Pit Graves of Bronze and Iron Cultural Period of Khaneqah Cemetery in Gilavan

Authors

1 PhD student of Archaeology, Department of Archeology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Archeology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Khaneqah Cemetery, located in Gilavan village in Khalkhal County of Ardabil Province, is one of the most unique cemeteries in the country. Based on burial findings, this cemetery is one of the most significant cemeteries in northwestern Iran, because it presents graves from the three cultural periods of the Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age and Parthian period. Four-season scientific excavations have been carried out in Gilvan cemetery. In the present study, the graves excavated in the third season have been studied. During this season, four ancient graves have been excavated and identified by numbers 30, 33, 34 and 35. Graves 30 and 33 has been dated to the Middle Bronze Age and graves 34 and 35 has been dated to the Iron Age I. The graves of this cemetery are of the type of pit graves in which burials have been done as single and double person in grave pit. The present study has been studied qualitatively in a descriptive-analytical manner and with a comparative approach, and has been compared with the works of other simultaneous sites in the north and northwest of Iran in terms of burial data. The results indicate the cultural relationship with the sites of Middle and New Bronze Age and Iron Age I and II. There is a lot of evidence to date the tombs of Khaneqah Cemetery. The burial method, shape and structure of the graves and the typology of the pottery and objects obtained indicate that this cemetery belongs to the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age I and II.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

- Alekshin, V. A.; Brtel, B.; Alexander, A.; Dolitsky, Gilman, A.; Kohl, P.; Liversage, D. & Masset, C., (1983). “Burial customs as an Archaeological source and comments”. Chicago jornal current Anthropology, 24 (2): 137-149.
- Azarnoush, M., (2005). “Recent archaeological research in Iran prehistory to iron age”. Barbara Helwing, AMIT 37: 189-246.
- Belli, O. & Bahşaliyev, V., (2001). Nahçivan Blgesinde, Arkeolojive Sanat Yayinlari., 2001, Middle and Late Bronze Age Painted Pottery Culture in the Nakhichevan Region. Istanbul: Arkeolojive Sanat Yayinlari.
- Brown, T., (1951). Excanation in Azarbaijan, 1948. Londan, John Murrary: 34-35.
- Demorgan, J., (1905). “Recherches au Talych Persaen 1901”. In: Necropoles des ages du fer, MOP VIII: 251-345.
- Dyson, R. H., (1965). “Problems of Protohistoric Iran as seen from Hasanlu”. JNES, 24: 193- 217.  
- Edwards, M. R., (1981). “The pottery of  Haftvan VIB (Urmia Ware)”.Iran, 19: 40-110.
- Egami, N.; Fukai, SH. & Masuda, S., (1965). Dailaman I: The Excavations at Ghalekuti and Lasulkan, 1960. University of Tokyo, Institute of Oriental Culture.‏
- Hamlin, C., (1974). “The Early Second Millennium Ceramic Assmblage of Dinkhah Tepe”. Iran, 12: 53- 125.
- Ingraham, M. L. & Summer, G., (1979). “Stelae and settleement in the Meshkin Shahr plain, northeastern Azerbaijan, Iran”. Archologische Mitteilungen aus Iran, 12: 67-101.
- Kambakhsh Fard, S., (1991). Tehran, three thousand and two hundred years old, based on archaeological excavations. Faza, Tehran.
- Kazempour, M.; Omrani, B. & Rezarzalo, R., (2012). “A New Perspective on East Azarbaijan’s Megalith Graves Based on Findings of the Zardkhaneh Site”. Journal of Archaeological Studies, 4 (1): 150-170.
- Keshvari, H. R., (2011). “Study and investigation of graves 34 and 35 of  Khaneqah Cemetery of Gilavan”. Master Thesis, Mohaghegh Ardabili University.
- Khalatbari, M. R., (1997). “Excavating in Kaluraz”. Memorandum of the Iranian Archaeological Conference, Shousha, Tehran: Cultural Heritage Organization.
- Khoraheh, Gh., (2013). “Typology and Landscape dimension study of the structure of large stone graves in northwestern Iran”. Isfahan University of Arts, Shahrivar.
- Kleiss,W., (1969). “Beridt uberzwei er Kundun gsfahrten in nordwest- Iran”. Archologische Mitteilungen aus Iran, 2: 7-119.
- Kroll, S., (1984). “Archaologische fundplatze in Iranisch ost Azerbaijan”. AMI, 17: 13-133.
- Kusnareva, K. Kh., (1997). “The Southern Caucasus in Prehistory”. The University Museum University of Pennsylvania Philadelaphia, 22: 138-149.
- Laslukan, (1960). Tokyo: The Tokyo University Iraq-Iran archaeological expedition report 18.
- Muscarella, O. W., (1974). “The Iron Age at Dinkha Tepe, Iran”. Metropolitan Museum Journal, 9: 35-90.
- Negahban, E., (1964). Marlik (Cheraghali Tappeh). Tehran: University of Tehran.
- Niknami, K. & Kazempour, M., (2011). Archaeological Report on Privacy Determination of Zardkhaneh Site. Tehran: Research Institute of Archaeology.
- Pourfaraj, A., (2007). “A review of the Iron Age of northwestern Iran: A case study of Ardabil city and satellite castles”. Tarbiat Modares University, Faculty of Humanities.
- Puturidze, M., (2003). “Social and economic shifts in the south Caucasian middle Bronze Age”. In: Archaeology in the borderlands: in verstigations in Caucasia and beyond, edited by A.T .Smith and K.: 111-127.
- Rezaloo, R., (2007). “The emergence of societies with complex political and social structure in the New Bronze Age in the southern basin of the Aras River with a case study of Khosrow Castle’s archaeological data”. PhD thesis, Tarbiat Modares University
- Rezvani, H. & Roustaei, K., (2007). “A preliminary report on two seasons of excavations At Kul Tarike cemetery, Kurdestan, Iran”. Iranica Antiqua, Vol. XLII, P.P. 139-184.
- Rubinson, K. S., (1977). “The chronology of the Trialti culture. In Mountains and low lands: Essaya”. In: The archaeology if greater mesopotamia, edited by L.D. levin and T. C. Young. Jrbibliotheca Mesopotamia, 7. Malibu: Undena publications: 235-249.
- Shaeffer, S. A., (1948). Stratigraphie compare et chronologie de l, Asie occidentale. London: Oxford University press.
- Smith, A.;  Ruben, T.; Badalyan, S. & Pavel, A. A., (2003). “Early Complex Societies in Southern Caucasia: A Preliminary Report on the Tsakahovit Plain, Republic of Armenia”. American Journal of Archaeology, 108 (1): 1-42.
- Talaei, H., (2005), Archeology and Art of Iran in the First Millennium BC. Tehran: Samt.
- Talaei, H., (2008). The Iron Age of Iran. Tehran: Samt.
- Vandenberg, L., (1966). Archeology of Ancient Iran. Translated by: Isa Behnam, University of Tehran.
- Zivari Madam, Z., (2015). “Investigation and study of standing stone graves in Ardabil region”. The second archeological conference of Iran, November.
pazhoheshha-ye Bastan shenasi Iran
Volume 13, Issue 37
September 2023
Pages 201-175

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics