Parseh Journal of Archaeological Studies

Identification a Site Accrued to Middle Paleolithic Period in Proximity of Hersin’s Qalakamandbag Tappeh

Sirvan Mohammadi Ghasrian

Abstract
Qalakamandbeg is one of the most important sites accrued to the Neolithic period and without pottery at the Hersin - in the west of Iran – this site has formed in the proximity a silex outcrop (mine) and at the bank of GamasiAov River. Identification of a site accrued to the middle Paleolithic in the recent surveys in the proximity of Qalakamandbeg clearly shows that forming these ancient sites and presence of the humans after Paleolithic period at this part has two reasons: firstly, availability to these silex outcrops to produce the applicable tools, and secondly a permanent water source in the name of GamasiAov River. The large number of dispersed stony manufactures and also numerous collected samples indicate that this site could be called as a camp site accrued to the middle Paleolithic, a site that has been formed to produce the various tools by the silex outcrop at the bank of GamasiAov River.
Keywords: Hersin, GamasiAov, Middle Paleolithic, Qalakamandbeg, Raw Materials, Tools Stone.

Introduction
GamasiAov River in the Hersin and Bistoon regions has always caused that the east and southeast areas of Kermanshah province to be one of the most important areas in Iran having survey about the Paleolithic period. Stanly Cown’s excavations (1949) in the cave of Shekarchian (hunters) Bistoon are the first surveys in this region and Iran (Cown 1959-60), these surveys paved the way to the next studies. Philip Smith has researches in the Kher Cave and also was completed the past researches made by Cown in the Bistoon Caves (Young and Smith 1966). In 1977, Mortensen and Smith were identified some of the places accrued to middle Paleolithic in the west of Hersin including a big workshop for cutting and producing the tools (Mortensen and Smith 1977, 1980). In the recent decades, the trend of studies has been promoted objectively and the same has led to more identified and excavated sites (Biglari and Taheri 2001, Shidrang2005, Jaubert et.al 2009, Chehri 2009, Biglari 2004, 2007). Recently, a visit to the old Neolithic sites at the peripheral areas of Hersin and Passer village was led to accidentally identification of a range of the tools accrued to the middle Paleolithic at around the Neolithic site of Qalakamandbeg, this subject shows that this site has relics accrued to the Old Neolithic along with the relics from the middle Paleolithic period as well.

Question, Theory and Research Method
The main question in this research is: which elements have been affected the forming of the middle Paleolithic site of Qalakamandbeg and also could attract the humans to come around the GamasiAov River at the Hersin plain, despite there is not any stony cave or shelter to have a permanent habitat here, because this region has a harsh situations during night time and also winter. The different studies have showed this site is an open and outdoor camp; there is a theory that says the most important item to attract the humans here is the same silex outcrops (in north of the site) to produce the applicable tools and also GamasiAov River, since we could not ignore this vital water source and existed aquatic creatures in it to constructe the interim and outdoor habitats here. This research method has concentrated on the surveys to collect the middle Paleolithic tools of this site and finally this research has used the library method to have complete study about the typology and producing the tools and its comparison with the similar discovered samples from the other middle Paleolithic areas in the central Zagros (Kermanshah).

Paleolithic Site of Qalakamandbeg
The Neolithic Tappeh, without the pottery of Qalakamandbeg, has located in a 1329m height of the sea level and also is 1500m away from the west point of Passar Village and about the 15km away of the west point of Hersin town (map.1). This Tappeh has been firstly found by Mortensen and Smith in 1977. Based on various studies and surveys, this site has two types of the relics accrued to the Islamic and Old Neolithic periods (Ibid) and there is not any study about the older relics here. Also other people had various studies such as Abbas Motarjem and Yahghob Mohammadifar (2002), Mohammad Eghbal Chehri (2009) but they pointed out that there is not any relic older than the Neolithic period. The recent visits and surveys on the north part of this tepe were led to find a series of the Levallois tools accrued to the middle Paleolithic, moreover other silex outcrops were also found in the several parts as well – it seems this site could have been used as the raw material to make the applicable tools – this site has located between the old truss over GamasiAov River and silex outcrop of Passar village, therefore Qalakamandbeg site has been possibly as an open and outdoor camp to produce the stony tools in the middle Paleolithic period.

Conclusion
The comprehensive (recently) studies and surveys in the Kermanshah region shows the important of utilization methods accrued to the societies of Paleolithic period from their environment and also displacement models of these societies in particular. It is worthy to note that identification of this Qalakamandbeg site at the bank of GamasiAov River would be seen in the same framework, since it has been formed in proximity of the Hersin’s silex outcrops, therefore the regions (Kermanshah) where having raw materials to produce the applicable tools, should be carefully considered. The results of performed studies in this site point out this site had been taken as a tool-producing camp at the bank of the river due to the numerous Levallois tools accrued to the middle Paleolithic period in this site, finally in fact this site has been as a tool-producing workshop from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic period and after this period on, instead only an important Paleolithic site for the people of the Hersin region – Qalakamandbeg Neolithic Tappeh can confirm this claim.

