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Hamed Tahmasebifar, Hassan Fazeli Nesheli, Mojtaba Safari, Judith Thomalsky, Jebrael Nokandeh, Nasir Eskandari,
year 9, Issue 34 (3-2026)
year 9, Issue 34 (3-2026)
Abstract
Abstract
A series of field activities including two seasons of survey and excavation at the Shahneh Poshte cemetery of Babol on the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains in central Mazandaran in 2018 and 2019 resulted in the discovery of a collection of human graves and burials scattered throughout this 11-hectare site. Due to the mass of destruction caused by unauthorized excavations in the cemetery, several disturbed graves were observed without any classifiable information. In contrast, by conducting scientific excavations in the 16 trenches, a total of 39 identifiable and Readable human burials were found and then the collection of information and archaeological findings related to each burial was recorded and classified. In this study, we attempt to answer questions about the existence of possible burial methods and patterns and the meaningful characteristics of these variables by studying a set of different aspects including burial practices such as the position and orientation of the body, position of face of hands, architectural structure of the graves, gender and age of skeletons, individual and group burials, and burials with and without objects. The results of absolute dating and comparative studies indicate that this cemetery belongs to a long time span from the 11th and 12th centuries BC (Iron I) to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, i.e. the Achaemenid to the early Parthian period (Iron IV), and therefore cultural materials of this cemetery are comparable to intra-regional ancient sites in Mazandaran as well as trans-regional sites in the Gorgan Plain, the Central Plateau, and especially the Gilan region. Our research also shows that the Shahneh Poshte graves follow a specific pattern in some burial aspects including the supine position and the direction of the face to the south and therefore have long-term burial traditions.
Keywords: Shahneh Poshte Cemetery, Burial Practices, Iron Age, Mazandaran, Cultural Communications.
Introduction
The Shahneh Pashte cemetery is located adjacent to village of Kamikola and southwest of the Khoshrudpey city and 21 kilometers south of the Babol (Fig. 1) (Saedian, 2014: 321). This cemetery was excavated over two seasons in 2018 and 2019 by Hassan Fazeli Nashli. The result of these excavations was the identification of 39 human burials in situ (28 graves) (Fig. 2) which provide a set of valuable archaeological data such as absolute and relative dating, burial methods including the position and orientation of the bodies and faces, the position of the hands and the structure of graves. Based on the whole of archaeological data, the site can be dated to the late 2nd millennium B.C (late Iron I) to the mid-1st millennium B.C (Iron IV, 3rd - 4th centuries B.C / Achaemenid to early Parthian). More precisely, the absolute dating on 5 skeletons uphold this period. Based on archaeological studies between 39 burials, 29 burials belong to the late Iron I (late 2nd millennium BC) to Iron III (burials 1-11 and 22-39) are called “Iron age I - III Group” and the other 10 burials (burials 12-21) can be dated to the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C (late Achaemenid to early Parthian) that are called “Iron age IV Group”, considering the absolute dates of the two burials and their spatial relationship.
Discussion
The study of the Shahneh Poshte burials shows that a set of methods were used to place the deceased in grave which are divided into two general categories: lying on the sides and supine. These two general modes include a total of 11 sub-modes. In general, in the entire Iron Age in this site (I-IV), the lying on the sides includes 13 burials (33.3%) including 4 burials on the right and 9 burials on the left, supine 15 burials (38.5%) and also 11 burials (28.2%) lack any recognizable signs. In more detail, during the Iron I-III period, there were 8 contracted burials (28% of total) of which 4 were on the right and 4 on the left. In addition, 12 burials (41% of total) were buried in supine. Also, 9 burials (31% of total) were of unknown status. In the Iron IV, there were 5 contracted burials (50% of total) all of which were on the left and no right-sided burials were found. Moreover, 3 burials (30% of total) were buried in supine. Finally, 2 burials (20% of period) were classified as undetermined burials due to extensive damages (Fig. 3-5). Regarding the position of the hands of the skeletons, during the Iron I-IV, a total of 16 positions were observed which can be classified into three general groups: lying on the sides, supine and unknown. In addition, the first group includes 6 subgroups (25% of all), the second group is divided into 9 subgroups (54% of all) and the third group is divided into 9 cases (21% of all) as unknown (Fig. 6-7). In Shahneh Poshte, three types of grave architecture have been identified. The first is a simple pit, second is a simple pit with a clay cover and the third is a pithos. Of the 28 graves in site, 26 graves (93% of all) are simple oval