IRAN Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies 2004
XLII VOLUME CONTENTS Page
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IRAN Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies 2004
XLII VOLUME CONTENTS Page
Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Governing . . . . .. .. Reportof theCouncil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . Location,Location,Location:A Pilot Survey of the TehranPlain in 2003, by R.A.E Coningham,H. Fazeli,R.L.YoungandR.E.Donahue............. Cheshmeh-AliRevisited: Towards an Absolute Dating of the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithicof Iran'sTehranPlain,by H. Fazeli,R.A.E.ConinghamandC.M.Batt
ii iii 1 13 25
Kushk-eHezar:A Mushki/JariPeriodSite in the KurRiverBasin,Fars,Iran,by JohnR. Alden, Kamyar Abdi, Ahmed Azadi, Fereidoun Biglari and Saman Heydari . . .
A New Look at the PrehistoricMetallurgyof SoutheasternIran,by C.P. Thorntonand C.C. Lamberg-Karlovsky ....................... CopperandComplexity:IranandMesopotamiain the FourthMillenniumB.C., by Roger Matthewsand HassanFazeli....................... The Banesh-Kaftari Interface: The ViewfromOperation H5, Malyan,by NaomiF. Millerand WilliamM. Sumner............................
47
61 77 91
Cyrusandthe Achaemenids,by MattWaters ................... The Lan Ceremony and Other Ritual Ceremonies in the AchaemenidPeriod: The . PersepolisFortificationTablets,by ShahrokhRazmjou........... underthe Samanids(Accordingto the Dataof Numismatics),by MichaelFedorov Farghana The Mongolsin Iran:A Reappraisal,by David Morgan...............
131
The Masjid-iMalikin Kirman,by AlirezaAnisi ..................
137
Beg Turkman's Pilgrimageto Makkaand Returnto Gujarat:A SixteenthCentury BayazTd Simon Narrative, by Digby ........................ A in Bushire'sHinterland, Rural Market Town Borazjan, by WillemFloor .. .....
159
A Persian Sufi in British India: The Travels of MTrzaHasan Safi 'All Shah (1251/1835-1316/1899), by Nile Green................. AhmadKasravi'sCriticismsof EdwardGranvilleBrowne,by LloydRidgeon. of BasilGray,by EdmundGray ................ Centenary Bibliography Archaeological Report ...................
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A Registered Charity No. 231161
c/o The BritishAcademy, 10 CarltonHouse Terrace,London SW1Y 5AH ISSN 0578-6967
STATEMENTOF AIMS AND ACTIVITIES in Tehranat whichBritishscholars,menandwomenof learningversedin the 1. TheInstitutehas anestablishment arts,friendsof Iran,may reside and meet theirIraniancolleaguesin orderto discusswith them subjectsof commoninterest:the arts,archaeology,history,literature, linguistics,religion,philosophyandcognatesubjects. 2. TheInstituteprovidesaccommodation forseniorscholarsandforteachersfromBritishUniversitiesin orderthat themselves at source of knowledgefromwhichtheirteachingderives.The sameserviceis refresh the theymay beingrenderedto youngerstudentswho showpromiseof developinginterestsin Persianstudies. 3. TheInstitute,whilstconcernedwithPersianculturein thewidestsense,is particularly concernedwiththe'develof of and seeks the Iranian scholars and studentsin applying opment archaeologicaltechniques, co-operation currentmethodsto the resolutionof archaeological andhistoricalproblems. 4. Archaeologicalexcavationusingmodemscientifictechniquesas ancillaryaids is one of the Institute'sprimary tasks.Theseactivities,whichentaila freshappraisalof previousdiscoveries,havealreadyyieldednew historiandarchaeologicalevidencewhichis addingto ourknowledgeof the pastandof its bearing cal, architectural, on the modemworld. 5. Inpursuitof all theactivitiesmentionedin theprecedingparagraphs theInstituteis graduallyaddingto its library, is collectinglearnedperiodicals,andis publishinga journal,Iran,whichappearsannually. scholars 6. TheInstitutearrangesoccasionalseminars,lecturesandconferencesandenliststhehelpof distinguished for this purpose.It also arrangessmallexhibitionswith the objectof demonstrating the importanceof Persian cultureandits attractionforthe worldof scholarship. 7. The Instituteendeavoursto collaboratewithuniversitiesandeducationalinstitutionsin Iranby all the meansat its disposaland,when consulted,assistsIranianscholarswith technicaladvicefor directingthemtowardsthe academicinstitutionsin Britishuniversities. appropriate
MEMBERSHIP OF THEINSTITUTE c/o TheBritishAcademy,10 Carlton Secretary, Anyonewishingtojoin the Instituteshouldwriteto theMembership rates(1st January-31stDecember)areas follows: HouseTerrace,LondonSW1Y5AH.The annualsubscription Fullmembership(U.K. only) ?25 Membernot receivingjournal ?8.00 Fullmembership(Overseas) ?30 or US$60 Studentmembership ?7.50 COPIES OF IRAN Full members of the Institutereceive a post free copy of the currentissue of the journal Iran each year. Copies of Iran may be obtained from the Publications Secretary(address as above) at the following prices: ?30 or US$60 each plus ?5/US$8 per Currentissue - single copies purchasedby non members copy for postage and packing (surface mail outside Europe) Back numbers- please see publications list inside back cover Those orderingfrom overseas may pay in US dollars or by sterling draftdrawn in London or by internationalmoney order.