The Western Park of Taq-e Bostan, New Find In The Western of Central Zagros, Kermanshah

Mohammad Amin Mirghaderi

Abstract
Central Zagros as one of the significant Iranian archeological perspectives has attracted the attention of many archeologists during the recent century and especially from the 1950s. It seems that the rugged lands of this near east region have been the cradle of many cultural evolutions during the history and the prehistoric periods. Although central Zagros due to its adjacency to the central Iranian plateau, Mesopotamian and southwest of Iran lowlands, and also the northwest mountains of Iran has been of concern mostly for the cultural remnants of the prehistoric societies, yet it has been a strategic and important region during the historical and even Islamic period. Among them we can mention the complex of Taq-e Bostan on the north of Kermanshah located on the ancient path of “The great Khorasan road”. This complex is on the hillsides of Parkuh and surrounded by thickets and a lake which cause it a particular situation throughout the history. This complex owes its fame to the Sassanid rock relief which has been visited by Abeh Pushan in 1792 for the first time. However, Herzfeld studies are the first scientific investigations on the historical complex of Taq-e Bostan. On the other hand, the
conducted excavations by Mr.Kambakhshfard in 1969 led by the accidental discovery of some pithos graves by municipality workers, resulted in achieving the evidences of a Parthian cemetery with more than 50 pithos graves and also remains of a village related to Parthian period. According the archeological investigations and studies on the ancient paths of the western Iran, or the surveys have been done in the region and ninety years background of archeological studies about this area, no report regarding the prehistoric existence of this complex has been presented. Morad Hasel site is the closest prehistoric site to this complex which has been identified and surveyed by Mr. Hassan Rezvani and it is related to the chalcolithic and Bronze Age. During the surveys and visits of Ali Hozhabri in the summer of 2013, some evidences of a chalcolithic site have been identified in the western park of Taq-e Bostan complex. This site was surveyed and its surface findings were transferred to the C.H.H.T organization for filing and documenting. Regarding the nature of the findings which were collected during the field survey, the aim of the present study is to introduce this significant site and to present a relative
history for the site’s artifacts. In the following, the overall image of cultural structure of this site is recon structed with an analytical view and with regard to the chronology and the location of this site.
Keywords: Central Zagros, The Western Park of Taq-e Bostan, Chalcolithic Age, Kermanshah.

Conclusion
This site is located on the north of the current city of Kermanshah, Taq-e Bostan historical complex; with northern longitude of ″16 ′23 °34 and eastern latitude of 47″54.7′7°. Altitude of this site from the sea level is 1395 m and is one-kilometer length and 300 meters width. This site is located on the west of Taq-e Bostan, in the western Park of the complex and on the hillside, surrounded by pine trees and close to a basin with a boiling fountain. This basin known as Taq-e Bostan Sarab is one hundred meters far from the east of the site. The site is one kilometer far from the north of Qarasu River. On the rather steep slope of the mountain and some deep clefts have been made on its both sides by heavy equipment. The Parthian cemetery of Taq-e Bostan is formed on the Taq-e Bostan western park site’s remnants. Fortunately, the pine jungle around this site has prevented the urban construction and the field is preserved. However, since the Parks and green spaces organization of Kermanshah is beside the site, and in 2005 Kermanshah municipality decided to build a parking in this area and started to excavate in two parts of the site. The result of this earthworks were discovery of some Parthian pithoi graves which were unfortunately destroyed; although C.H.H.T stopped their progress but those clefts are still obvious and gradually they turned in to a dumping ground for city wastes and building debris. Later the municipality started to expand the west Park area of Taq-e Bostan with some changes. Except the known sites and caves around Taq-e Bostan which are far from the historical monuments, up to now Taq-e Bostan complex has been known and studied for its Parthian, Sassanid and Qajarian cultural remnants. Discovering a prehistoric site in this complex can emphasize its importance, not only for the historical and Islamic period but also the prehistoric (Chalcolithic) period. The Godin excavations can be considered as the base for western Iran chronology of central Zagros, but it seems that contrary to Kangavar plain, and in compare to eastern plains of Zagros, Mesopotamian ceramic culture was more widespread in the western plains of central Zagros such as Mahidasht during the fourth millennium B.C. accordingly, the chalcolithic chronology in Kermanshah and Mahidasht plains can be studied based on the excavations conducted in Siyahbid and Chogha Maran. Based on the chronology of the neo-chalcolithic period of this site which its evidences have been obtained on the workshop no. 3, handmade red ware and black ware ceramics with black decorative patterns have been found related to this period. The proposed date for the neo-chalcolithic of Mahidasht is 3000 – 3600 B.C; comparison of the discovered ceramics indicates the concurrency of this site with GodinVI: 1 and neo-chalcolithic layers in Siyahbid and Chogha Maran. Clearly, ceramics are the most important and significant cultural material of the near east. Due to the degradation and destruction, the surface cultural material of this site is just shreds. The neo-chalcolithic ceramics of the western Park of Taq-e Bostan complex are buff ware with vegetal temper and light red coating color. These ceramics are handmade, properly baked and medium quality. Among the surface ceramics of this site, no patterned shred was found but regarding the appearance of these ceramics, they can be related to neo-chalcolithic, specially the common rolled Rim bowls have been seen among the collected samples of the surface. Considering the clefts in this site made by the blades of the road construction equipment, the cultural material accumulation can be seen in this site. Ceramics are this site is comparable with the ceramics of GodinTepe in Kangavar plain and Siyahbid in Kermanshah plain.

