From the perspective of pottery production during the Chalcolithic period at Tepe Ghabrestan (ca. 4200–3100 BCE), the Qazvin Plain constitutes one of the most important archaeological sites in the north central Iranian Plateau. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying the technology of pottery manufacture and the mineral compositions present in the ceramics. The research is significant for sourcing the provenance of Ghabrestan pottery and assessing the level of craftsmanship among its producers. The central research question concerns the quality of production and whether the pottery was locally made or imported. In this study, twenty pottery sherds from excavations at Tepe Ghabrestan selected from the ceramic repository of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Tehran were analyzed using physical tests (porosity measurement, water absorption, and density), petrography, X ray diffraction (XRD), and X ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), to perform elemental analysis and investigate the technological processes of pottery manufacture in the Qazvin Plain during the fourth millennium BCE. The results indicate the use of advanced and specialized production technology, reflecting the potters’ skill in controlling the firing process and selecting high quality raw materials. Petrographic examination of thin sections confirmed the presence of minerals characteristic of the region, including quartz, biotite, calcite, and augite. A major finding was evidence of the use of high speed potter’s wheels in producing Ghabrestan pottery, as shown by the uniform wall thickness and smooth surface finishes. Microscopic analysis confirmed the presence of inorganic tempers (mineral additives) incorporated to enhance mechanical properties and reduce cracking during firing. The clay used matches the geological composition of the Qazvin Plain, indicating local production of the pottery.
 

The earliest evidence of human exploitation of the wild date palm in the Middle East dates back to the sixth and fifth millennia BCE. Despite the scarcity of archaeological data, it is commonly assumed that by the end of the Late Uruk period (ca. 3300–3100 BCE), the Sumerians founded the earliest date palm orchards. However, this hypothesis has thus far not been substantiated by scientifically verified and documented evidence, rendering the matter a subject of scholarly controversy. To date, since the Proto-Elamite script has not yet been fully deciphered, our knowledge of agricultural activities within Proto-Elamite society remains considerably limited. What has been learned so far regarding the structure of this society’s economic system is derived mainly from comparisons between signs found on Proto-Elamite clay tablets and comparable examples in Late Uruk Mesopotamian Proto-cuneiform tablets from the late fourth millennium BCE; signs that primarily pertain to labor activities, animal husbandry, and livestock products. This study outlines the phenotypic characteristics of the date palm that can be identified, and examines their similarities to known Proto-Elamite examples. The authors suggest signs representing date palms in the Proto-Elamite script and consider them as key resources for a better understanding of the subsistence economy of the Proto-Elamite period, an issue previously absent from the scholarly literature on this era. Employing a comparative approach, the article correlates the signs for palms in Proto-Elamite texts with contemporaneous and later Iranian, as well as Mesopotamian, visual motifs. By introducing these signs into the archaeological discourse of the Proto-Elamite period, the research enables a more accurate reconstruction of the economic system and assessment of the level of date-palm horticultural knowledge in southwestern Iran during the late fourth millennium BCE.