IRAN VolumeXLII 2004 CONTENTS Page
Council ................................... Governing Reportof theCouncil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ii iii
Location,Location,Location:A PilotSurveyof the TehranPlainin 2003, by R.A.EConingham,H. Fazeli, R.L.YoungandR.E.Donahue ............................
1 Cheshmeh-AliRevisited:Towardsan AbsoluteDatingof the LateNeolithic and Chalcolithicof Iran's TehranPlain,by H. Fazeli, R.A.E. Coninghamand C.M. Batt ............... 13 Kushk-eHezar:A Mushki/Jari PeriodSite in the KurRiverBasin,Fars,Iran,by JohnR. Alden,Kamyar Abdi, AhmedAzadi,FereidounBiglariand SamanHeydari ................ 25 A New LookatthePrehistoric of Southeastern andC.C.Lamberg-Karlovsky 47 Iran,by C.P.Thornton Metallurgy CopperandComplexity:IranandMesopotamiain the FourthMillenniumB.C., by RogerMatthewsand HassanFazeli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. .
61
TheBanesh-Kaftari Interface: TheViewfromOperation H5,Malyan,byNaomiE MillerandWilliamM. Sumner Cyrusandthe Achaemenids,by MattWaters ................... ....
77 91
The Lan Ceremony and Other Ritual Ceremonies in the Achaemenid Period: The Persepolis FortificationTablets,by ShahrokhRazmjou ................... .. Farghanaunderthe Samanids(Accordingto the Dataof Numismatics),by MichaelFedorov . . . .
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The Mongolsin Iran:A Reappraisal,by DavidMorgan ....................
131
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TheMasjid-iMalikin Kirman,by AlirezaAnisi .................. ..... to MakkaandReturnto Gujarat: A SixteenthCentury BayazIdBeg Turkman's Pilgrimage Narrative, by Simon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... Digby
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A RuralMarketTownin Bushire'sHinterland, by WillemFloor ............... Boraizjan, A PersianSufiin BritishIndia:TheTravelsof MtrzaHasanSafi 'AlTShah(1251/1835-1316/1899), by Nile Green .......................................
179 201
of EdwardGranvilleBrowne,by LloydRidgeon. ............. AhmadKasravT's Criticisms
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of BasilGray,by EdmundGray ................... Centenary Bibliography Archaeological Report ....
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BRITISHINSTITUTEOF PERSIAN STUDIES (A RegisteredCharity) GOVERNINGCOUNCIL President *ProfessorJAMES ALLAN, M.A., D.Phil. Vice-President *ProfessorROBERTHILLENBRAND,M.A., D.Phil., F.R.S.E. Honorary Vice-Presidents ProfessorC.E. Bosworth, M.A., Ph.D., F.B.A. ProfessorA.K.S. LAMBTON, O.B.E, Ph.D., D.Lit., F.B.A. ProfessorD.B. STRONACH,O.B.E, M.A., F.S.A. Sir DENIS WRIGHT,G.C.M.G.,M.A. HonorarySecretary LUKE TREADWELL,B.A., M.A., D.Phil. Honorary Treasurer *PETERKNAPTON, B.Phil., M.A., M.B.A., F.C.C.A. HonoraryLibrarian tROBERT GLEAVE,B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Chairmanof Research Sub-Committee *CHARLESMELVILLE,M.A., Ph.D. Members PAUL BERGNE *SHEILACANBY, M.A., Ph.D. JOHN CURTIS,B.A., Ph.D., F.S.A., F.B.A. FARHADDAFTARY,M.A., Ph.D. NARGUESS FARZAD,B.A. *PAULLUFT, M.A., Ph.D. TVANESSAMARTIN,M.A., Ph.D. Joint Editors tProfessor C.E. BOSWORTH,M.A., Ph.D., F.B.A. tVESTA SARKHOSHCURTIS,M.A., Ph.D. Secretary VESTA SARKHOSHCURTIS,M.A., Ph.D. HonoraryMembershipSecretary PETERDAVIES,M.A. Auditors PRIDIEBREWSTER,29-39 London Road, Twickenham,Middlesex TW1 3SZ.