Bard Panir: A Station or Settlement of Proto-Writing in the North of Khouzestan

Morteza Hessari

Abstract
In this paper, research was performed on cultural materials from Bard Panir, which morphologically is located on southern Central Zagros at mountainsides of Lorestan, close to the Khuzestan Plain and is geopolitically a part of Khuzestan Province. However, this region is similar to Lorestan Province with regard to its average rainfall, its mild temperature is neither similar to freezing winters of Lorestan, nor like torrid summers of Khuzestan. In addition, this region had traditionally been fertile because of being near Bala Roud, Dez and Karkhe (Hole, 1994). Regarding Cultural-Historical parameters, this region seems to be at least contemptuous with cultural materials from cultural periods such as Shoush II or Uruk in Mesopotamia. Shoush II Period in Khuzestan is known based on what is found in Acropolis I, especially layers 17-22. Moreover, materials from Apadana are analogous to those from Acropolis1, layers 19-22 (Dittmann, 1986: 76). Therefore, this time horizon seems to be related to a network of societies that connect Central Zagros to Khuzestan, and from there to Mesopotamia, within which is especially located the key deployment called Uruk, which is divided into three periods: Early Uruk, Mid Uruk, and Late Uruk. Hence, based on cultural materials excavated by authors and some samples from this site which were kept in Andimeshk Cultural Heritage, the morphology and location of this Tappeh, as a special physiographical region, were determined.
Keywords: Bard Panir, Shoush II, Uruk, Beveled Rim Bowl, Baneshi Tray.

Location and Description of Bard Panir
This site is located near the banks of Bala Roud Dam, Bala Roud, close to Hosseinieh
Town, northern Andimeshk City, Khuzestan Province. It is at 32 40 13.4 northern latitude; at 048 15 49.4 eastern longitude; and at a height of 343 m Altitude the sea level. Although, Bard Panir is geopolitically mapped within Khuzestan Province, it must geographically be located at southern Central Zagros. Bard Panir is about 10 m high; its area is 3.5 Ha; and distribution of pottery in it extends to around 30 Ha. This site is within a plain, at 100 meters from the banks of Bala Roud. Moreover, the site is about 40 m above the level of this river, and all surrounding area can be observed. It is circular. Within it, there are observed pieces of architectural evidence such as steeples and walls. Fortunately, because of being surrounded by the dam, it is not damaged by illegal excavations, buildings, farming, and traffickings by domestic and humans; so that it is easy to find large pieces of pottery and other data on the surface of this site.

Surface Data
Different cultural materials were collected from Bard Panir such as:

Pottery, Coarse Ware
1. Beveled Rim Bowl (Tab 1, Fig 3): This type of bowl is buff or cream-pink in colour. It is categorized among simply designed potteries. It is made of Chaff. There is observed some impurities because of using sands. Its surface is coarse because of the methods of they are produced. On the interior side of this kind of pottery is observed the deep trails of potter’s fingers. The rim of the container had been bevelled by a thing such as a piece of pottery or bone or fingers. Temper such as large (about 1.5 cm) chaff had been used. Moreover, average and tiny (0.5mm-5mm) sands had intentionally been added to the pottery material, so that the surface of the pottery is coarse. The mouth of all excavated pieces were approximately identical, ranging from 15 cm to 16.7 cm. All potteries are firmly made and almost all samples are baked completely. Data with regard to four of these containers are as follows: Container no. 1: 980ML; Container no.2: 965ML; Container no.3: 940ML; Container no. 4: 928ML
2. Baneshi Tray: Baneshi tray, which is known by its Uruki name, is a simple and shallow container. This had been made in circular and oval shapes in pinkish or buff colour. These potteries are hand-made and are made without any kinds of decorations or motifs. The temper used is of herbal kind which includes large (1.5 cm long) chaffs; however, some tiny (rarely larger than 2 mm) soft sands had intentionally added to the soil. It seems that they had been haggled; then they had been sprayed like a bread; and lastly the rims of the container had been leaned inwards; while, the surface of the container is levelled by hands and fingertips. The coarse exterior surface is the outcome the method of manufacturing them.
Fine Buff Ware Plain and painted (Tab 2, Fig 4): This type of Buff pottery includes often simple and rarely painted Motives. They had been designed mostly in brown and red colours. Their body is relatively thin.The Temper which are used mostly belong to the category of minerals. In the body of these pieces are observed coarse and homogeneous sands (0.20-2mm), being graded with a quality ranging from good to very good. According to the temper used in these types of potteries, the soil used by the potters had been relatively clean. There were not observed any impurities except for rare cases. The mould used by potters had acceptably been knead; however, the large amount of temper had resulted in its firm structure.
Fine Red Ware (Tab 3): This kind of pottery with orangey-red mould, includes often plain and rarely painted potteries. The Temper that had been used in these kinds of potteries are tiny minerals and are similar to small knobs on the interior and exterior surfaces of all pieces. Furthermore, in some cases the additive Chaff is observed, and this is one of the most important characteristics. In all these types of potteries except for one, the interior surface of the open-mouth pottery which is covered similar to the exterior surface is simple and untouched; so that the trails of parallel lines made by pot-wheel are observed clearly on the interior surface of the pottery. The soil used in manufacturing these potteries are observable with naked eye, although the herbal additives are chipped very small in size, and lots of heterogeneous and numerous sands in all sizes. The mould had acceptably been knead and potteries are made of a constant and firm structure.

