Archaeological Research of Iran

Archaeological Research of Iran

Formation and Spatial Distribution of Underground Troglodytic Architecture in Teymareh, Khomeyn, Iran

Authors
Faezeh Hadi 1
Saeed Amirhajloo 2
Majid Montazer Zohouri 3
Arkadiusz Sołtysiak 4
1 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author).
3 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
4 Department of Bioarchaeology, Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
10.22084/nb.2025.28849.2651
Abstract
Northern Teymareh, a subregion of the historical Teymareh area, corresponds to present-day Khomeyn County in Iran’s modern political geography. Previous archaeological surveys in this county have identified several underground troglodytic structures, including those of Tahyagh, Danian, Kandeh-ha, Farnaq, Robat Aghaj, Nazi, Choqa Gorg, and Ashnakhor. Archaeological excavations at the Tahyagh and Robat Aghaj sites indicate that these locations were utilized during the Middle Islamic period (particularly during the 12-13 centuries CE). Montazer Zohouri and Sharahi have proposed interpretations regarding the functions of Tahyagh and Robat Aghaj. However, despite the considerable number of identified underground troglodytic structures in Khomeyn County, no comprehensive analytical study has yet been conducted on the causes of their formation, functions, or distribution within this region. Accordingly, the present study seeks to answer the following questions: what is the spatial distribution of underground troglodytic structures in the Northern Teymareh region relative to the landscape, and what factors influenced their formation? The results indicate, first, that several contemporaneous settlement sites are adjacent to some of the underground troglodytic structures. Second, analysis of their spatial distribution in relation to landscape features -such as slope, elevation, rivers, and land use- suggests that they were excavated in locations suitable for irrigated agriculture. Therefore, these sites can be interpreted as part of an agrarian settlement system, in which communities primarily relied on agriculture and lived near their farmlands in the plains, while constructing underground structures for refuge and defensive purposes.
Keywords
Rock-cut Structure
Islamic Archaeology
Troglodytic Architectures
Middle Islamic Centuries
Subjects
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Archaeological Research of Iran
Volume 16, Issue 49
2026
Pages 283-311