The process of formation and transformation of ancient settlements in the Miankouh region of Pol-e Dokhtar county, Lorestan

Lorestan province is located in the west of Iran and north of Khuzestan plain. Pol-e Dokhtar county is located in the south of Lorestan province. The two regions of West and East Mian-Kouh cover the eastern part of the county. Except for the two small plains of Vashian on the north-eastern side of Pol-e Dokhtar and Dadabad on the northern border of the county with Khorramabad, the study area has no fertile plains and is mostly mountainous with impassable valleys and passes. Nevertheless, due to its location on the connecting route between Khuzestan and Lorestan and finally the Central Plateau, this region has always been the focus of human societies in different cultural periods. At the end of the investigation and by studying the data collected from the surface of the sites, we have all cultural and archaeological periods from the Lower Paleolithic period to the last centuries of the Islamic period. This situation, which shows the biological richness of this region and its communication importance in different periods, has given double importance to its archaeological activities. At the end of the survey and by analyzing the data, 183 sites were identified. The identified sites ranged from the Lower Paleolithic period to the end of Islamic centuries. This situation and cultural richness of the region, in addition to the high environmental potential, is a reflection of its communication position as the shortest communication route between Khuzestan and Lorestan. One of the most important findings of this survey was the identification of more than 50 settlements from different periods of the Stone Age. Among these, 15 Lower Paleolithic sites and about 30 Middle Paleolithic sites were identified, which is a sign of the serious attention of human groups in these periods to the Miankoh region. Also, the construction of several caravanserais along this route in the Safavid period is a sign of its importance.