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Showing 3 results for Kur River Basin

Habib Emadi, Kamal Aldin Niknami,
year 4, Issue 13 (11-2020)
Abstract

Abstract
Understanding the Synchronicity between the Shagha-Taimuran culture and the Elamite period in Fars province requires a close look at the mentioned culture. In the Elamite texts, Anshan is mentioned as the place of the name which is the main part of Elam. Anshan is located in the northwest of the Kur River Basin of Fars province. On the other hand, in compiling the prehistoric chronology of Fars, it is the main basis of technological changes. The cultures before the rise of the Achaemenids in Fars were classified according to the changes and developments of pottery. The mentioned issues raised the necessity of accurate dating of the Shagha Taimuran culture. Tol-e Taimuran is one of the main sites of the cultures of the 2nd millennium in Fars and focal in the east of the Kur River Basin, eighty kilometers southeast of Anshan. In this article, we first try to deal with the relative and absolute chronology of this region then, according to the absolute chronology of the given region and neighbors during 2nd  millennium of Fars, comparing cultural materials, and recognizing cultural features, to evaluate the cultural sequence of the 2nd millennium in this region and neighbors in 2nd millennium. Dating of Tol-e Taimuran, there are 3 samples of charcoal were sent to the laboratory of Campania University (INNOVA SCaRL),on which the results show the period in between 1550 to 1100 BCE.
Keywords: Kur River Basin, Elam, Shagha Taimuran Culture, Tol-e Taimuran, 14C Dating.

Introduction
The Anshan is definitively identified at Tol-e Malyan, which is situated at the Kur River Basin (Reiner, 1973), which is one of the main centers for the formation of prehistoric cultures in Fars province, and the importance of Anshan as one of the main location in Elam and on the other hand, the identity of Elam as a cultural and political concept that has played a significant role in the Middle East for a thousand years (Alvarez Mon, 2018); The main question is the role and position of Fars prehistoric cultures in the centuries parallel to Elam in Fars. Geographically, Elam covers large parts of the southwest of the Iranian plateau. Part of Elam is located in the south of the Zagros Mountain range with distinctive features. These Sites are often ideal for pastoralism; and a limited number of areas were suitable for extensive and intensive settlement, which have an irregular distribution (Petrie 2013: 4).

Fars during the Second Millennium BCE
A plethora of chronological periodization has been proposed for Fars over the past 60 years, each with its strengths, weaknesses and terminological idiosyncrasies (Vanden Berghe, 1954; Sumner, 1972; Hole, 1987; Voigt and Dyson, 1992; Miroschedji, 2003). Vanden Berghe is the first researcher who, based on his extensive studies and speculations, has compiled a relative chronology of Fars cultures from the 7th millennium B.C to the Achaemenid period (Vanden Berghe, 1954). The Darvazeh Tepe is one of the main sites of Shagha Taimuran culture; 32 cases of radiocarbon dating in 1976 by Nicole on the charcoal samples of the Darvazeh Tepe show the time between 2140 to 640-500 BCE (Jacobs, 1980: 54). The chronological sequence of castle cultures, Shagha Taimuran in the VI chronological periods of the Kur River Basin in the Sumner study includes the 2nd half of the 2nd millennium and the beginning of the 1st millennium BCE (Sumner, 1974). In Tol-e Nurabad, absolute Chronology indicates the sequence of prehistoric Fars cultures from the Neolithic to the first half of the 2nd millennium of Fras. Tol-e Spid has a sequence from the Bakun period to the end of the Kaftari period. In these two Sites, we see a gap from the middle of the second millennium to the Achaemenid period (Potts and Roustai, 2009). Concerning the Tappeh Qasrdasht in the north of Marvdasht plain, the absolute dating of the area has been done by thermoluminescence and radiocarbon dates methods. Among the 16 samples tested by thermoluminescence method, 3 samples are completely related to the period of the second millennium, 1 sample shows the date of 2025± 250 BCE and 1 sample shows 965 ± 170 BCE (Atayi et al, 2019).

