Abstract
Islamic potteries have been studied since about 100 years ago, which concluded to whole bunch of disseminated literature, including books and articles. However, new findings from archaeological excavations and surveys light ambiguities and develop modern knowledge of potteries. Archaeological excavation project of troglodytic structure of Tahigh revealed glazed and unglazed potsherds that have been left unstudied. Accordingly, present research aims to classify findings from Tahigh to define cultural interactions with neighboring areas, further than relative chronology. Two main problems raise here as period of potteries of Tahigh and relevant manufacturing center(s). collecting data follow bibliographic and field work studies that is based on analytic-descriptive method. Considering comparative studies, the findings probably date to Islamic medieval centuries; and regarding available data, exotic items mostly imported from sudden neighboring areas or close regions of Central Iranian Plateau, including Zolf Abad of Farahan, Moshkoyeh Zarandieh, Aveh, Rey, and Kashan, however, there have not been identified any items from further regions of Kurdistan, Zanjan, and Kirman or other countries of China and India. 
Keywords: Underground Hand Making, Tahigh Khomein, Pottery, Investigation of Medieval Islamic.

Introduction
Present paper comes from a season of archaeological excavation and unearthing troglodytic structure of Tahigh, Khomein, which concluded to many pieces of potsherd (Sherahi 1393). It is necessary to involve in the excavation and pottery findings in a monogram, because of lack of relevant literature and diversities of findings. Accordingly, present paper intends to classify and define cultural interactions, in addition to relative chronology, that is responding to problems facing chronology, manufacturing centers, defining local, regional, and intraregional cultural and commercial relations of residents of Tahigh to the other areas. Descriptively and analytically present paper investigates data that collected according field works and bibliographic methods; findings resulted of archaeological basic activities and excavations that studied bibliographically. The authors, firstly, present introductions on Tahigh site, then investigate different types of revealed potsherds. 

Discussion
Some 10,000 pieces of glazed and unglazed potsherds revealed following the 1st season of excavations of troglodytic structure of Tahigh. Around 60% of total amount of potsherds are unglazed ones, as the most amount of findings. One could categorize potsherds to different types, considering technical and decorative characteristics, as follows: Plain or decorated kitchen wares with grey or black temper; Plain or decorated kitchen wares with reddish buff temper or smoky dark brown, similar to some findings from Rey; Plain or decorated wares with reddish buff temper; Decorated or plain wares with buff temper; Wares with reddish buff temper and inlaid to patches of turquoise glaze, or with dark brown temper and inlaying of patches of bronze similar to samples from Moshkuyeh and Rey;Wares with buff or reddish buff and typical stamped Seljuq decoration, and wares with light buff temper and orange painted decoration.
Glazed wares from the site mainly are frit wares that vary to many types including different types of glazed monochrome ones and underglaze incised or stamped decorations, types of underglaze paintings on white or turquoise background for example blue and striped white, wares with silhouette turquoise underglaze decoration, and few samples are painted luster or enameled wares. The potteries are very similar to medieval potteries from Zolf-Abad, Moshkuyeh, Kashan and Rey. Furthermore, there were found four unique miniature frit wares with painted underglaze decorations from Tahigh; there have not been recovered similar comparative samples from the other sites. There were recovered many glazed and unglazed tallow burners that formally categorized to four groups of plain cup-like, couple handled cup-likes, plain piped, and bisection piped.   

Conclusion
There have been recovered different types of unglazed potteries, with clay, sand or grit temper, whereas glazed findings are generally frit wares, and few clay wares. The unglazed wares show stamped decorations that typically manufactured during medieval Islamic centuries, however, decorations of unglazed painted samples characteristically revealed during 11 to 13th centuries, which have not been reported from other archaeological sites. Considering comparative chronologies, the unglazed potteries of Tahigh probably manufactured during Islamic medieval centuries especially 11-13th centuries; they were probably manufactured in workshop(s) close to the site or peripheral settlements. However, the other unglazed potteries, including stamped ones, probably imported from other areas such as Moshkuyeh Zarandieh or Rey. The glazed wares revealed abundance and diversities of burnishing and productions, generally frit wares, however, there were identified few clay ware samples. Regarding comparative chronologies, the potteries manufactured between 12-13th centuries. No samples were regional production, while they were probably imported from other regions including Zolf-Abad, Moshkuyeh, Aveh, kashan, and even Rey. Furthermore, tallow burners, generally frit wares, probably manufactured during 11-13th centuries. According to comparative studies of Islamic potteries of Tahigh, one could suggest that residents had local and regional cultural and commercial relations. Accordingly, pottery findings generally are reveal similarities to settlements at Iranian Central Plateau including Moshkuyeh, Kashan, and Rey, rather than other sites such as Jiroft, Aqkand of zanjan, and Garoos of Bijar. It may be troglodytic construction, structure, and small area with little population of Tahigh that never permitted it to raise as a metropolis with intraregional or even international commercial relations.

