Abstract
The Kazeron County is located in the West of Fars Province and 732 M above sea level. From identified sites in survey of Kazeron plane (that mainly are sites of Neolithic period to late of Bronze Age) in total of 141 pieces of stone tools were gathered from 13 sites. Based on research on stone tools, sites as SK023 are show extraction and use / maintenance / repair. In these sites, the existence of core stone indicates of the construction of tools, and also existence a lot of the stone tools are indicates of settlement long-term in these sites. The core stones in all sites are exclusively chipped stone and mostly from kind of Chert stone of gray – green. It seems, produce of tools from other types of Chert stones such as red Chert, Chert of brown stripes, cream Chert, and… have been made in another place. The blades and their flakes in some sites of Kazeron plane (especially sites of SK022 and SK023) represents are the use of these tools for reaping of the plants. The raw material used to make stone tools (that often made of local stone) today it is easily accessible in the Kazeron mountains. These tools, to form of a combination and with natural resins such as bitumen have been placed inside the bone handle or in newer periods inside the metal handle, and similar to sickle have been used to cut plants. From of the main goals of the present research, study of technology diversity in stone tools sites of prehistory in Kazeron plane is for regional and comparative studies and for gain of general knowledge the prehistory of Kazeron plane.
Keywords: Stone Tool, Typology, Prehistory, Kazeron Plane.

Introduction
The Kazeron County is located in the west of Fars Province and 732 M above sea level. This County from the north to Mamasani and Behbahan, from east and northeast to Shiraz, from southwest and west to part of Borazjan city and Bosher, and from southeast to Firozabad is limited. This County in terms of geographic is located in mountainous area and with surrounded by high mountains. The mountains of Kazeron area is stretched from the northwest to the southeast (Mozafariyan, 1994: 25). The Mountains of Kazeron consists of two ranges and Kazeron plane is between these two mountain ranges. The Kazeron County has a warm climate. The temperature of this county is max.49 degrees above zero and at least 6 degrees below zero. The average rainfall in Kazeron County in years of low rainfall is less than 500 mm and in the rainy years approximately 700 mm (Behrozi, 1968: 8). The Kazeron County has abundant water resources. Abundant springs and a lot of water has a created several rivers. The major rivers of this county are include of Jareh, Shapor, and also freshwater Lake of Parishan (Hatami, 2006: 12). So, Kazeron plane with a lot of water resources and suitable climate had a good environment for development of human societies in the long term. In this research, stone tools related to Neolithic period to Iron Age (that collected from survey of archeology Kazeron plane) have done typology and classification. So, from of the main goals of the present research, study of technology diversity in stone tools sites of prehistory in Kazeron plane is for regional and comparative studies and for gain of general knowledge the prehistory of Kazeron plane.

Research findings
From identified sites in survey of Kazeron plane (that mainly are sites of Neolithic period to late of Bronze Age) in total of 141 pieces of stone tools were gathered from 13 sites. Tepe Qalat 2 (SK002) is located 1 km northeast of Baladeh city. From this site was obtained only 2 chips. A piece is Retouch and another Burin. The Galeh Narenji (SK006) is located in near of the village of Galeh Narenji and 1.5 km east of Pershian Lake. From this site 6 pieces stone tools have been collected. Tal Siah 1 (SK013) another from sites, that is located in around Pershian Lake. From this site 3 pieces stone tools have been collected. Another from sites is Tal Siah 2 (SK014), that from this site 7 pieces stone tools have been collected. Gabrestan Karai (SK015) is located 500 meters southeast of Karai village, and from this site 11 pieces stone tools have been collected. Another from sites this study is Dreh Tampoi (SK016) that from this site 12 pieces stone tools have been collected. Tal Zirakan is located 1 km east of Kaskan village and in south of the Kazeron city. From this site 17 pieces stone tools have been collected. Another from sites this study is Tal Rashton (SK020) that from this site 8 pieces stone tools have been collected. Tal Panj Mahal (SK022) is located 700 m west of Shapro River, that from this site 25 pieces stone tools have been collected. Tal Dehdaran (SK023) is located on the northern margin of Kazeron plain, that from this site 26 pieces stone tools have been collected.

Conclusion
Usually, estimate the ratio of blank flake to core stones can help us to guess that production of stone tools has done elsewhere. On the other hand, the blades and their flakes in some sites of Kazeron plane (especially sites of SK022 and SK023) represents are the use of these tools for reaping of the plants. In general, in spite of a lot of variety in the collection of stone tools in sites of Kazeron plane (that shows diverse and advanced industries), in core stones can’t be seen complexity and advanced technology. Ultimately should be noted, based on survey results and pottery samples, these stone tools are belonging to the 7th millennium B.C. to the end of the second millennium B.C..

Abstract
In geoarchaeology, a complete and accurate understanding of archaeological site-formation processes can be obtained by identifying and examining the sedimentary deposits and stratigraphy of archeological layers. This study presents the results of preliminary geological studies in Kafiristan Yasen archaeological area to provide a general understanding of local geology and geomorphology of the area.  Kafiristan Yasen archaeological sites are mainly built on hillslope erosional terraces. In settlement sites, such as Gerdekulisi, it seems that ancient architectural structures acted as sediment traps for deposition of debris sediments and recent hillslope alluvial sediments (Holocene) on the hillslope terraces. Unlike other ancient sites in the Yasen area, Zargolesi site is built on a single natural ridge consisting of siltstone and sandstone rocks overlooking the Oshkoul-Dareh River. The study of surface sedimentary deposits in natural soilas well asexcavation trenches shows that two sedimentary units consisting of very coarse gravelly sediments and fine gravelly sediments in a clay-rich matrix could be distinguished in most of the areas. Archaeological artifacts can sometimes be found in the context of coarse gravelly sediments and in some places are covered by fine-grained alluvial sediments. The gravelly sediments appear to be related to an older sedimentary phase that might have deposited in a different surface morphology to the present situation. The fine-grained alluvial sediments are mainly confined to the surface layers and probably represent historical sediments which have been deposited in a hillslope profile similar to the present situation. In some places these sediments have been cut by a later drainage system.
Keywords: Geoarchaeology, Geomorphology, Archeological Site, Kafiristan Yasen.

