Abstract
Despite the importance of the eastern regions of Iran, especially South Khorasan in the process of historical developments in Iran, archaeological research has not been done in this region. Kahnak archaeological site is an important Islamic site in South Khorasan province in the east of Iran where the weakness of environmental conditions and climatic constraints, especially the lack of water resources, has led to the formation of large and densely populated areas and settlements in this region. As this site provides economic, social, and cultural connections between the northern (Khorasan) and the southern regions (Sistan), which is also on another main route, it is very important for archaeological studies in the east of the country. Main routes have been a decisive factor in the location of human groups throughout history, and this has been more influential in areas where their habitats have been adjacent to major trade routes and communication roads. Kahnek site is considered as a place for educational activities of the Department of Archeology of Birjand University. From 2014 to 2019 excavation activities in this area have continued for six consecutive seasons. In this research, the fourth season of these excavations and their findings are introduced. The study aims to identify and analyze the architectural space called Kahnek Castle on the east side of the area in the winter of 2016. According to the surface data and excavations, the Kahnek site belongs to the third and fourth centuries until the Timurid period, and most of the gathered data include potteries and architectural structures are related to the Islamic Middle Ages. The architectural structures found in this season of excavation are mainly related to the architectural spaces of the castle. The present work is carried out in descriptive-analytical method and historical-cultural approach based on field data and library resources. 
Keywords: Establishment of the Islamic Period, Archaeological Excavation, Sarbisheh City, Kahnek Site.

Introduction
Regarding the archeology of the east of the country, especially South Khorasan, no studies have been conducted in this region, and the knowledge of researchers from the mentioned areas is more limited to the information contained in historical sources and texts and so far few articles and books about Archeology of this area has been published. One of the important sites of the Islamic Middle Ages in this region is the Kahnek site in Sarbisheh city. This site was selected in 2014 by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of South Khorasan and in collaboration with Birjand University as an internship site for archeology students of the Faculty of Arts - Birjand University and archaeological activities continuously until 2019, In this, it has continued. In the past, the Kahnek area was located as a settlement on an important communication route, which according to the cultural data obtained, it was determined that the establishment of Kahanek continued its life from the third and fourth centuries AH to the late Islamic (Safavid) centuries. In this study, the findings of the fourth chapter of the site are introduced. The cultural data obtained from the excavation of this site, in addition to architecture and pottery, have been other materials such as animal bone remains, decorative and functional metals, glassware pieces, metal and pottery ornaments, etc. This research tries to address these questions: 1- What is the plan of the explored architectural spaces of the ancient castle? 2- Can the influence of neighboring cultures be seen in the pottery of the Kahnek area? The research hypotheses are as follows: 1- According to the excavations, the old castle has a relatively circular plan and limited architectural spaces with square rooms. 2- Kahnek site is affected by neighboring areas due to its location in an important communication route that extends from north to south so that Neishabour-style pottery is one of the leading pottery styles of this area in the first centuries.

Geographical Location and Description of Excavation in Kahnek Site
Kahnek area is located in South Khorasan province, Sarbisheh city, in Mo’menabad rural district of the central part of this city and 50 meters east of Kahanek village and is located at 764602 longitudes and 3603433 latitudes. Architectural spaces in the fourth season of excavating the old area in 2015 are related to rooms with dimensions of 2×3 meters, which are related to the space of the castle tower. The potteries obtained in this excavation season are divided into two glazed and unglazed groups belonging to the early to late Islamic centuries. In addition to the potteries, an oil lamp, a metal scrap (possibly a coin), parts of quern-stones, a saw, pieces of glass, a chunk of glazed brick, a sharpening knife, and remnants of animals bones were found. According to the excavations and cultural materials and architectural evidence, three stages can be considered for this site. In the first and new stage of the site, it has been used as a temporary settlement in connection with livestock and agriculture. The second stage is related to the Islamic Middle Ages and at the same time with the Seljuk, Ilkhanid, and Timurid eras in which the site is at the greatest prosperity and development. The third stage of the area and the oldest one is related to the early Islamic centuries and the formation of the area, which shows the extensive connections of this area with northern Khorasan. At this stage, the architectural structures are built of clay with a wide foundation and thinner upperparts.