Archaeological Research of Iron Age Graveyard, Gand-Ab Shahmirzad, Semnan Province

Abdolmotaleb Sharifi-Hevelaei

Abstract
The site, Gand-Ab was archaeologically excavated during three seasons in 2002, 2003, 2006. During the first season, more than 25 graves were discovered, some of which were illegally excavated. In this excavation, we tried to use the excavated graves for completing our information about the funeral customs and architectural features of Gand-Ab Graves. The second season continued archaeological, anthropological studies; in addition to geological, topographical and networking studies of Gand-Ab Site. Seventeen graves were excavated during this season. In the third season in 1385, settlement sites were excavated as well as the graves, and this was an excavation of Gand-Ab settlements for the first time. During the first season, two hypotheses were proposed about the non-proportionality of architectural remnants and the settlements in Gand-Ab compared to the extent of the grave. This site is about 51 km northern Semnan City, 26 km northern Shahmirzad City, and 3 km west of Shahmirzad-Sari Road. This site is located 53/28/23 eastern longitude and 35/54/21 northern latitude. The Gand-Ab Site is about 2280 m above the sea level (Image 1 & 2).
Keywords: Semnan Archaeology, Graveyard, Iron Age, Gand-Ab, Kharand.

Gand-Ab Grave
A: Body positioning
Burials placed in a number of different positions:
1. Supine burying (Image 4); 2. Squatting burying (Image 5).
In supine, the dead were buried straight, on their back, head on their right shoulder or their left shoulder. Their hands were sometimes straight at the sides of their bodies and sometimes they were placed on their stomach or on their chests. Any special direction for dead bodies were not observed. In squatting, the dead body were on sides of their bodies without considering any directions. The direction of the graves had been selected based on geographical conditions, so that the head had been placed in contrary to the slopes of the mountain, while their feet had been on the direction of the slopes.

B: the architecture of Graves
Because of the rocks, the Gand-Ab graves had been dug in a special method. These graves were prepared based on the height of the dead. The architecture of the graves in this site is of four types:
1. Hand-dug rocky graves; 2. One-stratigraphic graves; 3. Two-stratigraphic graves; 4. Sour-stratigraphic graves.
1. Hand-dug rocky graves: first rocks were dug, and then the dead had been placed inside the grave. After funeral, they had covered the dead with another rock, and at last they covered it all with soil. It is observed in some cases that they had filled the seam between rocks with pieces of sand and mud (Image 6).
2. One-stratigraphic graves: in these kinds of graves, one walls of the grave were built by placing stones on each other without using mud. The covering rock were placed on the grave in a declivitous form (Image 7).
3. Two-stratigraphic graves: in this kind of burying, two walls at the length of the grave were built by placing stones on each otherand covering it by a rock. On the wall of these graves were considered four niches. The existence of niches in graves is one of architectural features of Gand-Ab and Kharand Graves. However, there were discovered graves without any niches (Image 8).
4. Four-stratigraphic graves: the interior walls of these graves were all made by placing
pieces of sand and stones without using mud. On the wall of these graves, there were discovered one to four niches, in which they had placed things and food. Looking at the
covering rock, it is possible to guess the sex of the skeleton. Gand-Ab settlements had left much more things for the dead women. Therefore, for leaving more things in a grave they had needed more space, so that the covering rock had needed to be bigger (Image 9).

The Covering of Graves
The covering rocks on graves in Gand-Ab were prepared from the Sar Avar Mine in southern Gand-Ab. Some rocks had been monolith rocks, which are now broken into the grave because of pressure. In some cases, stones were placed on graves using trunks of trees (Image 10). It is observed in some cases that the seam between the wall and the covering rock had been filled with smaller stones and mud (Image 11) so that the soil do not enter the grave.

The Art of Pottery
The Gand-Ab settlements had been skilful potters, who had created lots of artistic beauties. The pottery paste in Gand-Ab is mostly a brownish red color. buff color is rarely observed. Kitchen pottery with soft paste and smoky body is observed among pieces of pottery as well. Pieces of sand are used for pasting pieces of pottery. Both hand-made and wheel-made pottery was observed in Gand-Ab. Most pieces of pottery are well-baked, but some pieces are mildly baked, while some are badly baked so that they had completely been smashed.

