The Archaeology Thread

[Gilgamesh]

hehe, good one. ^_^

[persian]

Originally Posted by J_H_

Do you know this joke?


"An Italian turist sad in Persepolis, that archeologists in Rome uncovered ancient wires so it is obvious, that ancient Romans had telephones.

Answer of Iranian guide is: "Our archeologist did not find any wires in Persepolis, so it is proved, that Iranians used cell phones on that times."

I liked it. Cool joke.

[shugs]

Cylindrical Seal with a Strange Design Discovered in Dezful


Archeological excavations in Khuzestan
province led to discovery of a cylindrical
seal designed with a winged horse with
a lion’s head and a cow’s hooves!

Tehran, 28 May 2006 (CHN) -- Archeological excavations in Sanjar Tepe in Khuzestan province resulted in discovery of a cylindrical seal with the design of a winged horse on its end. Although it is not the first time archeologists are confronted with the design of a winged horse in Iran, what makes this one special compared to the previous ones is that this winged horse has a lion’s head and a cow or a goat’s hooves, creating a strange creature which combines features of a horse, a bird, a lion, and a cow!

“A stone seal which most probably belongs to the Sassanid era (226-651 AD) was discovered during the first archeological excavation in Sanjar Tepe in Dezful. The design of a winged horse can be seen on the seal whose head is like a lion and has round hoofs like a cow or a goat. Horse was considered as a sacred animal during the Sassanid period and had a special place among the Persians of the time. We had previously found a large number of Sassanid seals with the designs of winged horses on them in other archeological sites but what makes this one unique among all the pervious ones is that it is the first time we see such a strange combination of four animals all in one. Another interesting thing about this design is that the hooves are round not cracked, although we don’t have any idea about the reason it is designed so,” said Mostafa Abdolahi, archeologist and head of Archeology Department of Azad University of Dezful.

First season of archeological excavations in Sanjar Tepe has started by the students of Dezful Azad University under the supervision of Dr. Pour Derakhshandeh. According to Abdolahi, the objects which have been discovered so far in this historical site, including clay, bronze and iron relics, were displayed in an exhibition in Khuzestan which was held during the Cultural Heritage Week (18-25 of May).

“Some models illustrating the Islamic architectural style used in the constructions of the city and colored posters from some historic monuments prepared by the students were displayed in this exhibition. In addition, some documentary movies from different archeological sites were screened in this exhibition,” said Abdolahi.

Sanjar historical Tepe is located in the city of Dezful in Khuzestan province, south of Iran, and belongs to the Elamite period (2700 BC-539 BC). The first season of archeological excavations in this historical site led to discovery of the location of Zahari, the Elamite city. “This city was located between the cities of Susa and Avan. Considering the archeological evidence found in the region, we believe that this city must have existed near the Sanjar Tepe,” added Abdolahi.

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6406

[shugs]

Signet Ring Found in a Sassanid Grave in Mazandaran


Discovery of a signet ring with a
Pahlavi-Sassanid word carved on it
in Mazandaran province opened a
new phase in archaeological studies
of this region.

Tehran, 27 May 2006 (CHN) -- A grave belonging to the Sassanid era was discovered during sounding activities by archeologists near Kangelou historical fortress in Mazandaran province in which a signet ring with Pahlavi-Sassanid script carved on it was found.

“This Sassanid grave was discovered during the sounding activities aimed at finding the pathway to Kangelou Fortress in Savad Kooh in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran. This is a four-layer stone grave and the corpse was buried in a foetal position. In addition to the signet ring, some enameled clay dishes, metal, and glass relics have been found in this grave,” said Saman Sourtiji, member of academic assembly of Iran’s Archeology Research Center of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department of Mazandaran province and head of the archeology team in Kangelou Fortress.

According to Sourtiji, the grave was built with rubbles and mud mortar and the corpse was buried towards the west laid on its left side with hands near its mouth and knees bent.

This is a pre-historic burial method common before the Islamic period. However, this new discovery shows that this method of burial continued in Mazandaran province even after the Islamic era for over a century.

“The discovered ring in the grave is an opal ring which was used as a seal. An etched word can be seen on the opal which was decoded by Rasoul Bashash, master of ancient languages. According to Bashash, the word on the ring says “Farokhi” or “Farahi”, meaning luck or happiness, and it was believed that it would bring dignity and splendor for its owner,” explained Sourtiji.

According to Sourtiji, with this discovery, the Kangelou fortress archeology team is determined to continue its excavations in the area to find the architectural remains of the people who lived near the fortress during the Sassanid era in order to learn more about the mysteries of this historical period in this area.

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6403

[shugs]

Discovery of a Neolithic Stone Dwelling in Marvdasht


A stone shelter which dates back to
some 10,000 years ago was discovered
near Rahmat Mountain in Marvdahsht
Plain in Fars province during
archeological excavations.

