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Niakan L, Homayoon F. (2021). Investigation of Porcelain Frits Seals of the Kaluraz Ancient site, in the Organized Collection of the National Museum of Iran. Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud.. 5(17), : 3 doi:10.30699/PJAS.5.17.59
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-431-en.html

Abstract
Excavations in the last five decades in northern Iran, especially in the Sepidrood catchment area, have led to the discovery of unknown cultures, in the ancient sites of Marlik, Kaluraz, Nasfi, Joven, Jam-shidabad and other sites in the cultural area, during the late second and first millennium BC. They were achieved from different periods of the second millennium BC until the Sassanid era.  This article re-ports the result of a preliminary research on a number of exchange stamps (seals) which were identified and registered during the re-organization of the objects of the National Museum of Iran in 2010.They were part of a collection of seals frits from the ancient sites of Kaluraz.These works contain valuable and important information from various artistic, cultural, economic and commercial aspects in different historical periods in this cultural field.  The purpose of this study was to stablish the method of con-struction; the typology and the age of these seals; the geography of this cultural field; the method of making imitation stamps and recognizing their designs.  Research Questions and Hypotheses are specif-ically explained below: Where was their main origin and from which historical and cultural context? Do these seals have a particular local style or their style is influenced by other cultures? The seals found in the kaluraz Archaeological Site belong to which historical period? Archaeological excavations in the cemeteries and the geographical basin of SepidRood in the last five decades has provided valuable ar-chaeological knowledge of this cultural area during the late second to the first millennium BC, includ-ing specimens of wrought iron and bronze Frits seals from the whole tomb. The results of this research led to documentation of the findings and comparison the finding with other important settlements of the first millennium BC, in contemporary cultural horizons such as Marlik, ToulTalesh, Hasanlu and Mesopotamia.  Furthermore,a general conclusion about the process of typology and stylistics of seals is presented.
Keywords: Gilan, SepeedRood, Kaluraz, Cylindrical Seal, first and Second Millennium BC.

Introduction
The art of sealing and making stamps has a very long history in the olden times of mankind.  Since the appearance of stamp seals in northern Mesopotamia during the 6th millennium B.C, they have been used throughout the ancient Near East until the innovation of the cylinder seal in the second half of the 4th millennium B.C. Cylinder seals were the preferred administrative tool in Mesopotamia during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C.  The seals of Persia correspond in their types and use to those of Meso-potamia, beginning with amuletic pendants, and developing into stamp to cylinder seals.
Like cylinder seals, stamp seals could be made from stones; metal and clay. The images carved into the seal face itself ranged from simple geometric patterns to elaborate scenes of human and divine images. Seals are important to the study of ancient art and can, help to define chronological phases. they serve as a visual chronicle of style and iconography.
The images on it, contain enormous information which can be used to clarify the customs, ethnic be-liefs and to some extent the social, religious, political, economic, art and architectural conditions.  Fur-thermore, this information can be employed to culturally reconstruct the ecosystem of the forgotten ancient societies.  On the other hand, the stamps seal was used as a document to facilitate the transfer of commercial goods to neighboring or distant cultural areas.  It also provides information about neigh-boring and other cultural areas and shows the links between ancient societies and their relationship in joint organizations (Collon, 1990: 11).
This article reports the result of a preliminary research on a number of exchange stamps and cylinder seals which were identified and registered during the re-organization of the objects of the National Mu-seum of Iran in 2010.  They were part of a collection of seals from the ancient sites of kaluraz. These works contain valuable and important information from various artistic, cultural, economic and com-mercial aspects in different historical periods in this cultural field.  
The purpose of this study was to stablish the method of construction; the typology and the age of these seals; the geography of this cultural field; the method of making imitation stamps and recognizing their designs.  Research Questions and Hypotheses are specifically explained below:
• Where was their main origin and from which historical and cultural context?
• Do these seals have a particular local style or their style is influenced by other cultures?
• The seals found in the kaluraz Archaeological Site belong to which historical period?

Material and Methods
To achieve this aim, we did literature review using the currently available visual documents and exam-ined eight seals of the Damage and crockery cylindrical seals of Ali Hakemi in the coin and seals section of the National Museum of Iran in 2010.  Our analyzes is based on the excavations information (ob-tained during the field work in this cultural field) and the designs and descriptions of the concepts of the symbols of these seals.  
The National Museum of Iran has a large collection of different seals from various historical periods.  For example, the flat and cylindrical shapes seals that have been obtained in archeological excavations of the last five decades from the ancient sites of northern Iran in the geographical area of SepidRood.  