Introduction
Geoarchaeology is a rather new interdisciplinary approach that studies the past of human history using geological methods. In geoarchaeology, a complete and accurate understanding of ancient records can be obtained by identifying and examining the sedimentary content and stratigraphy of archeological layers and materials. Geology has been available to archaeologists over the past two decades as a basic tool for reconstructing ancient environments and understanding the long-term climatic and anthropogenic conditions and interactions of pre-historic human with the surrounding environments. These studies are particularly influential in understanding the Pleistocene and Holocene archaeological and geological backgrounds and materials. Geoarchaeological studies in Iran are mainly confined to Paleolithic sites and the use of geological methods such as sedimentology to describe the details of ancient records in caves and rock shelters. Geoarchaeology is an interdisciplinary discipline between geological sciences and archeology that examines the role of geological factors in the rise, continuation, and fall of ancient settlements. In this field, techniques and methods common in earth sciences such as aerial photography and satellite imagery, sampling, microscopic studies, chemical analysis, etc. are used to solve archaeological problems.On the other hand, inarchaeological geology, archaeological data are used to solve geological problems, particularly in relation to dating of Quaternary deposits, ancient seismological studies, and ancient mining. Large-scale archaeologists study most of the natural landforms and anthropogenic structures and small-scale archaeologists study the soil, natural sediments, and anthropogenic deposits. Archaeo-geology also occasionally covers other interdisciplinary studies such as ceramic petrography, archaeomineralogy, archaeometallurgy, radiometric dating, etc.

Identified Traces
This study presents the results of preliminary geological studies in the area of Kafiristan Yasen archaeological site to provide a general understanding of local geology and geomorphology of the area. The Yasen Kafiristan archaeological site comprises a set of settlement and cemetery sites located 35 km southeast of Deylaman. According to previous studies, thechronology of sites in the area varies from the Iron Age to the early Islamic period. Therefore, the present study seeks to map the environmental conditions of the Kafiristan Yasen archaeological sites in terms of geology, geomorphology and climate and to understand the relationship between environmental elements with the cultural and archaeological features of the cultural sites in the study area.Research method of this study is descriptive-analytical and field study which uses the spatial data related to the research problem to evaluate and investigate the relationship between environmental and cultural characteristics in the ancient sites of Kafiristan Yasen in southeastern Deylaman in Guilan province and to answer the research questions.Gathering information in the field surveys done with the using of observation, survey of landforms and geomorphological and geological processes in an ancient site, justification of features displayed on geological, topographic and climatic maps of the site, as well as utilization of software such as GPS and GIS.

Conclusion
The ancient site of the Kafiristan Yasen comprises a series of settlement and cemetery sites located 35 kilometers southeast of Deylaman. The approximate dating of antiquities in this area, according to previous studies, varies from the Iron Age to the early Islamic period. Yasen ancient site enclosures are mainly built on hillslope erosion terraces; the difference between the erosion of the soft layers and the hard layers is probably the main controlling factor for the formation of these hillslope terraces. In settlement sites, such as Gerdekulisi, it seems that ancient architectural structures acted as sediment traps for deposition of debris sediments and recent hillslope alluvial sediments (Holocene) on the hillslope terraces level. Unlike other ancient sites in the Yasen area, Zargolesi site is built on a single natural promontory consisting of silty and sandy rocks overlooking the Oshkoul-Dareh River. The study of surface sedimentary deposits in natural profiles and the wall of drill trenches shows that two sedimentary sections consist of very coarse gravelly sedimentary rocks and fine gravelly sediments in the clay-rich can be separated in most of the areas. Archaeological artifacts can sometimes be found alongside coarse gravelly sediments and in some places are covered by fine-grained alluvial sediments. The gravelly sediments appear to be related to an older sedimentary phase that may have deposited in a different hillslope profile to the present situation. The fine-grained alluvial sediments are mainly confined to the surface layers and probably represent historical sediments which deposited in a hillslope profile similar to the present situation. In some places these sediments have been cut by a later watercourse system.

Abstract
Having a favorable environment, the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea have hosted human settlements for millennia. So far, as a result of archaeological excavations as well as illegal diggings, a considerable number of ancient artifacts have been unearthed from archaeological sites in this region. The nature of many finds from unauthorized excavations and accidental discoveries are still unclear. These objects, generally found as hoards, often have unknown provenance and unknown fate. However, some of the objects, which are discovered from the Mazandaran region during the last centuries, are unique and their analogous have never been found from elsewhere. These are the main questions this research tries to answer: 1. given quantitative aspects of the accidental or unauthorized finds from Mazandaran, what sorts of information can be achieved by the study of these objects? 2.Which groups of sources can be helpful for the study of historical objects found by accident in the territory of the Mazandaran province? In this research, we will focus on certain historical objects from Mazandaran, which have been discovered either accidentally or by unauthorized diggings during the last two centuries. A number of these objects are currently kept in museums not only in Iran, but also in some western countries. Their provenance and fate can sometimes be traced in historical books, newspapers, travelogues and oral narratives. This study attempts to show the necessity of reconsideration of the provenance of certain objects as well as their historical and artistic significance. 
Keywords: Mazandaran, Ancient Objects, Qajar and Pahlavi Periods, Unauthorized Excavations, Accidental Discoveries.

Introduction
The name of the treasure and desire to achieve it, has always been tempting for some people, even kings and princes. Treasure finding, antiques, buying antiques and collecting of antiques have been prevalent among the Iranians, at least since the Qajar era. At the time of Naser al-Din Shah (1264-1313 AH), some scattered concessions have been granted to the various western governments for excavation in some historical sites of Iran. In the historical books of Mazandaran, during the Islamic Middle Ages and even in the works of ancient poets such as Omar Khayyam Neyshabouri (440-536 AH), have been mentioned to the treasury and the legend of its discovery, which some of them are fictional. For example, in the book of Tabaristan history, have been mentioned to the digging of Hissam al-Dawlah Ardeshir (636-647 AH) in the city of Amol and discovering of a woman’s skeleton. As well as it is said about the Marashians that they seized the property of the defeated clans and people’s and buried part of it underground and hiding another in the fort of Mahaneh-sar. This treasury was so important that Taimur Gurkan (771-807 AH) always said that the Marashian Treasury was more than the property of several monarchs which he had dominated over them. In common belief, historical objects have often of a commercial and profit-making nature, and of course many exaggerated stories and narratives have been made and discussed about it. In the past few centuries, some of the folk tales about the monuments of Mazandaran have been mentioned by Orientalists and Western travelers. Similar to such stories that derives from the folk notions about the historical treasuries, is heard from the whole of Iran. In general, the narratives related to the discovery of historical objects in Mazandaran are scattered, but significant. This article points to the discovery of historical objects in Mazandaran that are more relevant to the contemporary period (before the Islamic Revolution of 1979).

Discussion
In the contemporary era, many unique historical objects have been obtained in Mazandaran while digging in agricultural lands, road construction, landslides, floods and so on. According to Ezatollah Negahban, before the excavations of Marlik and Pileh-Qaleh, most of the ancient artifacts in the Mazandaran and Gilan areas were obtained as a result of unauthorized and commercial diggings.  many of these discoveries are including of silver objects, especially silver coins. In generally regarding to the accidental way in which such objects were discovered, the available sources do not give much detail about them and the available references are usually transient and sometimes ambiguous. Some of the most important artifacts or collections found in the Mazandaran accidental discoveries that have been specifically studied in this article include: Historical objects obtained from the cemeteries of Voraw, Ozirak and DerooshKor all located in the vicinity of Kandlus village in Kojur section of Nowshahr city at the time of Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, which included pottery wares, earrings, necklaces, beads and so on. The accidental discoveries of Konim village and Hezar-jerib of Mazandaran which discovered by a shepherd in time of ruling of Nasser al-Din Shah including three inscribed vessels belonged to the Islamic period, the Sassanid silver mirror frame discovered from Chalus with a Pahlavi inscription, three Sassanid silver vessels discovered from Sari in 1333, three other Sassanian vessels from Mazandaran purchased for the National Museum of Iran in 1334; the Kelardasht treasury discovered in 1318 in Reza Shah palace including exquisite objects such as a famous gold cup and some Sasanian silverwares, the treasury of Adineh mosque of Jawaherdeh acquired in 1330, the Sawadkuh Shirgah treasury discovered in 1334, 129 silver coins belonging to the Sassanid and Islamic periods from the village of Islamabad and Zaid and some other scattered objects which discovered from accidental discoveries of Mazandaran.

Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the Mazandaran region is one of the most prominent historical and cultural regions of Iran. A look at the position of this region in the Iranian history and mythology as well as the quality of its historical monuments and artifacts remain from different periods attests the historical importance of Mazandaran. In the folk narratives about Mazandaran have repeatedly referred to the discovery of historical artifacts by various rulers which indicating their attention to such objects and artifacts. However, many of the existing narratives are exaggerated and some time the validity of some of them is questionable. The treasure and trove searching has historically been popular among the people in this area, which some of them has been mentioned in this study.
In this article, we only study some historical objects discovered from unauthorized excavations or accidental discoveries during the last two centuries until the Second Pahlavi Period. The mean of accidental discoveries is the artifacts which discovery in result of actions such as plowing, various constructions, floods, unintentional destruction, and so on and constraint by related offices. The sources cited in this article are mainly are historical texts and documents, travelogues, and press of the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. The fate of many historical objects discovered from unauthorized diggings or accidental discoveries is unknown. Some of these objects are scattered in internal museums or in the foreign museums and private collections. These objects are often unorganized and have not an obvious condition. However, some of the artifacts found in Mazandaran, including the Gold Cup of Kelardasht and the Sasanian silverwares, are unique in terms of artistic and historical value. In this article, we tried to explore some of the hidden and explicit angles related to these objects. Achieving better results depends on the efforts of other researchers.

Abstract
The study of human remains derived from burial and non-burial contexts is one of the subcategories of Archaeometry. According to these studies, archaeological researchers, with the help of physiologists, have quantitative and quantitative aspects of the remnants of past humans, including age, Sex and the use of medical tests, especially pathology, diseases and causes of death. The topic of interdisciplinary studies in the Khorasan area, due to the lack of material evidence until the present decade, lacked any research, although the importance of Khorasan has always been mentioned in this cycle. In the last decade, according to the approach of researchers in this field, the subject of quantitative studies has flourished. In this regard, the human remains of three burials belonging to the late bronze age from the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh site were used to determine the age and gender of the samples, as well as to identify the ethnic race in the study of physical anthropology. In this research, human skeletons of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh site were first cleaned up. Finally, with the participation of the Medical Society of Isfahan, the determination of age, gender and race was performed on the basis of morphology and anthropology. Then extracted DNA was isolated and dental samples were taken. The results of physical anthropology studies on the samples indicated that, the samples studied belong to the population of Shahrak-e-Firouzeh site, which is of age in both adolescents and adults (2 adolescents and 1 adult) and sexually belonging to two male and female groups. Men and women). In relation to the mortality rate and demographic average of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh community, due to the low volume of samples, it cannot be clearly summoned, but according to the current samples and the number of burials, it shows the high rate of low-mortality in the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh Site. 
Keywords: Shahrak-e-Firouzeh, Age, Gender, Bronze Age, Environmental Damage.

Introduction
The study of human remains from burial and non-burial contexts can be considered in the following subcategories of Archaeometry. For these studies, archaeological researchers, with the help of the physiologists, have quantitative and quantitative aspects of the remnants of past humans, including Age, gender, and using medical tests, diseases and causes of death. The present study is one of the interdisciplinary studies in the field of physical and genetic anthropology in the cultural field of Khorasan. After the accidental discovery of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh site during construction, in 2009, the first excavation season on this site was run by Hassan Basafa, and so far, four archaeological excavations have been conducted on this site. The ancient site of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh in the northwest of Neyshabur with 36 ° 12 ‘longitude and 58 ° 47’ longitude, is located in the Firoozeh construction site on the eastern side of the river Farub Ruman. Among the cultural materials discovered on this ancient site (third and fourth seasons) are human burial remains buried in the Late Bronze Age. What this research seeks to answer is determining the age and gender, as well as the impact of the environment on the mortality rate of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh community on the small scale, as well as the impact of post-sediment processes on samples.
The present study was conducted in two ways: library studies and laboratory studies in a descriptive and analytical manner and using the approaches of physical anthropology. In the style of library studies, information on the history of research on human remains has been gathered, and in analyzes and adoption of study methods. Also, in the section on human anthropometric studies, based on the evidence on the teeth, the suture on the skull, the size and texture of the femur bones, pelvic size and other evidence, it has been attempted that the age group, gender group, Skeleton height, samples of the campus Shahrak-e-Firouzeh site are evaluated. It should be noted that tests on the determination of age and gender on skeletal specimens have been carried out under the supervision of specialists in Isfahan Medical Sciences. Based on physical anthropology studies, the results are divided into two groups of adolescents and adults in terms of age and gender in both males and females, and also indicates the high mortality rate at the young age of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh community, which can be The most important factors are the unsuitable environment conditions due to the impact of the hydrological effects of the river along the settlement.  

Identified Traces
The study samples of this study include two skulls and a complete skeleton in this section to examine how to determine the age and gender of these remnants. The first one, a skull is roughly average. The thickness of the existing bones, the shape of the lower jaw, the posterior bumps, the rigid bone tissue, the maximum length, width and height of the skull, as well as the shape of the forehead of the sample is steep, which according to these characteristics is the first example of a man’s skull. Considering the formation of the teeth type, especially the third molar, considering the low erosion of the crown of the teeth and the presence of enamel of the teeth, as well as the qualitative aspects of the skull joints, in particular the closure of the crown part of the seam which is characteristic of individuals 25 years and the closure of the section of the seam At the age of 35, the age of this sample can be determined between the ages of 25 and 34. 
The second specimen is a relatively small, medium-sized cranium found in a gravel gorge. The fineness of the skull bones, the shape of the lower jaw, the nasal blade, Peshafi’s flatness, the smooth tissue of the bones, the maximum length, the delicacy of the cavity bumps, the width and height of the skull, as well as the form of the forehead of the sample, directly and without the prominence of the cavity above, Paying attention to these features is the second example of a woman’s skull. Finally, by examining bone tissue, skull volume, elegance, flattening of the skull structure, non-prominence in the post-serous bone, ear hole, root canal examination, and the time of their formation, the last tooth formed in the jaws of the sample, which is the second lower molar, as well Maximum length, width, face width, forehead bone, can be attributed to a teenage girl between the ages of 11 and 16. The third example is the complete human skeleton that is obtained from burial with a hole structure. Examining the height index of the sample, as well as the fineness of the ribs, the destruction of the toes and the hand of the skeleton, as well as the failure to weld the joints of the hip, the age-specific sample belongs to a teenager of 11 to 16, but due to the lack of sufficient evidence for gender identification In this sample, the sex group has not been identified.

Conclusion
As mentioned in the text, the establishment of the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh Site is one-period site belonging to the final phase of the Bronze Age (2100 to 1500 BC), located next to one of the important rivers of Neyshabur Plain, called Farub Ruman, which originates from the Binalud Mountains. The gradual continuation of the accumulation of flood and alluvial layers over several years or decades on the surface of this establishment caused excessive moisture to penetrate the ancient bedding of the studied samples, as well as washing the surface of the surrounding area by flooding, also solving the harmful mineral elements, including salt It is found in Neyshabur Plains and other harmful mineral salts with alluvial layers, which caused the greatest damage after the sedimentation process on the studied specimens. In addition to high humidity, which causes the decay and degradation of most parts of the bone samples studied, the heavy flood layers on the substrate also cause compression of the anterior substrate and fracture of different bone sections. According to physiological anthropological studies, the samples belong to people from the Shahrak-e-Firouzeh community, which are of age in both adolescents and adults (2 adolescents and 1 adult) and sexually belonging to two male and female groups (men and women).

Abstract
The beginning of the Iron Age on the Caspian Sea coast and the adjacent areas on the Iranian plateau and the neighboring lands was accompanied by extensive social, political and cultural changes that led to the collapse of urban centers and exchange economics, the formation of scattered and rural communities, which were often followed by livestock or nomadic economics. Changes in the social structures in the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age, for whatever reason, caused extensive changes in the cultural material of the Iranian plateau and the Caspian Sea and formed settlement patterns from which only the associated cemeteries have often been identified and excavated. However, the residential structures, the spatial organization of the settlements and their relationship with the cemeteries are not well known. Excavation on the Parija Tepe, 3 km from Qaem-Shahr-Kiakola road on the low shores of the Caspian Sea, resulted in the identification of two stages of settlement from the Iron Age and the Early Islamic period. The Iron Age finds include pottery, metal objects, stones, bones, animal remains, and the remnants of architectural structures. According to the obtained evidence, the largest volume of cultural layers in the Parija Tepe is related to the Iron Age. The present study indicates that the Parija Tepe has an important place not only in better understanding of the pottery traditions of the Iron Age in the Caspian lowlands, but also in identifying mud-brick architecture and the pattern of sedentary life in this region. Further archaeological excavations of the site will undoubtedly give a clearer perspective on the social organization and settlement patterns of the Iron Age in the coastal areas of northern Iran.
Keywords: Mazandaran, Tepe Parija, Iron Age, Mud-brick, Pottery.

Introduction
One of the characteristic features of Iron Age sites of Mazandaran is the lack of settlement sites with visible architecture, the abundance of cemeteries, special funeral rituals, as well as a distinguished pottery tradition. During the Iron Age, the majority of dead people were buried in simple pit graves, Mud-brick lined graves or Pithos burials. The dead were often buried in a curved or flexed position, and in limited cases in supine or stretched position. A variety of burial-goods often placed next to the dead, a tradition which was also common in the preceding Bronze Age and that became more prominent during the Iron Age. In addition to the large number of pottery vessels, a good variety of tools such as swords, daggers, knives, spears, and other objects made of bronze and sometimes iron, as well as jewelry such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, plaques, and seals of bronze, silver, iron, bone, faience, stone, and rarely gold have been reported alongside the skeletons. While results of archaeological research in the Iron Age sites of Mazandaran suggests the influence of local Bronze Age cultures on the later Iron Age communities but, it appears from the available evidence that the Iron Age settlements are smaller albeit larger in number compared to the Bronze Age sites. 
The present article introduces the results of excavation in Perija Tepe in the Caspian Sea shores. Results of excavations suggests the important role of Parija Tepe not only for a better understanding of the Iron Age pottery traditions in the coastal lands of the Caspian Sea, but also for the identification of permanent settlements through examination of mud-brick architecture and the pattern of sedentary life in this region. Archaeological excavation at Parija Tepe can provide a clearer perspective of the social organization and settlement patterns of the Iron Age in the coastal areas of northern Iran.

Discussion
Parija Tepe is located in the central part of Mazandaran plain, some 3 km to the northwest of Ghaemshahr, next to the road from Ghaemshahr to Kiakola (Simorgh) and among the paddy fields of Kolagar village. Recent excavation at Parija Tepe has led to the identification of two phases of settlement belonging to the Iron Age and the early Islamic period. The main settlement phase and the majority of cultural depositions at Parija Tepe dates back to the Iron Age which is divided into Iron Age II and III. 
Typologically, most pottery forms of Prija appears to reflect the characteristics of Iron Age II. In addition to the pottery vessels, significant cultural materials such as a tanged bronze spearhead and a stone stamp seal were also excavated. One of the most remarkable findings of this excavation is the discovery of remains of mud-brick architecture that possibly shows a sedentary lifestyle rather than a nomadic way of life. Bio-archaeological studies on the faunal remains of the site demonstrates that all animal bone remains belong to mammals, and no fish, birds, rodents or reptiles have been identified. Throughout the occupational period, sheep, goats and cattle are the dominant species, followed by boars. Very rare remains of red deer have also been seen. Thus, it seems that the subsistence economy of the inhabitants of Prija has been diverse and based on livestock activities, agriculture and hunting patterns.

Conclusion
The cultural material discovered from excavation of Parija Tepe represents the cultural traditions of the Iron Age and indicates cultural links between this area and other Iron Age sites in the northeastern and north-central regions of Iran. Although some rich cultural materials such as a tanged bronze spearhead and some pottery forms have their roots in the Bronze Age cultures of the Northeast and the Gorgan Plain, the production of these type objects has continued throughout the Iron Age and striking analogies could be seen in large areas of Gilan and Mazandaran and the southern slopes of Alborz. It seems that the main volume of pottery and other cultural materials retrieved from Parija excavation indicates to Iron Age II and II period occupation with the material cultures resembling those from contemporary cultures in the north and northeast of Iran. The results of preliminary studies of Parija Tepe indicates that this area, like many of its contemporaries in Mazandaran, is formed near the river and in a flat and fertile land, and in terms of architecture, similar to other Iron Age sites in Mazandaran, has wooden and mud-brick architecture. Therefore, Parija, along with other Iron Age sites of the region, indicates to the uniformity of the Iron Age material culture in the lowlands of Madandaran, which, while similar to the Iron Age cultures of the southern slopes of Alborz, has particular local features.

Abstract
One of the main aspects in understanding past cultures is the study and analysis of pottery works in ancient sites. The passage of communication routes such as the Khorasan highway during the historical period, especially in the Islamic period, has caused the emergence of many pottery cultures in this part of the country. Considering the influence of Hamedan pottery cultures and consequently the Qoroq site from large pottery areas of the Islamic period, in this research, an attempt is made to answer these questions. In terms of construction style and decoration, the effects of which areas can be seen in the pottery of Qoroq site? What are the most important types of pottery in this area from the 5th to 8th century AH? And which type of pottery has native characteristics? The main purpose of this writing is to identify the types of pottery indicators of the study site, which is done through the study of archaeological data obtained from modern surveys. In the present research, the descriptive-analytical research method and information gathering has been done in the form of library studies and field comparison of the findings of this area with other areas. The results show that the pottery art of this area can be seen in terms of construction and decoration techniques influenced by the art of neighboring areas such as Zolfabad, Aveh, Soltanieh, Takht-e Soleiman, Kangavar and Boroujerd. Also more than 10 types of pottery from the fifth to the eighth century AH have been identified, which include different types of unglazed and glazed pottery, each of which is divided into simple, patterned and multi-colored subsets under the glaze. In the meantime, specimens such as Dishes with multicolored decoration on white glaze probably have local characteristics.
Keywords: Qoroq Site, Hamedan, Typology, Pottery, 5th to 8th Century AH.

Introduction
Qoroq site is located 9 km north of Hamedan city, in the east of Bahar city. In terms of topography and geological features, this area is located in the alluvial, eastern and northern parts of the Alvand mountain valley habitat and in the middle of the vast and fertile plain of Hamedan (Fig 1 & 2). According to historical texts and archaeological evidence, Qoroq site is one of the leading cultural centers of the Islamic period, the peak of its prosperity is related to the seventh and eighth centuries AH (Fig 3). Surface studies on the pottery of the Islamic period of Qoroq site show that in this region, various known pottery styles have been prevalent in different regions of Iran. The Survey and analysis of various types of pottery index during the fifth to eighth centuries AH, The relationship of this area with neighboring areas and also the identification of local samples is one of the objectives of this Research. The most important research questions are: 1- In terms of construction style and decoration, the effects of which areas can be seen in the pottery of Qoroq site? 2- What are the most important types of pottery in this area? And 3- which type of pottery has native characteristics? According to the results of the research, underglaze and overglaze varieties with monochromatic and multicolor motifs are among the most important pottery works of this area. It is probably the multi-colored type on a white glaze background from the local pottery of the western regions of Iran in the 7th and 8th centuries AH. (Table 7 b). In the present article, the data are collected by documentary and field methods and the research approach is “descriptive-analytical”. The pottery pieces were studied by “sampling” method as “simple random” and based on “qualitative characteristics”.
Archaeological studies by faculty members of Bu - Ali Sina University in the region during the years 2006 to 2012 have referred to the pottery data of the Islamic period of this region and its flagship hills, including Qoroq site (Mohammadifar and Motarjem, 2006; Motarjem and Belmaki, 2009; Nazari Arshad, 2012). “Survey and analysis of the typology of pottery from the beginning of the Islamic period to the end of the Safavid period in Hamadan”; (Zarei and Shabani, 2019) is another research that has studied the totality of Islamic pottery in Hamedan province, including the Qoroq site, which has been obtained through excavations and studies.

Data
In this research, the pottery fragments of Qoroq Islamic site are divided into two groups of unglazed and glazed pottery. According to the type of decoration, unglazed pottery can be seen in three groups with molded decoration, incised pattern and added pattern. Glazed parts can be classified into two groups, monochromatic and multicolor. Also, according to the type of motifs and patterning method, it is divided into monochromatic motifs (carved, molded, embossed) and underglaze and overglaze motifs. Glazed pottery is divided into Sultanabad style, esgraffiato, black pen under turquoise glaze, silhouette, blue and white, Azure with gold decorations and several colors on white glaze (Table 1-7).
In the Islamic period, especially from the 3rd to the 8th century AH, historians and geographers have made important references to the routes between Hamadan and the neighboring regions, which can be known to some extent about the main and most important roads of this region and the neighboring regions. These routes are: 1- Hamadan-Holwan route (Istakhri, 1961: 163-162; Ibn Hoqal, 1987: 103-102; Ibn Khordadbeh, 1992: 24; Ibn Rosteh, 1892: 168-167; Maghdasi, 1982: 599-600; Mostofi Qazvini, 1957: 164) which passed through the western regions of the country, including the cities of Asadabad, Kangavar, Bisotun. 2- Hamedan-Qazvin route (Istakhri, 1961: 163), which passed through the cities of Razan and Avaj. 3- The southern road of Hamedan (Demeh road, Raman/Jarfadghan/Isfahan/Khuzestan) which was flowing from the cities of Jokar, Nahavand and Borujerd towards the southern and central regions of the country (Istakhri, ibid.: 163; Natanzi, 2013: 254). 4- The route from Hamedan to Saveh and Ray (Ibn Khordadbeh, 1992: 25; Ibn Rosteh, 1892: 168-167; Hamavi 2001, Vol. 1: 651; Katebe Baghdadi, 1991: 38-37) which passed through the eastern parts of Hamedan, including the villages of Gorgaz and Bozenjerd. 5- Hamadan-Soltanieh route (Mostofi Qazvini, 1957: 164; Hamedani, 2007: 126), the northern road that passed through the cities of Kabudarahang and Shirinsu.
Here, many similarities can be seen between the pottery of the Qoroq Islamic site and the examples found in the significant cultural centers within the region (Bashqortaran, Dargzin and Babakhanjar sites in the north, Arzanfoud and Troglodytic Samen sites in the south, and Qale juq site in the northeast). Also, the ability to compare some of the samples found with pottery from outside the region such as Qorveh, Kangavar, Bisotun, Garos, Aghkand, Soltanieh, Zalfabad, Tahigh, Aveh, Ray, and Borujerd has shown the connections of this site with its western, eastern, northern, and southern neighbors. Among these routes, which had a significant impact on the political, economic and cultural life of the region, is the Great Khorasan road that entered the Hamadan basin from the eastern parts of the plain.

Conclusion
According to the study of pottery left over from this area and the abundance obtained from them - as one of the cultural centers with valuable archaeological data - its peak of brilliance belongs to the Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods. Among the pottery fragments of the area, all kinds of single-color pottery (plain and patterned), underglaze and overglaze patterns typical of the western regions of Iran have been obtained. Among the types of glazed vessels, esgraffiato vessels with linear and simple geometric motifs repeated in the middle of the frame (spiral, zigzag, rhombus and triangular circle motifs) on a light green and cream background, and multi-colored decorated vessels on white glaze with mixed geometric motifs. (horizontal parallel lines, continuous crossed lines) and a simple plant (flowers with several leaves, mesbek and pichan) in the inner part is considered one of the most important types of local pottery of this place. Similar to the samples studied based on the construction technique, decoration method, color and shape in other pottery centers inside and outside the region, especially in the neighboring prominent areas which are on the most important communication routes from Hamedan to Kangavar, Bisotun, Qorveh, Soltanieh, Aghkand, Garos, Zolfabad, Tahigh, Aveh, Ray and Borujerd were placed, it has been popular. The designs used on the pottery have shown the extensive cultural relations of the population centers in the middle Islamic centuries. According to historical and archeological evidence, the main factor influencing the pottery art of this region from neighboring regions in the Islamic period was the trade and pilgrimage routes that entered the Hamedan plain from the east, central plateau, west and northwest. As can be seen, during this period, all exchanges from the most important city of Jebal, i.e. Ray, to the western regions of the country, including the Hamedan Plain, were carried out through the Khorasan road. Therefore, Hamedan is located in the center of one of the four important communication routes between north and south and east and west of Iran, and the similarity of the cultural materials of this region with other regions is due to its location in the chain of political, cultural and commercial communication in the west of the country.

Abstract
Ashraf, the modern Behshahr, was built in 1021 AH (1612 AD) by Shah Abbas the Great. The flooring of its royal buildings was made by carved stones, some of which have the mason’s marks of Safavid sculptors. Despite the great importance of this collection, apart from a short reference by De Morgan in the late 19th century, no independent study has been done on the mason’s marks of the Behshahr collection. In this research, which was conducted based on both field research and library studies, 266 blocks, including 309 mason’s marks from the Safavid period, were identified and documented in Bagh-e Shah and Abbasabad in Behshahr. The aim of this research is to answer questions about the nature and meaning of the mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection, their classification, and to obtain information about the constructions of the aforementioned collection through the study of mason’s marks. To achieve this goal, the aforementioned marks have been studied and classified, and some of the visual and conceptual aspects of these marks have been clarified through comparative comparison with similar examples in Iran and other neighboring regions. The result of this research indicates that some of the mason’s marks of the Behshahr collection have similar examples, even among the oldest examples from the Achaemenid to the Qajar periods. Most of the mason’s marks of the Behshahr collection can be classified as geometric marks, then tools and objects, and a smaller number can be classified as plant or animal motifs. Some signs have similarities with the Armenian and Georgian alphabets, which probably indicates the presence of sculptors from these regions in the construction of Behshahr complex. However, almost none of the signs can be called religious motifs with certainty.
Keywords: Behshahr, Ashraf, Safavid, Shah Abbas, Bagh-e Shah, Abbasabad Palace, Mason’s Marks.

Introduction
In the book Tarikh e Alam-ara-ye Abbasi, it is stated that in 1612 AD, in Ashraf (modern Behshahr), one of Mazandaran’s towns, urban development was carried out by the order of Shah Abbas the Great and palaces, gardens, baths, and buildings were constructed there (Skandarbeig, 1971: Vol. 2, 855-856). Today, in Behshahr, only remnants of the Safavid palaces of Chehelsotun, Abbasabad and Cheshmeh Amarat have remained, albeit with many changes from the Afshariya, Qajar and Pahlavi periods (Fig. 1). During the Authors visit to Bagh-e Shah and Abbasabad Palaces, traces of mason’s marks were observed on a large number of stone blocks used in the construction of the building’s floor. This study investigates the mason’s marks in the Behshahr complex, including the palaces of Bagh-e Shah and Abbasabad.

Research Background
In 1890, De Morgan traveled to Mazandaran and prepared a sketch including 25 mason’s marks of the stone blocks of Bagh-e Shah (Fig. 2). However, a significant number of signs registered by the Authors are not seen among De Morgan’s sketch, and this article is the first research dedicated to the mason’s marks of Behshahr exclusively.

