https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/ Archaeological Research of Iran en daily 1 Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6401.html The natural environment of Khanmirza County, including access to permanent and seasonal watercourses, fertile soils, and favourable topography, has contributed to the formation of important settlements from prehistoric times to the present. With the onset of the Neolithic and the emergence of regional and interregional networks, which intensified during subsequent periods, particularly in the fifth and fourth millennia BCE, the southern part of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, and Khanmirza in particular, became especially well-suited to investigating these cultural and economic interactions. In the southern Zagros, corresponding broadly to present-day Fars Province, the fourth and third millennia BCE are represented in more specific archaeological terminology by what is known as the Lapui phase, regarded as one of the most important phases in the prehistoric chronology of the region. Published archaeological fieldwork concerning the social, economic, political, and religious dimensions of life during this period in the Central Zagros, particularly southern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, remains extremely limited and, in many cases, incomplete. Much of the existing information on the characteristics of the Lapui phase in the Bakhtiari region derives from Zagarell’s early reports, which have subsequently served as sources for numerous publications. The conclusions of some of these studies, however, differ markedly from the new archaeological evidence. Drawing on recent archaeological findings, this study characterises Lapui pottery from the southern Highland Zagros and reassesses the distribution, geographical extent, and sphere of influence of the Lapui phase in this region. Field-survey results and the typological study and classification of the ceramic material undertaken by one of the authors in southern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari indicate that Lapui pottery from the study area can be classified into two groups: fine and coarse wares. Comparative analysis reveals close similarities between these assemblages and Lapui pottery from Fars. Surface collections from 27 archaeological sites, some preserving evidence of occupation from the Neolithic through the Islamic period, yielded diagnostic Lapui pottery. The mapped distribution of Lapui sites indicates that the cultural influence of the Lapui phase extended beyond Fars in the southern Zagros into parts of the Central or Highland Zagros, reaching its southernmost sector along the border with Khuzestan. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6369.html The narrow valleys of Seimarreh, with their high ecological potential and strategic location between the lowlands and the Zagros highlands, hold particular significance for archaeological research. Nevertheless, despite the earlier efforts of foreign researchers, the region has rarely been subjected to systematic and focused investigation, with the exception of the Huleilan Valley. The salvage project in the reservoir area of the Seimarreh Dam, initiated in 2009, provided a valuable opportunity to expand our knowledge of the prehistoric and even historic societies of the region. The identification and investigation of important areas such as East Chia Sabz demonstrates the potential for the earliest settlers to have occupied these valleys. Cham Qule is another prehistoric settlement in this area that has yielded evidence dating to the sixth and fifth millennia BCE and was excavated over two seasons. Archaeological evidence points to a notable pattern linking the abandonment of Chia Sabz with the formation of Cham Qule, a transition that extended for about a thousand years. This discontinuity in settlement may have been caused by the massive landslides of Kabir Kouh and Pusht e Bil, which occurred around the end of the eighth or the beginning of the seventh millennium BCE. Given that the lake formed by the damming of the Seimarreh and Kashkan Rivers persisted for about a thousand years, it appears that even after this period, the lake waters had not fully drained. For a further two or three thousand years, river depths and water levels remained higher than at present. Accordingly, the inhabitants of a settlement such as Cham Qule, which is enclosed by canyons with only two narrow gorges providing access to surrounding areas, probably travelled by boat. Evidence recovered from the excavations at Cham Qule should help clarify this hypothesis. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6020.html Among archaeological materials, pottery provides valuable evidence for reconstructing cultural, technological, and artistic developments. Changes in vessel forms, manufacturing techniques, fabrics, tempers, colors, and decorative motifs can contribute significantly to the identification of cultural and chronological patterns and provide insights into the technological skills and artistic practices of pottery producers. This study examines the stylistic characteristics and chronological development of Ardabil-style pottery preserved in the Archaeological Museum of the Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili Mausoleum. The research employs a field- and museum-based method, descriptive–analytical and library-based research. The pottery assemblage examined consists primarily of confiscated archaeological objects transferred to the museum. Since the provenance and precise archaeological contexts of many of these objects were not documented, comparative analysis was undertaken using comparable specimens preserved in the National Museum of Iran, as well as materials recovered from archaeological sites in Iran and neighbouring regions. The study of Ardabil-style pottery represents an important aspect of the archaeology of northwestern Iran. Most known examples have entered museum collections through illicit excavations, whereas specimensrecovered through controlled archaeological excavations remain relativelylimited. The assemblage includes a variety of vessel forms, including jugs, cups and drinking vessels, vessels with trefoil-shaped rims, handled vessels, spouted vessels, drainage elements, and bases. The predominant colors are red, orange, and pale green, while the decorative repertoire consists mainly of geometric motifs, including triangular patterns, hatching, and buttonlikeornaments. Based on stylistic and comparative evidence, the pottery examined in this study can be broadly dated from the prehistoric period to the Late Parthian period, with the principal chronological range extending from the Late First Millennium BCE (Iron Age III) to the Late Parthian period. The results contribute to a better understanding of the formal,decorative, and chronological characteristics of Ardabil-style pottery and its place within the archaeological traditions of northwestern Iran. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6357.html The expansion of complex societies in southeastern Iran during the Bronze Age (3rd millennium B.C.) was driven not only by material and commercial networks with Mesopotamia but also by the transmission of ideological beliefs and ritual behaviors. Despite extensive research on trade and cultural relations between this region and its neighbors, the ritual and ideological aspects reflected in material culture have received less attention. This study aims to identify manifestations of ideology through iconographic analysis of reverence gestures and architectural motifs on figurines, seals, and chlorite vessels from Shahdad, KonarSandal (Jiroft), and Tepe Yahya. The central question is whether these material representations reflect direct Mesopotamian influence or demonstrate localized ritual practices. The hypothesis posits that if these motifs directly reflect Mesopotamian influence, a uniform pattern in typology and context should be observable across all sites; however, if they resulted from localization, significant differences in typology, context of use (funerary at Shahdad versus temple-related at Konar Sandal), and chronological range should be observed. This research employs a descriptive-analytical method based on published data from these sites, with comparative evidence from Mesopotamia and Central Asia. The findings reveal that while the prototypes of reverence gestures have origins in ancient Mesopotamia, they were reproduced in different contexts in southeastern Iran, indicating active adoption and localization. Furthermore, rather than a monolithic state ideology, the sites shared a flexible repertoire of ritual behaviors. Chronologically, the closed-hand gesture appears earlier and more widely, while the raised-fist gesture becomes more frequent in the second half of the third millennium B.C. It is concluded that although complete ritual homogeneity is not evident, shared symbols played a key role in connecting producers, local elites, and exchange networks toward Elam and Mesopotamia, though the mechanism of this link cannot be established from iconography alone. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6371.html A substantial proportion of the archaeological material dating to the Achaemenid period consists of seals and seal impressions. This study examines a distinctive mode of execution and engraving evident in a corpus of Achaemenid-period seal impressions hitherto subsumed by previous scholarship under the broad category of “heterogeneous styles.” The investigation pursues several interrelated objectives, notably characterizing the mode of execution evident in these seal impressions, an important material medium at the intersection of Achaemenid art and the imperial administrative apparatus, and elucidating a specific facet of the broader social history of Achaemenid art. To determine whether this distinctive mode of execution derives from an archaic Elamite tradition, the analysis situates the seal impressions within their specific historical, political, and geographical contexts and systematically compares their engraving techniques with diagnostic examples from the Elamite glyptic corpus. The results indicate that the designs preserved in these seal impressions exhibit a geometric style characterized by interconnected segments and by straight, angular, and curved lines combined with globular depressions, all executed through drill work. Together, these features represent the continuation of a tradition that originated in the early third millennium BCE, was attested during the Old Elamite period, reached its zenith in the Middle Elamite period, and persisted into the Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid periods. The clearly delimited administrative sphere in which these seal owners operated, western Fars and eastern Elam, strengthens the attribution of these impressions to an engraving style localized in the Elamite region. Thus, rather than subsuming these impressions within a broad, heterogeneous category, their distinctive mode of execution may be understood as the continuation of an archaic Elamite engraving tradition, preserved either in local workshops in Elam or through the work of local engravers employed by these seal owners and committed to this stylistic tradition. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6243.html The Mannaean Kingdom was one of the major Iron Age polities that flourished in northwestern Iran during the first millennium BCE. Qalaichi Tepe, identified as the Mannaean capital Izirtu, represents one of the most significant archaeological sites of this period. This study investigates nine copper-based artifacts recovered from systematic excavations conducted at Qalaichi between 2002 and 2004 under the direction of Bahman Karegar. The assemblage comprises a complete bracelet, one fragmented object, and seven additional metal fragments dating to the first millennium BCE. The research aims to reconstruct manufacturing technology, characterize microstructural features, identify corrosion products, and assess the corrosion mechanisms affecting these artifacts. To achieve these objectives, optical microscopy, metallography, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed. Microstructural observations indicate that the artifacts were manufactured through combinations of casting, cold working, hot working, and repeated annealing, reflecting advanced metallurgical knowledge. SEM–EDS analyses showed that seven artifacts were made of tin bronze, whereas two specimens consisted of nearly pure copper. Elongated sulfide inclusions preserved within the metallic matrix indicate incomplete smelting of sulfidic copper ores and provide evidence for the nature of raw materials and extraction technology. XRD identified the principal corrosion products as cuprite (Cu₂O), nantokite (CuCl), malachite (Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂), and brochantite (Cu₄SO₄(OH)₆), reflecting complex burial-induced corrosion processes. Microstructural evidence further demonstrates selective corrosion characterized by preferential dissolution of the copper-rich phase, secondary tin enrichment, intergranular corrosion, microcracking, and localized porosity. Despite variations in corrosion intensity, the artifacts exhibit notably similar manufacturing characteristics, suggesting standardized metallurgical practices within Mannaean workshops. These findings provide new insights into Iron Age copper-alloy production technology in northwestern Iran while contributing valuable archaeometallurgical data for understanding Mannaean metallurgy and informing the conservation of archaeological copper-based cultural heritage. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6416.html Regarding the Iron Age and historical periods of the Mazandaran district, no comprehensive chronological research based on grave goods has been conducted to date. Most studies have focused on pottery collections and have been based on archaeological surveys rather than excavations; consequently, the description, classification, and chronology of materials have often been influenced by cultural-historical approaches. In this context, two seasons of archaeological excavation and survey at the Shahneh Poshteh Cemetery, Babol, resulted in the discovery of a collection of grave goods, among which pottery vessels are the most prominent. The burial assemblage contains a diverse range of materials, including pottery, metal objects, weapons, ornaments, and bone and stone tools. At Shahneh Poshteh, a group of vessels with diverse forms and colors has been identified, representing a significant factor in establishing the relative chronology and cultural attribution of the cemetery to Iron Age I–IV (from the Achaemenid to the early Parthian periods), spanning from the late second millennium to the second half of the first millennium BC. Iron objects are rarely found at this cemetery, whereas bronze was extensively used for the production of weapons and ornaments. The present research seeks to address questions concerning the typology and classification of the objects, their historical and chronological relationships, and their stylistic and cultural interactions with sites of the same cultural horizon within Mazandaran and beyond, including the Gorgan Plain, Gilan, the Central Plateau, and western Iran. The site appears to occupy a significant position within the framework of the Mazandaran cultural sequence and shares similarities with several contemporary sites, including Gohar Tepe, Tepe Parija, Hotu, and Lafurak. Although it exhibits stylistic affinities with several prominent Iranian sites, such as Marlik, Ghaleh Kuti, Kaluraz, Qeytariyeh, Khurvin, MersinChal, and Sialk, it also demonstrates distinct cultural developments and locally specific pottery styles. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6274.html Dehluran County lies in an intermediate geographical zone between the southwestern highlands of the Zagros Mountains, the northwestern Khuzestan Plain, and eastern Mesopotamia. In current administrative terms, its northern uplands encompass the Sarab-e Meymeh and Zarrinabad districts and comprise a mountainous landscape formed by interconnected valleys of different sizes, with small intermountain plains occurring intermittently between the smaller and larger valley systems. The region is part of the Meymeh River watershed and, owing to its favourable geographical setting, has accommodated various human groups through successive phases of occupation, from the Paleolithic era to the present day. One of the main questions and objectives of this research is to investigate the character of the settlement patterns and the lifeways of Parthian-period communities in the mountainous highlands of Dehluran County, with special attention to statistical analyses carried out through geographic information system (GIS) methods. The study combines archaeological field survey, comprehensive library-based research, and the systematic preparation, comparison, and interpretation of GIS maps produced for the study area. Survey across roughly 1,355 km² documented 53 archaeological localities with Parthian-period cultural materials. These include 47 habitation sites, 2 cemeteries, 1 possible fortress, 1 rock relief, 1 rock shelter, and 1 tomb or subterranean structure. The spatial distribution of these localities and their overlay with GIS base maps demonstrate how natural factors influenced their formation, development, and decline. Communication routes, alongside environmental conditions, also played a fundamental role in determining the distribution of settlements during this historical period. Analysis of the full body of data generated through the different stages of research ultimately indicates the presence of a mobile society in the region during the Parthian period. This society depended mainly on pastoralism for subsistence, although agriculture was practised at certain times on intermontane plains possessing favourable environmental conditions. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6272.html Simurgh is a prominent mythical figure of Iran that has appeared in diverse visual and literary forms in Iranian art and culture from antiquity to the contemporary era. Erwin Panofsky introduced iconology as an approach to art-historical analysis, systematically progressing from the description of artistic phenomena to the interpretation of their underlying meanings. This method operates through three interconnected levels of meaning, corresponding to motif, theme, and intrinsic meaning. Accordingly, this article examines and interprets the symbolic meanings of Simurgh as a prominent figure in Iranian art through an iconological analysis of different historical periods, with particular attention to transformations in its form, iconographic attributes, and cultural significance, including the Sasanian and broader pre-Islamic eras, as well as the Ilkhanid and Safavid periods of Islamic Iran. The principal research question is as follows: How did the Simurgh motif change formally and semantically within the artistic and literary traditions of pre-Islamic and Islamic Iran, and to what extent was its development influenced by neighbouring civilizations? The corpus comprises selected artworks and material objects, including textiles, paintings, metalwork, leatherwork, and ceramics from Iran, ancient China, and ancient Egypt. Within this historical framework, the analysis considers pre-Islamic religious texts, mythological literature, particularly Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, and mystical writings, especially Suhrawardi’s the Red Intellect, alongside the mythological traditions of ancient China and Egypt, thereby situating the material evidence within broader comparative religious, literary, and cultural contexts. The results indicate that, before the rise of Islam, Simurgh was conceived as a bird possessing supernatural powers, whose imagery signified the supremacy and dominion of cosmic forces over the terrestrial world. For instance, depictions of Simurgh on the garments of Sasanian rulers functioned as symbols of divine protection, conferred political and religious legitimacy upon the ruler, bestowed farr (royal glory), and, more broadly, embodied and transmitted royal authority. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6055.html 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. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_5299.html AbstractFear of death and the desire for immortality have been the most fundamental issues and thorns of mankind that have appeared in the myths of nations in various forms. The oldest example of this is the epic of Gil Gamesh, the hero-king of Uruk, whose search and failure are reported in the Twelve Tablets. In Iranian mythology, Kaykhosrow Kiani is one of the immortals that in this article we will link with the symbols of immortality. The research method in this article is descriptive-analytical which has been done by intra-textual study between literature, mythology and psychology and can be related to archaeological findings.According to the discussions in the article, it is said that Kaykhosrow is one of the prominent mythological figures who is strongly associated with symbols of immortality such as water, trees, plants, mandalas, mountains and caves. Anxiety of death and nothingness has always plagued mankind, annoying him and making the sip of life bitter for him. From this perspective, the desire for immortality is a mechanism to get rid of this long-lasting pain. The human condition, on the other hand, is a perishable and impermanent condition, and eternity is a ritual performed on the stature of the gods. Thus man, with the desire for immortality, strives for godliness, or in other words, as "Mono" says, for immortality in the search for God and the divine position, our time is indivisible before history, that is, when it is always the same. Is so that any time we want to attribute to it should be considered as a moment. And the beginning of this time is the same as doing it because it is not composed of a sequence of different times. According to Leibniz, this time is full of the past and the conception of the future. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_5988.html In most villages of Bukan County during the Qajar and early Pahlavi periods, which were under the control of the Mukri Khans and the chiefs of the Gavarak, Dehbokri, and Feyzullah Beigi tribes, Mosques have been built, but no targeted archaeological investigation has been conducted to identify and conduct a coherent study that would introduce these types of buildings. Therefore, studying the old mosques of Bukan can help us understand the style and type of architectural decorations in this region. It is assumed that Bukan is one of the regions that has remained largely unknown in terms of architectural study and analysis, especially in the Islamic period. Understanding the architecture of this region can provide a deeper understanding of the state of Iranian architecture during the Islamic era. The old mosques of Bukan are comparable in terms of time and typology to other religious and residential spaces in Mukurian Kurdistan. The purpose of this article is to study and evaluate the subject under study and achieve desired results in order to answer these questions: 1. What patterns are the decorations and architectural style of the old mosques of Bukan city influenced by and follow? 2. What important cultural and social outcomes of their era do the study of the decorations and architectural style of the old mosques of Bukan reveal? Based on the results of field and library studies, the research findings indicate that the decorations and architectural style of the historical mosques of Bukan County were built in accordance with the mountainous climate of the region and the architectural patterns of other Kurdish-populated areas of Iran, including Mukurian Kurdistan. In addition, by studying the decorations and architectural style of the old mosques of Bukan, one can understand the religious vision, beliefs, and customs of the Bukan people in the later Islamic centuries, especially the Qajar and early Pahlavi periods. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6000.html Jame Shuran, along with Godin Tepe, Noushijan, and Babajan, are among the most significant archaeological sites of the Iron Age in Central Zagros, located along the vital road of Greater Khorasan. The simultaneous excavations led by Louis Levin at Jame Shuran and the Mahidasht region coincided with the Revolution 1979, which resulted in the final report on this site remaining unpublished to this day. According to fragmented information published regarding the ceramics from Jame Shuran, this site encompasses settlements from the Iron Age to the Parthian period. This paper introduces, dates, and analyzes a silver coin discovered at Jame Shuran, which is now housed in the National Museum of Iran and was retrieved from Levin's excavations at Jame Shuran Tepe. The ensuing research, by utilizing the content of historical texts, aims to address two fundamental questions: the antiquity of the coin and the significance of studying it in historical reviews. The results indicate that this coin, minted in the island of Aegina, along with examples found at the foundational stone of the Apadana of Persepolis and the Malayer treasure, represents one of the few Greek coins contemporaneous with the Achaemenid era in Iran. Nevertheless, due to the lack of published data from Jame Shuran excavations, it remains unclear whether this coin was found in a context associated with the Achaemenid Persian period or a later one. Our only clue regarding the archaeological context of this coin is the excavator's remark suggesting that a coin was found in connection with what appeared to be a Parthian burial jar. Regardless, if this coin is indeed a relic from the Achaemenid era, as the treasures of Persepolis and Malayer imply, it could be a sign of the circulation of coins from the western Achaemenid Empire along the Royal Road and the four Persian capitals in Babylon, Ecbatana, Susa, and Persepolis https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_5636.html The central Tepe of the Kiabek Site is located on the edge of the Andor river in the city of Firouzkoh, is ‎considered one of the important Sasanian sites in the archaeological studies of the north of the Iran ‎Central Plateau, which was surveyed and studied in 2014. During a season of archaeological research ‎at this ancient site, various cultural artifacts were found, including pottery. This pottery was classified ‎and categorized based on technical specifications and shape. The research has a fundamental nature ‎with a descriptive-analytical approach, and the research methodology involves library and field studies ‎‎(pottery).‎The main purpose of this article is the quantitative and qualitative study of Sassanid pottery at the ‎Kiabak site, including their classification, typology, and relative chronology. Questions that can be ‎addressed in this research include: What are the common types of clay in this area? Additionally, based ‎on the discovered pottery in this area, with which other cultural fields is it related?‎The results of the research showed that among the identified shapes of pottery at the Kiabak site, in ‎order of abundance, they include jars, bowls, pots, plates, and skillets. The most common decorative ‎motifs found on the pottery are carved and combinatorial motifs. Most of the pottery is suitable for ‎firing and demonstrates the temperature control of the kiln used for firing pottery.‎Furthermore, a comparative analysis showed that, while exhibiting some native-local characteristics, ‎the pottery of this area bears similarities to areas such as Cham Rote, Sirm Shah, Yazdgerd Qaleh, Gori ‎Qaleh, Hegmatane Tepe, Veliran, Mahor Siah, Tasmijan, Weigal and Horasgan, Berdankun, etc., as well ‎as Sassanid sites identified in Zanjan, North Khuzestan, and Shushtar Mianab surveys. The site of Abu ‎Sharifah in Iraq is also comparable, and in addition to regional characteristics, it shares the most ‎similarities with the cultural areas of the Northeast and the Iran central plateau.‎ https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6136.html Historical earthquakes are very important and are used to present cultural changes and developments. Considering the earthquake-proneness of Iran's plateau, this topic can play an important role in the interpretations of historical texts and in filling the study gaps in the archaeological excavations of historical periods, especially the Islamic era. In the Islamic era, there are many cities where historical earthquakes were undoubtedly effective in explaining their urban life, and as evidenced by the texts of cities such as Neyshabur, Ray, Jurjan, and Tabriz, etc., they were vulnerable to this event. Neyshabur is one of the most important Islamic cities, which was very important in cultural, social, political and economic developments in the first and middle Islamic centuries. Various developments have occurred in this city, which are necessary to look at from the perspective of historical earthquakes. According to what has been mentioned, the study and interpretation of earthquakes with the help of archaeological texts and data and their role in the evolution of Neyshabur is considered the most important goal. The most important question is why the decline and collapse of human communities in the ancient city of Neyshabur and as a result the historic site of Shadiyah in the first and middle Islamic centuries. The method used is the historical approach, in addition to using the new ancient science of seismology, first the important historical texts about the Neyshabur earthquakes have been interpreted and then the archaeological evidence has been examined to point out the role of historical earthquakes in the future. They have had a happy life. The results of this research and analysis of the statistical community show that perhaps the numerous historical earthquakes that have been mentioned many times in important historical texts, along with the archaeological evidence of earthquakes, are one of the most important factors in the abandonment of Shadyakh and the relocation of its urban area to another place. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6255.html Until 1979, two Kura-Araxes sites were recorded in the Qazvin Plain. During the surveys conducted since the 2000s, eight sites in the Qazvin plain have been identified, and one of them was excavated; however, there has been little effort to understand the characteristics of this culture in the region, which the authors try to understand despite the small number of sites. This paper focuses on the architecture, pottery, and subsistence economy of the Kura-Aras culture, mainly relying on the cultural materials of Tappeh Shizer and surface finds of other sites in the area. The characteristics of this culture in the region and its similarities and differences with other regions of the Kura-Araxes culture are the main questions of this article, which we seek to answer with the help of the findings of supplementary fieldwork, interdisciplinary sciences, and library studies using the deductive-inductive method. Now, according to this research, we know that there is a certain pattern in the architecture of this culture, which continued until later periods. Its ceramics also have general similarities in terms of form and decoration with the ceramics of other regions under the scope of this culture. Still, in a certain way, in the transition from the beginning of this culture in the area through the end of it, the abundance of incised decoration and the diversity of motifs have been greatly reduced compared to Central Zagros and the Northwest of Iran. The mode of pottery production in this period in the Qazvin plain could probably be a household/workshop industry. The subsistence economy in this period combines grain-based agriculture, viticulture, and sheep and goat breeding. Based on the radiocarbon dating of Tappeh Shizar, this culture in Qazvin plain can be dated to the first half of the third millennium B.C., coinciding with the Kura-Araxes II phase. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6297.html The city of Saqqez is one of the ancient regions rich in historical monuments in the west of the country and was once the center of the Scythian government in the plateau of Iran. With the arrival of Islam in Iran, the architectural works of this city, have been influenced by the ideas and educational principles of Islam. However, the climatic, geographical and other contextual factors of the region have led to the formation of mosques that are different from other regions in this city. In this research, the historical mosques of this city were analyzed and investigated with the aim of investigating the influencing factors on the formation of their spaces and architectural elements.The research method is qualitative and descriptive-analytical. The five mosques of Domnareh, Sheikh-Mazhar, Tamerbagh, Tarjan and Sara are among the historical mosques of this city, which have been spared from the destruction of the city and by preserving the original elements of the time of construction, they are still standing and are a place for the performance of religious rituals, indigenous and cultural ceremonies of the city. The survey of mosques showed that the studied mosques were influenced by non-human background factors such as climate, geography and native architecture of the region. The mosques are formed in a compact and cubic form and on the south-facing slope and thick walls without a central courtyard. According to Islamic principles, mosques have naves facing the Qiblah, with the difference that the windows facing the porch are considered the altars of these mosques. These mosques have deep porches on the side of the Qiblah wall, which were used as summer nave in the summer. Human contextual factors that have influenced the plan of mosques are the educational, cultural and social use of mosques in addition to their religious use.The construction of student rooms and classrooms for teaching has been the required space for educational use. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6320.html Stone tombs are valuable findings in archaeological studies. In Bukan County, historical cemeteries with interesting tombstones dating back to the Ilkhanate period have been identified No comprehensive study has been conducted on them so far. Therefore, studying these cemeteries can contribute to our knowledge about the situation of the Bukan region during the Mongol period. In fact, Bukan County, located between the Zarrineh Rud and Simineh Rud rivers, was a favored location for the Mongols, including Hulagu Khan. And the study of the Ilkhanid cemeteries of Bukan can provide a deeper understanding of the situation of the studied region in the 7th and 8th centuries AH. The Ilkhanid tombs of Bukan County are comparable in terms of time and morphology to the tombs of the Mukrian region and other regions of Iran, including Azerbaijan.The purpose ofthis article is to conduct research on the Ilkhanid tombstones of Bukan County and An attempt will be made to answer these questions: Considering the Ilkhanate tombstones, how can we imagine the political and economic situation ofthe Bukan region during the Mongol era? And what important cultural and social results of their era do the study of literary inscriptions and rich motifs of tombstones in the Ilkhanate cemeteries of Bukan County reveal in terms of the diversity and quality of the works? The results of field and library studies indicate that the research findings indicate that Bukan County is known for its favorable environmental conditions and its Permanent rivers and fertile lands had a special political and economic status during the Mongol era. Inaddition, the Ilkhanid tombstones of Bukan are of the raised, cradled, raised, carved and uncarved types. They are decorated with geometric and symbolic motifs, plants, tools and war implements, and inscriptions. And by relying on the existing form and motifs, one can understand the religious vision and social structure of the Bukan region in the Islamic Middle Ages, especially the Ilkhanate period. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6325.html Rescue Excavation at Kuy-e Keyvan Tepe in Azna Plain, Lorestan, Iran: Evidence of Chalcolithic period and historical-Islamic period Underground structureAbstractAzna plain is one of the most important intercultural areas in Iran, which is the natural continuation of Silakhor plain, and intermediate between central Iran plateau and central Zagros. Kuy-e Keyvan Azna is located in the east of Lorestan province. In March of 2019, after informing the people of Azna about underground structures, during hill leveling, the author and archeological team surveyed site and documented the cultural materials. This Tepe was excavated in May of 2019. The main objectives were to explore the stratigraphic sequences of the site, relative and absolute chronology from the lower layers to the end of settlement, excavation in underground architecture, boundary determining, survey and using the GPR system. In addition, Large amounts of cultural data were obtained from Kuy-e Keyvan including: Stone seal and impressions, tokens, animal figurines of baked clay, pottery findings, animal bone remains, stone tools, stone implements and shells. Relative typology8 of chalcolithic potteries revealed similarity with Silk, Qala Gap, Godin, Siahbid and Maran Phase in the Mahidasht and some similarity to Susiana monochrome- painted sequence of Khuzistan. The typology of the seal and impressions show some similarities to the evidence of Khuzestan, especially Choghamish.The underground structure was also comparable to those identified in Iran, such as Arzanfood and Samen in Hamedan, and Noushabad in Kashan.The relative chronology shows us, the shapes and motifs of potteries and other findings in the stratigraphic trenches are similar to those observed in the fourth millennium B.C. Overall, five construction and occupation phase related to the Middle (Late Middle) and Late Chalcolithic period were identified in the underground architectures are related to the Parthian/Sassanid period and Islamic (early and medieval) period. Keywords: Kuy-e Keyvan Azna, Chalcolithic period, Underground structure, Historical and Islamic period https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6360.html Nutrition, as a dynamic evolutionary force, through the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and cultural