Abstract
Khosf county with a hot-dry climate is located in South Khorasan province in eastern Iran and on the eastern edge of the Lut desert. Despite the existence of historical monuments in this region of Iran, little is known about them to archaeologists, urban planners, architects, and art historians. Special attention was paid to the historical urban fabric and residential houses which are mainly related to the late Qajar and early Pahlavi eras, in the archeological survey conducted by the authors in the Khosf region in 2014. Three relatively intact and well-established historical urban fabric in the city of Khosf and the villages of Khor and Noghab were studied during this study and 45 historical houses in these areas and other historical villages of Khosf were examined. The studied historical/traditional fabrics are mostly active and today with some changes in the body of the building, they are still used by the local people of the region. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical and the way of collecting data is also based on archaeological studies in the region to document and collect information about traditional houses of Khosf, and Then based on library studies. This research seeks to answer three main questions: 1- How much has the climate affected the type of structures and architectural components of traditional Khosf houses? 2- Do these conditions prevent the influence of the changes and developments of the common architecture of the Qajar and Pahlavi periods or not? 3- And what have been the common decorative techniques in the architecture of Khosf houses? Based on the research questions, the main objectives of the present study are to investigate the impact of the climatic conditions of the region on traditional houses Khosf and developments in Iranian architecture, as well as the study of different structures and architectural components of these buildings and their related decorations. Despite the general resemblance to traditional architectural patterns in hot and dry regions of Iran, the results show that it is strongly influenced by the climate of the region and in terms of architectural structure and related decorations is slightly affected by Qajar to Pahlavi period architectural developments..
Keywords: Khosf, Residential House, Qajar, Pahlavi.

Introduction
Man has always had many buildings from distance past, many of which have been destroyed over time. Among these, residential houses are the most important and abundant architectural structures that have always been built or reconstructed by humans. But these buildings are generally destroyed over time and turned into a pile of soil. Therefore, it is necessary to study and document the remaining traditional and historical buildings of the country and study their construction and decoration methods and topics such as the impact of climate on them. In Iran, due to the richness of the country’s historical antiquity, many relics of traditional houses and urban fabrics have been left. At present, most of the ancient houses in Iran mainly belong to the Qajar to the first Pahlavi period. Many studies have been done on the architecture of traditional houses in different parts of Iran, which are mainly based on the historic and magnificent houses of Yazd and Kashan, but less attention has been paid to the study of simpler houses in small towns and suburbs. One of such areas where a large number of traditional/historical houses and to some extent some of its traditional fabrics have survived is the city of Khosf in South Khorasan Province, where no independent research has been done on the urban fabric and historical houses. Accordingly, the present study is the first step in studying and analyzing these architectural spaces. in this study, 45 historical houses located in three historical contexts of Khosf city and Noghab and Khor villages and surveyed by the authors in 2014 are considered as the statistical community. Considering that traditional houses, in addition to using the knowledge of their predecessors, have also been affected by climatic conditions and changes in Iranian architecture, it is necessary to know the extent of these effects in different regions. The main objectives of the present study, based on research questions, include the study of the decorations, structure, and various architectural components of traditional Khosf houses and recognizing their impact on climatic conditions and architectural developments in Iran.
Research Questions: The present study seeks to answer three main questions: 1- How much has the weather condition affected the type of structures and architectural components of urban fabrics and traditional houses of Khosf? 2- Do these conditions prevent being affected by the changes and developments of the common architecture of the Qajar and Pahlavi periods or not? And 3- What are the common decorative methods in the architecture of Khosf houses and how have they been?
Research Method: The method of this article is a descriptive-analytical one and the method of collecting data is also based on archaeological studies in the region to document and collect information about traditional houses in Khosf and then Based on library studies.