c/o the British Academy 10 CarltonHouse Terrace LONDON SW1Y 5AH
*Membersof ResearchSub-Committee tMembers of PublicationsSub-Committee
P.O.Box 11365-844 Tehran IRAN
REPORTOF THE COUNCIL The past twelve months have seen a markedgrowth in activity in BIPS Tehrandue to the increasedgrantawarded by the BritishAcademy and the presence of Mr Peter Morgan,the Directorof BIPS and the DarabgirdProject.BIPS Tehranhas made good progress in its goals: to widen access to the collections of excavated materials in its stores; to encourage collaboration with Iranian colleagues; and to set up opportunities for Iranian archaeologists to familiarise themselves with recent advances in archaeological methods and practices. A major conference on "Science in Archaeology"is plannedto be held in Tehranin March2004. Peter Morganhas also begun work on the Darabgirdsurvey project in collaborationwith the IranianCulturalHeritage Organisationand will present a report on the first year's achievements in the AGM lecture in November 2003. BIPS Tehranhas seen an encouragingrise in visitor numbersthis year, including studentson researchand study trips as well as senior academics. Fifteen of the annual grants allocated by BIPS included offers of free accommodation at the Tehranhostel, a sign that research in Iran is flourishing and that the hostel is playing an importantrole in supportingit. The libraryis now open five days a week and serves the local academic community as well as foreign visitors. The preparationof an electronic catalogue of the library'sholdings is still in progress. Substantialinvestment has been made in new acquisitions in orderto provide the library,with the reference works and scholarlyjournals needed to ensure that it remains one of the leading research librariesin ancient history and archaeologyin Iran.Several public lectureswere given in the TehranInstituteby visitors, including ProfessorDavid Stronach,Dr Sheila Canby,who was invited to Iranas the guest of the Iraniangovernmentin May 2003, Dr Neguin Yavariof Columbia University,Dr Vanessa Martinand Mr Amin Mahdavi. BIPS has maintained a good record of publications at all levels this year. The bi-annual Newsletter offers an opportunityfor all our membersto keep in touch with the Institute'swork in the UK and Iran,while thejournalIran continues to publish academic papers on all aspects of Iranianhistory and culture to a consistently high standard. Volume 42 includes field reports from excavations directed by Iranianarchaeologists.A major new initiative was launched this year with the inaugurationof the BIPS Occasional Series published by Routledge Curzon under the editorship of Dr Vanessa Martin. Two monographs by leading historians of modem Iran have appeared, H. Katouzian'sIranian History and Politics and S. Cronin's The Making of Modern Iran. These books and future titles in the series - two are planned for 2004 - will help to raise the BIPS's profile in the UK and abroad,and demonstrateto the historical community at large that historiansof Iranand neighbouringcountrieshave a vital role to play in illuminatingand explaining the region's history at a time when impartialand clear-headedanalysis is at a premium.Another notable publication which appearedthis year was The MonumentsofMerv. A Scanned Archive ofPhotographs and Plans ofMerv (London,2002), by GeorginaHerrmannet al. This collection of annotatedimages forms an accessible illustratedguide to some of the majormonumentsof the city of Merv, in southernTurkmenistan, where a joint British-Turkmenteam led by Professor Herrmanndug for nearly a decade in the 1990s. At the FortiethAGM on 26 November 2002, ProfessorEdmundBosworth, Dr John Curtis,Dr Sheila Canby and Dr Paul Luft were elected to the Governing Council. Dr Robert Gleave stepped down as HonorarySecretaryand was replaced by Dr Luke Treadwell. Dr Gleave is continuing as the HonoraryLibrarian.Mr Chris Rundell retired from the Council in orderto concentratehis energies on writing after many years of active involvement with BIPS. Dr Treadwell gave the AGM lecture entitled "The Samanids: between Persia and Islam", and in June 2003 Dr Vanessa Martingave the well-attended Summer Lecture on the subject of"Slavery and Black Slaves in Iranin the 19th Century". The Fifth BIPS workshop, convened by Professor Robert Hillenbrand,was held in Edinburghon 