Conclusion
Because of the shortage of published sources, the author had to rely on the sources kept in the northern provinces of Iran (Golestan, Mazandaran and Gilan), which have mostly been discovered from smugglers, and compare them with the excavated cultural material from Gand-Ab. It is worth considering that most of the cultural material kept in these places had been dated wrongly because of a lack of knowledge about this site. Based on the existing documents, some tribes had been scattered at the end of the second millennium BC to the first millennium BC (Iron II, III) at the mountain ranges of Alborz and close to the water resources. The economy of these tribes had been based on ranching and for this purpose they had travelled from lowlands of Mazandaran to mountain ranges during summer to use rich pastures such as Kharand, Dargazeh, KhatirKuh, Gand-Ab, etc. These tribes had been aware of the arts such as pottery, metallurgy and decoration.
These tribes had a rich architecture. They used the local materials such as stones, mud and wood of Avras (gorse). The social hierarchy in Gand-Ab is recognized based on the quality and quantity of materials that they had placed besides women compared to men. Settlers in Gand-Ab had believed in the afterlife and they had placed close to the death inside the graves materials such as pottery, metals, stones and food. In addition to meat, these tribes had used herbal seeds. The dead had been buried with clothes because there were discovered cloths in the graves.

- Vanden Berghe, L .A. (1964). La Necropole de khurvin. Leiden.

A Discussion on Function of Kangavar Historical Building

Ahmad Heidari

Abstract
One of the controversial architectural monuments in Iran historical era is a building that today, is known to Anahita temple. In summary, three expeditions excavated in Kangavar terrace that all of them conducted by Iranian experts. The first expedition conducted by Seifollah Kambakhshfard, from 1968 to 1975. He concluded that kangavar terrace was Anahita temple, and it is Where that Isidore of Charax so called Artmis temple. He reported that it had constructed in from fourth and fifth century B.C and it used until end of the Sassanids era. The second expedition conducted by M.Azarnoush, from 1976 to 1977. He believed that the historical monument of kangavar is Ghasr-e lesus, which has been reported in resources of Islamic historian. He supposed Kangavar terrace is a palace from second Khosro era. Azarnoush published a design that it be on basis of design of Alexander verika, but he added some crenation’s to the covering upside of columns.
The third expedition conducted by Mohammad Mehryar and have begun their excavations and repair operation from 1988 until 2000. He reported that the columns which were on the perimeter terrace wall, had been uncovered. Mehryar have presented a design which have shown three uncovered terraces and have shown uncovered columns of external façade wall of perimeter terrace against of other group opinions.
At present, the reasons which proved that Kangavar terrace is a cult that had been belonged to Second Khosro era are as follow:
A-The form of building plan which had been composed of three uncovered terrace and it is obvious that no royal palace or residential building had been constructed uncovered.
B-The form of Sassanid places which had been composed of a Ivan which led to the yard. On the other hand, Sassanid palaces usually contained numerous decorations of stucco; however, it is not found any small slice in excavations.
C-It found some engraved capital in Taq-e Bostan that it belongs to the Second Khosro probably, also historical resources reported that some monuments of Khosro consist of: palace, kitchen and so on in Kermanshah district.
Keywords: Anahita Temple, Kangavar, Khosrow Parviz, Dadi Vank.

Conclusion
This paper concluded that Historical monument of Kangavar had been a cult which had been belonged to Sassanid Second Khosro. In fact, this holy place had been a place that the second Khosro had wanted to construct near of his palace and symbolic grave (Taq-e Bostan). This monument had been three uncovered terraces and there had been one two sided stairway which had been in southern edge that had been composed the basic entrance of the building. The author believes that if we suppose Kangavar building as three uncovered terraces, with compared to the ceremonies and rites which had been seen in Armenian monasteries, especially in Dadivank and it had been the reflex of ceremonies of antique Mazdisnan. We can imagine that such ceremonies had been implemented in Kangavar building, but the style of shaving stones, thickness and short columns had been comparable with the lithic building of Zvartons temple which had been belonged to seventh century A.D in Armenia. This building had been constructed by Armenian architectures in according to the Christian column structure accompanying with trinity belief of Holy Gregory. This belief has been shown precisely in construction of this temple. In another place in Dadivank monastery which had been belonged to the middle ages (12-20), prayers and prayers walk through the mountains routes and enter to the collection as pilgrim in order to implementing the religious ceremonies and rites. When they enter to the collections, they understand that there is a chapel in middle part which is called Khachkars. There are holy trees and water fountain in this place. When they enter the temple, the believes should pass among the holy spaces. This first holy place is western entrances which has been constructed skillfully and have rich decorations. The second holy place is chapel hall and the third and the last holy place and also the most sacred place is altar that is called Khoran. At here there is altar situated against a window and is a place which God should appear in it and the prayers communicate with him and hold the ceremonies of cult and prayer. It seems, in Kangavar’ terrace, the king and praises after climbing of southern step to top of the first terrace, that had been called perimeter terrace, had been reached to the place which it’s uncovered columns like the circuit wall of holy trees had been shown the frontage and border of the cult. A Number of people should had stood or waited in this terrace. Then, a number of other people had been gone to the middle terrace which had been probably a chapel. The praises of two aforesaid terraces had been the witnesses of implementing the fire ceremonies in third terrace which in fact, had been a cult. According to the reports of historical resources, especial Zakariya Mahmod Ghazvini, after Khosrow parviz death, this building had been remained imperfect and never had been exploited completely.

