwestern Iran

Jason Ur and Karim Alizadeh

Abstract

The landscapes of the Sasanian Empire have been studied in detail and are remarkably well interpreted during past few decades. Recent research in frontier areas also have increased our knowledge of Sasanian policies in borderlands. The Sasanian Empire is well known for monumental construction work. Largescale projects, such as the construction of fortifications and defensive walls, irrigation systems, fortified towns and cities, are usually attributed to the reigns of Qobad I, and his son Xosrow I Anushirawan in the sixth century AD. This attribution stems mostly from historical documents, in which Xosrow is described as responsible for these massive projects. Recent archaeological researches in the Gorgān plain in the northeast of Iran and in Mughan Steppe in Iranian Azerbaijan have shown the great possibility of establishment of these projects earlier in the fifth century. This is significant because it may shed more light on the socio-political dynamics of the Sasanian Empire. Focusing on Caucasus, especially on data acquired from the Mughan Steppe projects, we place the new data and information in its socio-political context and reconsider earlier notions on the borderlands of the Sasanian Empire. This article reviews historical documents and archaeological data to present a case study in imperial expansion and investment in one such borderland, the Mughan Steppe (Ardebil Province).

Investigation into the Mud-Brick Architectural Units at Ecbatana – Hamadan

Ali Hozhabri and Kyle G. Olson

Abstract

The mound of Ecbatana, situated among the neighborhoods of Hamadan, is one of the largest ancient mounds of western Iran. The Archaeological Center of Iran engaged in rescue archaeology on the site in 1969-1976, the first time Iranian specialists were able to work at the site. Over the course of twelve seasons of archaeological research at Ecbatana, over 1500 square meters of deposits were uncovered and investigated. One major result of this work was the discovery of large mud-brick architectural units that resemble those of a historical city. This city seems to have been based on the Hippodamian model, a typically Greco-Roman pattern of urbanization. This conclusion is strengthened by finds of Hellenistic artifacts and features. Investigation into the architectural units of this collection shows us that even the plan of the architectural units was derived or adopted from a Greco-Roman pattern. All of the materials from the buildings, with the exception of the walls near the streets, which have brick foundations, are constructed with adobe and clay mortar. Although doubts exist as to the chronology of this structure, the excavators have proposed an absolute chronological dating between the middle and end of the Parthian period. To date, it is possible to divide the excavated spaces at Ecbatana into three separate groups: 1. Architectural Units; 2. Alleys and Streets; 3. Towers and Fortifications. Regarding the political history of the Parthian era it can be recognized that the constructions during the time of Farhad the Fourth were built by Roman prisoners of war from his campaigns. After defeating Marc Anthony for a second time, and after his father, who was able to defeat and kill Crassus, Farhad had cornered Rome.

Conference Report: The International Congress of Young Archaeologists: University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, 27-30 October, 2013

Kyle Olson

Abstract

The International Congress of Young Archaeologists was held at The University of Tehran from Sunday the 27th to Wednesday the 30th of October 2013 [Aban 1392]. This conference brought together several hundred archaeologists from Iran, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Japan. It was a great opportunity for all involved to come together in the spirit of academic collaboration to share the results of our hard work and to make professional connections with experts from around the world. The Iranian contingent was numerically dominant, of course, but the number of international scholars was anything but insignificant.

Book Review: The Earliest Neolithic of Iran: 2008 Excavations at Sheikh-e Abad and Jani (Central Zagros Archaeological Project, Volume 1)

Mohsen Zeidi

Abstract

The book ″The Earliest Neolithic of Iran″ is the first volume of the Central Zagros Archaeological Project (CZAP) of joint Iranian-British team which represents the results of archaeological fieldwork incorporated with four years of post-excavation analysis of one season excavation and research in 2008 at two early Neolithic sites of Tappeh Sheikh-e Abad and Jani in Kermanshah province. Although the research at these two sites was brief, current volume is a proof to the project’s reliable recording and sampling methodologies and a wealth of post-excavation analyses.

Obituary: Paul Gotch (1915-2008)

St John Simpson

Abstract

“I considered it my duty to care about and help to discover traces of the history and prehistory of the Persians who were my hosts”.

Written a year before he passed away, these words encapsulate the deep love for Iran that Paul Gotch developed during his posting as Director of the British Council in Shīrāz from 1959 to 1966. It was during that time that he initiated a survey of the Marv Dasht plain for which he is better known among Iranian archaeological circles. He passed away on 17th May 2008 but, shortly before, he stated that his notes, photographs and archaeological archive should go to the British Museum: it is through sorting these, talking to his son Adam and preparing a publication of his work that I have come to know him a little better and feel that his story needs to be better appreciated within the country that he loved so much.

Summaries of Persian Articles