نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشجوی دکتری باستان‌شناسی، گروه باستان‌شناسی، دانشکدۀ ادبیلات و علوم انسانی، واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، تهران، ایران.
2 دانشیار گروه باستان‌شناسی پیشازتاریخ، پژوهشکدۀ باستان‌شناسی، پژوهشگاه میراث‌فرهنگی و گردشگری تهران، ایران (نویسندۀ مسئول).
3 دانشیار گروه باستان‌شناسی تاریخی، پژوهشکدۀ باستان‌شناسی، پژوهشگاه میراث‌فرهنگی و گردشگری تهران، ایران.
4 استادیار گروه باستان‌شناسی، دانشکدۀ ادبیلات و علوم انسانی، واحد شوشتر، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، شوشتر، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژه‌ها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Abstract
The establishment or decline of settlements is significantly shaped by environmental conditions. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is essential for uncovering the social, economic, and spiritual aspects of historical human societies. Indeed, the core of archaeological inquiry revolves around exploring the relationships between human communities and their environments, alongside the technological innovations developed by these groups to thrive within their surroundings. The Varamin Plain, situated on the Jajurod alluvial fan, has offered favorable conditions for the development of human settlements. The sedimentation process of the alluvial fan, characterized by its agricultural viability, has contributed to the fertility of the region’s agricultural landscape. In combination with a hot and arid climate and other favorable environmental conditions, these factors have enabled human populations to establish and sustain themselves in this plain from the Paleolithic era to the present. This research aims not only to identify settlements from the Sasanian period, but also to examine the environmental and geographical factors that explain the settlement patterns in the Varamin Plain during that time. Consequently, the primary inquiry is: How do climatic and environmental characteristics influence the establishment of Sasanian settlements in the Varamin Plain? This study employs a descriptive-analytical method. The research utilizes objective observation, detailed description, and comparative analysis as its data collection techniques. The analysis and conclusions are derived through two approaches: fieldwork and library research, supplemented by geographic and remote sensing software. A significant finding from the archaeological survey is the identification of settlements from the Sasanian period, which will facilitate an assessment of the distribution of these settlements in the region, thereby providing a precise and comprehensive understanding of the social life of the people during that era.
Keywords: Archaeology of Iranian Central Plateau, Varamin Plain, Sasanian Period, Settlement Pattern, Environmental Factors.
Introduction
In archaeological investigations, environmental factors, natural habitats, and ecosystem dynamics are of paramount importance, with ecological frameworks significantly shaping the development of robust theoretical constructs. The formation of settlement areas and the patterns of human activity are intricately connected to both human and environmental influences, including physical and biological elements found in natural habitats. Archaeological sites and settlement patterns have evolved under the influence of environmental conditions, particularly geological characteristics, geographical location, elevation, humidity, and precipitation levels. Factors such as soil composition, vegetation density, and the proximity to natural landmarks like mountains, plains, rivers, and valleys are also integral to this environmental context. Indeed, one of the challenges and complexities of this research is to discuss the perennial environmental zones. Due to the prevalent sedimentation process in this environment, coupled with the destruction of habitats relevant to this period and the deposition of new sediments that mask prehistoric and historic localities, various locations in this plain have randomly emerged as prehistoric sites. Additionally, several meters of sediment have buried some of the Sasanian sites, while some important sites—such as the hypogeum named Qaleh-ye Iraj—contain the lowest settlement layer on the current plain floor. One of the reasons for the rarity or lack of sites from this period is the excessive leveling of the agricultural lands of the Varamin Plain, which has destroyed and displaced most of the sites. This operation began in 1967 under the Ministry of War and continues to be carried out by the plain’s farmers. One of the governing principles for every river is that the movement of water and sediments in the riverbed, along with the simultaneous alteration of the river’s geometric characteristics, is constant and ongoing.