Article Text
With a hot and dry climate, Khosf is one of the southwestern counties of South Khorasan province, which is located in the eastern margin of the Lut desert. In most parts of the year, most of this area sees wind that has direct and indirect effects on the type of architectural structure of the region. Archaeological study of Khosf county has resulted in the identification of 45 residential buildings that date back to the Qajar to the early Pahlavi period. These buildings were identified in different parts of the county, from mountainous and foothill areas such as Ark and Bein Abad to desert areas such as Khosf, Khor, and Noghab. According to the objectives of the present study, Khosf traditional houses are studied based on the principles of traditional Iranian architecture such as urban form, introversion, direction, scale, spatial hierarchy, and architectural components of houses such as the entrance, courtyard, building materials, plan, colors and decorations and the effect of climatic conditions of the region and Iranian architectural developments on these works were investigated. For example, in terms of direction, most of the traditional houses of Khosf have been built in the northeast-southwest direction, and climatic issues such as the direction of the sunshine and the direction of the wind have had a direct impact on this choice. On the other hand, the studied buildings have a compact plan as much as possible and try to keep the external surface of the building smaller than its volume. This density and compactness of the house plan minimize the amount of heat exchange through the outer walls of the building in both summer and winter, thus preventing the penetration of heat into the building in summer and its loss in winter. Also, many of the studied buildings had one-way wind deflectors that brought cool air into the house in summer. Other features of the traditional Khosf houses include: having a central courtyard and rooms around it, having two porches on either side of the courtyard, having one or more windbreak rooms, having a room fireplace for winter, use of local and traditional materials, have very little decoration such as plastering or brickwork. 

Conclusion
Khosf is one of the hot and dry cities on the eastern edge of the Lut Desert that is directly affected by this climate. From the past until now, this county has largely preserved its traditional identity in the construction of various architectural works, due to its distance from very large cities. One of these works is the traditional houses of this county, which currently have a large number of them in areas such as Khosf, Khor, etc. Given that these houses have not yet been studied and surveyed, and at the same time have largely retained their traditional texture, it was necessary to address them in an independent study. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the general purpose of studying traditional and old houses in Khosf city and with other purposes such as investigating the role of climatic and traditional factors in the formation of various spaces of these buildings. According to these studies, it can be concluded that the traditional houses of Khosf show their great influence on the climate and geographical conditions of the region. This issue can be observed in various factors such as the direction of the construction of alleys and their dimensions, direction of the construction of buildings, location of rooms in a building, type and number and direction of the windbreak, number and structure of porches, dimensions of rooms, little use of opening spaces such as windows, etc. Of course, with some factors such as the isolation of the Khosf region, its distance from the main route of commercial and communication highways, and its lack of proximity to major cities, this city will benefit less from the architectural and urban developments of the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. This issue is seen in the introverted architectural structure of buildings as well as related decorations. Accordingly, the traditional architectural model of this region can be introduced as a traditional, indigenous, and unique model, and it is necessary to take more measures for the continuation and further prosperity of this model. 

Abstract
According to historical and archaeological sources, the ancient city of Esfarayen was one of the important settlement centers of the Islamic era. During its existence and prosperity, this city was a link between the two famous and big cities of Nishapur and Jurjan, but from the end of the Safavid period onwards, due to various reasons, it declined and its inhabitants gradually moved to the new city. So far, parts of the ancient city of Esfarayen have been excavated by archaeologists during several different seasons. In the meantime, choosing a suitable place for archaeological excavations in this area has always been one of the most important issues for its explorers, because due to the limitation of financial resources and the large area of the area, it was necessary to determine suitable places for excavation in advance. so that its archaeological exploration can be done with more certainty. For this purpose, at the beginning of the third season of excavations, six hectares of the city were investigated with the help of magnetometric method. Then, based on the results of magnetometry, the excavations of this season were carried out. According to these explanations, the main goal of the current research is to present the results of magnetometry and compare it with the findings of the archaeological exploration of the ancient city of Esfarayen. In the current research, the descriptive-analytical method has been used using the results of field and library studies. As a result of these studies, many evidences of industrial activities were identified in the site, including architectural remains of a pottery kiln and many evidences of pottery production, which are important in the archaeological studies of the Islamic era.
Keywords: Magnetometry, The Ancient city of Esfarayen (Balqis), Esfarayen.