Tehran, 11 June 2006 (CHN) -- Archeological excavations in Marvdasht Plain in Fars province led to discovery of a 10,000-year-old stone dwelling near Rahmat Mountain. Archeologists believe that an advanced technology was used in the construction of the partition walls of this Neolithic shelter.

“This stone dwelling which was discovered in the foothills of Rahmat Mountain belongs to the pre-clay era and may possibly be dated back to 12,000 years ago. There are some delicate stone partition walls in this dwelling in which a well-developed technology must have been used in order to scrap some of these partition walls,” said Mohammad Feizkhah, head of excavation team in Marvdasht plain.

According to Feizkhah, this stone shelter is located about 10 meters above the plain level. Archeologists also believe that considering the archeological evidence at hand, this stone construction should have been used as a temporary dwelling by human beings some 10,000 years ago.

“Eshkaft-e Gavi (cow cave) is another shelter which is situated near this discovered stone dwelling. Therefore, considering the local dialect of the people of the region, we named this one Eshkaft-e Siahoo (black cave),” added Feizkhah.

Discovery of several temporary nomadic settlements belonging to the Achaemenid to the Islamic period in this area are among other archeological achievements in Marvdsht plain. Even at present some nomads who pass through the Marvdasht plain set their temporary settlements in this region.

Prior to this, archeological excavations and geophysical studies by the joint Iranian-French team in Fars province had led to unearthing of an irrigation channel belonging to the Achaemenid era (648-330 BC) in an area between Persepolis and the city of Estakhr (pool) in Fars province, which is believed was used to direct the water of Polvar (Sivand) River to Marvdasht Plain where the ancient palace of Persepolis is located.

Archeological excavations in Mavdasht Plain of Fars province has originally started by a joint Iranian-French team; however, due to some problems arising in this respect, the French archeologists left the area and now the Iranian team has to continue the excavations by itself.

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6432

12000 years old :O! Iranic history dates back aaagggeeess!!

[shugs]

Architectural Style of Darius’ Summer Palace Uncovered



Discovery of black and white stones
belonging to the quarries of Bolaghi
Gorge near the summer palace of
Darius indicate that such stones
were used in decoration of this
Achaemenid monument.

Tehran, 16 June 2006 (CHN) -- Further archeological excavations on the remains of Darius’ palace which was discovered during the recent archeological excavations in Bolaghi Gorge by the Iran-French joint team, indicate that this palace was used as a summer settlement by Darius the Great and other Achaemenid kings. Studies on the stone pillars of the balcony show that the base of these pillars were constructed and decorated with white and black stones. These stones had been obtained from quarries which exist in Bolaghi Gorge.

“We believe that the area of the castle was something about one hectare. However, the excavations in this area indicate that the king’s settlement area was only 30x30 meters, and therefore the remaining area must have been allocated to a small summer palace used by Darius during his reign,” said Mohammad Taghi Atayi, Iranian head of the Iran-French joint archeology team in Bolaghi Gorge.

The evidence show that high qualified materials were used in the construction of this Achaemenid monument and its foundation was so strong that parts of it have survived over time despite a lot of destruction.

Prior to this, the joint Iran-French team succeeded in unearthing a black stone pedestal in this Achaemenid summer palace, which is now being kept in Parse Pasargadae Research Center. Atayi believes that discovery of the decorations used in the balcony is very helpful in identifying the architectural style used in this palace.

“The four-pillared balcony of the summer palace of Darius the Great was unearthed in area no. 34. While the discovered pedestals of the palace had a circular shape, those of the balcony were squared shape and were 65 by 65 centimeters. Construction of squared pedestals on which round pillars were set was a very common architectural style of the Achaemenid era (648-330 BC). We also succeeded in discovering the remains of black and white stones in this summer palace, similar to those which had already been found in Pasargadae and Sivand during final days of our excavations in area no. 34. Just like the stones used in the construction of Pasargadae monument, these stones have been scraped due to rain and cold weather of the region. Evidence show that they were used as the base of the pillars in the balcony of the summer palace,” added Atayi.

“Discovery of these stones shows that black and white stones were used for construction and decoration of the squared pedestals and then the wooden pillars were placed on them over which the ceiling was built,” explained Atayi.

After the end of the first season of excavations in area no. 34 of Bolaghi Gorge, the architectural style and the plan of this Achaemenid summer palace were revealed to a large extent and archeologists hope to unearth and identify the other remains of this historical monument during their second season of excavations.

Bolaghi Gorge located in Fars province is considered part of the cultural landscape of the Pasargadae World Heritage site. Excavations in Bolaghi Gorge started almost two years ago with the aim of saving its archeological evidence before the inundation of the nearby Sivand Dam. With flooding of the Sivand Dam, Bolaghi Gorge and its 130 historical sites unearthed so far will drown.

