RICHT Journal
PublicationAthar
Volume 40, Issue 1 (Spring 2019)
Athar 2019, 40(1): 1-16 |
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Miraskandari S M, Chaychi Amirkhiz A. (2019). The Analysis of Archaeological Evidence from the Fourth Floor (C) of Karafto Cave in Northwest of Iran. Athar. 40(1), 1-16.
URL: http://athar.richt.ir/article-2-371-en.html
URL: http://athar.richt.ir/article-2-371-en.html
1- Assistant Professor, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Center (ICAR), Tehran, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Center (ICAR), Tehran, Iran ,a.chaychi@richt.ir
2- Assistant Professor, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Center (ICAR), Tehran, Iran ,
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The ancient castle and cave of Karaftu are located in the northwest of Iran and in a mountainous region between Saghez and Takab in Kurdistan province, Iran. In the early nineteenth century, an English physician and surgeon named John Cormick, a companion of Prince Abbas Mirza in Tabriz, for the first time visited the cave. The famous English traveler Sir Robert Ker Porter visited the cave using his notes and made a map and a copy of the Greek inscription. After him, several researchers of different nationalities reviewed the translation of the Greek inscription located in Floor c or examined other works of this cave and prepared photographs, reports and maps with more details. Although the German Archaeological Institute in Iran which had archeological studies in Takht-e Soleiman on its agenda, was to survey, visit, and map the area, unfortunately, archeological excavations at the site were delayed for nearly two centuries. In the summer of 1997, the first archeological group from the Archaeological Research Institute, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of Kurdistan Province, speculated and organized the excavation plan which continued in three more seasons. The hand-curved area of the cave is created on four or half floors, which are connected by stairs or sloping passages. The Greek inscription is located in the entrance of C floor. It is not possible to study the architecture and works created in this cave without considering the archeological remains and ancient ways of neighboring areas such as Zivieh or Zahhak Castle. Similarly, the works found in this complex and neighboring areas indicate ritual use, temporary and intermittent human habitation from prehistory to the present time. Although most of the artifacts found in this cave indicate the existence of a temple of Mithras, archaeological studies show that this cave and its fourth floor spaces have had different uses throughout history. This article analyzes the archaeological evidence obtained from C floor and especially the well located in one of the rooms on this floor. Undoubtedly, the existence of wells on the fourth floor of Karaftu Cave has had various uses in different eras. Perhaps in the Seleucid and Parthian eras and before that it was sused as a test well for Mithraists or the well of remnants of vows, and in the Sassanid era as a burial well. The findings showed the ritual use of this well by humans in the Islamic era and especially in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as a well for I'tikāf.
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Various
Received: 2018/12/13 | Accepted: 2019/02/20 | Published: 2019/03/30
Received: 2018/12/13 | Accepted: 2019/02/20 | Published: 2019/03/30
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