25-26 April 2003. Fifteen speakers gave papers during the two-day meeting, including the Director, BIPS grant recipients and members and two Iranianscholars, on subjects as diverse as the pre-Mongol Islamic architectureof Turkmenistan and the growing significance of Persian archives and documents as a source for the constructionof an indigenous historicalnarrativeof Iran.As in previous years the workshop provided an opportunityfor scholars and studentsto meet and exchange ideas and informationin an informal and friendly atmosphere. BIPS continues to rely heavily on the dedicated assistance of a handful of hardworking officers whose contributionsare vital to its operations.Our sincere gratitudegoes as always to the staff of BIPS Tehran,in particular Houman Kordmahini;to Peter Davies for his work as the HonoraryMembershipand PublicationsSecretary;to the
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Treasurer PeterKnapton;to ourSecretary, VestaSarkhoshCurtis,who shoulderstheresponsibility forproducingthe journalIran andthe Newsletterin additionto runningthe office in CarltonTerracewith the help of Dr Gabriele is also madeto the BritishAcademywhich continuesto providefinancial Puschnigg.Gratefulacknowledgment for our activities and to the staff of the IranianEmbassyin Londonandthe BritishEmbassyin Tehranwho support havefacilitatedarrangements forreciprocalvisitsby invitedguestsunderthe Institute'saegis. JamesAllan President
LukeTreadwell HonorarySecretary
LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATION: A PILOTSURVEYOF THE TEHRANPLAIN IN 2003 By R.A.E.Coningham,H. Fazeli,R.L.YoungandR.E. Donahue Universityof Bradford, Universityof Tehranand Universityof Leicester
conditionsand plainproper,withsemi-aridgeographical anelevationof between1200and800m. abovesealevel A pilot surveyof the plainof Tehran,markingthe 1996;Fazeli2001). Coveredwith (Tehrani-Mogaddam it research alluviumsediments, containssome rockyridgesand beginningof the secondphaseof collaborative between the Universityof Bradford,Universityof saltylakes.Althoughit hasa markedseasonalpatternof andrainfall,muchof the plainis intensiveof Iran temperature Tehranandthe CulturalHeritageOrganisation in the SpringandAutumnusingwaterfrom cultivated was The in 2003. conducted was ly pilot August (CHOI), its three majorrivers,the qanat system and modem launchedwith two main aims. Firstly,to pilot the settlementinthisareahastakenthe collectionof dataregardingthe frequency,distribution, pumps.Traditionally walled compoundwith a single density and condition of sites from the terminal form of a rectangular Palaeolithicc. 8000 B.C., and then throughthe Late gatewayand watchtowers,with residenceslining the insideof the walls (Fazeli2001). All the plain'smajor Chalcolithicc. 3000 B.C. to the present.Secondly,to historical for detailed select sites which to a basis from centres,such as Ray andTehran,are located provide within this fertile belt. The final belt marks the survey and test excavationin orderto enhancethe absolutechronologyof the Tehranplain. Both aims beginningof the desertor kavir,whichmakesup much were achievedduringthe durationof the pilot season of Iran'sCentralPlateau.Standingat 1000m. abovesea and we recordeda total of 27 archaeologicalsites, level, it is characterised by mountainridges,fans and mud and salt.Its lack of water,swift basins of Chalcolithic unknown four marshy large including previously sites,anda further25 modemsites,whicharehelping evaporation and temperature extremes make it us to model potentiallanduse strategies.Finally,our unsuitableforcultivationandit is sparselyoccupied. In view of thesedistinctenvironmental culturalresource divisions,it pilotindicatedthatthisnon-renewable that the reasonable and from is undersubstantial majorityof archaeoappearsquite farming,building pressure illicit excavationsas over 90% of sites recordedhad logical researchhas been conductedin the middle, cultivated belt of the Tehranplain. Close to the sustainedrecentdamage. country'scapital,Tehran,archaeologistsfirstbeganto studytheplain'sprehistoryatthetell siteof CheshmehINTRODUCTION Ali, a 7 m. high tell abuttinga rockyridgeat the edge of the Islamiccity of Ray.It was firstexcavatedby De The Tehranplain is locatedin the semi-aridgeoMorganin 1912andagainin 1924by Dayet,a French of the Alburz to the south diplomat.They