Introduction
The ancient city of Esfarayen, which today is known as the city of Belqis, is located in a vast plain, three kilometers southwest of Esfarayen, with an area of nearly 200 hectares. Currently, this city consists of different parts such as Arg, Sharistan, Rabz, Hesar and Khandaq. According to the documents obtained in the archaeological excavations, the city of Balqis had a settlement from the first centuries of the Islamic era to the beginning of the Qajar period (Vahdati and Nik-Govtar, 2016: 98). Due to the importance of this city in the past, several seasons of archaeological excavations have been carried out in it (Vahdati, 2016, Vahdati and Nik-Govtar, 2018 A and B, Farjami and Sotoudeh, 2019). But Balqis has a large area and the excavations that have been carried out so far do not even cover a small part of the city. For this reason, it was necessary to use remote sensing methods to identify at least a significant part of the city’s landscape and buried bodies. One of these methods, which is considered one of the branches of geophysics, is magnetometry. According to these cases, in 2009, and with the aim of identifying part of the layers buried under the soil and choosing better places for exploration, first a part of the area was surveyed for magnetometry (Aminpour, 2010). In this investigation, about six hectares of the area in a place called Tepe-Minar and also the northern part around the citadel in the southwest side of the city were surveyed by geomagnetism. By carrying out this investigation, results were obtained, based on which the third season of archaeological excavations of the site was carried out. According to the aforementioned, the main purpose of the current research is to investigate and analyze the results of the magnetometric survey of the area and the exploration that was carried out based on it. The most important question that we are trying to answer in this research is to determine the effect of the magnetometric method on choosing a better place for the purposeful exploration of the Balqis area. The method and approach of the current research is descriptive-analytical, and the method of gathering information is based on field studies from magnetometry and archeological excavations of the site, as well as library studies.

Discussion
A- The area known as Tepe Manar The results of magnetometry survey: This section included 36 grids of 10 x 10 meters. In some parts of this section, confused and jumbled magnetic anomalies were recorded, which probably indicate the transformation and destruction of its subsurface artifacts. But in other parts, the magnetic gradient anomaly map showed evidence of architectural structures and other buried ancient phenomena. Accordingly, in the part marked with the letter F, anomalies were revealed that could be related to heated masses such as brick structures or terracotta masses. The results of archaeological excavations: In order to measure the investigated parts of Tepe Manar with magnetometric method, three test boreholes were dug in the discussed area. In the first borehole, all the piles of clay and ash were encountered. In the second borehole, layers were identified, the surface and subsurface layers are sand, sand and soil, respectively, and there is a mixture of ash and soil in the lower layers. Inside the texture of soil and ash, a large amount of welding furnace and pottery was obtained. Borehole No. 3 also did not find any architectural works and only a pile of clay and ash was identified in a hole. B- The north-eastern area of the citadel the results of the magnetometric survey: In the magnetometric survey of this part of the city, several anomalies were identified. In this range, anomalies have been revealed in the form of light-colored extensions and in some cases perpendicular to each other, which can be related to the buried clay architectural structure. The results of archaeological excavations: In the scope of the second part of the geophysical survey, three boreholes and trenches were opened and explored. Borehole number one hit a pile of glazed pottery from the 6th century AH. It seemed that there was a pottery workshop around this place, because most of these pots were covered by the wastes from the pottery activity. For this purpose, a trench was excavated near borehole 1, measuring 6 x 6 meters. After removing the surface layer, a pile of pottery shards and pottery kiln debris was encountered, which were scattered on the surface of the trench at different depths. For this purpose, another borehole with dimensions of 2 x 2 meters was created at a distance in the southern part of trench 2, and after removing the surface layers at a depth of 30 cm, the remains of a pottery kiln were identified. The reason for the large amount of strong magnetic anomalies in this area is the presence of many pottery pits in this area, in addition to the pottery kiln. The date that can be determined based on the pottery obtained from this kiln is the second half of the 12th century A.D.