pits, of which 20 graves belong to the Iron I-III (71.6%) and 6 graves (21.4%) belong to the Iron IV. The second method, a simple pit covered with big clay fragments includes only 1 is from Iron Age I-III (3.5% of total). Also the pithos burial consists of only 1 grave (3.5% of total) from Iron Age IV (Fig. 8-10). In terms of gender and age of the deceased in this cemetery, total of 9 burials (23% of all) were identified as male, including 8 burials (27.6%) in Iron I-III and 1 burial (10%) in Iron IV. In addition, there were 14 burials (36% of total) as female including 12 burials (27.6%) in Iron I-III and 2 burials (20%) in Iron IV. Also, of the total burials, 16 burials (41% of total) were disturbed (Fig. 11-17). In addition, 7 different positions of the bodies were identified in relation to geographical directions including: south-north 5% of all, east-west 2.5%, west-east 23%, northeast-southwest 10.5% of all, southwest-northeast 10.5%, southeast-northwest 10.5%, northwest-southeast 15% and also an unknown direction 23% of all burials (Fig. 18-19). It is worth noting that for the orientation of face, during all periods, the dominant method was the south direction with a total of 23% of all burials, and especially 20.5% of all in Iron I-III, it was certainly the most common burial method. It seems that this method was not a priority in the Iron IV and was used less often. After that, the north direction was the most common method with 15.3% including 10.2% in Iron IV and 5.1% in Iron I-III (Fig. 20-21). Regarding other study characteristics, 67.8% of the total graves are individual and 32.2% are group graves. Among the first group, 53.5% of the total is related to Iron I-III and 14.6% are related to Iron IV. In addition, group graves comprise 32.2% of the total graves of which 621.5% are related to Iron I-III and 310.5% are related to Iron IV (Fig. 22-25). Finally, about the possession of objects, in total, 70% of all burials were buried with burial objects and 30% did not contain any goods (Fig. 26-27). Finally, regarding the amount of possession of objects, in total, 27 burials (70% of all) were buried with burial objects, and only 12 burials (30% of total) did not contain any burial objects or grave goods.
Discussion
Human skeletons in Shahneh Poshte cemetery are mostly buried in individual and group graves, including 28 graves which mostly include simple pits, one case of a simple pit with a clay cover and one pithos. In fact, the architectural of the graves was mostly in form of simple pits. A simple pit grave with a clay cover is quite unique in this site and a similar the grave has apparently been found only in one grave in the Lefork cemetery of Savadkuh which has been dated to Iron Age III (Abedini, 2017: 154). Third group of tombs is pithos type that has many similar older and contemporary examples in Mazandaran county. Among the numerous similar examples in the Iron Age of Mazandaran, can mention the children’s tombs in Gohar Tepe (Piller and Mahfroozi, 2009: 19) and cemetery Amirkola in Savadkuh (Abedini, 2017: 154), as well as Qaleh Kuti I cemetery (Fukai and Ikeda, 1971: Pl. XIX, Fig. 2) and Kaluraz in Gilan (Fahimi, 2002: 106-107), Tepe Gyan (Contenau and Girshman, 1935: 12), Maral Tepe of Uzbeki (Majidzadeh, 2008: 135-136) and Dinkhah Tepe (Muscaerella, 1974: 75). In addition, this method reached its peak of use during the Parthian period such as Taq bustan in Kermanshah (Kambakh Fard, 1998: 45), Liarsang-Ben cemetery in Gilan (Jahani et al., 2023: 38; Jahani et al., 2018: 114), and especially in the central Zagros basin (Mohammadi Far and Hojabari Nobari, 2004) such as Sanandaj (Khosravi et al., 2018: 317), Marivan (Mohammadi Far and Sarraf, 2006; Masoumian and Rahimi-Galugahi, 2012: 428) and several points in the city of Hamadan and its surrounding areas (Azarnoush, 1975: 56, vol. 7; Dailer et al., 2013). The graves of Shahneh Poshte are scattered in different parts of the cemetery and it does not seem that a specific space of the cemetery was dedicated to a specific group or class of people in this society. The group graves are in the form of two-burial and three-burial graves with a slight difference in depth and space compared to each other, although the attribution of some of these group burials to each other has been ambiguous. However, the spatial proximity of the skeletons and their burial objects and the difficulty in distinguishing them from each other led to the attribution of some of them to a single grave and it seems that even despite a slight difference in depth, there was a clear awareness in creating a single grave for multiple skeletons. Usually, the deceased were placed in the grave in various positions, either contracted (lying on their sides) or supine with different positions inclined to the right or left. The positions of the hands are usually in front of the chest and face and sometimes in line with the body and the legs are also bent in three different degrees: less than a 90-degree angle (high, inclined inward towards the abdomen and spine: grade 1), 90-degree angle (medium, perpendicular angle to the spine: grade 2), and more than 90-degree angle (low, open angle to the spine: grade 3). A few are also supine and extended in line with the body.