were followed in 1934 by Erich F. graphical conditions mountainsandcanbe dividedintothreemajorenviron- Schmidt,who opened over 600 sq. m. of the site mentalsectors,the southernflanksof the Alburz,the (Schmidt1935:79). Schmidtsuccessfullyidentifiedthe the of two historicperiods,IslamicandParthian, these The first of and the desert. presence encompasses plain mountainousrange encirclingthe Caspian Sea and and two major prehistoriclevels, Chalcolithicand possessesa numberof peaks above 3000 m. (Fisher Neolithic,butwas killedin a planecrashin 1964before Followinghis death,interestin 1968). Its perennialmelt-watersources, containing his reportwas prepared. numerousrawmaterialssuchas copperand lead, feed the site andthe archaeologyof the Tehranplain,with theriversof theplainbelow(Oberlander 1968).Itsharsh the exceptionof a limitednumberof rescue excavawinterclimatehas led many communitiesto adopta tions, lapsed.The importanceof Schmidt'sfindings, transhumant way of life, migratingdownto the lower however, was recognised and his partly published of sequencewas usedin all subsequentreconstructions slopes and returningin the spring.To its southis the ABSTRACT
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the archaeologicalsequenceof the centralplateauof Iran(Fazeli2001). This lapse in field activity coincided with the economic transformation of Iran and the growthof Tehranintobotha metropolisof some20 millionpeople andtheproduction centreof halfthe country'smanufacturedgoods.Indeed,archaeological sites of all periods within the plain are facing destructionby increasing cultivapopulation,housing,industryandmanufacture, tion,pollutionandillegalexcavations.Motivatedby the destructionof archaeologicalsites within the Tehran plain,the Universitiesof TehranandBradford,andthe CHOI, developed a spatial and temporalstudy of settlement,within a block of 1500 km.2, from the beginningof the Holoceneto the present.Focusingon the transformation of simple,egalitarian Neolithiccommunitiesinto more hierarchicalChalcolithicones, we are studyingthe dynamicsof craftspecialisationand standardisation. Initialanalysisof lithic and ceramic materialsfromthesesourceshas allowedus to beginto modelthe growthof craftspecialisation, productstanandnetworksof exchange(Fazeli2001).For dardisation example,ceramicchemicalcompositionsuggeststhat duringthe Late Neolithic (c. 6200-5500 B.C.) and Chalcolithic(c. 5500-4700B.C.),commuTransitional nities accessed separatesources, but by the Early Chalcolithic(c. 4700-4000 B.C.) sharedsourceswere being utilised (Fazeli et al. 2001). This patternis differentfromthe sourcingof lithicmaterial,wherea pervasiveregionaldivisionhasbeenidentified(Fazeliet al. 2002).
Beforesuchmodelsmay be furtherdeveloped,our temporaland spatialframeworkneeds to be enlarged.
STUDIES
Thus,our first step was the excavationof a trenchat CheshmehAli in 1997,in orderto providean absolute chronologyfor the plain's Late Neolithic to Early Chalcolithicsequence(c. 6200-4000 B.C.).Following initialanalysiswe identifiedthreemainculturallevels at the site,LateNeolithic,Transitional Chalcolithicand Chalcolithic and Early provided the absolute frameworkby concentrating on the sequenceof nine dates from trenchH7. As a result,we have defined ranges of between c. 5300 and 4600 B.C. for the Transitional Chalcolithicandhave designeda rangeof betweenc. 4600 B.C. and the beginningof the fifth millenniumB.C. for the EarlyChalcolithic.The date rangeforthe LateNeolithicis estimatedto be between c. 5300B.C.to the seventhmillenniumB.C.on account of the ceramicand stratigraphic evidence.The second step, a settlementsurvey,was conductedin 1998 and identified44 sites, includingseven new Chalcolithic sites, but it was recognisedthata morerobustsurvey strategywas necessary. METHODOLOGY As notedabove,we wishedto pilotthe collectionof dataregardingthe frequency,distribution, densityand conditionof sitesfromtheterminalPalaeolithic, c. 8000 the Late c. 3000 B.C.,through Chalcolithic, B.C.,to the present.Secondly,we wishedto providea basis from whichto selectsitesfor detailedsurveyandfurthertest excavation,in orderto recoveradditionalradiocarbon As we alsowished datesfortheendof the Chalcolithic. to test the assumptionthatprehistoricoccupationwas
Fig. 1. General view of the plain southeast of Pishva, incorporating mountains, plain and desert.
