year 10, Issue 35 (6-2026)
Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud. 2026, 10(35): 27-53 |
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Khayani A, Khosravi S. (2026). Early Stamp Seal Traditions in the Central Zagros (5000–2500 BCE): Continuity or Discontinuity?. Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud.. 10(35), 27-53. doi:10.61882/PJAS.1523.946.3
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-1523-en.html
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-1523-en.html
1- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran (Corresponding Author). ,sh.khosravi@uok.ac.ir
2- Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran (Corresponding Author). ,
Abstract: (77 Views)
Stamp seals constitute one of the most enduring elements of administrative traditions in the Central Zagros of western Iran. However, the uneven archaeological record has generated ongoing debate regarding continuity and discontinuity in their use, particularly during the late fourth and early third millennia BCE, when securely stratified evidence remains limited. Drawing on newly published materials from Tepe Tyalineh, Godin Tepe, Chogha Maran, and Dehsavar, this study reassesses the evolution of stamp seal traditions between ca. 5000 and 2500 BCE within an updated regional chronological framework. By examining the style, iconography, and archaeological contexts of stamp seals and seal impressions from a comparative perspective, the article evaluates competing interpretations of the development of administrative practices in the Central Zagros. The evidence indicates that stamp seals and seal impressions were employed in the region from the Early Chalcolithic (5000–4600 BCE) through Late Chalcolithic phases 1–3 (4600–3700 BCE), during which they continued to develop locally while interacting with broader supra-regional networks. Although the archaeological record suggests an apparent gap during Late Chalcolithic phases 4–5 (3700–3100 BCE), stamp seal traditions persisted into the Early Bronze Age (3100–2500 BCE). While these traditions underwent significant transformation and were increasingly overshadowed by cylinder seals and supra-regional administrative systems during the later fourth millennium BCE, they nevertheless continued to play a role in local administrative practices in the Early Bronze Age. The analysis suggests that this apparent gap is more plausibly explained by biases in archaeological visibility, preservation, excavation coverage, and chronological resolution than by an actual interruption in the production and use of stamp seals. Overall, the study supports a model of relative continuity accompanied by stylistic, iconographic, and administrative transformation within the Central Zagros glyptic tradition. These findings underscore the active role of Central Zagros communities in the development of administrative practices and contribute to broader discussions of cultural continuity, interregional interaction, and the emergence of sociopolitical institutions in prehistoric Southwest Asia.
Keywords: Central Zagros, Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age, Stamp Seal Tradition, Administrative Practices, Cultural Continuity, Interregional Interaction.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special Archeology
Received: 2026/02/16 | Accepted: 2026/04/18 | Published: 2026/06/21
Received: 2026/02/16 | Accepted: 2026/04/18 | Published: 2026/06/21
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