Conclusion
The study of the burials of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery shows that there were a group of methods and rituals related to the burial of the dead, some of which were used more than others and, in other words, became a burial tradition. Regarding the position of the dead during the Iron Age and during the use of this cemetery, all the conventional methods of placing the deceased in the grave were used in the Shahneh Poshte area and despite the slightly higher number of supine method, it does not have a significant advantage over the lying on sides method and both methods can be seen as burial methods and traditions in great abundance. Also, the supine method was the most common burial method among women with 71% and men did not have any dominant method. In the discussion of the architectural structure of the tomb, the common tradition and method, the usual method is a simple oval pit but there are two unique methods, one is a simple pit grave covered with pottery fragments and the other is a pithos burial, each of which was used in the form of a grave only as a specific method, not a burial tradition. Finally, based on the set of burial characteristics of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery, it can be seen that this site is comparable in many aspects to sites within the region in Mazandaran and adjacent the region especially Gilan and the Central Plateau. It can also be considered that the set of burial methods and traditions of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery is homogeneous and identical to other contemporary sites in Mazandaran and to some extent a continuation of some pre-Iron Age burial methods in this region.
A series of field activities including two seasons of survey and excavation at the Shahneh Poshte cemetery of Babol on the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains in central Mazandaran in 2018 and 2019 resulted in the discovery of a collection of human graves and burials scattered throughout this 11-hectare site. Due to the mass of destruction caused by unauthorized excavations in the cemetery, several disturbed graves were observed without any classifiable information. In contrast, by conducting scientific excavations in the 16 trenches, a total of 39 identifiable and Readable human burials were found and then the collection of information and archaeological findings related to each burial was recorded and classified. In this study, we attempt to answer questions about the existence of possible burial methods and patterns and the meaningful characteristics of these variables by studying a set of different aspects including burial practices such as the position and orientation of the body, position of face of hands, architectural structure of the graves, gender and age of skeletons, individual and group burials, and burials with and without objects. The results of absolute dating and comparative studies indicate that this cemetery belongs to a long time span from the 11th and 12th centuries BC (Iron I) to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, i.e. the Achaemenid to the early Parthian period (Iron IV), and therefore cultural materials of this cemetery are comparable to intra-regional ancient sites in Mazandaran as well as trans-regional sites in the Gorgan Plain, the Central Plateau, and especially the Gilan region. Our research also shows that the Shahneh Poshte graves follow a specific pattern in some burial aspects including the supine position and the direction of the face to the south and therefore have long-term burial traditions.
Keywords: Shahneh Poshte Cemetery, Burial Practices, Iron Age, Mazandaran, Cultural Communications.
Introduction
The Shahneh Pashte cemetery is located adjacent to village of Kamikola and southwest of the Khoshrudpey city and 21 kilometers south of the Babol (Fig. 1) (Saedian, 2014: 321). This cemetery was excavated over two seasons in 2018 and 2019 by Hassan Fazeli Nashli. The result of these excavations was the identification of 39 human burials in situ (28 graves) (Fig. 2) which provide a set of valuable archaeological data such as absolute and relative dating, burial methods including the position and orientation of the bodies and faces, the position of the hands and the structure of graves. Based on the whole of archaeological data, the site can be dated to the late 2nd millennium B.C (late Iron I) to the mid-1st millennium B.C (Iron IV, 3rd - 4th centuries B.C / Achaemenid to early Parthian). More precisely, the absolute dating on 5 skeletons uphold this period. Based on archaeological studies between 39 burials, 29 burials belong to the late Iron I (late 2nd millennium BC) to Iron III (burials 1-11 and 22-39) are called “Iron age I - III Group” and the other 10 burials (burials 12-21) can be dated to the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C (late Achaemenid to early Parthian) that are called “Iron age IV Group”, considering the absolute dates of the two burials and their spatial relationship.
Discussion
The study of the Shahneh Poshte burials shows that a set of methods were used to place the deceased in grave which are divided into two general categories: lying on the sides and supine. These two general modes include a total of 11 sub-modes. In general, in the entire Iron Age in this site (I-IV), the lying on the sides includes 13 burials (33.3%) including 4 burials on the right and 9 burials on the left, supine 15 burials (38.5%) and also 11 burials (28.2%) lack any recognizable signs. In more detail, during the Iron I-III period, there were 8 contracted burials (28% of total) of which 4 were on the right and 4 on the left. In addition, 12 burials (41% of total) were buried in supine. Also, 9 burials (31% of total) were of unknown status. In the Iron IV, there were 5 contracted burials (50% of total) all of which were on the left and no right-sided burials were found. Moreover, 3 burials (30% of total) were buried in supine. Finally, 2 burials (20% of period) were classified as undetermined burials due to extensive damages (Fig. 3-5). Regarding the position of the hands of the skeletons, during the Iron I-IV, a total of 16 positions were observed which can be classified into three general groups: lying on the sides, supine and unknown. In addition, the first group includes 6 subgroups (25% of all), the second group is divided into 9 subgroups (54% of all) and the third group is divided into 9 cases (21% of all) as unknown (Fig. 6-7). In Shahneh Poshte, three types of grave architecture have been identified. The first is a simple pit, second is a simple pit with a clay cover and the third is a pithos. Of the 28 graves in site, 26 graves (93% of all) are simple oval pits, of which 20 graves belong to the Iron I-III (71.6%) and 6 graves (21.4%) belong to the Iron IV. The second method, a simple pit covered with big clay fragments includes only 1 is from Iron Age I-III (3.5% of total). Also the pithos burial consists of only 1 grave (3.5% of total) from Iron Age IV (Fig. 8-10). In terms of gender and age of the deceased in this cemetery, total of 9 burials (23% of all) were identified as male, including 8 burials (27.6%) in Iron I-III and 1 burial (10%) in Iron IV. In addition, there were 14 burials (36% of total) as female including 12 burials (27.6%) in Iron I-III and 2 burials (20%) in Iron IV. Also, of the total burials, 16 burials (41% of total) were disturbed (Fig. 11-17). In addition, 7 different positions of the bodies were identified in relation to geographical directions including: south-north 5% of all, east-west 2.5%, west-east 23%, northeast-southwest 10.5% of all, southwest-northeast 10.5%, southeast-northwest 10.5%, northwest-southeast 15% and also an unknown direction 23% of all burials (Fig. 18-19). It is worth noting that for the orientation of face, during all periods, the dominant method was the south direction with a total of 23% of all burials, and especially 20.5% of all in Iron I-III, it was certainly the most common burial method. It seems that this method was not a priority in the Iron IV and was used less often. After that, the north direction was the most common method with 15.3% including 10.2% in Iron IV and 5.1% in Iron I-III (Fig. 20-21). Regarding other study characteristics, 67.8% of the total graves are individual and 32.2% are group graves. Among the first group, 53.5% of the total is related to Iron I-III and 14.6% are related to Iron IV. In addition, group graves comprise 32.2% of the total graves of which 621.5% are related to Iron I-III and 310.5% are related to Iron IV (Fig. 22-25). Finally, about the possession of objects, in total, 70% of all burials were buried with burial objects and 30% did not contain any goods (Fig. 26-27). Finally, regarding the amount of possession of objects, in total, 27 burials (70% of all) were buried with burial objects, and only 12 burials (30% of total) did not contain any burial objects or grave goods.
Discussion
Human skeletons in Shahneh Poshte cemetery are mostly buried in individual and group graves, including 28 graves which mostly include simple pits, one case of a simple pit with a clay cover and one pithos. In fact, the architectural of the graves was mostly in form of simple pits. A simple pit grave with a clay cover is quite unique in this site and a similar the grave has apparently been found only in one grave in the Lefork cemetery of Savadkuh which has been dated to Iron Age III (Abedini, 2017: 154). Third group of tombs is pithos type that has many similar older and contemporary examples in Mazandaran county. Among the numerous similar examples in the Iron Age of Mazandaran, can mention the children’s tombs in Gohar Tepe (Piller and Mahfroozi, 2009: 19) and cemetery Amirkola in Savadkuh (Abedini, 2017: 154), as well as Qaleh Kuti I cemetery (Fukai and Ikeda, 1971: Pl. XIX, Fig. 2) and Kaluraz in Gilan (Fahimi, 2002: 106-107), Tepe Gyan (Contenau and Girshman, 1935: 12), Maral Tepe of Uzbeki (Majidzadeh, 2008: 135-136) and Dinkhah Tepe (Muscaerella, 1974: 75). In addition, this method reached its peak of use during the Parthian period such as Taq bustan in Kermanshah (Kambakh Fard, 1998: 45), Liarsang-Ben cemetery in Gilan (Jahani et al., 2023: 38; Jahani et al., 2018: 114), and especially in the central Zagros basin (Mohammadi Far and Hojabari Nobari, 2004) such as Sanandaj (Khosravi et al., 2018: 317), Marivan (Mohammadi Far and Sarraf, 2006; Masoumian and Rahimi-Galugahi, 2012: 428) and several points in the city of Hamadan and its surrounding areas (Azarnoush, 1975: 56, vol. 7; Dailer et al., 2013). The graves of Shahneh Poshte are scattered in different parts of the cemetery and it does not seem that a specific space of the cemetery was dedicated to a specific group or class of people in this society. The group graves are in the form of two-burial and three-burial graves with a slight difference in depth and space compared to each other, although the attribution of some of these group burials to each other has been ambiguous. However, the spatial proximity of the skeletons and their burial objects and the difficulty in distinguishing them from each other led to the attribution of some of them to a single grave and it seems that even despite a slight difference in depth, there was a clear awareness in creating a single grave for multiple skeletons. Usually, the deceased were placed in the grave in various positions, either contracted (lying on their sides) or supine with different positions inclined to the right or left. The positions of the hands are usually in front of the chest and face and sometimes in line with the body and the legs are also bent in three different degrees: less than a 90-degree angle (high, inclined inward towards the abdomen and spine: grade 1), 90-degree angle (medium, perpendicular angle to the spine: grade 2), and more than 90-degree angle (low, open angle to the spine: grade 3). A few are also supine and extended in line with the body.
Conclusion
The study of the burials of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery shows that there were a group of methods and rituals related to the burial of the dead, some of which were used more than others and, in other words, became a burial tradition. Regarding the position of the dead during the Iron Age and during the use of this cemetery, all the conventional methods of placing the deceased in the grave were used in the Shahneh Poshte area and despite the slightly higher number of supine method, it does not have a significant advantage over the lying on sides method and both methods can be seen as burial methods and traditions in great abundance. Also, the supine method was the most common burial method among women with 71% and men did not have any dominant method. In the discussion of the architectural structure of the tomb, the common tradition and method, the usual method is a simple oval pit but there are two unique methods, one is a simple pit grave covered with pottery fragments and the other is a pithos burial, each of which was used in the form of a grave only as a specific method, not a burial tradition. Finally, based on the set of burial characteristics of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery, it can be seen that this site is comparable in many aspects to sites within the region in Mazandaran and adjacent the region especially Gilan and the Central Plateau. It can also be considered that the set of burial methods and traditions of the Shahneh Poshte cemetery is homogeneous and identical to other contemporary sites in Mazandaran and to some extent a continuation of some pre-Iron Age burial methods in this region.
Morteza Zamani Dadaneh, Hassan Fazeli Nesheli, Jebrael Nokandeh, Sirvan Mohammadi Ghasrian,
year 10, Issue 36 (9-2026)
year 10, Issue 36 (9-2026)
Abstract
Abstract
The ceramic analyzed in this article, labeled as Red White and Black (RWB) ware in the Mahidasht region, is a painted pottery tradition in the west of central Zagros. Our information regarding this was limited to published information on the Mahidasht 1975-78 project. So, more questions and hesitation remain about this ceramic that should be answered. What are the essential characteristics of Red White and Black pottery? What is the exact chronology of this ware in the chalcolithic sequence of western Iran? So to answer these proposed questions and also to give an updated view from Red White and Black ceramic in the chalcolithic period studies in the west of Iran, the RWB ware of the Mahidasht project belonging to the Siahbid 1978 excavation stored at the National Museum of Iran was analyzed. In addition to the investigation of RWB ceramics at the National Museum of Iran, the published information concerning the most recent archaeological survey and excavations project done in the western parts of Iran has also been considered. This study has resulted in a complete and updated view concerning the different aspects of the Red White and Black ware studies, like chronology, settlement pattern, ware characteristics, dating. It became clear to us that some of the surveyed and excavated sites in different parts of western Iran date back to the early phases of the Chalcolithic period based on observation of Black On Buff (BOB) ceramics involving Red White and Black (RWB) ware instead of BOB ceramics and dating to later phases of chalcolithic period consequently. in addition to such dating that request future revision, our study on the Red White and Black ceramic in this article yielded more interested results in this regards.
Keywords: RWB Ware, Mahidasht Project, Central Zagros, Chronology, Late Chalcolithic Period.
Introduction
In the prehistoric archaeology of the western regions of the Central Zagros, and especially the Mahidasht region, various types of engraved pottery have been reported. One of these pottery traditions that is also the subject of the present project is Red White and Black/RWB pottery. This pottery type and the others mentioned are related to the Mahidasht project. It was carried out before the Iranian Revolution and between 1975 and 1978 by the Royal Ontario Museum under the direction of Louis Levin in cooperation with the Iranian Archaeological Research Center. This project identified more than 900 ancient sites from prehistoric times to the Islamic centuries. Due to the Islamic Revolution, the project above was left unfinished. The reviewers remained and could not publish the complete data collected by this project (Levine, 1975; Levine & McDonald, 1977) (Figure 1). After nearly 50 years, a team of Iranian and foreign archaeologists resumed the studies of this project (Renette et al., 2021). Part of this revision project is dedicated to the study of pottery known as J ware in the final stages of the Neolithic and the early stages of the Chalcolithic (Transitional Chalcolithic). Data related to the Chalcolithic period between 5000 and 3200 BC is another doctoral dissertation’s subject (Figure 2). Among the data from this dissertation, which is also the subject of the present article, are the pottery known as Red White and Black/RWB. Given the limited information published, many ambiguities and questions about this pottery type exist. Consequently, to answer the aforementioned ambiguities and questions, the RWB pottery collection, all obtained from the 1978 excavations of the Choqha Maran site and currently preserved in the National Museum of Iran, was studied and examined. A detailed study of this pottery and a summary of recent research and excavations conducted in various parts of western Iran led to new results about this type of pottery. In addition to providing new results about the characteristics and features of this type and also determining the exact period of this tradition in the prehistoric sequence of the region, the results of this research revealed that the scope of this pottery is not limited to the western regions of the Central Zagros and that more areas beyond the western regions of the Central Zagros, such as the sites of Kurdistan Province in the northern part of the Central Zagros, are under the jurisdiction of this pottery tradition.
Discussion
As mentioned, the Red White and Black/RWB pottery is among the painted pottery of the Late Chalcolithic of the Mahidasht Project in the western central Zagros regions. The name of this type, like other painted pottery types of the western central Zagros regions, such as Black On Buff/BOB, Red On Buff/ROB, or Black On Red/BOR, is derived from the technical and visual characteristics of the pottery. The adjective Red refers to the color of the core of this type. The adjective White refers to the white covering of the body of this pottery, and the adjective Black refers to the black patterns on the white covering. In short, this type of pottery is made with Red core and white covering with black patterns on the white covering (Henrickson, 1985) (Figure 3). All information about this pottery type in the Mahidasht Project is limited to these general descriptions and a few black and white plates. This is while all the RWB pottery fragments obtained from the 1978 excavations of the Choqha Maran site are currently kept in the National Museum of Iran (Figure 4). A close study of this type, along with a summary of the results of the latest research and excavations carried out in western Iran, has provided a good opportunity to introduce this type fully and to resolve all ambiguities and questions about this type of pottery about its precise chronology, precise technical specifications and features of the pottery, distribution range, etc. What follows is to present an updated and new picture of RWB pottery in the prehistory of western Iran. In continuing to describe this type of pottery, it should be noted that the white clay covering of this type of pottery is of the evanescent type and, in some cases, is very weak, so that sometimes nothing of this covering remains on the surface of the pottery. However, the patterns are healthier, and in some cases, the pattern and the covering have disappeared. Most RWB pottery is made using the wheel-made technique, which has not been mentioned in previous descriptions. Forms in many cases include vessels with turned-out rims and vessels with flat rims. The designs on these Pottery are also often geometric with parallel bands and stripes, hanging triangles, successive quotation marks, irregular vertical stripes and chevron hatching and in some cases animal designs (often goats with round horns and snakes) in a geometric frame and sometimes plant designs (Figs. 4,5,6) (Table 1,2).
Conclusion
The pottery traditions in the western Central Zagros region, about which little information has been published, are the pottery type known as RWB. This pottery type is well-made with a red core, a white covering, and black patterns. Most of the published information about this type is limited to the Mahidasht project between 1975 and 1978. As a result, complete information about this project and, consequently, the RWB ware pottery has not been fully published, and there are many questions and ambiguities about this pottery style. It should be noted that the data of the Mahidasht project are currently kept in the repository of the National Museum of Iran. As a result, the Mahidasht revision project has allowed the study of these data and the RWB pottery closely and in detail. By summarizing the studies and investigations conducted on this pottery and the results of new excavations and research conducted in western Iran, a new and updated picture of this type of pottery was provided in the archaeology of the Late Chalcolithic period of Western Iran. Some of the results obtained in this research, especially the information related to the distribution range of this culture in western Iran, and provide new information. RWB pottery is placed in the prehistoric sequence of western Iran after the Siahbid horizon and in the Maran horizon in the early stages of the Late Chalcolithic 2 (LC2). Some Late Chalcolithic sites in western Iran, especially the Late Chalcolithic sites in Kurdistan province, have been attributed to black-patterned pea-like pottery known as Black On Buff/BOB. However, by obtaining RWB pottery and studying it closely, it was found that these sites were incorrectly dated and that their Black On Buff/BOB pottery belongs to the RWB pottery tradition. In addition, this research found that the range of RWB pottery is not limited to the western regions of the Central Zagros and its neighboring regions in southwestern Iran, but covers much broader areas of western and southwestern Iran. The tradition extends from the south to the Hakalan and Parcinah cemeteries in the Ilam province in southwestern Iran. This tradition extends from the north to the city of Marivan in Kurdistan province (Fig. 7-11). In general, what was presented in this research is the most recent and up-to-date picture available of the RWB pottery tradition in the archaeological studies of the Western Late Chalcolithic in Iran.
The ceramic analyzed in this article, labeled as Red White and Black (RWB) ware in the Mahidasht region, is a painted pottery tradition in the west of central Zagros. Our information regarding this was limited to published information on the Mahidasht 1975-78 project. So, more questions and hesitation remain about this ceramic that should be answered. What are the essential characteristics of Red White and Black pottery? What is the exact chronology of this ware in the chalcolithic sequence of western Iran? So to answer these proposed questions and also to give an updated view from Red White and Black ceramic in the chalcolithic period studies in the west of Iran, the RWB ware of the Mahidasht project belonging to the Siahbid 1978 excavation stored at the National Museum of Iran was analyzed. In addition to the investigation of RWB ceramics at the National Museum of Iran, the published information concerning the most recent archaeological survey and excavations project done in the western parts of Iran has also been considered. This study has resulted in a complete and updated view concerning the different aspects of the Red White and Black ware studies, like chronology, settlement pattern, ware characteristics, dating. It became clear to us that some of the surveyed and excavated sites in different parts of western Iran date back to the early phases of the Chalcolithic period based on observation of Black On Buff (BOB) ceramics involving Red White and Black (RWB) ware instead of BOB ceramics and dating to later phases of chalcolithic period consequently. in addition to such dating that request future revision, our study on the Red White and Black ceramic in this article yielded more interested results in this regards.
Keywords: RWB Ware, Mahidasht Project, Central Zagros, Chronology, Late Chalcolithic Period.
Introduction
In the prehistoric archaeology of the western regions of the Central Zagros, and especially the Mahidasht region, various types of engraved pottery have been reported. One of these pottery traditions that is also the subject of the present project is Red White and Black/RWB pottery. This pottery type and the others mentioned are related to the Mahidasht project. It was carried out before the Iranian Revolution and between 1975 and 1978 by the Royal Ontario Museum under the direction of Louis Levin in cooperation with the Iranian Archaeological Research Center. This project identified more than 900 ancient sites from prehistoric times to the Islamic centuries. Due to the Islamic Revolution, the project above was left unfinished. The reviewers remained and could not publish the complete data collected by this project (Levine, 1975; Levine & McDonald, 1977) (Figure 1). After nearly 50 years, a team of Iranian and foreign archaeologists resumed the studies of this project (Renette et al., 2021). Part of this revision project is dedicated to the study of pottery known as J ware in the final stages of the Neolithic and the early stages of the Chalcolithic (Transitional Chalcolithic). Data related to the Chalcolithic period between 5000 and 3200 BC is another doctoral dissertation’s subject (Figure 2). Among the data from this dissertation, which is also the subject of the present article, are the pottery known as Red White and Black/RWB. Given the limited information published, many ambiguities and questions about this pottery type exist. Consequently, to answer the aforementioned ambiguities and questions, the RWB pottery collection, all obtained from the 1978 excavations of the Choqha Maran site and currently preserved in the National Museum of Iran, was studied and examined. A detailed study of this pottery and a summary of recent research and excavations conducted in various parts of western Iran led to new results about this type of pottery. In addition to providing new results about the characteristics and features of this type and also determining the exact period of this tradition in the prehistoric sequence of the region, the results of this research revealed that the scope of this pottery is not limited to the western regions of the Central Zagros and that more areas beyond the western regions of the Central Zagros, such as the sites of Kurdistan Province in the northern part of the Central Zagros, are under the jurisdiction of this pottery tradition.