Absolute Chronology of Tol-e Taimuran
Tol-e Taimuran (Timaran) consists of two ridges at a distance of 90 meters from each other. The main oval Site with an area of 7 hectares with a west-east slope (Emadi et al, 2020), is located in the southwest of the Koushk-e Tavabeh village neighborhood and 100 km northeast of the center of Fars province, with geographical coordinates 39 R  X: 0718341, Y:3292841 and 1579 m ASL. During the excavation in Tol-e Taimuran, 10 samples of charcoal were found from different phases, of which 3 samples were sent to the dating laboratory for C14. The results are based on the depth of the sample in the table (Table, 1). According to the experiment, the sample of Taimuran 1 shows the time between 1271-1450 BCE, Taimuran 3 shows 1746-1891 BCE, Taimuran 5 shows 1434-1620 BCE (Fig, 1). Important findings in the site excavation process include ivory cylindrical seals, bronze vessels, and stone weights. Tol-e Taimuran including a large corpus of pottery and well-defined architecture. This is clear evidence for a settled community in Fars, most of the findings of Tol-e Taimuran are common in the areas of the second millennium of Fars. 

Conclusion
From the beginning of archaeological research in Fars, the presented chronologies have always faced challenges; Here, an attempt has been made to first express the chronological challenges of the Shagha Taimuran period of Fars, then to evaluate the presented chronologies using the results of the absolute chronology of the Tol-e Taimuran obtained by accelerating mass spectrometry with other areas of the Shagha Taimuran Fars. The results of radiocarbon dates of 3 charcoal samples in the Tol-e Taimuran show a date between 1550 to 1100 BCE. Comparing the dates obtained from radiocarbon dates in the Darvazeh Tepe area, the results of chronology by absolute thermoluminescence method of Tappeh Qasrdasht , and the materials found from this area in the 2nd millennium with Tol-e Taimuran and summarizing the results of 3 absolute chronological samples of radiocarbon dates at the Tol-e Taimuran suggest that the beginning of a culture that Vanden Berghe called the Shagha Taimuran is older than previously thought by researchers; It is noteworthy that the Shagha Taimuran can be considered as a continuation of the process of prehistoric cultures, apart from the political changes of the lowlands or the arrival of new tribes. However, the end of this culture in Tol-e Taimuran, 1100 BCE.
 

Azita Mirzaye, Alireza Sardari-Zarchi,
year 5, Issue 15 (6-2021)
Abstract

Abstract
The Kur river basin located on the center of Fars province is one of the main regions in Iran for the formation and development of prehistoric settlements. The Persepolis plain on the marginal areas of southeastern the basin has been a strategic and cross-cultural place for socio-economic exchanges from prehistoric times. The area during Chalcolithic period including Bakun and Lapui phases in 5th and 4th millennium B.C. has been settled by small villages such as Tal-e Bakun and Jalyan Archaeological sites. Jaylan is a complex site constituted of three parts and mounds that its name was the adaption of a neighboring village (Jaylan or Galyan), is situated 3.2 northwestern of Persepolis palaces and inside of its Buffer Zone. The site is completely flat on the farming lands, which can identify just by some surface finds, especially pottery sherds. The most important landscape complication of the ancient site is the Polvar (Sivand) river close to 100 m., and flows across the plain continuing southwest join to Kur river. Archaeological soundings at Jaylan excavated on the six trenches in various sizes between 7×5 m., 3×3 m., 2×6 m., and 2×2 m. Furthermore, 10 small test trenches at a distance of 10 to 50 m. from the center of site to recognize its core area and buffer zone that these didn’t have any cultural layers. So the area of the site is restricted to 0.5 hectares. a large quantity of Lapui pottery assemblage was found in lower levels, which generally divided into two categories including common ware and fine ware form to red, orange, and slight quantity in grey and buff colors. other significant finds are human burial and foundation of a large mud-bricks wall. Archaeological excavations at Jalyan show the site related to Lapui period, was a small settlement with two occupational phases. 
Keywords: Lapui, Jalyan, Kur River Basin, 4th Millennium B.C., Archaeological Excavation.

Introduction
The Kur river basin located on the center of Fars province is one of the main regions in Iran for the formation and development of prehistoric settlements. The Persepolis plain on the marginal areas of southeastern the basin has been a strategic and cross-cultural place for socio-economic exchanges from prehistoric times. The exchanges and transformations continued to the historic period with the formation of great ancient cities such as Persepolis and Istakhr during the Achaemenid and Sasanian eras. 
Tal-e Bakun is one of the diagnostic prehistoric sites on the area that formed from the fifth millennium B.C. identified by painted fine buff ware, several occupational phases, architectural spaces, and administrative documents such as seals and sealing. The last cultural settlements of the Tal-e Bakun found slightly thin occupational layers of the Lapui period during the late fourth millennium B.C. with plain fine red ware. In the period, new settlements were raised on the Kur river basin usually near the strings such as Tal-e Jalyan, which are commonly small in size.         
Lapui period during the first half of the fourth millennium B.C is the argumentative subject in the studies about prehistoric Fars region, providing some questions: why did abruptly change the pottery style during the transition from Bakun to Lapui period? How is the occupational nature of Lapui settlements? how sparsely small Lapui settlements transformed to the great city of Anshan (Tal-e Malyan) during the Banesh period on the late fourth millennium B.C.? and finally why Lapui period settlements of the Fars couldn’t develop akin to Susiana and Mesopotamian cities in the early of fourth Millennium B.C? how is the administration and socio-economic organization of the Lapui small settlements in the several plains of Kur river basin? 

The Site of Jalyan
Given the questions, it is necessary to do systematic surveys and archaeological excavations on some sites related Lapui period. Although firstly archaeological excavations on the Jaylan in 2019 found late Islamic layers on the surface levels based on the Geomagnetic survey results and anomalies, but by continuing of some soundings to get virgin soils old occupational phases from the Lapui period uncovered about 1 to 2.5 m. in dept. that established on the virgin soils.
Jaylan is an archaeological complex site constituted of three parts and mounds that its name was the adaption of a neighboring village (Jaylan or Galyan), is situated 3.2 northwestern of Persepolis palaces and inside of its Buffer Zone. The site is completely flat on the farming lands, which can identify just by some surface finds, especially pottery sherds. The most important landscape complication of the ancient site is the Polvar (Sivand) river close to 100 m., and flows across the plain continuing southwest join to Kur river. based on delimitation soundings, the estimated core area of the site is approximately 0.5 hectares with 2 to 2.5 m. the thickness of cultural layers.  
Archaeological soundings at Jaylan excavated on the six trenches in various sizes between 7×5 m., 3×3 m., 2×6 m., and 2×2 m. Furthermore, 10 small test trenches at a distance of 10 to 50 m. from the center of site to recognize its core area and buffer zone that these didn’t have any cultural layers. So the area of the site is restricted to 0.5 hectares.    

Finds
Besides some Islamic Pottery sherds on the upper levels, a large quantity of Lapui pottery assemblage was found in lower levels, which generally divided into two categories including common ware and fine ware form to red, orange, and slight quantity in grey and buff colors. Lapui fine ware has a hard dense buff or red body, with frequent lime inclusions, fired to a uniform red or buff through the core. Surfaces are smooth, sometimes with a slight luster, and scraping or burnishing marks are common. Lapui common ware has a coarse black grit-tempered body. An oxidized grey core is characteristic of many sherds and breaks leave a rough crumbly edge, as compared to the sharp smooth edge of breaks in fine ware. The surface is usually slipped, roughly burnished. Forms include bell-shaped or cylindrical beakers, open bowls, and restricted hole mouth or low necked jar. Rim forms are usually smoothly rounded but some are slightly thickened or pinched. Bases are usually flat although a few disk bases and ring bases are found. 
One of the significant finds on the excavation of Jalyan is a human burial found in trench 5 that form hole-shaped, constructed by chine wall surrounded it. Another burial from this period was just found at Tappeh Lapui on the Marvdasht plain, similar to Jalyan squat burial. Additionally, fauna and human bones were collected at the site with the number of 38 pieces and 384 gr. in weight. By the reason of little excavation in the Lapui deposits, there are small numbers of architectural residues. Nevertheless, the architecture show buildings constructed through mud-brick and chine walls. The foundation of a large wall was found in the Trench 4 with north-south direction, created by three rows of mud-bricks in light brown color, and 115 Cm. thickness. In parallel to other architectural samples in Lapui sites such as Tappeh Mehr Ali, Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad, Tol-e Bondo, and Tol-e Sozo, as yet hasn’t found the similar huge structure that could assume concerning to defense and monumental buildings of a complex society. 
Based on old satellite imagery such as Corona photos and also new imagery of Google and Bing, two other small sites are neighboring Jalyan that called Jalyan 2 (Tale- Kharkhane Ard-e Naghsh Rostam) and Jalyan 3 (Tal-e Gavdari) at a distance of 500 and 700 m. far from the site. Both sites also belong to Lapui period. Thus, the sites display this place was a cluster of small villages adjacent to Polvar river during Lapui period that confirm its important situation. Nevertheless, we should anticipate increasing the number of Lapui settlements to more than 96 sites on the Marvdasht plain, as specified by W. Sumner in former archaeological surveys. 

Conclusion
Archaeological excavations at Jalyan show the site related to Lapui period, was a small settlement with two occupational phases. Architectural remains, especially large mud-brick wall with around 1 m. thickness display a village settlement that established close to the Polvar river. however, the prehistoric village was abandoned after a short period. The site was ruined for more than five thousand years under sediments and natural deposits of Persepolis and Marvdasht plains on the Kur river basin, and at last, resettled again as a camp seasonal site by pastoral nomadic tribes during late Islamic periods. Indeed, natural sediments and also sporadically various historical ruins sometimes covered and protected a large number of prehistoric sites that it needs to revise essentially to archaeological surveys and methods.   
W. Sumner`s archaeological researches on the Kur river basin that was comprehensive and updated methods during same time need to review after 50 years. Nowadays many of the identified archaeological sites are destroyed through agricultural activities and developmental projects, but on the other hand, archaeological excavations at some sites such as Jalyan reveal that numerous prehistoric sites would be unseen by Sumner and other archaeologists. As, by the discovery of the sites, we should reconsider and change former settlement pattern analysis based on the regional surveys. 

Farshad Miri, Mossayeb Amiri,
year 8, Issue 28 (8-2024)
Abstract

Abstract
The Kur River basin, located in the Northwest of Fars province, is considered one of the main centers of the formation of the Achaemenid Empire. In terms of geographical landscape and climatic characteristics, the mentioned region includes vast intermountain plains (including Marvdasht and Korbal), rivers with deep beds (Kur and Sivand) and semi-arid climate. According to these conditions, the managers of Achaemenid economic-political institutions intelligently used the environmental capabilities of the region by building dams, weirs, Pool, reservoirs/catchments and canals to control surface waters and direct them to the ground. Agriculture and human settlements have paid. The dams and Weirs, while playing the aforementioned role, also prevented the damage to the agricultural lands located downstream by controlling the floods. The method of construction and selection of materials in the construction of structures has been different depending on the environment and their function. Dams and Weirs are mainly formed with an earthen core and a stone wall. The canals are also created in two ways: earthen and stone, or a combination of these two methods. The discussed structures have been attributed to the Achaemenid period, mainly based on their morphological features, type of materials, connection with the surrounding sites and comparative comparison with similar structures. The present study tries to introduce the Hydraulic Structures of the Kur River basin, its functional nature and morphological characteristics by using the descriptive-analytical method and by examining the evidences resulting from archaeological excavations and surveys. 
Keywords: Achaemenians, Kur River Basin, Hydraulic Structures, Canal, Agriculture.