Conclusion
Today, in the world, magnetometry is widely used by archaeologists to identify architectural structures and buried structures. By using these methods, it is possible to examine and study many parts of an ancient site without destruction in a limited time. For this reason, in the archeology project of the old city of Esfarayen, the magnetometric method was also used during a period. Because not only the area was large, but also the limitation of resources prevented it from being able to explore a large part of it. About six hectares of the area were studied in the magnetometric survey of the area, which was carried out with the Fluxgate device. After investigating and preparing the related map, anomalies were observed in some parts of the map, which were probably related to industrial activities. Based on these anomalies, six boreholes and trenches were dug in two parts of the area to measure the results of the magnetometric survey. In almost all boreholes and trenches obtained from the excavation, evidences of industrial activities such as pottery production or pits of potter’s pits were identified. The existence of these convincing evidences is a clear proof of the magnetometric anomalies of the area. In a trench, very clear evidence of an Islamic era pottery kiln was found, around which there were several waste places. Considering these cases, it can be said that the results of the archaeological excavations of this site are a confirmation of its magnetometry project. If these studies continue and boreholes or trenches are created in other parts, we can gain more knowledge about the different spaces of the ancient city of Esfarayen.

Abstract
Belqeis site or Old Esfarayen is considered one of the important urban centers in the Islamic era and in the North Khorasan province. Based on historical sources and archaeological excavations, this city has been inhabited since the early Islamic centuries until the Safavid period. So far, many books and articles have been published about this city and some of its archaeological evidence; But parts of its findings have not been published yet. Pottery from the 11th to the 14th century is among the archeological findings of this site, which have not been introduced and investigated in any independent research. These works include various decorative groups, some of which are less known. These factors show the necessity of conducting independent research in this field. The current research was based on two essential and main questions, which are as follows: How many groups were the pottery from the 11th to 14th centuries, what decorative features do they have, and which regions are they comparable to? What are the production centers of this pottery? According to these questions, the main goal of the current research is to investigate, analyze, and compare the pottery of the 11th to 14th centuries in the vicinity of the Belqeis site and to identify their possible production center or centers. The descriptive-analytical method was used to conduct the present research and the method of collecting information is based on field and library studies. As a result of the present research, various types of unglazed and glazed pottery from the 11th to 14th centuries of the area were investigated, described, and compared. In the meantime, some decorative techniques such as drop-drop glazing were also presented in the research for the first time. Much of the studied pottery was probably produced on the site itself, whose production evidence was also shown in the article. Still, some pottery, such as lusterware and celadon, was probably exported to this city from other centers such as Jurjan, Jiroft, Kashan and China.
Keywords: Pottery, Esfarayen, Belqeis Site, 11th to 14th Century, Islamic Era.

Introduction
Esfarayen is one of the ancient cities of North Khorasan province, which has been subject to calamities, looting, and attacks many times throughout history. Historians have called Esfarayen the border of Nishapur or Jurjan. Most of the transformations of this city are related to the 9 to 11 centuries; However, in the period of 12th and 13th centuries, it faced decline and was attacked twice by the Ghoz and then by the Mongols. In the 14 century and with the establishment of Sarbedars rule in the region, the city became relatively prosperous for a while, and this process continued until the Safavid period. According to these cases, it is clear that the life of the ancient city of Esfarayen continued continuously from the beginning of Islam to the Safavid period; This is despite the fact that our awareness regarding the archaeological findings of this city, especially its pottery, includes most of the early Islamic centuries. On the other hand, our knowledge about the pottery of the Islamic era of Greater Khorasan also includes the periods before the Mongol attack and after the Timurids came to power; While our knowledge about the pottery of the 13-14 centuries in the region is relatively small. Considering that the social life of the city of Esfarayen spanned the entire 11th to 14th centuries, it was necessary to investigate the pottery of this period in independent research. A subject that has not been independently addressed in any research so far. According to these cases, the current research is based on two essential and main questions, which are as follows: How many groups were the pottery from the 11th to 14th centuries, what decorative features do they have and which regions are they comparable to? What are the production centers of this pottery? According to these questions, the main goal of the current research is to investigate, analyze, and compare the pottery of the 11th to 14th centuries at the Belqeis site and identify their possible production center or centers.
Descriptive-analytical method was used to conduct the present research and the method of collecting information is based on field and library studies. Based on this, the pottery studied in this article is related to the archaeological excavations of the third and fourth seasons of the Belqeis site. After the initial documentation and description of these pottery, they have been classified and their comparative study with other sites has been done.