Conclusion
Archaeological excavation of the Kahnek site was carried out in 2016 with the cooperation of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of South Khorasan and Birjand University. The findings in this season of the excavation are the architectural works of several interconnected rooms with different dimensions. The walls of these architectural spaces are mostly made of clay; adobe and stone are rarely used in their foundations. Since most of the architectural spaces are detrital and in some spaces the adobes are placed diagonally next to each other, the roof of the residential spaces was probably made of rough-arch adobe. The pottery samples of the Kahnak area, which are the most important documents for the chronology of this area, can be compared with the samples and potteries of different regions in South Khorasan, particularly in North Khorasan and Kerman. The results of studies of samples and their comparisons show that the pottery in this area is related to the early Islamic centuries to the late Timurid and early Safavid periods. It can be said that trade routes played a key role in the process of communication and cultural similarities between different regions. Moreover, the Greater Khorasan Road is not only important for east-west connections but also it has been important for connecting the north and south of the Iranian plateau. Main routes have been an important factor in the location of human groups throughout history, which is more effective in areas where their ecosystems are adjacent to major trade routes and communication roads. However, it can be said that the climate has the most important impact on the process of leaving the inhabitants of this area, and agriculture, which is the main economic pillar of the region, has caused it to be abandoned due to climate change.

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. 

Abstract
The Zab River basin contains the cities of Piranshahr and Sardasht in West Azerbaijan and parts of the city of Baneh in Kurdistan. The Zab River rises from the Northwest highlands of Piranshahr and after joining many branches passes through the highlands of Alan in Iran and enters Iraq. The extension of this basin is a relatively vertical strip along the Iran-Iraq border and the Little Zab River. Its orientation is Northwest to southeast and from west to east. The Zab Basin is located in an area with a cold and temperate mountainous climate, a Mediterranean rainfall regime, with average annual temperatures between 11.7°C and 13. 3°C and, 700 ml annual rainfall (Hojabri et al 95). This article tries to answer the question of how the cultural relations between this point and other areas of the presence of the late bronze culture have been established by studying the cultural materials belonging to the late bronze cultural tradition in Akhoran tepe. Also, what was the chronology of the stables? The results of archaeological excavations led to the identification of a late Bronze Age camp. The study of Akhoran cultural materials also indicates the presence of a late bronze pottery tradition. Studies and relative chronology of pottery showed that most of the cultural interactions and influences were with Hasanlu regions and outside the borders of Iran with Anatolia and Iraqi Kurdistan. The present study is based on archaeological excavations and then library studies and with a descriptive-analytical approach tries to introduce new pottery of the late Bronze Age.
Keywords: Northwest of Iran, Late Bronze Age, Zab Basin, Akhoran Tepe, Archaeological Excavation, East of Anatoli.