Geographical Setting
Sepidrood (the name of a river) catchment is located in Gilan province, south of the Caspian Sea.  Due to the climatic conditions; suitable environment and natural resources, this geographical basin has long been considered as a suitable habitat for living and has contributed to the creation of ancient cultures in this area for thousands of years.  The native name of SepidRood, especially in Gilan province, is Es-piyeh or Espiro (Domorgan, 1338: 209) in Gilaki language means white river.  Some Avestan scholars consider Sefidrood to be the same Daiti river in Avesta (Khodzko, 1975: 19-40).  Diakonov mentions the old name of Sefidrood Amard or Amardos (Diakonov, 1379: 79, 210, 312 and 623).  
The history of archeological research in the Kaluraz Valley dates back to the 1960.  During this period, a delegation headed by Ali Hakemi with the cooperation of archaeologists such as Mahmoud Kardvani; Abdolhossein Shahidzadeh and Ali Akbar Sarfaraz excavated some part of Gilan.  They worked contin-ually in several seasons for many years.  They collected valuable artifacts including stamps from Lilijan, kaluraz, Joban, Sandos and other archeological sites of Gilan.  The Stamps of current study were dis-covered and collected by Ali Hakemi and Abdolhossein Shahidzadeh, during the archaeological study and excavations between the years 1965 to 1969. 
During 1967 to 1969, Ali Hakemi studied Kaluraz, which includes a collection of cemeteries such as Ganjpar, Kafarkesh (Daghudalan) Zarindar and Jalalieh (Hakemi, 1347: 22-22).    The findings of Ali Hakemi are maintained and protected in coin and stamps section of the national museum of Iran.   
In 2010, we explored the cemetery and the ancient hill of Kaluraz in the west of Sefidrood, which is located alongside the road from Tehran to Rasht and 85 kilometers far from the coast of the Caspian Sea in Gilan province.   

Result
Excavations in the last five decades in northern Iran, especially in the Sepidrood catchment area, have led to the discovery of unknown cultures, in the ancient sites of Marlik, kaluraz, Nasfi, Joven, Jamshid-abad and other sites in the cultural area, during the late second and first millennium BC. They were achieved from different periods of the second millennium BC until the Sassanid era.  
Preliminary study on these seals, collected from Marlik Cemetery and northwestern sites such as Ha-sanlu, was able to give us a fresh look at the environmental conditions of the region, cultural relations and trade exchanges from socio-economic institutions during the Iron Age of this cultural field. The role of animals such as mountain goats, river fish, hunting birds, native trees of the region and agricul-tural fields indicates the livelihood and livelihood economy of the inhabitants of SepeedRood basin, which reflects a part of the environment and connections of the ancient Kaluraz area.  The artistic qual-ity in drawing the creatures is one of the characteristics of the artistic style of these seals.  This type of design can be seen in other works of this cultural field such as Marlik Cemetery.  The only seal whose style of engraving is different from other seals is a seal with a row of male mountain goats moving backwards.  This type of role is influenced by the stamping style of the Assyrian period, which can be entered into Kaluraz as a result of commercial exchanges. Although the lack of inscriptions on these stamps makes dating difficult, valuable cultural findings such as gold cups; ornaments, and beads made of imitation and bronze, show the characteristics of the Iron Age in Iran and cultural ties in this period.  Gold and silver goblets and ornaments and flat bronze seals and types of pottery obtained during the excavations of Kaluraz Cemetery, indicate very dynamic economic conditions with close relations and economic exchanges of residents with neighboring areas in the south of the Caspian Sea and between different geographical areas in Lake Urmia, such as Hasanlu.  In these areas the effects of the common style of local art and the influence of the Mitani style on cultural findings can be seen.

Conclusion
Archaeological excavations in the cemeteries and the geographical basin of SepidRood in the last five decades has provided valuable archaeological knowledge of this cultural area during the late second to the first millennium BC, including specimens of wrought iron and bronze beads from the whole tomb.  The results of this research led to documentation of the findings and comparison the finding with other important settlements of the first millennium BC, in contemporary cultural horizons such as Marlik, Toul Talesh, Hasanlu and Mesopotamia.  Furthermore, a general conclusion about the process of typol-ogy and stylistics of seals is presented.