Discussion
In the present study, only the pottery was examined and studied, which included the 11th to 14th centuries according to the comparative dates. These potteries were divided into two groups, unglazed and glazed, and each group was examined separately. The unglazed pottery of the area has a clay paste in the color range of pea, red, green, and black, and various motifs are used on some pieces. Some unglazed pottery from the area, such as red paste samples, probably from Jurjan or Jiroft, were exported to this area. But other decorative pottery, such as molded and stamped samples, were produced in the area itself.
The glazed pottery of the area also has various clay pastes, frit-ware, and porcelain. The single-colored glazed examples of the area generally have a frit paste, and most of them are turquoise-green in color. Most of these production pieces were probably from the Belqis site. Among the single-colored glazed pottery of the area, scattered pieces of Celadon pottery were also identified, which imported from China in the 14th century. Pottery with the underglaze painting technique has a lot of variety and is generally frit-ware. Some of this pottery, such as the blue and white samples, was probably the production of the area itself, but the pottery, such as the Silhouette and Sultanabad samples, was exported to this area from other centers such as Jurjan, Nishapur, and Kashan. have been Lusterware pottery, which all belong to the 13th century, are exported from other regions such as Jurjan or Kashan.
It should be noted that in the excavations of the site, in addition to the pottery kiln, many slags were also found inside the kiln and its surrounding areas. Among the evidence of pottery production in the area, we can mention the following: scattered pieces of clay molds, three, four, or multi-faceted clay stamps, and many pieces of clay balls that sometimes have glazes on them. It can be seen, many pieces of pottery tripods, clay chines, unglazed or glazed pottery, deformed or stuck together, crudely carved pottery, and objects Cone-shaped pottery that was obtained along with other findings related to pottery production.
According to the existence of this solid evidence as well as petrographic studies conducted on some terracotta pieces, it can be assumed that many of the studied terracotta pieces were produced in the area itself; But some pieces, such as examples of lusterware, Celadon, Sultanabad, and some painted red paste pottery, were imported from other centers such as Jurjan, Nishapur, Jiroft, Kashan, and China.

Conclusion
The present research was carried out with the aim of examining, comparing, and dating the pottery of the 11th to 14th centuries of the Belqeis site and also identifying the possible centers or centers of their production. As a result of the present research, various types of unglazed pottery of this period were investigated, analyzed, and compared. As an example, pottery with drop glaze decoration was introduced and it was checked that this decorative method was used in combination with other motifs on the unglazed pottery of the area. Due to the fact that in addition to unglazed pottery, evidence of pottery production was also obtained in the excavations of the area, it can be said that most of the unglazed samples were probably produced in the area itself; But pottery such as unglazed embossed red paste with stumpy decoration and sphero-conical vessel pieces were probably exported to this area from the two centers of Jurjan and Jiroft. Because the production evidence of this pottery was obtained in these two centers and the form and patterns of the pottery in the area are somewhat similar to the production samples of these two centers.
Many of the glazed pottery of the middle Islamic ages of the area, despite the great variety, were probably produced in the area itself; As an example, we can refer to the single-color turquoise glazed pottery of ferritic paste, the examples of single-color oil-lamps of frit-ware, and the blue and white pottery with a striped pattern. Apart from these cases, in the excavations of the area, scattered fragments of other pottery groups of this time period were found, which were probably imported from other centers due to less dispersion and lack of identification of proof of their production in the area. are as an example, we can mention the obtained luster-ware, Sultan-Abad, Celadon, and Silhouette pottery, which may have been imported from centers such as Kashan, Jurjan, and Nishapur.