Archaeological Study and Function Analysis of Mansion Known as “Tappe Zagheh” in Rumishgan, Lorestan Province, Iran

Authors

1 PhD in Archeology, Department of Archeology and History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 PhD in Archeology, Islamic Azad University, Research Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran.

3 PhD students in Archeology, Department of Archeology, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Mazandaran University, Babolsar, Iran.

Abstract

Valuable monuments has remained from the historical and Islamic period in the South West of Lorestan Province. Despite the importance some of these monuments and theirs registration in the List of National Monuments, Have not been performed proper research about them and there is not enough knowledge about them. One of these monuments is the building known as “Tappe Zagheh” in the center of “Rumishgan” plain. Despite doing archaeological studies in Rumishgan and visiting foreign and Iranian archaeologists from the Tappe Zagheh, our knowledge about this building limited to its position. Although previous reports have made some hypotheses on the date of construction and function of this mansion but the exact date of construction and the actual operation still is unknown. Therefore, it is necessary this building will be studied in an independent study and comprehensive manner and recognized its historical period of construction and actual functioning. The main research questions are: 1- What period was built the mansion known as Tappe Zagheh in Rumishgan plain? 2- What was the function of the Tappe Zagheh?  The research approach is historical and the findings are gathered with documentary and field studies.The results of the research show that Tappe Zagheh was a caravanserai between historical city of Saimarreh and Tarhān region. Architectural element, Materials used in construction of the building and scattered ceramics around Tappe Zagheh show that it was built in late Sassanian period and it was used until the Middle Ages of Islamic period.
Keywords: Sassanid Architecture, Early Islamic Centuries, Dormitory Monument, Tappe Zaghe, Rumishgan.
 
Introduction
The stone monument known as Tappe Zagheh is located in center of Rumishgan plain in southwestern of Luristan province. Rumishgan plain had been part of the historical region of Tarhān which had an important and strategic communication position in western Iran during the Sassanid and Islamic periods. According to the written documents and archaeological findings Tarhān had been hosting the important regional and inter-regional connection road since the late Sassanid period which lasted to Islamic period. The archaeological evidences of this connection road further than the historical bridges (Cham-e Nemeshet and See-e Pallah), are the stone paved roads which are remained in some regions around the Rumishgan plain (Mirorah in the south and Gowerbani in the north of the plain). This appropriate connecting position has resulted in the construction of various buildings such as bridges, guarding forts, caravanserais and stone paved roads among which is Teppe Zaghe the most prominent of them. Although many scholars that passed through Rumishgan mentioned to Teppe Zaghe in their reports but our knowledge about Tappe Zagheh from this reports limited to significant and its location. Despite the long history of the listing of the Tappe Zagheh in the Iran National list of Cultural Heritage, no remarkable study regarding the date of its building and its function had been conducted. This is while the building has significant architectural and historical importance and its existence is being threatened by the urban development plans every day; so that further to its visual zone a large part of the building has been disturbed and is damaging more day by day. In this regard a thorough and detailed study of Teppe Zagheh will be of great importance. What is mainly was unknown about Tappe Zagheh is function and chronology of its building which are the main research concerns of the present study. The research approach is historical and its information has been collected through library studies and field research. In present situation, because of the lack of data from archaeological excavations, the architectural style and the ceramics findings from the surface and arena determination soundings and their comparative studies with the known examples will provide a good key to propose chronology for the building.
 
Identified Traces
Although the architectural features and elements of the Zagheh building such as crescent vaults as well as stone and plaster groins are representative of Sassanid characteristics, but authors don’t have reliable evidences to attribute the building to the Sassanid period. Of course, at present, the existence of a construction from Sassanid period could not be definitely denied. It is probable that the Sassanid architectural remains be buried under the following period ruins or repairing, access to which is not possible without archaeological excavations. In contrast the abundance and variety of the ceramics of the early Islamic period on the surface and around the building, are definite evidences of the reconstruction of the building and use it during this period. Therefore a period of time from the late Sassanid era early Islamic centuries is proposed for the construction of this building.
According to location of Teppe Zagheh in the center of Rumishgan plain and its pattern construction the best function proposed for it is caravanserai or a road station. The small scale, the closed plan with a central yard, the absence of attaching buildings and facilities around the building and the lack of decoration such as stuccos in it all are attesting the building served as a road station. The existence of the stable and a gate probably was guarding by a guard room, are the next evidences which are attesting that the building was a caravanserai. The large number of ceramics such as pot with small mouths which are proper to restore liquids, open mouth jars suitable to restore crops, plates and bowls among the potteries are all representative of the function of the building to serve a considerable group of people which normally settled in this caravanserai which reinforces the assumption that the building was a caravanserai.
 
Conclusion
Archaeological data, architectural features of the building, construction pattern of the building at the center of the Rumishgan plain and western Iran, the temporal affinity and geographical continuity of the building with other works of the region are the reasons which the preset study based on attributed the Teppe Zaghe to be a caravanserai in the connection road of Saimarreh to Tarhān. The characteristic such as the small scale of the building, central courtyard, the absence of the decorated elements and lacking of the building and joining constructions around it are all the elements that show Tappe Zagheh is a caravanserai. The mountainous position of the building and its far distance from the urban centers, and its position on the road connecting Tarhān to Saimarreh and the existence of stable at its southern part are the next evidences representing that the structure was one of the road stations on the connecting way from the historical city of Saimarreh to Tarhān. Regarding the date of the building the architectural element such as crescent arches, with stone and pilaster groins demonstrate the Sassanid characteristics. According to the existing evidences the present study proposes a pried of time from late Sassanid era to early Islamic centuries for chronology of this building. It is noteworthy that this stage of study and in the lack of information from archaeological excavations, makes it impossible to propose a more precise date for the building. Therefore, what was proposed here was based on the evidences and material from surface survey of the site. Archaeological excavations could have confirm proposed chronology.
 
 

Keywords

References

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