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Karkooy, Firouzbahram Fire Temple in Sakestan

Reza Mehr Afarin

Abstract
Sistan is a plain land in east of Iran and today an extensive part of it is located in Afghanistan. In Parthian period, the region was an important natural, economic and religious zone and the homestead of one of the greatest Parthian families, Soren Pahlav. In Sassanid period, Sistan was called Sakestan and due to its special region, it was ruled by the Sassanian prince Sakan shah who ruled upon vast Koost of Nimrooz. Sassanians not only centralized the political power but also they used Zoroastrianism as the official religion of the country and severely defended it so that state and religion became two inseparable brothers which support and uphold each other. At the commence of the new period, Sistan was attended by the Sassanian monarchies because of the new religious basements of it. In the few texts remained of Sassanid period Sistan is introduced as a very significant region. In Khorde Avesta, Atashbahram, in the twentieth paragraph, after three magnificent fires, fire of Karkooy is alluded (Doostkhah, 1375: 607). In Bondahesh also fire of Karkooy is mentioned related to the three magnificent fires (Faranbaghdadegi, 1369). In Islamic narratives Karkooyeh is known as a private temple of Garshasb and the author of “The History of Sistan” writes: Zoroastrians know it as a holy place and believe that Garshasb left his divine spirit there and made it a holy place by it.
Keywords: Sistan, Zoroastrianism, Fire Temple, Karkooy, Ancient relics

Introduction
The remnants of Karkooyeh or Karkooshah fire temple is twenty kilometers in west-north of Zaranj and in the left of it there is a branch of Hirmand river near Miyankangi region. This ancient building is interrelated to the culture and history of the region and the identity of it is still remained firm. The people of the region know Karkooyeh fire temple very well and narrate lots of tales about it.
Some of European scholars and counselors like colonel Yeat in 1894 have visited this place. Sir Percy Siecs in 1899 considered this place as the capital and the main temple of Kiyaniyan and in 1905 Georg Peter Tit, the topographer of Gold Smith team studied the detailed architectural features of it.
The geographers of the first decades of the Islamic period considered Karkoo a noteworthyregion and Ibne Khordadiyeh in third century H.gh counted it as a county of Sistan. Before the occupation of Sistan by Arabs, Karkooy and Targhoon fire temples were extensively important temples. Arabs stifled the temples and suffocated the holy fires. Most probably the Muslim Arabs neglected the little temples and suffocated the great and important ones to evince the predominance of Islam (Tit, 1362: 122).
Among the geographers the most amount of information was presented by Simaye-Karkooyeh, Zakariya Mohammad Ibne Ghazvini who lived in seventh century the AH. But it is not clear whether he describes the structure as it is in his age or he narrates it from what he heard from the ancestors: “Karkooyeh is an old city of Sajestan. There are two domes in it. The people believe that they belong to the age of Rostam and at the top of them there are two curved horns like the ones of a thorn. They are the wonder of the land from the age of Rostam. Under the domes there are two temples for Magians. It seems that they put up somewhere as a temple near their houses and the fire never suffocates there. And there are servants for these temples who kindle the fire by turn and sit up far from it while covering their noses and mouths and silver tongs in their hands put wood in fire and before it subside put another one in it and this is the biggest temple for magians.”(Ghazvini, 1371: 321)
According to the local studies, some cultural materials like tiles were obtained from this region to estimate the history and record of establishment in this ancient and religious land. After the typology tests and sorting them, they were studied by comparison. It shows that Tepe Karkoo was established from the Parthian period and it went on till eighth century AH (Musavi Haji, Mehrafarin, 1386: v.3). There is nothing remained of the Sassanid fire temple but from the structure of this period (the main building of the temple) some parts of a brick wall is visible; the other parts of it are under ground and the remnants of the Islamic period. Detailed study of it and drawing the outline of the plan of the fire temple is possible only through later archeological excavations.

Conclusion
Natural factors like wind, rain, severe sunshine, flood and especially human beings always had a destructive effect upon the structure.
Illegal excavations are a main reason for the destruction of the establishment. These excavations which are done by smugglers and predators of the cultural legacy cause severe destruction of the temple.
Deep roots of Zoroastrianism in this region, wealth and strong settlement of it, the strategic situation and presence of the prince, caused the establishment of such a huge and important fire temple in this region. According to the texts and books of the historians and geographers of the first decades of the Islamic period it seems that Karkooy village of today is the same Karkooy (Sassanid holy fire temple) which is mentioned in Khorde Avesta and Bondahesh and the town which is talked about in the books of Ibne Hoghal, Maghdasi, Estakhri and Hamdollah Mostofi and was alluded to lots of time in the historical texts.