Data 
Safavid Complexes of Behshahr 
a. Abbasabad: The palace of Abbasabad, named after its founder Shah Abbas I, was built in 1020 A.H. at the same time as the city of Ashraf was founded by him. Some parts of the Abbasabad complex, including the floor of traffic routes, stairs and the bottom of the pool are paved with stone blocks. The stone blocks are made in both square blocks with dimensions of about 45 cm and rectangular blocks with dimensions of about 25 x 60 cm. The average thickness of these stone blocks is about 7 cm. The Authors observed mason’s marks on four stone blocks located in the northeastern part of the Abbasabad complex (Fig. 3).
b. Bagh-e Shah: Bagh-e Shah is one of the most important complexes in Behshahr, dating back to the period of Shah Abbas I, with many changes since then. According to Della Valle, during Shah Abbas’s reign, the building was called Diwan-khaneh (Della Valle, 1991: 217). The mason’s marks of Bagh-e Shah are carved on a number of stone blocks on both sides of the stream, about 365 meters in length (Fig. 6). The dimensions of the largest stone slab recorded by the Authors in Bagh-e Shah were 110 x 192 cm and the smallest was 82 x 57 cm. The average thickness of the stone blocks is about 15 cm. On many stone blocks, depending on the dimensions of the stone, there are one or more small holes called “candle place.
Despite extensive changes to the Bagh-e Shah complex in the last four hundred years, due to their large size, the stone blocks have not been moved and have preserved their original state. In the Authors’ survey, 262 stone blocks were identified in Bagh-e Shah, each with one or more mason’s marks on their surface. Therefore, considering the four marked blocks of Abbasabad, the total number of identified blocks in the Safavi complex of Behshahr will be 266, with a total of 309 signs identified. All the mason’s marks in the Behshahr complex, including Bagh-e Shah and Abbasabad, are engraved on the flat surfaces of stone blocks. Most of the engraved marks are about 4 to 5 cm long, with an average depth of about 1 cm.

Discussion 
All the remaining examples of mason’s marks in the Behshahr complex are those that were engraved only on the carved stones used in the floor. Although most of the marked stone blocks of the Behshahr collection bear only one mason’s mark, a considerable number of stone slabs have more than one sign, mainly two or three signs (Fig. 8).
Among the 309 signs identified in Bagh-e Shah and Abbasabad, by removing duplicate and similar signs, 56 independent and separate signs can be identified. Additionally, all six mason’s marks identified in the Abbasabad collection are also seen among the Bagh-e Shah samples. In general, the signs identified in the Behshahr complex can be divided into different categories such as geometric shapes, animals, plants, objects, and alphabets. The largest number of mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection are geometric signs such as circles, ovals, curved types, triangles, rhombuses, squares, multi-branched shapes, wavy lines, straight lines and cruciform shapes, etc. The most frequently occurring sign in the Behshahr complex is number 28 with a total of 45 (Fig. 9).
Some signs in the Behshahr collection, such as signs No. 38 and 50, may be animal motifs (scorpion and goat). Some other signs like numbers 15 and 18, could represent plant motifs. Additionally, a significant number of signs seem to depict war tools such as swords (25), bayonets (24), bows and arrows (23). Some signs may represent specific objects, for example, a hookah (No. 21), which, due to its popularity in that period, could have been used as a mason sign. Tavernier, a French traveler of the 17th century AD, provided an interesting description of hookah and hookah-smoking habits of Iranians in the Safavid era (Tavernier, 1382: 309).
Some other signs in the Behshahr collection resemble Arabic and Persian alphabets (for example, numbers 53 and 54) and even alphabets of northern peoples such as Georgian and Armenian (for example, symbols of numbers 5, 35, 39 or 44). De Morgan referred to many signs in the Behshahr collection as Georgian letters. European travelers like Della Valle and Chardin have mentioned the presence of Georgians and Armenians in Iran during the reign of Shah Abbas I (Della Valle, 1370: 212-13, 216; Chardin, 1350, vol.4, 25-6).

Conclusion 
While some specific marks and shapes in the Behshahr complex, such as cruciform motifs (No. 44), may be ideological and religious symbols (possibly related to Christianity due to the presence of Christian sculptors from the Caucasus region), overall, none of the mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection can be definitively classified as a religious symbol. Additionally, none of the letters and signs in the Behshahr collection have a clear connection with the official religion of the Safavids (Islam/Shi’a).
Some mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection have similar or identical counterparts among the Achaemenid mason’s marks of Persepolis (Herzfeld, 2002: Fig. 339; Schmidt, 1953: 144-45), Pasargad (Herzfeld, 2002: Fig. 338), Susa (Maras, 2010: fig. 18.2) and signs on Achaemenid pyramidal seals and coins from Asia Minor and other places (for example, see Boardman, 1998: fig.1, D1, D1.1, D1.2, D11, D37, D51.1, D.52.1, Fig. 4). They also bear resemblance to the signs of other periods, such as the Anahita Temple of Kangavar from the Achaemenid to Sassanid era (cf. Kambakhsh Fard, 1987, Figs 2-6), the Parthian site of Bisotun, as well as the marks on Sassanid buildings, like Takht e Suleiman (Shah-Mohammadpour, 2013), Shahr i Gur of Firozabad, and the Sassanid collection of Bisotun including Khosrow’s palace, Farhadtarash and Khosrow’s bridge (Alibaigi, 2013). Among works related to the pre-Islamic era, the mason’s marks in this collection perhaps have the most similarity with the Caucasian Darband collection (Narin Qala) (Gadjiev, 2010: 147).
However, a larger number of the mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection are similar to the mason’s marks of the Islamic era, especially the Safavid period. A significant number of mason’s marks in the Behshahr collection can be found among the signs of the Safavid period in Isfahan, such as Pol e Khaju, Chehel-sotun, Ali-Qapu and Shah-Musa. The mason’s marks of the Behshahr collection can be considered an important source for studying the system of mason’s marks of the Safavid period.