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Showing 2 results for Stone Tool

Mohamad Hosein Rezaei,
year 2, Issue 3 (5-2018)
Abstract

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..

Ali Binandeh, Niloofar Naderian, Silvana de Paolo,
year 7, Issue 26 (2-2024)
Abstract

Abstract
The Qaleh Naneh site in Iran is the largest prehistoric site in the basin of Lake Zaribar that has been excavated. The site is located in the northwest of Iran, southeast of Lake Zaribar, and is connected with northern Mesopotamia through the Shiler Pass. The Chalcolithic period, especially the Ubaid and Uruk cultures, is the longest period of settlement in the site. This region was more connected with Mesopotamia in the prehistoric period. Stone tools are an essential component in understanding the socio-economic structures of prehistoric societies. However, the study of stone tools of the Chalcolithic period in Western Iran and the Zaribar Lake basin is limited. The study of stone tools in the Qaleh Naneh site provides valuable insights into the material culture and social organization of prehistoric societies. Structural changes in technological social networks from Ubaid to post-Ubaid may be observed in various aspects of stone tool production. The relationship between the methods used and the social changes of the inhabitants of Tepe Naneh has been explained as much as possible based on the stone artifacts. The stone artifacts obtained from the site were produced by a special group and spread throughout the region and the Zaribar Lake basin. The pottery evidence also shows extensive inter-regional connections. At least in the late Chalcolithic period, the production of stone artifacts in this region was on a workshop scale. Similar to the sites in the fifth and fourth millennium BC in northern Mesopotamia where stone artifacts were produced near the sources of raw materials and outside the settlements, the production model at Tepe Naneh is similar to northern Mesopotamia according to the type of stone artifacts. 
Keywords: Lake Zaribar Basin, Tape Naneh, Chalcolithic Period, Stone Tools

Introduction
The archaeological site is located at 16km. south-east of the modern city of Marivan, and is partially occupied along the southern and western slope by the modern village of the same name which has partially altered the original conformation of the settlement. The Qaleh Naneh site in Iran is one of the largest prehistoric sites in the basin of Lake Zaribar and is connected with northern Mesopotamia through the Shiler Pass. The site has been excavated extensively, but the study of stone tools from the Chalcolithic period in Western Iran and the Zaribar Lake basin is limited. The excavation of three 2m wide step-trenches along the eastern, northern, and western slopes of the site enabled the study of occupational deposits from the Chalcolithic to Islamic periods. The Ubaid phase 3-4, in the lower layers of Trenches A and B, also common are Uruk Ware in late chalcolithic period. The study of the cycle of production, consumption, repair, replacement, and discarding of stone tools is investigated under the title of analysis of stone industries in archeology (Jayez, 2016). The study of stone tools in the post-Paleolithic sites is usually less noticed by archaeologists, and the study of stone tools of the Chalcolithic period in the Zaribar Lake basin is rare. 
Stone tools are an essential component in understanding the socio-economic structures of prehistoric societies. This research aims to fill this gap and examine the obtained stone artifacts in terms of their construction, use, and relationship with social changes. The stone artifacts obtained from the site were divided based on morphology, manufacturing technology, mineral type, color spectrum, raw material used, and typology. The general characteristics of the artifacts were also considered according to the texture. The study found that the stone artifacts were likely produced by a special group and spread throughout the region and the Zaribar Lake basin. The most important questions in this field:
1- Where were the stone tools of Tepe Naneh produced? 2- Has there been a connection between the method used and the social changes of Tepe Naneh residents?
It seems that; the study also found that there was a connection between the method used in producing stone tools and the social changes of Tepe Naneh residents. The production model at Tepe Naneh is similar to northern Mesopotamia, where stone artifacts were produced near the sources of raw materials and outside the settlements.

Discussion 
The structure of prehistoric stone assemblages is different from the Paleolithic era, but they still reflect many economic complexities of societies. In the Chalcolithic period, one of the characteristics of the artifacts is the single-use nature of many of them, which were produced in a non-specialized way or for a wide range of domestic activities. The other group of artifacts are blades, micro blades, and groovers, which are semi-specialized and specialized. This process was created in the Neolithic period and continued until the Bronze and Iron Ages. Over the course of several thousand years, metal replaced stone technology (Rosen, 1997) .The study of raw material sources, their availability and abundance, and how they were used are important in understanding the economic systems of that era and the evolution of various aspects of human behavior. The study of raw stone dispersion is a suitable solution for solving the problems related to the living places of prehistoric humans and the surrounding areas, exchange and mutual social, economic, and cultural relations (Inizan, 1999).
After studying 271 pieces of stone tools from the Qaleh Naneh site, three different types of stone were identified, and the most commonly used raw material for tool production was different types of chert with different colors. The assemblages show that gray chert was used for 35.79% of the tools, and brown for 26.94%, far more than other colors. In total, chert tools include the largest number of tools at 91.88%. Additionally, 75.7% of all tools were obsidian tools, which is one of the imported and non-native stones of the region. The evidence shows that almost all obsidian tools obtained from sites in the west and northwest of Iran are from Armenian and Turkish obsidian sources, while pieces of obsidian tools from Naneh were brought from eastern Anatolian mines. Only one piece of sandstone was obtained, and in general, most of the tools were produced of silicate stones. The study of raw materials used for tool production provides valuable insights into the socio-economic structures of prehistoric societies in the Zaribar Lake basin and their connections with neighboring regions. The use of non-native stones, such as obsidian, indicates that the inhabitants of Qaleh Naneh had extensive inter-regional connections. The study also highlights the importance of considering the raw material sources and their availability in understanding the technological developments and socio-economic structures of prehistoric societies. 

Conclusion  
Tepe Naneh is a prehistoric site located in the Zaribar Lake basin, which was one of the largest settlements during the Chalcolithic period. The site has provided valuable insights into the production and distribution of stone tools in prehistoric societies. The pottery evidence shows extensive inter-regional connections, and at least during the Late Chalcolithic period, the production of stone artifacts in this region was on a workshop scale. At the end of the Ubaid period, the number and variety of stone tools decreased, which coincides with social and economic changes seen in many sites, including Tepe Naneh. At the same time, wide communication networks were formed. The trenches excavated on three sides of the site show a large structure in the late Chalcolithic- Uruk period, with visible changes in different aspects. The evidence of Naneh shows that this area in prehistoric period mostly related to Mesopotamia than western Iran. Lower layers martial dated to the beginning of the fifth millennium, which slightly overlapped with the Early Northern Ubaid. The Uruk phase of the Late Chalcolithic (end of the 4th millennium BC) has been identified in two trenches (A and C): typical Bevelled Rim Bowls attested in different size classes and mixtures.
The study of stone tools at Tepe Naneh raises two important questions: where were the stone tools produced? And is there a connection between the method used and the social changes of the site’s residents? The investigation of different stone hand tools at Tepe Naneh shows that part of the process of producing hand tools was done on-site, although extensive excavation is needed to identify the exact location. However, the limited number of core stone types and the percentage of stone tools suggest that most of the preparation and production steps were done outside the site. There is also no evidence for the production of obsidian tools at the site. The analyses indicate that the obsidian of the site comes from two sources, both located in Eastern Anatolia, which has reached this area through a wide network of obsidian. It was first imported to northern Mesopotamia and then to Marivan region. The evidence suggests that the production of stone tools was not limited to on-site activities and involved extensive inter-regional connections. Further excavation and research at Tepe Naneh may shed more light on the prehistoric societies that inhabited this region and their technological advancements and complex interactions and exchanges between different prehistoric communities.


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