Introduction
The Bronze Age is considered to be the beginning of major social changes in the early third millennium BC. The Hasanlu VI period or the Middle Bronze Age covers from 2100 to 1700 BC (Danti 2013:332 .Table 17.1). During this period, multi-colored and painted wares were commonly used in large parts of Azerbaijan (Dyson 1969). Hasanlu VI ceramic designs were in crossed, checkered, and triangle forms (Dyson 1965). The simple painted pottery, which is the characteristic of the Middle of the 2nd millennium BC, is the same as synchronously identified dishes of Khabur from Northern Mesopotamia and South West Turkey (Dyson 1969: 43-44). Our information on late bronze age in northwest Iran is quite limited. Hasanlu V, is of great importance in this region, but the period has been given relatively little attention. We therefore selected Akhoran Tepe for excavation with the goal of closing this chronological gap in our understanding of Iranian prehistory.
As a local center, the Zab basin generally witnessed the alternation of contacts and conflicts, as is evidenced by the varying patterns in the distribution of recorded sites. Unlike what is characteristic of Mesopotamia and southern Iran in the fourth millennium BC, it has not yet produced any traces of extended settlements and social complexities. 
Previous studies have illustrated that northwest Iran maintained contacts with regions south of Caucasia and the valleys hemmed in by the Aras and Kura rivers to the north, the Central Zagros to the south, and eastern Anatolia and north Mesopotamia to the west via mountain passes. 
Recent archaeological data from the adjacent neighboring regions has corroborated this observation. Therefore, serious investigation in the region has the potential to shed light on broad cultural interactions and evolutions in the middle and northern Middle East. 
The data from Akhoran is thus of considerable importance in this respect, and can improve our understanding of regional and inter-regional interactions. A foremost purpose of this paper is to look into the ties and connections between Akhoran and northwest Iran as a whole, and to explore intra- and inter-regional interactions.
One of our fundamental problems in North West Iran was the lack of excavations, with little information about the Archaeology of the region. The current paper focuses on Akhoran Tepe since we have had a little knowledge about the late Bronze Age in the Little Zab River. 

Archaeological Background
North West Iran has a particular Archeological importance since it accumulates different prehistoric periods. The area is also important from the point of view of Archeological literature since it is at a crossroad facilitating the passing of nations and trading. With regard to the history, the basin is among those that attracted the attention of domestic and foreign scholars at the dawn of professional Archaeology in Iran (Motarjem Sharifi 2014: 50).
A long-lasting Hasanlu Project started by the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania in 1956 under the guidance of Robert H. Dyson, is the most significant work carried out in this basin (Dyson, 1968; 1969). On the other hand, the work at Yanik Tepe, the Northeastern basin of the lake began in 1960 by Charles Burney that furnished important details, among them the identification of the Trans-Caucasian culture’s infiltration into Northwestern Iran (Burney 1961; 1962; 1964). Indeed, earlier excavations conducted by Burton-Brown at Geoy Tepe, in the same basin, had uncovered evidence of the Trans-Caucasian culture at Level K (Burton Brown 1951). Later excavations by Burney at Haftvan Tepe brought to light further aspects of the Bronze and Iron Age cultures.
This region experienced the Middle Bronze culture known as Urmia ware with monochrome and polychrome pottery. Danti divides the Middle Bronze Age into three periods (Danti 2013: 332).
We also know about the Urmia ware in Haftavan VIB. Investigation and recognition of the Urmia ware was carried out by Edwards (Edwards 1983).

Conclusion
Akhoran can well supplement the limited dataset at hand for Hasanlu V. An important point about this site is the absence of the middle bronze material culture. Tepe Akhoran is one of the sites with deposits of the Late bronze age within the prospective reservoir of the kani sib  Dam. The main objective of this excavations is to establish the cultural sequence of the site. Other aims include dating the most important settlement attested at the site, and pinpointing the subsistence system of the late bronze age community that occupied it. The nature of the settlement and material culture of the Hasanlu VI period in Dinkhah Tepe and the limitation of the Khabur pottery to the southern areas of Lake Urmia strongly suggest that during this period, people from Mesopotamia migrated to the Ušnu- Solduz valley (Danti et al 2004.584).  In the Piranshahr area, excavations at Akhoran Hill provided evidence of a new bronze tradition in the Zab Basin.
The most important cultural material of the Akhorn  in  late  bronze age is  potteries, which is produced in a simple and painted sherds. The pottery from Tepe Akhoran is comparable to the material coming from the, Azerbaijan and the Anatoly. 
The pottery is decorated with geometric patterns. The shape of the dishes is more inclined to closed-mouth dishes. Also, what the data of Akhoran excavations show indicates the cultural relations of this region with other parts of the Urmia Lake basin, including Hasanlu, and outside the borders of Iran, the areas of Anatolia and Iraqi Kurdistan. This area may be geographically more inclined to Anatolia.