Introduction
Central Fars region/Kur basin has a semi-arid climate with a Mediterranean rainfall pattern, most of which occurs in the winter season. New geological research and climate data show that during the Achaemenid period, the weather conditions of the Kur River basin were very similar to today (Djamali et al., 2009; Kehl et al., 2009; Rigot, 2010). Therefore, water control and management in a semi-arid environment with irregular rainfall patterns and rivers with deep beds has been vital and inevitable. According to these conditions, the managers of the political and economic institutions of the region have invested in the construction of structures such as dams, Weirs, reservoirs, and canals, whose works and evidence have been proven as a result of research and investigation. These Structures were built in different areas of the Kur River and with different purposes. The discussed structures in terms of dimensions and size, the amount of work and the materials used show the support and investment of the government. Therefore, the existence of various water structures, conducting targeted research in order to find out the functional nature of the structures, their physical structure and the reasons for assigning them to the Achaemenid period seems necessary. The main and important question of the current research is what was the function and performance of Hydraulic Structures in the Kur River basin during the Achaemenid period? What was the basis of the chronology and assignment of the studied water structures to the Achaemenid period? The structure, the environmental study and the geographical background of the formation of the structures have shown their various functions, such as supplying water to human settlements and agricultural lands, controlling and directing floods. Also, the discussed structures have been dated to the Achaemenid period, mainly based on their morphological features, type of materials, connection with the surrounding sites and comparative comparison with similar Structures.

Identified Traces 
As it was mentioned before, as a result of Archaeological investigations and researches, several important Hydraulic structures from the Achaemenid period have been identified and studied in the Kur river basin. In terms of morphological characteristics, the mentioned structures are divided into groups such as Dams, Weirs, Canals and Reservoirs. Among them, we can mention Band-e- Dokhtar, Bard Burideh II, Band-e- Bas II, Rahmat Mountain Canal, Asiyab Dam, Qondashloo Mountain Canal, etc. For the accurate dating of some of these structures (such as the band Dokhtar and the Bard Burideh), there is enough evidence, including the use of carved stone blocks and Dovetail Clamps. But some others can be attributed to the Achaemenid period based on possible evidence, including comparative comparison with similar structures and the connection with the surrounding sites. Band-e- Bas II and identified channels are included in this group. The precision and skill used in the construction of these structures indicate the existence of advanced engineering in the Achaemenid period. The chosen place for the implementation of Hydraulic projects reflects their functional nature. Therefore, it can be said that most of the Hydraulic Structures can be defined in connection with water supply and irrigation projects. The reason for the existence of Channels makes sense in this connection. Band-e- Dokhtar, Band-e- Bas and Asiyab Dam probably had a multifaceted function (irrigation, water supply and flood control). The Persepolis Tablets refer to a large amount of Agricultural and horticultural products in the Kur River basin. According to the texts of Persepolis, the diet of the people of this area in the Achaemenid period was mainly based on Agricultural products (barley and wine). Some of these crops can only be cultivated if irrigated. In addition, the implementation of irrigation projects has made it possible to plant nurseries and fruit gardens (mentioned in the Tablets).

Conclusion 
As the heart of the Achaemenid Empire, the Kur River basin has diverse environmental and geographical capabilities, including vast and fertile plains and permanent rivers. These natural characteristics have prompted the economic policy makers of the Achaemenid Empire to implement the economic programs of the Kur region according to its potential. The use and exploitation of surface water (rivers and springs) for the economic prosperity of the region by building structures such as dams, Weirs, canals and reservoirs is one of these measures. In this context, Band-e- Dokhtar and the canal branching from it, Bard Burideh II, Band-e- Bas II, Koh-e- Rahmat Canal, Koh-e- Qondashloo Canal, Koh-e- Ayyub Canal, Dezhabad-Amir Aqueduct are worth mentioning. The environmental study of the formation of structures and their placement in the landscape of the region shows that the main purpose of creating structures was to supply water to human settlements and Agricultural lands. The Persepolis Archive implicitly indicate the expansion and prosperity of agriculture/Gardening activities and diet based on agricultural products in the Kur river basin. Also, the reference of the Tablets to the cultivation of water crops (cotton, flax and rice) and various fruits can be considered as clear evidence of the role of water supply structures. The discussed structures have been attributed to the Achaemenid period, mainly based on their morphological features, type of materials, connection with the surrounding Sites and comparative comparison with similar structures. In terms of size and dimensions, the above structures show the amount of work and materials used for government support and investment.


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