The Classification and Typology of the Pottery of Sialk III6-7 Culture in Light of Findings from Southern Mound of Tepe Meymanat-Abad

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Abstract

In terms of synchronic studies, the last stage of cultural development of prehistoric societies of Iranian Central Plateau prior to proto-literate period is characterized by Sialk III6-7 cultural horizon at Tepe Ghabristan and Sagz Abad in Qazvin plain and Tepe Sialk on the northern edge of the central desert. The Late Chalcolithic period, which is referred to as ended around 3400 BC. The final feature of proto-literate period known by the titles of Uruk and the Proto-Elamite characterized by the sudden disappearance of painted pottery of Sialk III6-7 and the emergence of simple and coarse pottery of Uruk tradition. Meymanat-Abad Tepe is considered as an excellent option to study that how the transition between the two these significant periods was happened. Also, Meymanat-Abad is an important site for study the Sialk III6-7. Meymanat-Abad Tepe (N 3928141.46 and S 515322.47, AMSL: 1053.96 m) is located in southwest of Tehran, in the 25 km distance to Tehran, 2 km of south of the Golestan town, 6 km of West of Robatkarim city and 500 meters south of the Meymanat-Abad village and surrounded by two shallow hills of Northern and Southern ones. Meymanat-Abad Tepe consists of two northern and southern mounds and both of them were gone under excavation. In general, a complete sequence of late chalcolithic was identified at this Tepe based on stratigraphic excavations. Stratigraphic excavation and presenting its chronological table help us to illuminate new information of the mid and late fourth millennium especially late chalcolithic in the frame of Sialk III6-7 and Sialk IV1. The southern mound contains the Sialk III6-7 material culture and the northern one contains Sialk III7 and IV1 records. Considering the fact that the two mounds were settled along the chronological sequences, this report had done to present the Operation at the southern mound and relied upon on pottery analysis. Based on the pottery analysis, the settlement phases of I to IIb at Tepe Meymanat-Abad are comparable to Ghabristan IV6-4, Sialk III6, Sagz Abad Tepe, Ismaeel Abad Tepe and Shizar Tepe and the phase III0 is compared to Ghabristan IV6-4, Sialk III7, Sagz Abad Tepe, Ismaeel Abad, Shizar and Arisman B. The presence of some of the typical Iranian Central Plateau ceramics such as buff wares at sites such as Godin indicates that a degree of interaction and communication had been established with the central western Zagros during the second half of the fourth millennium BC. They will refine the typological sequence of the ceramics of the late Chalcolithic horizon. Meymanat-Abad also throws considerable light on some of the problems connected with the emergence of societies in this part of Time. The Southern mound has a continuity of pottery tradition in Sialk III6. The pottery was buff, painted and fine and the forms included cups, deep bowl with plain bases, etc. Common forms included vertical and inverted-rim hemispherical bowls of shallow to medium depth, some with a pedestal base painted with rows of animal decoration such as leopards, goats with S-shaped horns, and cups and open bowls with concave and oblique walls, incurving and flared rims, and flat base. Most motifs consist of geometric designs but stylized animals such as goats, leopards, cattle, and birds were found in abundance. These styles and motifs are similar and parallel to Arisman B, Sialk III6-7, Ghabristan IV6-4, and Godin VI3.

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