Impact of natural effects on the lives of prehistoric communities in the Central Zagros highlands, case study: Cham Qule in the Seimarreh valleys

Articles in Press

Authors

1 Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran

2 ICAR

3 University of Tehran

10.22084/nb.2025.29319.2680

Abstract

The narrow valleys of Seimarreh with their high ecological capabilities and strategic location between the lowlands and the Zagros highlands are significant in archaeological research. However, despite the previous endeavors of foreign researchers, the region never been subjected to serious and purposeful research, except in Huleilan Valley. The salvage project of the Seimarreh Dam reservoir area, which started in 2009, was a good opportunity to increase our knowledge about the prehistoric and even historical societies of the region. Identification and exploration of valuable areas such as Chia Sabz the East shows the possibility of forming the first settlers in these valleys. Cham Qule is another prehistoric settlement in this area due to the presence evidence of the 6th and 5th millennia BCE, which were excavated during two seasons. Archaeological evidence shows that there is a significant pattern between the abandonment of Chia Sabz and the formation of Cham Qule, which lasted for about a thousand years. This settlement discontinuity could be caused by the large landslides of Kabir Kouh and Pusht-e Bill, which occurred approximately at the end of the 8th/early 7th millennium BCE. Considering that the lake resulting from the obstructing of the Seimarreh and Kashkan Rivers has lasted for about a thousand years. It seems that even after this period, the water of the lake has not been completely drained, and for two or three thousand years, the depth of the rivers and the water level were higher than what they are today. Therefore, the residents of an area like Cham Qule, which is hemmed by canyons and the only way for communication with other lands was possible through two straits, probably used to travel by boat. Evidence has been identified from the excavations of Cham Qule, will shadow light on this hypothesis.

Keywords: Central Zagros, Human ecology, Village period, Cham Qule, Boat.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Archaeological Research of Iran

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 November 2025

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