Iranian Musical in Poetical Melodies of Abu Nawas

Yaghub Mohammadifar

Abstract
The composition of music and poem has leaded both of them to poetical growth and deep thinking. Sasanid civilization had penetrated in to the pillars of the society in Abbasid period, and music found an important place as one of the symbols of Sasanid civilization. Poets in Abbasid period have created lovely images by musical instruments. In this way, Abu Nawas was a poet who showed his power in creating poetical images by musical instruments. He was able to mix music with human feeling. He knew music as a doleful tune and delightful melody which rises up of the soul of musician, it did not come from a strict string, or a lifeless wood (stick). In his poems, he mentioned some of the instruments; Lute and Flute and Harp, Tambourine and Tanbur and Mizmar were the most important among them.
Keywords: Iranian Music, Abu Nawas, Sasanian Period.

Introduction
Music of Sassanid and Abbasid era: The history of musical performance in Sassanid Iran is, however, better documented than earlier periods. This is specially more evident in the context of Zoroastrian ritual. By the time of Xusro Parviz, the Sassanid royal court was the host of prominent musicians. In general, the period of Xosro Parviz reign is regarded as an “golden age of Iranian music” and himself is shown in a large relief at Taq-e Bostan among his musicians and himself holding bow and arrows and while standing in a boat amidst a group of harpists. The relief depicts two boats and the whole picture shows these boats at “two successive moments within the same panel”.
The musical instruments which appeared distinctly on the Sassanid sculptures were the harp, the horn, the Daf, the drum and the flute or pipe. The harp is triangular, and has seven strings; it is held in the lap, and played apparently by both hands. The drum is of small size. The horns and pipes are too crudely represented for their exact character to be apparent. Concerted pieces seem to have been sometimes played by harpers only, of whom as many as ten or twelve joined in the execution. Mixed bands were more numerous. In one instance the number of performers amounts to twenty−six, of whom seven play the harp, an equal number the flute or pipe, three the horn, one the drum, while eight are too slightly rendered for their instruments to be recognized. A portion of the musicians occupy an elevated orchestra, to which there is access by a flight of steps. Music is one of the most important factors in the Sassanian Persian civilization. Unfortunately, there is no note left from that period about their melodies. Thus, we are not able to become familiar with the theory of music in these periods.
Abu Nawas, an innovative poet: Innovative poets in the beginning of Abbasid era changed the contents of Arabic poetry. It is exclamatory that the leadership of this innovativeness belongs to Iranians. Bashaar, Abu Ataaie, Abu Nawas are the initiators of evolution in Abbasid poetry and they are called as the modernists of Abbasid Period.
Musical instruments in the poems of Abu Nawas: The names of musical instruments in Abu Nawas’ poets are mixed with his poetic emotions. For Abu Nawas, these instruments are not a set of strings or woods to be mentioned in the poem, rather he connects his emotions with these instruments. He vitalizes them. He perceives them their sound as human emotions as he blows in them or plays them weather in mood of euphoria or illness.
Lute and Flute: Lute is also called Barbat. It is an old instrument which is called Mezmer by Arabs and it is considered the best and the most joyful instrument. It is said that: they asked Lute, “is there any instrument better than you?” It answered “No”, while he bent his head to the back and stayed that way.
Harp and Daf: Literary, harp means paw and it is the name of a popular instrument or the name of anything which is bent. Harp is made by zinc. Hitting two of them together makes it sing. In Hindi they call it Jahanche. In Persian, Daf is the name of a popular instrument. In Arabic it is called Dof. Daf has a circular shape and it is made by wood, covered by animal skin. In some of its parts, rings are attached to it and this instrument is very precious for Dervishes.
Tanbur: Tanbur is a Persian musical instrument which has entered into Arabs culture. Originally this instrument was called Danbare in the beginning. Its bowl and surface was smaller than the bowl and surface of Shervanian Tanbur and it surface was flat and smooth.
Mizmar: It is said that Mizmar is a reed or it is lute and also it has been referred to as Barbat. It has been called Mezmar by concise which means Trachea. Mazaamir are burnt reeds. Paluarr form of Mizmar means Trachea and in Arabic, it means the puluarar form of singers’ instruments.

Conclusion
Last words: Abu Nawas, a modernist poet of Abbasid period, is an Arab poet (originally Persian) who has created new and beautiful concepts and images based on the culture and civilization of Sasani. This concepts and images include Iranian instruments and melodies of Sasanid period. Reed, Lute, Harp, Daf, Tanbur, Mizmar are mentioned in Abu Nawas’ poetry. Among this instruments, Reed and Lute are two mostly been mentioned together. An important point to mention about these instruments is their vitalization by the poet. These instrument are not only names to be used to describe the event or report the lifestyle of that period, they have been used as symbols to show us the joy of living, by imagination and vitalization of the instruments. Abu Nawas’ proficiency in Arabic language, his knowledge of Iranian culture and Sasanid music, enabled him to create new images and meanings and granted him a special place in Abbasid period.