factors, has led to anatomical modifications and the emergence of diseases within human populations. The central question of this study is how the transition from foraging to agriculture and subsequently to modern industrial diets has shaped the trajectory of human biological and cultural evolution, and what implications this process has had for present-day health. The research method is based on a systematic review of paleoanthropological, archaeological, and genetic studies, which compile and analyze evidence concerning cultural innovations (such as tool-making, cooking, and the domestication of plants and animals) and genomic changes associated with dietary adaptations. The findings indicate that, whereas early humans were adapted to protein-rich and low-carbohydrate diets, the shift to agriculture, and later to high-calorie and industrially processed diets, introduced new selective pressures. This mismatch between evolutionary history and the novel nutritional environment has contributed to the prevalence of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders in contemporary populations. Given the challenges of human adaptation to rapidly changing nutritional environments, reconstructing the historical trajectory of human diets provides both scientific insights and practical applications for promoting health and managing future nutritional crises.Given the challenges of human adaptation to rapidly changing nutritional environments, reconstructing the historical trajectory of human diets provides both scientific insights and practical applications for promoting health and managing future nutritional crises.Given the challenges of human adaptation to rapidly changing nutritional environments, reconstructing the historical trajectory of human diets provides both scientific insights and practical applications for promoting health and managing future nutritional crises.Given the challenges of human adaptation to rapidly changing nutritional environments, reconstructing the historical trajectory of human diets provides both scientific insights and practical applications for promoting health and managing future nutritional crises. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6348.html Due to its geographical conditions, the historical region of Tabaristan has had stable cultural characteristics throughout history. Despite the importance of the cultural history of the Tabaristan region and the historical fame of its carpets and weaves, little research has been done on the weaving motifs of this historical region. In this research, an attempt has been made to analyze some of the traditional handwoven motifs in the geographical area of Old Tabaristan with descriptive and analytical methods in order to discover their semantic layers and their ritual and cultural roots. The method of collecting information for collecting motifs, in the field, and information related to the pretext and analysis, was obtained through documentary studies. Among more than one hundred plant, animal and geometric motifs in the traditional weaves of Tabaristan, a large number of motifs clearly represent national, religious and historical symbols. Qualitative analysis and comparative interpretation of motifs was done by using the explicit meanings of the motifs, reading its symbolic concepts and comparing with examples and historical works, and the intertextual approach was used as a research approach. The application of intertextuality theory in the analysis of motifs confirms the existence of pre-Islamic religious beliefs in the handwoven motifs of Tabaristan. The results show that there are three general concepts: 1- consecration and praise of divine power, 2- seeking blessings, being auspicious. and protection, 3- respect and commemoration, in Tabaristan's hand-woven motifs, are ancient religious and ritual beliefs that have been manifested in hand-woven fabrics with a symbolic expression. The use of Naqshma of Tabaristan under the influence of ancient religious traditions and beliefs continued until after Islam in Alborz highlands. The themes related to sanctification, faith in God and the ritual of sealing are the meanings hidden in the motifs, which have created a connection with nature and existence in the hands of weavers as a spiritual matter. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6352.html The Neolithic to the Bronze Age is one of the most important periods that holds special significance in archaeology. Generally, during the Neolithic period, humans entered the era of settled life and began living in early villages. Then, in the Chalcolithic period, villages evolved, and finally, in the Bronze Age, humans entered of urbanization. This long period in southern Khorasan has not received much attention and study so far. Current data obtained shows that the distribution of settlements in this region is very different compared to the periods before and after the Neolithic. The eastern half of Iran, and specifically southern Khorasan, lacks clear information and data from the prehistoric period, particularly from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, due to limited research. Excavations at the Kallehkoob site and archaeological surveys of the area have somewhat clarified the situation in the region compared to before. The area studied in the present research is the northern half of South Khorasan Province, including the counties of Ferdows, Sarayan, and Qaen. In general, the studies conducted in the past decade have increased our knowledge about this period in South Khorasan. Comprehensive archaeological surveys, which began in the early 2011s, shed light on specific aspects of this period. These studies show that there are 25 sites in the region with evidence and remains from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, most of which belong to the Early and Middle Bronze Age. The main question and indeed the primary issue of this research is how the cultural status of South Khorasan from the Neolithic period to the end of the Bronze Age can be evaluated and analyzed based on cultural findings in neighboring cultural areas? Based on this, the main objective of this research is to analyze the Neolithic period to the end of the Bronze Age in South Khorasan and to chronologize the sites based on the findings obtained from it. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6367.html The results of archaeological studies in the Qom Plain, especially during the last two decades, have presented a relative picture of the cultural and chronological sequence of the region, especially during the Bronze Age. In this regard, for the first time, the excavations of the settlement site of Qolidarvish and Khaveh Cemetery provided new and convincing evidence of relatively extensive cultural interactions and connections between the Early Modern Age communities located in Qom Dasht and the Early Modern Age cultures of other regions, especially in the southwest and northwest of Iran. In addition to Jezgholi Darwish and Khaveh, 31 sites were studied, of which 22 sites were identified with evidence of kura araxes culture (especially the pottery tradition). Qolidarvish period II represents the early Elamite culture, and period IIIA shows the presence of some features of kura araxes culture. But based on the documents obtained from the excavation, it seems that the Khave cemetery (contemporaneous with the IIIA period of qoli Darvish) probably represents the presence and cultural development of kura araxes communities. In other words, the collection of documents obtained from the exploration and investigations of the Qom plain strengthens the possibility that in the beginning of the third millennium B.C. Kochero kura araxes groups and communities entered this region and settled in the high and mountainous areas of the south of the Qom plain. The continuity of some characteristics Native of the Qom plain, along with the culture indicators mentioned in Qoli Darvish period IIIA and the lack of evidence of the architecture of kura araxes culture in this period in Qoli Darvish, is the basis of this assumption. On the other hand, Yusuf Khan Khaveh cemetery in the south of Qom Plain provided far more and more complete evidence of burial methods, tomb architecture, pottery tradition, a collection of metal objects and other burial objects. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6368.html Ultan Qalasi cemetery is located in the vicinity of Ultan Qalasi historical area of Mughan plain in Ardabil province. This cemetery was discovered during the road construction operation and after rescue excavation, 100 graves were identified and documented. The mentioned cemetery is considered as one of the most important cemeteries discovered from the Sassanid period and the beginning of Islam in the north-western region of Iran. The results of the findings of this cemetery can be very helpful in completing a part of the study gap related to the late historical and early Islamic period, especially from the point of view of ritual-religious researches of the communities of this area. The current research is the result of field activity of a season of archaeological exploration and library studies and seeks to answer the following questions: 1- Which cultural period(s) does Ultan Qalasi cemetery belong to? 2- How can the study significance of Ultan Qalasi cemetery be explained in recognizing a part of the religious beliefs of the communities in the region? In this article, along with the description and chronological presentation of the cultural materials of the graves, the analysis of the burial traditions is done in order to recognize part of the ritual-religious beliefs of the communities surrounded by Ultan Qalasi. The results of the research specified. Based on this, the cultural materials, especially the silver coins found in the cemetery, belong to the Sassanid era (Hormoz II and after) and the early Islamic period. Burial in a pit (earth bed) is contrary to Zoroastrian traditions, which reflects the continuation of the burial tradition of the pre-Essatian era of the region. Therefore, it seems that the influence of Zoroastrian religion was weak in border areas and local beliefs were more common.Ultan Qalasi cemetery, Moghan plain, Sassanid era burial, Hormuz II, early Islam, coffin burial. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6417.html Metal rhytons were among the pre-Islamic animal vessels, but no comprehensive studies have been conducted on their manufacturing and decoration methods. The found examples of these vessels come in various forms, but the general form of rhytons consisted of two parts; the opening was cylindrical or conical, which was used to pour liquids, and the front part was made in the shape of an animal's head.Rhytons were considered courtly luxury items that were used in special and ritual ceremonies. In some examples, these objects were merely decorative and did not have a consumer function, but in many examples, liquids were poured from a cylindrical or conical opening and could be drunk through the mouth of the animal or the bottom of the container. The peak period of metal rhyton making was during the Achaemenid and Sasanian eras, and many examples of these works are preserved in various collections inside and outside Iran. This research aims to identify and study the methods of making and decorating rhytons related to the Sassanid period, with emphasis on the rhyton from the Arthur Sackler collection. The descriptive-analytical research approach was based on library and field studies, including the making of similar rhytons in metalworking workshops. The data collection method was library-based and the authors recorded their observations and experiences. The results of this study revealed that the method of making and decorating these rhytons was by cold hammering on a metal body, which was made in several pieces and after the surface was made, these parts were soldered together.The most important metal used in the manufacture of Sasanian rhytons was silver, which was gold-plated using gold inlays in the specified areas. Also, the ideological stability of the Sasanian period played a fundamental role in depicting the concepts of power and victory in the rhytons of the Sasanian realm and its neighboring states. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6430.html The city of Dezful, with its numerous historical mosques from various periods, represents a valuable example of the continuity and evolution of religious architecture in Iran. Despite damages caused by wars and restoration interventions, many of these mosques have retained their original spatial structure. This study seeks to answer the key question: What are the characteristics of the spatial organization patterns of Dezful’s historical mosques, and how have contextual factors such as the qibla orientation, plot shape, surrounding urban fabric, and the spatial proportions of the prayer halls (shabestans) and courtyards influenced their spatial arrangement? Using a descriptive-analytical method based on both archival research and field studies, this research analyzes the spatial organization of these mosques. Sixteen historical mosques within the urban fabric of Dezful were identified, and among them, six mosques from different historical periods were selected for detailed spatial analysis based on criteria such as historical significance, architectural value, and location. One of the most significant features of Dezful’s mosques is the absence of domes from the early Islamic period through the Qajar era—an element typically reserved for mausoleums—resulting in a distinct reliance on the shabestani (prayer hall-centered) architectural model. In these mosques, the longitudinal axis of the building aligns with the qibla direction, and a clear spatial hierarchy emerges through three primary zones: entrance, courtyard, and shabestan. Courtyards generally exhibit near-square or rectangular proportions, occupying an average of 35% to 40% of the total site area. The spatial organization of Dezful’s mosques is primarily shaped by the qibla orientation, plot configurations, and adjacent structures, with a strong correlation observed between courtyard proportions and the arrangement of prayer halls. Other enduring characteristics include introverted layouts, the consistent use of the tripartite spatial hierarchy centered on the shabestan, and a strong emphasis on the qibla axis. Ultimately, three predominant spatial patterns were identified: North-South,South-West, North, South, and East. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6433.html This article analyzes the chronotope of the city of Hamedan in Seyyed Mousa Nasri Hamedani’s novel Tarikh-e Gheyrat—a historical-literary narrative that, within the framework of late-Qajar national imagination, reconstructs the spatial memory of Hamedan during the late Safavid era. The central research problem is to examine how the novel represents Hamedan as a dynamic chronotope: a space in which historical time (the Ottoman invasions) and urban place (gates, squares, and neighborhoods) interact dialectically to shape narrative progression, collective identity, and social action. The aim of the study is to propose an interdisciplinary model for analyzing spatial organization in historical narratives, with a focus on the interrelation of memory, space, and storytelling, and by employing chronotopic cartography. The necessity of this research arises from two factors: the absence of visual or cartographic documentation of Safavid Hamedan, and the lack of systematic attention in Persian literary studies to the representation of urban space. The main research question asks: How does Tarikh-e Gheyrat, through the fusion of time and space, represent the spatial organization and urban identity of Hamedan in the late-Qajar imagination? The hypothesis suggests that urban spaces in the novel are not passive backdrops but active agents in advancing the narrative and reflecting social resistance. Methodologically, the study applies qualitative content analysis within Bakhtin’s theory of the chronotope, validated through comparative examination of historical sources, urban maps, and Safavid urban scholarship. Findings indicate that places such as Sangzar Square and the gates of Bahar, Sangshir, and Mokhtaran simultaneously possess narrative, social, and symbolic functions, acting as “chronotopic cores” (time–space knots) that organize collective memory and urban identity. Moreover, the tension between historical time and urban space transforms the city into a “palimpsest of memory,” a multilayered site of experience, action, and meaning. The conclusion emphasizes that the city chronotope in this novel is not merely reflective of historical conditions but actively generative of urban meaning and memory. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6444.html Archaeologists and historians who have studied the Iranian dynasties of ancient times have focused more on the current geographical territory of Iran. In contrast, the geographical region of Mesopotamia has not been studied as extensively. This is even though, throughout centuries of Iranian rule, from the Achaemenid to the end of the Sasanian period, their political capital was Mesopotamia (Babylon/ Asōrestān). One of the most important regions in this geographical region is Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which served as a border region during the Roman/Byzantine and Parthian/Sassanian empires and has always been of interest to these empires due to its strategic and sensitive location. The Romans referred to this region as Adiabene and the Sasanian as Nōdšīragān (Kan). The cultural landscape of this region has been very vague to this day and has often been influenced by the traditions of the official religions of these two empires, namely Zoroastrianism and Christianity. However, archaeological documentation from the region does not confirm this. In the present study, an attempt has been made to draw the cultural landscape of Nōdšīragān based on existing evidence and to shed light on the ambiguities regarding the cultural nature of this geographical area during the Sasanian period. The findings of the study were collected through field studies and the examination of written sources, especially archaeological records, and were evaluated and analyzed using a historical-analytical approach. The results of the present study made it clear that the ancient Mesopotamian culture, especially the Assyrians and the cult of Ishtar, were preserved in this region in a very dynamic and colorful manner until the end of the Sasanian period, and Christianity appeared in this land from the fifth century AD under the influence of the Byzantine Empire, and the Sasanian, for political reasons, indulged in religious tolerance in this region. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6475.html The Ağche Rish site is in the south of East Azerbaijan Province, adjacent to strategic communication routes connecting northwest Iran with the Caucasus, Anatolia, and central Iran. This site was excavated during two archaeological seasons in 2020 and 2023, and evidence of occupation from the 8th to the 14th centuries AD was identified. Architectural findings, plaster decorations, workshop remains, various types of sgraffito pottery, monochrome glazed pottery, lustrous glazed pottery, and glass are among the important outcomes of these excavations. In the middle layers (10th to 12th centuries AD), alongside the discovery of a coin from the Buyid period, remains of a pottery workshop including a kiln, kiln rods, tripods, and pottery waste were found, indicating production activities at this site. This research, employing a descriptive-analytical method and based on field and library studies, aims to answer two questions: To which historical periods do the pottery types found at the Ağche Rrish site belong? Which types of pottery were likely produced locally at this site, and which were imported? According to this study, the typology of recovered pottery includes a diverse range of simple unglazed pottery, simple glazed pottery, green and yellow splashed glaze, simple sgraffito, splashed glaze sgraffito, Champleve type, and a limited number of lustrous glazed and polychrome sgraffito pieces. These are comparable with pottery from the 8th to 14th centuries AD found in other Islamic world regions (Nishapur, Shush, Siraf, Sirjan, Rey, Gorgan, Samarra, Basra, and Byzantine sites in Anatolia). Additionally, technological data obtained from the kiln structure, related equipment, and technical characteristics of the pottery provided information on the pottery production system at the Ağche Rish site. Some of the unglazed pottery, simple glazed pottery, simple sgraffito, and splashed glaze types were locally produced, while splashed glaze, Champleve, lustrous painted, and polychrome sgraffito pottery were identified as imports. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6505.html The sign M157 occurs with remarkable consistency at the Proto-Elamite tablets, especially at Susa. Its repeated appearance strongly suggests that it was not a decorative or incidental mark, but rather a structural component shaping how these early documents were arranged. Scheil proposed that M157 might correspond to the Proto-Cuneiform sign DUB (“tablet”), a simple descriptor for the clay document itself. While such a reading offered a preliminary explanation, it fails to capture the broader significance of the sign within the Proto-Elamite administrative and economic system. In this study, we reassess the function of M157 by integrating conventional philological methods with computational approaches. Drawing on the CDLI corpus, we examined both the frequency of M157 and its co-occurrence with other signs. The analysis shows that M157 frequently appears in close association with numerical systems and terms designating commodities, rations, and institutional units. This pattern indicates that M157 was embedded in accounting procedures rather than functioning merely as a title. Network analysis further confirmed its centrality, revealing that M157 acted as a hub connecting otherwise separate semantic clusters and thereby imposing an overarching structure on the texts. To test these insights, we employed machine learning techniques. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) was used to classify tablets by type, while a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model predicted missing signs on fragmentary examples. In both cases, M157 emerged as indispensable for accurate categorization and reconstruction, reinforcing the idea that it was a structural marker with meta-textual value. Taken together, these results suggest that M157 functioned as a “meta-marker,” standardizing the layout of administrative records and reinforcing their institutional legitimacy. Rather than denoting simply “tablet,” M157 may have pointed to an archival convention, an organizational category, or even a specific institutional identity. Future research should pursue comparative work with Proto-Cuneiform material from Uruk to assess whether M157 represents a uniquely Proto-Elamite feature or part of a broader Near Eastern trend toward administrative standardization. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6506.html The eastern heights of Sarāb-i Bīd-i Surkh, located about 15 kilometers west of Kangavar in the west of Iran, served as a significant historical passage in the central Zagros region, along the route connecting the Iranian Plateau to Mesopotamia throughout history. Today, the Tehran-Hamadan-Kermanshah-Baghdad road crosses one of the passes of these heights, knownlocally as the "Gardaneh-i Bīd-i Surkh". However, numerous historical and archaeological pieces of evidence suggest that other routes were also utilized in the past to cross the mentioned heights. The present study, for the first time, explores all the previous routes that have crossed the eastern heights of Sarāb-i Bīd-i Surkh based on historical texts and archaeological evidence. The research aims to investigate communication routes between the Kangavar and Sahneh Plains over different periods and reconstruct the location and characteristics of each route. Accordingly, four different routes have been identified including: 1. the Bīd-i Surkh Pass route, 2. the northern route (Qazvīneh), 3. the Sarāb-i Mārān route (ancient Mādharān route), and 4. the Duāb route. In this research, the characteristics of each route have been examined separately. The existing archaeological evidence, including the remains of the old paved road, the distribution of ancient sites around the routes, as well as the remains of bridges, and related security facilities such as castles, observation posts, and guardhouses left on the heights of the region, indicate the existence of these routes in the past and the importance of the eastern heights of Sarāb-i Bīd-i Surkh as a strategic passageway in different historical periods. Accordingly, it seems that sometimes in a specific historical period more than one route was used to cross the eastern heights of Bīd-i Surkh, and the use of each route depended on various factors such as the season, road safety, type of caravan (light or heavy), road quality, etc. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6536.html Long-distance trade routes have played a fundamental role in shaping and transforming the spatial organization of Iranian cities throughout history. These routes not only facilitated the movement of goods, people, and information but also determined the functional hierarchy of cities at both regional and interregional scales. However, the interrelation between trade networks and the spatial organization of inland cities has rarely been examined in a systematic manner. This study aims to reinterpret the role of trade routes in the spatial organization of Iranian inland cities through an analytical investigation of Hamedan’s position within Iran’s communication network from the Safavid to the late Qajar period. The research adopts a qualitative–historical approach, utilizing data derived from historical maps, travelogues, consular reports, and descriptive documents, analyzed through comparative and interpretive methods. The analytical framework integrates three interdisciplinary perspectives: the concept of the “gateway city” in economic geography, the “transaction cost” theory in spatial economics, and the notion of “path dependence” in urban historical studies. Findings reveal that since the medieval period, Hamedan has functioned as an active intermediary node along the east–west and north–south trade corridors, benefiting from an intermediate positional advantage within domestic and transregional exchange networks. With the global shift of trade routes, the expansion of maritime transportation, and geopolitical instability in western borders, this position gradually weakened, and the city transitioned from a linear and centralized structure to a multi-centered and regionally oriented pattern. These transformations were reflected in the city’s morphological development, the decline of market centrality, and the increasing autonomy of local neighborhoods. The study concludes that historical Iranian cities, including Hamedan, should be understood as dynamic nodes within broader trade networks, whose spatial vitality and morphological continuity have been directly shaped by the persistence or disruption of these networks. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6592.html This article examines an assemblage of 78 clay sealings discovered on the surface of the archaeological site of Tapeh Tyalineh, located in the Mahidasht-Kuzaran region of the Central Zagros. It analyzes the iconography and style of the Tyalineh seal impressions and dates them on the basis of comparable corpora. The article assesses the administrative organization of the site through a functional analysis of the clay sealings. The corpus of Tyalineh seal impressions encompasses all the glyptic styles of the Proto-Elamite period, as well as examples of styles from the Trans-Tigridian corridor and southeastern Turkey. Comparable materials—from Proto-Elamite sites such as Susa, Malyan, Tepe Yahya, and Shahr-i Sokhta; and from Tell Gubba and the Sin Temple at Khafajah in the Hamrin and Diyala regions; as well as Chogha Maran in Mahidasht and Arslantepe in southeastern Turkey—date the corpus to a period between 3100 and 2800 BCE. Since jar sealings and storage-door sealings constitute approximately 79% and 14.5% of the Tyalineh sealings, respectively, the administrative institution of Tyalineh appears to have specialized in overseeing the storage, allocation, and exchange of specific commodities and goods. The profiles of the sealings and the site’s ceramic assemblage attest that the storage of liquids—such as oil, wine, and beer—constituted a significant portion of these commodities at Tyalineh. The iconographic and functional analysis of the Tyalineh administrative assemblage suggests that the site was founded by members of Proto-Elamite society, likely individuals of equivalent social rank (e.g., households or merchants) rather than representatives of a centralized Proto-Elamite administrative institution. Furthermore, the presence of both Kura-Araxes and Proto-Elamite ceramics at Tepe Tyalineh provides a valuable context for studying interactions between the Proto-Elamite and Kura-Araxes cultures in western Iran. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6593.html The Paleolithic survey in Jiroft County was conducted to assess the importance of southern Iran and the Persian Gulf in the dispersal of early humans during the Pleistocene. This study identified several Paleolithic sites that highlight the region's importance in human migration due to similarities in technology and types with finds from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 in the Arabian Peninsula. This research offers a more precise understanding of population dispersal patterns between the two regions by focusing on shorter chronological intervals and conducting detailed comparative analyses within the framework of sea-level fluctuations. Evidence from Kuh-e Sheikh Yaghub, located in the northwestern highlands of Jiroft, is particularly significant among the identified Paleolithic concentrations. The site preserves diverse technological and typological elements representing distinct cultural phases, including the Lower (Acheulean), Middle, and Upper Paleolithic. The high concentration of stone artifacts surrounding chert outcrops, along with lithic debris, rejuvenation flakes, and finished tools, highlights the function of Kuh-e Sheikh Yaghub as a workshop site type. The lithic collection at Kuh-e Sheikh Yaghub is comparable to Middle Paleolithic tools found in the Arabian Peninsula, such as those from MIS 5 and 4 in areas like the Nefud Desert, Jebel Faya, Al-Kharj, and Domat al-Jandal, as well as Upper Paleolithic evidence from Jebel Buhais (associated with MIS 3). These technological affinities correspond with times when sea levels in the Persian Gulf were low, creating land bridges between the Iranian Plateau and the Arabian Peninsula. This supports theories of population movement between these areas, fitting into broader Out-of-Africa and return migration models. Key Words: Pleistocene human dispersals, Persian Gulf, Kuh-e Sheikh Yaghub, Arabian Peninsula, lithic https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6606.html روند مطالعات باستان‌شناختی، پیرامون سرحدات شرقی شاهنشاهی هخامنشی که هم از مرکز شاهنشاهی دور مانده و هم از دسترس مورخان یونانی، همچنان به جهت عدم پژوهش‌های روشمند و پیوسته، با ابهامات و کمبودهای فراوانی روبروست. بازه‌ی زمانی 1500 تا 327 (حمله اسکندر مقدونی) پ.م در آسیای میانه بر مبنای مطالعات عصر آهن که در محوطه‌ای به نام یازتپه در واحه مرو انجام گرفته است و به نام «فرهنگ یاز» شناخته می‌شود. در این گاه‌نگاری شاهنشاهی هخامنشی از کوروش بزرگ تا داریوش سوم (550-327 پ.م)، در مرحله پایانی عصرآهن جای می‌گیرد که در نیمه‌ی خاوری شمال شرق فلات و آسیای‌میانه با نام یازIII ، شناخته می‌شود. نوشتار پیش‌رو ‌به‌دنبال پاسخ‌دهی به دو پرسش اصلی: ارتباطات فرهنگی یاریم تپه در دوره یاز و فرهنگ یاز III با نیمه شرقی فلات ایران چگونه است؟ میزان قرابت و همگونی سفال‌های منسوب به فرهنگ یاز III با هخامنشی به چه صورت است؟ بوده و هم‌چنین سعی شده علاوه بر بررسی اجمالی انتساب عنوان "فرهنگ یاز III" یا "شاهنشاهی هخامنشی" به استقرارهای شمال‌شرق خراسان و آسیای میانه در نیمه‌ی دوم هزاره‌ی نخست پ.م، با بهره‌گیری از روش مقایسه‌‌ی تطبیقی؛ به مقایسه‌ی سفالینه‌های متعلق به استقرار یازIII یاریم تپه به عنوان مهمترین محوطه‌ی دشت درگز (شمال خراسان رضوی) با نمونه‌های بدست آمده از مهم‌ترین استقرارهای سرحدات شرقی شاهنشاهی هخامنشی؛ از شمال شرق تا جنوب شرق فلات ایران، و از دره ی سند و افغانستان تا تمام آسیای میانه پرداخته شده است. نتایج نهایی پژوهش پس از مقایسه تطبیقی سفال‌ها، نشان‌دهنده حضور فرهنگ‌های محلی درکنار فرهنگ هخامنشی است. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6620.html This article examines two governmental architectural complexes of the Qajar period in the city of Kerman—the Ebrahim Khan Complex and the Vakil Complex—and interprets them as two distinct modes through which political authority was articulated within the urban fabric. The study seeks to explain the historical grounds of the architectural differences between these complexes, both constructed during the Qajar period yet belonging to different historical moments. Accordingly, this study asks: What architectural differences distinguish these two complexes, and how do these differences relate to the formation of provincial authority in Qajar-period Kerman? The research method combines morphological analysis and comparative architectural study with historical interpretation. First, the two complexes are examined through fieldwork and architectural monographs within a comparative framework in order to highlight their principal differences. These differences are then reinterpreted within the broader historical transformations of Kerman. The findings indicate that both complexes were developed within governmental building initiatives associated with the city’s bazaar; however, the modes in which political authority was articulated in them differed. The Ebrahim Khan Complex, constructed in the period following the foundational violence of Qajar rule and during the consolidation of the dynasty’s authority in Kerman, relied on establishing legitimacy through the strengthening of religious–educational institutions, the waqf institution, and symbolic expression in architectural decoration and inscriptions; after its establishment, its continued life became closely associated with the Shaykhi religious movement. By contrast, the Vakil Complex, developed in the Naseri era, emphasized the strengthening of the city’s commercial core, the expanded scale and ordered organization of the complex, a more explicit representation of the patron’s bureaucratic authority in relation to the Qajar monarch, and competition with Shaykhism. More broadly, the study argues that the interpretation of such architectural works can move beyond the mere description and chronological cataloging of monuments only when they are analyzed in relation to the historical contexts and power relations that produced them. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6634.html The relative homogeneity of pottery traditions during the Iranian Iron Age, particularly in the northern, northeastern, and central plateau regions, is a characteristic feature of this period. In contrast, this uniformity is not evident in the pottery traditions of western Iran, where a significant diversity of pottery traditions is attested across its various parts. This study addresses the pottery tradition known as the "Luristan Genre," associated with the Iron Age of the Central Zagros region, and more precisely, the cultural area of Luristan. It attempts to provide, as far as possible, a comprehensive introduction to all sites from which Luristan style pottery has thus far been reported, offering a general overview and an examination of the ceramic assemblages obtained from them. Additionally, this research seeks to discuss and analyze the distribution of this pottery in relation to the "pots and people" theory, drawing upon evidence from historical texts. Based on the results of field surveys in western Iran conducted over the past century, the distribution of this pottery style is confined to areas within the provinces of Luristan, Kermanshah, Hamedan, and Ilam. The highest concentration of this pottery style is in the Nourabad region of Luristan, while the smallest quantities reported to date are from Hamedan and Ilam provinces. "Luristan Genre" pottery has been recovered from the excavation of various site types, including settlements, fortresses, temples, and cemeteries. This ceramic type is characterized by a buff-colored fabric and frequently exhibits hanging triangle motifs. Considering the vessel forms and decorative patterns, the origin of this pottery type can likely be attributed to the Godin III and Giyan IV/III cultures. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6673.html Garrus ware is considered one of the most distinctive ceramic traditions of Iran during the 11th–13th centuries. Despite the exceptional richness and diversity of its figural motifs, no systematic study of this pottery tradition has yet been conducted. This research gap persists even though the figural imagery of Garrus ware provides valuable insights into the cultural strata of western and northwestern Iran and the mechanisms underlying the continuity of visual traditions in this region. This study pursues three principal objectives: the systematic introduction and classification of the figural motifs of Garrus ware; a comparative analysis of these motifs with pre-Islamic and Islamic visual traditions in Iran and neighboring regions; and the interpretation of these motifs as evidence of the collective visual memory of western and northwestern Iran. The central research question examines how a regional ceramic tradition was able to preserve and reproduce cultural layers spanning several millennia. Accordingly, the present study adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology. The dataset is based on the examination of 85Garrus-style ceramic vessels bearing figural representations. The analysis of these motifs employs a combined theoretical approach integrating three distinct conceptual frameworks. The findings demonstrate that, from the perspective of cultural memory, the imagery of Garrus ware emerged through the interaction between active and accumulated memory, a process that explains both Shahnameh-related imagery, social scenes, and older motifs such as birth imagery. From the perspective of the afterlife of images, archaic visual forms retained their formal energy across semantic ruptures and re-emerged within the Islamic context. From the standpoint of the longue durée, the long-term geographical and cultural structures of the Zagros region provided the necessary foundation for this continuity. The combined application of these approaches reveals that visual continuity in Garrus ware was not entirely conscious, but rather operated through the deep layers of regional cultural memory. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6693.html Abstract Sassanid metalwork is world famous and is valuable documents to describe royal ceremonies and official, social and political organizations of the era. The entrance of Seljuk Turks marked the beginning of a new era in the history of this country and the metalworking style specific to Islamic Iran, for the first time, finds a special base in this era. Considering the importance of metalwork in these two eras, this study tries to depict and compare the woman’s figures on Sassanid and Seljuk metalwork, in order to understand the path of evolution of women’s role in pre-Islamic and Islamic era in Iran. The methodology in this study is historical-descriptive, and comparative; and it shows that with the changing role of women in society, metalwork figures have also undergone significant changes. that considering the special place of Goddesses one can realize the importance and dignity of female power in Sassanid period; Due to the fact that this Goddess was depicted as a beautiful and graceful woman with a lot of ornament, alongside the king or alone in a high position on metalwork. However in the Seljuk period, when women were given a greater opportunity to take part in social activities, due to the influence of Turks’ tribal culture in post-Islamic Iran, we could find women’s figures on metalwork as musicians, dancers, singers, cupbearers, writers or in mythological forms; and although these figures are as important as geometric and floral patterns and cover the whole surface of the work, but they also depict the influence of pre-Islamic orientations. Additionally, the research samples, which include ten metalworking artworks featuring women's figures from two periods, clearly demonstrate the greater number of Islamic structures in Seljuk metalwork compared to the samples from the Sassanid period. This observation supports the findings presented in this study. Key words: Sassanid metalwork, Seljuk Metalwork, Human figures, Woman. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6698.html Among the significant findings at the newly discovered eastern cemetery of Qareh Tepe in Sagzabad are two horse burials, along with their associated funerary assemblages, designated as Contexts 12135 and 12048. The burials in Context 12135 consist of a human child, an immature goat, and a horse, accompanied by six pottery vessels, personal ornaments, and horse harness equipment. Context 12048 includes the remains of ten human individuals , remains of a horse and a sheep. The primary research questions were as follows: To what period do the burial assemblages of Contexts 12135 and 12048 belong, and with which regional burial traditions in Iran do they align? Furthermore, to which equid subspecies do the faunal remains from these contexts belong? Based on published excavation data, we hypothesized that this burial pattern dates to the late second millennium BCE and may be comparable to horse burials found in specific sites in Gilan, such as Keluraz, and in northwestern Iran, such as the Khorramabad cemetery in Meshkinshahr. Regarding the second question, based on epiphyseal fusion, morphology, and metric analysis of the faunal remains, both horses were determined to be adults. The remains from Context 12135 were identified as Caspian horse, while those from Context 12048 represent a different subspecies. In this study, the findings from these contexts were first described and analyzed in relation to similar examples from adjacent sites. Subsequently, the faunal remains were compared with reference collections at the University of Tehran, confirming that the horse from Context 12135 belongs to the Caspian subspecies. Based on absolute dating samples from this cemetery and a comparative analysis of these two contexts with other Iron Age sites in the region, both contexts are dated to approximately the 11th century BCE. The burial patterns in these graves show significant similarities to those of horse burials observed at sites in Gilan, such as Keluraz, and in northwestern Iran, such as the Khorramabad cemetery in Meshkinshahr. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6699.html Architecture, as one of the essential elements in defining the Neolithic period, has undergone extensive and complex changes and developments in various dimensions during the Neolithic process in the ancient East, each of which is an important research topic. One of the important fields of architecture that has not been considered in archaeological research on the Neolithic period in the Central Zagros of Iran, as one of the most important centers of the Neolithic process, is the study of architectural plans. The process of transition from circular to rectangular architecture is known as one of the most important characteristics of the Neolithic period in Southwest Asia in the Levant, Mesopotamia, and Anatolian basins. However, in the Central Zagros of Iran, despite the abundant archaeological study capacities and the existence of important Neolithic sites such as Tapeh Asiab, Sarab, Guran, Ganj Dareh, Abdul Hossein, Jani Abad, Sheikhi Abad, East Chia Sabz, and Kapargah, there is insufficient knowledge in this field. Archaeological evidence shows that the Central Zagros of Iran was part of the horizon basin of architecture with a round plan, which was replaced by architecture with a rectangular plan in the second stage of the Pre-pottery Neolithic. In this study, in order to understand the process of architectural changes and developments, and the drivers of these changes and developments during the Neolithic period in the Central Zagros of Iran, several important and ambiguous Context have been questioned, including: 1- What is the evidence of architecture with a round and rectangular plan in the Central Zagros Basin? What were the most important causes of the change in architectural plan from round to rectangular in the studied basin? Based on the results of this research, the change in architectural plan from round to rectangular was the result of numerous environmental, economic, and social considerations, and it is not possible to examine it by considering a single factor or driver. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6724.html The historical-spatial transformation of Iranian cities has primarily been conceptualized through case studies of well-known metropolises and major administrative centers. Conversely, the complex mechanisms of change in mid-sized cities with long historical backgrounds have rarely been systematically investigated. The city of Bijar, as a significant settlement hub in the strategic region between the Zagros Mountains and the Iranian Central Plateau, serves as an illustrative example for addressing this research gap. The primary objective of this study is to precisely elucidate the process of Bijar’s historical-spatial transformation from the earliest archaeological settlement evidence to the end of the Pahlavi era, and to provide a critical analysis of the factors influencing the formation, consolidation, and evolution of its spatial structure. This research employs a descriptive-analytical and historical approach. Data were gathered through a synthesis of archaeological sources, primary historical texts, archival documents, historical maps, and rigorous field surveys. Analysis was conducted within an integrated theoretical framework encompassing landscape archaeology, urban archaeology, and the modern “Historic Urban Landscape” (HUL) approach to comprehensively explain the role of environmental, political, economic, and cultural factors in the city’s structural evolution. Findings demonstrate that during the initial formation stages, ecological characteristics and the strategic regional position were the primary drivers of settlement. From the Islamic period, particularly the Safavid and Qajar eras, the concentration of political power, religious institution development, expansion of endowments (vaqf), and regional commercial prosperity led to the consolidation of the historical core. During the Pahlavi era, top-down modernization programs and infrastructure development transformed parts of the spatial structure. Based on comparative analysis, this study concludes that Bijar’s transformation results from a dynamic interaction between environmental, political, and economic factors. It proposes an interpretive model where urban change is not the product of a single dominant factor, but the result of the gradual and continuous shift in the relative weight of these variables over time. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6775.html Despite their importance, settlement patterns in the Central Zagros highlands during the Old Elamite period (1550-2500 BC) are still not well known. The difficult mountainous areas and the diversity of the natural landscape of the Central Zagros provide challenges and opportunities for studying the existence, resilience, or adaptation of human societies to their natural landscape. In the Central Zagros regions, especially Lordegan County and Miankouh District, archaeological information from the highlands is very limited. Studying the cultural landscape and analyzing the settlement pattern in Lordegan and Miankouh as part of the world of Elamite civilization is important for understanding the socio-cultural and economic dynamics of these societies during the Old Elamite period. This part of the Zagros is geomorphologically a combination of high mountains with deep valleys and alluvial plains that have provided a variety of land uses. The main research question is what settlement patterns can be explained explained to understand and analyze the development and sustainability of the societies of the Old Elamite period in Lordegan and the Miankouh region. The aim also includes determining the relationship between natural factors and the formation and sustainability of settlements, explaining cultural boundaries, and examining the expansion of the influence of the Old Elamite state in the central Zagros highlands. This research is descriptive-analytical and was conducted based on data obtained from systematic surface surveys during four seasons in Lordegan and three seasons in Miankouh. Archaeological data were collected, described, and analyzed using a geographic information system to explain settlement patterns and their relationship with environmental variables. The research data includes archaeological sites and remains from the Old Elamite period in Lordegan and the Miankouh region. The results show that the settlement pattern of Elamite societies was subject to natural environmental variables , and a combined economy of agriculture and animal husbandry, played a key role in the formation and sustainability of settlements. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6784.html The past in archaeology does not emerge as a present reality but becomes accessible through materially transformed remains. Thus, archaeological knowledge is constituted within the epistemic distance between surviving traces and the absent reality of the past. The research problem arises from this distance: evidence is not fully determinate with respect to explanations, while the inferential mediation between data and historical claims often remains implicit. Consequently, dominant narratives may acquire an unwarranted status of certainty without confronting rival possibilities. This study asks what place abduction occupies within the architecture of archaeological knowledge and how its capacities can be formulated in the production, comparison, and revision of explanations. Using a descriptive-analytical method and conceptual-comparative analysis of sources in the philosophy of science, logic, and theoretical archaeology, the study examines forms of abduction in terms of hypothesis generation, evidential relations, evaluation of alternatives, representation of uncertainty, and revision. The findings show that Peircean abduction, as a logic of hypothesis generation, should be distinguished from “inference to the best explanation” as a logic of comparative hypothesis evaluation. Four formulations are identified: logic-based abduction, set-covering abduction, abductive validation, and abduction in subjective logic. These are not mutually exclusive models but complementary dimensions of a process extending from hypothesis formation and evidential coverage to the assessment of alternatives, articulation of uncertainty, and revision. The study argues that abduction, alongside deduction and induction, constitutes a fundamental pillar of archaeological epistemology. It transforms silent remains into evidence-responsive narratives while introducing rival hypotheses that prevent interpretive closure. Under evidential constraints and intersubjective criticism, this framework can limit interpretive bias and enable “evidentially constrained interpretive plurality” without lapsing into unrestricted relativism. The article’s originality lies in functionally integrating these four formulations within a structured and applicable framework and reconsidering their implications for cultivating a critical research disposition in archaeology. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6785.html Islamic Period archaeology, as a field of inquiry, has continually confronted methodological and identity-related challenges in defining its epistemic boundaries in relation to adjacent disciplines—most notably, Islamic art history. A review of the critical literature indicates that previous studies have predominantly focused on practical, fieldwork-related, or curricular dimensions, while paying comparatively little attention to the historical rules governing the formation of the statements and concepts that constitute this field. Addressing this gap, the present study employs Michel Foucault’s archaeology of knowledge to investigate the discursive formation of Islamic archaeology within an archive of selected texts, including classical reference works, historical reports, and educational curricula. Focusing on four archaeological components—the formation of objects, enunciative modalities, the formation of concepts, and discursive strategies—the study examines how material evidence from the Islamic period has been constituted and represented. The findings demonstrate that, in its historical development, the field has been profoundly shaped by descriptive conventions, terminological frameworks, and classificatory systems derived from Orientalist discourse, museum practices, and the historical-stylistic approaches of Islamic art history, as represented in the works of scholars such as Grabar, Ettinghausen, and Petersen. This conceptual and institutional overlap has often framed research objects primarily as “aesthetic and decorative elements,” privileging monumental architecture and isolated museum objects, while relegating analyses of socio-economic contexts and cultural processes to a secondary position. Furthermore, an examination of university curriculum documents reveals the continuing presence of these hybrid and conventional patterns within institutional structures. Without presupposing a lack of disciplinary autonomy, this study concludes that, in order to move beyond such discursive entanglements and attain greater methodological distinctiveness, Islamic archaeology must redefine its research problems on the basis of specifically archaeological questions and strengthen its interdisciplinary and laboratory-based approaches. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6787.html Our understanding of the piperloe settlements of the postal regions of the western part of the central Zagros is negligible and the need for research on its sites is necessary to clarify its understanding of this period. The Talivan area is located on the western border of the central Zagros in the plain between Sumar mountains on a flat zone, on the eastern margin of the Kingir river. The Talivan area, with two parts A and B, is one of the most prominent open spaces of the Arabian margin of the central Zagros Arabian Peninsula due to the scattering of handicrafts. The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of the unoccupied place(Talivan) associated with the Paleolithic period in this area. This research is in the wake of the question of which handicrafts of this site is related to which tradition of instrumentation, and assuming the influence of the tradition in the central Zagros period is barouche's technique of Levallois. the research methodology was conducted with a field study, library and analytical approach, and hand-made collection from the site and the Talivan tooling workshop with a comprehensive statistical analysis of 560 pieces of hand –made with randomized and geometric gridding. The research shows that the region has been a good place to attract human groups in the past due to resource supplies and high environmental potential. The existence of two climates with two different environments provides better nutritional potential and more varied resources in the past. With the final analysis of hand- made, it became clear that the site area (B) was used as a tool-making workshop. The abundant abundance of mosses, shells and rocks among the findings suggests the production of tools in this place. However, the provision of grit and drop without using them at the workshop level suggests that choosing with standard tools is gender and quality. Considering the abundance of chips, the presence of blade technology, the presence of bold colors, scratches, and the use of the technology of Levallois, this area can be referred to the middle period parietal period. In general, several important factors justify the formation of the Talivan area in the region. Initially their area raw materials for tooling as well as environmental features that are specific to the site. The Talivan is in a strategic position. This location is located between the high mountainous regions of the eastern region (Zagros mountains) and the low altitude bay in the west (the plain of Mian Rodan). The difference in elevation and their ecological difference (Zagros, Sumar plain and Mandali) is about 1200 meters (the difference between these two height differences is about 20 kilometer). As a result, this difference in altitude created ecological spells and could have been an environmental benefit to humans due to seasonal migration in the area. This climate difference has provided higher nutritional potential and more varied resources. The existence of these two climates has led to the diversity of plant and animal species. Undoubtedly the availability of available supplies of food has accelerated the seasonal migration and collection of food and has affected the length of migration. This migration could have been done between the Zagros and plain Mian Rudan districts. Probably the route through the Mandali strait has been taken. The important point in the Sumar plain and its marginal areas is the presence of spring and seasonal canals and the Kangir river. The abundance of water provides plenty of water for human and animal species (despite the fact that the river was also in the rocky period), which is an ideal place for hunting water species and finally, supplying animal protein. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6809.html This research aims to document and analyze the cultural, religious, and artistic content of the historical tombstones located in the Tareh cemetery in Natanz. Covering an area of approximately one hectare, this cemetery contains over a thousand inscribed and carved stones dating from the Safavid period to the present. The tombstones are predominantly unshaped, upright slabs with minimal carving, reflecting local traditions and limited access to stone-carving tools. This study addresses the following questions: What developmental trajectory has this cemetery followed from the 16th to the 20th centuries? and what characteristics and symbolic meanings do the carvings on these stones embody? To trace the cemetery’s historical development, the site was divided into eighteen sections, and 976 historical tombstones – from the Safavid to the Pahlavi periods – were systematically documented through photographic recording. The oldest tombstone dates to the 930s AH, and the cemetery expanded spatially from the southwest toward the east and southeast, indicating a structured organization of burial space in recent centuries. Approximately one-fifth of the stones bear simple motifs – including cypress trees, birds, goats, combs, mirrors, and abstract designs – whose execution techniques closely resemble pre-Islamic rock carvings. These engravings exemplify rural folk art, markedly distinct from the ornamental styles observed on tombstones in the urban cemetery of Kashan. The most recurrent motif is the cypress tree, a symbol of eternity in Iranian culture. Indeed, this cemetery functions as an unwritten historical manuscript comprising over a thousand pages, offering invaluable insights into the local history of a mountainous settlement across five centuries. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6841.html In Chah Ziba located in Baft County in southern Kerman, a nomadic and tent-dwelling lifestyle has long been prevalent. This mode of life is of particular significance to Ethno-archaeological research, as it provides valuable analogies and correspondences for analyzing and interpreting the behaviors of past societies within the study area and its surrounding regions. The Safi Khanlu tribe, who until the implementation of the Nomad Settlement Program in the mid-2000s practiced a nomadic and pastoral lifestyle in the Chah-Ziba area, located south of Mount Khabr, were eventually compelled to relocate and settle in the village of Bidkorduiyeh, situated west of Baft County. Since then, they have engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. Evidences of their former pastoral life -including residential structures, livestock pens, water sources, and wells- were identified and documented through field surveys conducted in the Chah-Ziba region. The dwellings were made of black tents woven from goat hair, typically rectangular or square in shape, with gabled roofs. They were supported by two horizontal and two vertical beams. These black tents (siah-chadors) were erected over semi-subterranean architectural spaces locally known as Yurts. The yurts were semi-subterranean structures whose walls were constructed of stone, with floors dug to a depth of approximately one to one and a half meters below ground level. The interior of some yurts was divided by wooden posts placed in the central section; the rear area served as a sheepfold, while the front portion was used as the living space for the inhabitants. Separate architectural units were also constructed for livestock. The enclosures for larger animals consisted of rectangular, semi-subterranean stone-built structures. Some of these buildings, due to the presence of roof entrances, closely resemble temporary architectural forms characteristic of the Early Neolithic. Interviews were also conducted with the elders of the Safi Khanlu tribe. Contrary to common interpretations in archaeology, the distance between human settlements and local water sources in this region was relatively great. https://nbsh.basu.ac.ir/article_6848.html Patternology of physical Spatial Organization Biglar Beagi KermanshahAbstractIranian takiyehs, which epitomize the link among time, place, and people, . Understanding the architectural features applying design principles in such buildings can effectively contribute ti the key continuity of a cultuer in the environment and ti the identity of the Iraniancity.Since the Safavid period,most Iranian Islamic architectural models have had a kind of organized open collective judicialsystem that includes the sub-neighborhood scale of the family courtyard-the scale of the urban village –the caravanserai.Among these models, the four main examples of hosing, mosque,school andcaravanserai present characteristics that,whil being of interest to the commonalities, each has specificities in terms of judicial order that could have been perceived by the builders of Takaya and Hussiniyeh.The aim of the research is to determine by extracting the results and answering the researchquestions what factors influenced the architectural model of Tekyeh Biglar Beagiه in its structure or which of the four main Iranian Islamic architectural models is more suitable for onducting research using the method Qualitative and descriptive-analytical methods have been used.Data collection tools: library studies, field observations and comparison of findings or other studies and hypotheses have been presented.The results of the research show that following the central ciurtyard plan,considering the cold climatic conditions of the region and paying attention to the issue of introversion,as well as the intention of hts socio-religious function,which indicates the role and effect of rituals in creating its qualities and judicial pattern,in the combination or characteristics of the daily architecture of the region and the principle of judicial hierarcgy or the use of unique religious decorations of the judicial organization- kalidi has shaped the Tekyeh of Biglar Beagi and made it a lanmark architectural building in the Middle Qajar era