The research questions of this study are: What has been the dispersal pattern of settlements, what factors have influenced this settlement pattern, and how has this pattern changed during the Sasanian period and continued to change to the present day? To answer these questions, the research has used data from archaeological studies and the natural geography of the region in the Varamin Plain. The natural and geographical characteristics of this region, along with the geographic and cultural features derived from archaeological studies, indicate that, in most periods, this cultural strategy was one of the approaches practiced by human societies. Moreover, based on the volume of cultural data from the Sasanian period, this settlement pattern appears to be more evident in that period than in others. The research method of this article, which employs both library and field archaeological studies and analyzes archaeological data using a geographic information system, has been developed to determine the settlement pattern of the region within the selected time frame.
Investigating the General Geography of the Eastern Varamin Plain
The favorable hydrobiological conditions of the Varamin Plain depend on the branches of the Jajrud River, which is part of the vast central plateau of Iran that has attracted human interest since ancient times. Furthermore, due to the quality of its soil and the resulting agricultural prosperity, the Varamin region has experienced significant immigration, as evidenced by the patterns of human settlement. The morphology of the Jajrud River has been shaped by the valley’s water resources, the structure of the drainage system in relation to riverbed sedimentation, the behavior of the riverbed in transmitting sediments, and the deposition of sediments. Water resources, the configuration of the drainage system, and the management of riverbed sedimentation—which accounts for the riverbed’s behavior in transmitting and depositing sediments—are examples of naturally occurring active elements that play crucial roles in shaping the morphology of the Jajrud Riverbed. This diversity is manifested in the formation of alluvial fans, riverbed sediments, and ongoing sediment deposition by the Jajrud River. The research area is bounded to the north by Sharifabad on the road to Khorasan, to the south by the Javadabad Plain and the Shur River, to the west by the Rey Plain, and to the east by the Central Desert and Semnan Province. The average elevation of this area is about 950 m asl, ranging from approximately 1050 m in the north to about 830 m in the south.
Spatial Analysis of Site Selection during the Sasanian Period in the East and North of the Varamin Plain
This section examines the effect of elevation on various factors that have influenced the formation of archaeological sites in the Varamin Plain, including the elevation of ancient sites relative to the plain’s surface and slopes, access to rivers and water sources, soil conditions, transportation routes, land use, geological features, climate, and central location (where “central” refers to three large sites that have positioned about the geometric center of the plain).
Conclusion
The Varamin Plain is generally flat, with occasional low hills; local elevation differences are less than 20 meters, and the overall altitude difference between the highest and lowest points surveyed is less than 200 meters. During the Sasanian period, there was little variation in elevation that could have resulted in differential settlement patterns in the Varamin Plain. Slope analysis indicates that the slopes of the plain and the positions of the enclosures relative to the slope map correspond closely to the overall elevation, so that no significant discrepancy between the elevation map and the slopes of the eight enclosures was observed. Changes in water flow paths may have altered settlement dispersion, which could be one of the most important factors explaining the current distances between surface water sources and the Sasanian settlements.
Of the 61 Sasanian settlements in the Varamin Plain, twelve are located within 100 meters, 42 lie between 100 and 500 meters, and seven are between 500 and 1500 meters from the primary and secondary roads serving as communication routes. Sixteen of the 61 ancient Sasanian settlements are located within agricultural lands. The topographical features, the presence of alluvial deposits, suitable slopes, and the availability of water resources both in the past and today provide the necessary conditions for agricultural activities. All 61 Sasanian settlements in the Varamin Plain are situated within fertile, irrigated agricultural zones. The agricultural lands occupied today by the region’s residents were also the focus of ancient inhabitants. Fifty-seven of the 61 Sasanian settlements are located on these deposits. The reasons for utilizing these deposits and establishing settlements include the availability of water and underground aqueducts, a gentle and suitable slope, the presence of fine, nutrient-rich deposits, and favorable conditions for both agricultural and ceramic activities in this zone. Only one ancient Sasanian settlement is in a salty, saline area, and two settlements are found in areas composed of gray conglomerate with marl cement.
کلیدواژه‌ها [English]
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