Discussion
As mentioned, the Red White and Black/RWB pottery is among the painted pottery of the Late Chalcolithic of the Mahidasht Project in the western central Zagros regions. The name of this type, like other painted pottery types of the western central Zagros regions, such as Black On Buff/BOB, Red On Buff/ROB, or Black On Red/BOR, is derived from the technical and visual characteristics of the pottery. The adjective Red refers to the color of the core of this type. The adjective White refers to the white covering of the body of this pottery, and the adjective Black refers to the black patterns on the white covering. In short, this type of pottery is made with Red core and white covering with black patterns on the white covering (Henrickson, 1985) (Figure 3). All information about this pottery type in the Mahidasht Project is limited to these general descriptions and a few black and white plates. This is while all the RWB pottery fragments obtained from the 1978 excavations of the Choqha Maran site are currently kept in the National Museum of Iran (Figure 4). A close study of this type, along with a summary of the results of the latest research and excavations carried out in western Iran, has provided a good opportunity to introduce this type fully and to resolve all ambiguities and questions about this type of pottery about its precise chronology, precise technical specifications and features of the pottery, distribution range, etc. What follows is to present an updated and new picture of RWB pottery in the prehistory of western Iran. In continuing to describe this type of pottery, it should be noted that the white clay covering of this type of pottery is of the evanescent type and, in some cases, is very weak, so that sometimes nothing of this covering remains on the surface of the pottery. However, the patterns are healthier, and in some cases, the pattern and the covering have disappeared. Most RWB pottery is made using the wheel-made technique, which has not been mentioned in previous descriptions. Forms in many cases include vessels with turned-out rims and vessels with flat rims. The designs on these Pottery are also often geometric with parallel bands and stripes, hanging triangles, successive quotation marks, irregular vertical stripes and chevron hatching and in some cases animal designs (often goats with round horns and snakes) in a geometric frame and sometimes plant designs (Figs. 4,5,6) (Table 1,2).
Conclusion
The pottery traditions in the western Central Zagros region, about which little information has been published, are the pottery type known as RWB. This pottery type is well-made with a red core, a white covering, and black patterns. Most of the published information about this type is limited to the Mahidasht project between 1975 and 1978. As a result, complete information about this project and, consequently, the RWB ware pottery has not been fully published, and there are many questions and ambiguities about this pottery style. It should be noted that the data of the Mahidasht project are currently kept in the repository of the National Museum of Iran. As a result, the Mahidasht revision project has allowed the study of these data and the RWB pottery closely and in detail. By summarizing the studies and investigations conducted on this pottery and the results of new excavations and research conducted in western Iran, a new and updated picture of this type of pottery was provided in the archaeology of the Late Chalcolithic period of Western Iran. Some of the results obtained in this research, especially the information related to the distribution range of this culture in western Iran, and provide new information. RWB pottery is placed in the prehistoric sequence of western Iran after the Siahbid horizon and in the Maran horizon in the early stages of the Late Chalcolithic 2 (LC2). Some Late Chalcolithic sites in western Iran, especially the Late Chalcolithic sites in Kurdistan province, have been attributed to black-patterned pea-like pottery known as Black On Buff/BOB. However, by obtaining RWB pottery and studying it closely, it was found that these sites were incorrectly dated and that their Black On Buff/BOB pottery belongs to the RWB pottery tradition. In addition, this research found that the range of RWB pottery is not limited to the western regions of the Central Zagros and its neighboring regions in southwestern Iran, but covers much broader areas of western and southwestern Iran. The tradition extends from the south to the Hakalan and Parcinah cemeteries in the Ilam province in southwestern Iran. This tradition extends from the north to the city of Marivan in Kurdistan province (Fig. 7-11). In general, what was presented in this research is the most recent and up-to-date picture available of the RWB pottery tradition in the archaeological studies of the Western Late Chalcolithic in Iran.
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