A Review on Archaeometallurgy of Copper from Halil Region Based on Petrograpgical- Chemical Investigation on Ancient Copper Slags

Seyed Mohammad Amin Emami

Abstract
The mineralogical and chemical investigation of ancient slag is of high importance for economic mineralogist and archaeometalurgist. These investigations reveal information, which is of general historical and mineralogical interest. Over than 95% of metallic reservoirs have proved antiquity evidences. By using mineralogical-petrographical studies on metallurgical slag as an object from the ancient world, it could be enhance to understanding about the major and trace elements via metal extraction.
The basin of Halil Rood (Halil River) is privileged to have a rich civilization. Many objects as well as metallurgical evidences belonging to the third millennium BC have been discovered in this district during the archeological excavations. Kerman – Rabor – Jiroft district is of great interest due to the archaeometallurgical signs in south-west Iranian desert and belong to the Halil Rood region. This district is important according to the enrichment of polymetallic hydrothermal ore reservoir such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Sn, Ag and Au in south and south-west of Zagros orogeny. Several scientists have been focused on this region, as one of the born place of metallurgy in the ancient World [1]. The primary aim of this study was the characterization of extracted metals and the methods of smelting. The objects to be discussed here are mostly copper slag as well as ores. 20 local mining- and metallurgical places have been found through recently archaeometallurgical expedition. These places are mainly consisted of slag-heap, fireplaces and ore deposition, which are remarked possibly as passage-metallurgy along south Iranian desert.
Keywords: Archaeometallurgy, Metallogeny, Petrology, Slag, Copper, Kerman.

Introduction
There are several slag accumulations in Halil region. The slag samples investigated during the present work were collected from thirty-seven different ones which were located in different parts of studied area. There are four Types of slags in these districts districts.
A) The slags are generally massive and in some cases the colour is black with some red spots (Copper). The sign of flow structures can be seen on some of them, but there is no glacial one. The porosity is high as well as their density. The structure such as furnace has been excavated from this area. This Furnace has ca. 1.5 m cross section dimension.
There was a deponie of slags materials upside this furnace. In the furnace there exist no slags by now. It could be the furnace with temporary employment in this region. Such furnaces with the same structures have been observed in the north of central desert in Iran, In sahroud and Khorasan region.
B) there are five small dumps located near each other which have been considered. These samples have flow structures. They are black and red in color and have more porosity than an accumulation’s samples.
C) several small dumps located at the main stream at the north of Rabor-Jiroft district, which considered as C accumulation. Only one slag was selected from it. This sample is black in colour and has massive structure. No flow or glacial structures can be seen between slag pieces in C accumulation.
D) A very small dump has been excavated. The physical properties of these slags are completely different from other ones. This sample has many porosity and low density. It is black in colour and no flow or glacial structures are seen. Mineralogical and petrological analyses were performed only on slag materials. The dating of all this samples to classify these dumps could not be possible in this project. The distribution of the dumps is not only statistically but also commonly on this field, and for this reason there is another factor to have no chance to get the better results in respect on the ageing of dumps on this region exactly. The topographic situation and the changing of the earth in each seasons, and the movement of the seasonal rivers disturb the structure of the surface topography permanently each year. This distribution during the overflows in the wet seasons could be the aspect of slag’s distribution either.

Halil region is located in south central of Iranian metallogenic zone. Rock types in this area are mainly divided into 6 sections as follow:
1. Upper Proterozoiec: the oldest and the most abundant rock type in studied area. This formation is composed of quartzitic shist, phyllic- like schist, green schist and marble. Quartz-chloric, quartz- seresic, chloritic schist are also existed with an admixture of carbonate with thick layers and lenses of dolomitize marble, dolomite and rare beds of chloritized calcareous-quartz.
2. Cretaceous: This rock type forms bands of sublatitudal. Lower Cretaceous deposits are spread in external parts. This rock type largely composed of carbonate rock, less abundant conglomerate, gravels and sand stone.
3. Eocene: This basal unit of tuff- conglomerate lies completely at the lower part of the complex. These are overlain by tuff and lavas of trachyandesitic and andesitic composition, with intercalation of trachyandesite- basalt and lime stone. The section is crowned by fine- fragment of tuff and tuff- mudstone.
4. Dykes: the oldest and the most abundant Dykes are porphyry granite, aplitic granite, microgranosyenite, syenite and lamprophyre. The younger ones are porphyry granodiorite and porphyry diorite.
5. Plutonic rocks: these rocks are very abundant and most of them are acidic. Linear ultra mafic structures are observed in this area. Plutonic units are divided into different parts: Diorite-Manzanite, Manzanite-Quartz Manzanite, Porphyry Alkaline, Graniteporphyry, Quartz Syenite.
6. Quaternary: these sediments are widespread in all over the studied area. Genetically, they are subdivided into alluvial- proluviall- and eolian sediments.
The probable ore types which is outcropped in this area are classified as the following table; The objects to be discussed here are the copper slag. The primary aim of this study was the characterization of materials and the methods of smelting. The objects which have been found here are mostly slag as well as ores. The slag shows the structure of casting slag and also remains from the smelting furnace. The materials are characterized by means of XRD-XRF and Pol-Microscopy methods.

Conclusion
The slag contains high amount of Copper oxide, hydroxide and carbonate and silicate and some amount of MgO or MnO complexes. The main silicate appeared here is Fayalite and pyroxene which has been existed in the matrix of slag. The main paragenesis is chalcocite-chalcopyrite-covellite. copper was smelted at the high oxygen fugacity; approximately about 10-7 atm. Indeed, the furnaces heated with charcoal and charcoal observed also in the macroscopic texture of slag.

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