LOCATION,
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mainlyrestrictedto themiddlebeltof theplainandthat the desertandmontainezoneswerenotutilised,as well as whethergreaternumbersof archaeologicalsites couldbe identifiedthroughtheuse of intensivewalking survey,we testedthe plain'sthreemainenvironmental blocks of mountain,plain and desertfor signs of prehistoricuse. Threemainsurveystrategieswereadopted, randomtransectsurvey,non-random surveyandquanat in a portionof the transectsurvey.Wealsoconcentrated plainto the south-eastof Pishvawhererockyoutcrops, cultivatedplainsanddesertwere all availablewithina relativelysmallarea(Fig. 1). Ourfirstrandomtransect (TI) was startedsouth-eastof Pishvaand ran 15 km. froma rockyoutcrop,throughcultivatedfieldsandthen outintothe desertto the south.Thetransectwas 100m. wide and was walked by five archaeologists,15 m. abreast.Topography,vegetation,water sources and culturalfeatureswere recorded.Sites, defined by a
OF THE TEHRAN
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structure, feature,lithicfindspot,or ceramicscattersof 5 sherdsormorepersq.m., werelocatedby GPS,photographed,measuredand sketched (Fig. 2). Major chronologicalindicatorswere noted and samplesof ceramic sherds and lithics collected, bagged and returnedto the field laboratoryat Tepe Mil for processing, labelling and cataloguing. A second transectof 7 km. (T2) was surveyedrunningin a southerlydirectionalong the easternpiedmontof a rockyridgewith peaksup to 1113m. abovesea level. At the end of the ridge,T2 continuedintothe desertto the south. In addition to the transect survey, we continuedFazeli's 1998 non-randomsurvey of tepe sites on the plain.Finally,as we had notedthatthere were EarlyNeolithicor earliersites in the plain,we were concernedthattheseearlylevels mightbe buried too farbelow the presentlandsurfaceto be identified. Therefore,we decidedto triala new strategyin which
Fig. 2. The 2003 transect survey in progress - recording a site.
Fig. 3. The 2003 Qanat survey in progress.
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archaeologistsfollowedqanatlines (irrigationtunnels with access shafts)and examinedthe excavatedspoil eachshaft(Fig. 3). surrounding
STUDIES
proximityof deposition.Of particularinterestwere some microlithicflake and blade cores derivedfrom two qanats(sitesA75 andA101) whichshowaffinities to the local"Mesolithic".
RESULTS Chalcolithic ceramic sites
We recordeda total of 54 sites of humanactivity duringourpilot surveyseason.Of these,27 sites were identifiedas representing Prehistoric, Chalcolithic,Iron Age andSasanian/Islamic occupationandrangedfrom to tell site single objects (Table1). The remaining27 includedtwo ruinedlandlordvillages and 25 modem scattersof pottery,brickand slag (Table2). Of the 27 sitesencountered, tenwereidentifiedby archaeological randomtransectsTi and T2. Non-randomsurvey, conductedfroma vehicle,recordeda furthernine sites within the sample region and, following 5 km. of sites. qanats,we identifieda furtherfive archaeological In addition,threefindsof lithicmaterialswererecorded by teammemberstravellingbetweenthe vehiclesand the beginningsandendsof transects. Lithic sites
Werecordedlithicmaterialsfrom11locationsalong ourtransects(A24, A26, A28, A39, A61, A75, A101, A102, A103, A104 andAll0). Theseincludedworked cores, flakes and blades,rangingminimallyfromthe endof theUpperPalaeolithic(c. 10,000BP) to the Late Chalcolithic(Fig. 4); these were various fine grain silicatesused in the manufacture of the artefacts,much of it of apparently localorigin.Mostof thoserecovered fromthe qanatspoil were unworn,suggestinga close
Site All114, a qanat, produced ceramics of Chalcolithicage, and we also recordedfive sites with scattersof Chalcolithicceramics,two on ourtransects in the samplezone (A03 andA114),two fromourcontinuationof Fazeli's 1998 survey(A20 and A50) and one followinga reportfromMrN. Pazoukiof theCHOI (A06). Site A03 was a ploughed-outtell, Chaleh Khakestary,with a scatterof ceramicsdatingto the Middle Chalcolithic;All114was broadlydatedto the Chalcolithic; Deh Mohsen (A20) to the Middle Chalcolithic;Tepe Daoudabad(A50) to the Early Chalcolithic; and Tepe Pardis (A06) from the Transitional to the Late Chalcolithic.Chronologically, the site of ChalehKhakestaryis comparablewith the MiddleChalcolithicsite of ChakmakTepe,south-west of Tehran,as bothsiteswere only occupiedduringthe Middle Chalcolithicperiod. Sherds recoveredfrom ChalehKhakestary includedsimpleevertedrimbowls, base vessels and fast-wheelthrownreddish trumpet yellow, very pale brown, yellowish red to light yellowish brownceramics.Ceramicswere decorated with large geometric and naturalisticmotifs, for examples, spiral plants (Fig. 5). However, ceramic variationat ChakmakTepe is more apparentas a numberof its ceramiccategories,utilisingstring-cut base techniquesand red ware ceramicswith wheel drawnbases and coiled bodies,were mass produced.
Fig.4. Chalcolithicflakes recoveredfrom Fakrabadduringthe 2003 survey.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: A PILOT SURVEY OF THE TEHRAN PLAIN IN 2003
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TABLE1. Archaeological sites identifiedduring 2003 survey of the TehranPlain. Site No A02
Site name
Finds, features
Preservation
Setting
Tepe Neisar
Tell with glazed ceramics
Ploughededges and
Plain
looting
A03
Chaleh
Chalcolithicsherds
Ploughed out
Plain
Glazedceramics
Ploughed out and
Plain
Khakestary
A04
Mahmudabad
looting
A05
Khave
Glazedceramics
Buildings
A06
Tepe Pardis
Tell with Chalcolithic
Quarryencroaching
Plain Plain
Plain
encroaching sherds
A08
Mostafabad
Tell with glazed ceramics
Ploughed edges and
A10 All
KharkhanePar 1 KharkhanePar2
Tell with glazed ceramics Tell with glazed ceramics
Ploughed and looting Ploughed edges
Plain Plain
A20
Deh Mohsen
Tell with Chalcolithic, Iron Age and glazed ceramics
Ploughed edges
Plain
A24 A26 A27 A28 A39 A50
No name No name No name No name No name Tepe
Struckflake Workedflake? Glazedceramics Workedcore Workedcore Tell with Chalcolithicand
Surfacefind Surfacefind Surfacescatter Surfacefind Surfacefind Ploughed edges and
Piedmont/desert Piedmont/desert Piedmont/desert Desert Piedmont/desert Plain
A61
Davoudabad No name
Iron Age ceramics Core and 2 flakes
looting Qanat spoil
Plain
All0 A 112 A114
No name No name No name No name No name No name No name No name
2 flakes Flake Blade Worn flake Flake Blade Glazedceramics Chalcolithicand glazed
Qanatspoil Qanatspoil Surfacefind Surfacefind Surfacefind Qanatspoil Surfacefind Qanatspoil
Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain Plain
All5 A 116
No name Rezaiabad
Glazedceramics Tell with glazed ceramics
Plain Plain
A 117
No name
Tell with glazed ceramics
Surfacefind Ploughed edges and looting Ploughed edges and looting
looting
A75 A101 A 102 A103 A104
ceramics
Plain
Please note that the GPS co-ordinates have not been provided here as many of these sites have been subject to systematic looting.
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TABLE2. Modern sites identifiedduring 2003 survey of the TehranPlain. Site No A07 A14 A16 A 17 A21 A22 A25
Finds, features
Setting
Slope
Landlordvillage Sherdscatter,single vessel uneroded Sherdscatter,uneroded Brickfrags,bitumenand tar * Sherdscatter,eroded and uneroded Sherdsscatter,single vessel, uneroded Animaldung, artificialdepression, scrub
Plain Desert scrub Desert scrub Desert scrub Desert scrub Desert scrub Base of alluvialfan