Following the Archeology Seminar for Bolaghi Gorge Salvation Project, held 23-24 of February 2006 in the city of Shiraz, it was officially announced that the inundation of the Sivand Dam will be postponed until the end of excavations.

END

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6440

_______________


Thats a great find imo, shows a true window into the past of Achamenian design/architecture/styling

[shugs]

Discovery of a Historical Fortress in Hormozgan



The first season of archeological
excavations in Haji Abad, a city in the
southern province of Hormozgan, led
to discovery of a fortress belonging
to the 12th century AD.

Tehran, 17 June 2006 (CHN) -- A city fortress belonging to the mid-Islamic centuries was discovered in Haji Abad city, Hormozgan province, during recent excavations by archeologists. Archeological evidence indicates that this fortress must have been inhabited up until the Qajar era (1781-1925 AD).

“This 400x400 square meter fortress is surrounded by a trench and the remains of an ancient city such as a public bath, water reservoir, and windmill can be seen inside this fortress,” said Marjan Ravayi, an expert from the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department of Hormozgan province.

According to Ravayi, this fortress consisted of four towers and was inhabited until the Qajar era. Due to existence of various cultural relics such as china celadon (early clay vessels produced in China from a very strong material), coins, blue and white chinaware, and porcelain dishes belonging to different periods of history especially the middle and latest Islamic periods, it became clear that this abandoned fortress has an importance place for archeologists and deserves being studied more.

Based on Los Range’s geographical estimation, this historical fortress was located on the way of caravans to the Old Hormoz.

Old Hormoz Port, also located in Hormozgan, became a booming trade center among the Persian Gulf regional states after the collapse of the nearby Siraf Port. Following the invasion of Mongols, it became abandoned and lost its dignity and was forgotten for almost 700 years. Latest archeological excavations in Hormozgan province resulted in discovery of this historical port 11 kilometers from the Minab Plain near Hormoz.

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6441

I wonder what happened... they must have been like... no shit! I never noticed that thing there

[shugs]

Pasargadae Irrigation Channels to be Restored

By destroying an asphalt road lading to
Pasargadae historical site which lies
over its irrigation channels,
archeologists will begin restoring
these ancient constructions.

Tehran, 25 June 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- Parse- Pasargadae Research Center is determined to destroy the layer of asphalt laid over an ancient road leading to the Pasargadae historical site in order to restore the original path of irrigation channels of this historical site and to connect them together to revive their original pattern.

"We succeeded in discovery of different parts of Pasargadae irrigation channels so far which, to some extent, helped us find out how these channels directed water to Cyrus’ Palace. While working on the path of these channels, we noticed that the asphalt road which leads to Pasargadae and is used for transporting tourists to this historical site is constructed over some parts of the irrigation channels, which is why we decided to destroy the asphalt surface to be able to restore and revive the original path of the these canals," said Mohammad Hassan Talebian, head of Parse-Pasasrgadae Research Center.

The irrigation channels of Pasargadae were constructed by stone and are considered one of the most technical methods invented by Persians to lead water to their gardens and residential places. At present, the Persepolis restoration team is busy restoring part of the irrigation channels of Pasargadae that had not been buried by asphalt.

"By destroying the asphalt road of Pasargadae, no vehicle will be permitted to pass through this way and people would have to go through this road by feet if they wish to see the Pasargadae historical complex. However, a path will be considered for the convenience of the people visiting the Pasargadae historical site," added Talebian.

According to Talebian, restoring the irrigation channels of Pasargadae will give the visitors a chance to see the method of irrigation used during the Achaemenid era (648-330 BC), during their visit to Pasargadae historical site.

Pasargadae, a UNESCO world heritage site, located in Fars province was the first dynastic capital of the Achaemend era. Its palaces, gardens, and Tomb of Cyrus the Great, are outstanding examples of the first phase of royal Achaemenid art and architecture and exceptional testimonies of the rich civilization of Persia.


_____________


Thats pretty kool.. maybe we could see the return of Cyrus the Greats gardens 'Paradisa' :P

[shugs]

Mulla Sadra Dam to Drown 7000 Years of History



Parts of the 7000-year-old archeological
site of Mehr Ali Farsi and its historical
relics were submerged in water after
initial phase of inundation of Mulla
Sadra Dam in Fars province.

Tehran, 2 July 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- The never-ending story of a historical site being damaged due to development projects and dam constructions seems to never let the minds of the people of Iran rest. This time, the same story is repeated for the 7000-year-old historical site of Mehr Ali Farsi in Fars province which was partly submerged as a result of inundation of Mulla Sadra Dam.

Although Iran’s Archeology Research Center has issued a certificate for carrying out excavations in this historical site, the Ministry of Energy has refused to fulfill its commitments, seeking to immediately inaugurate the dam after its construction was completed. This is while based on a memorandum of understanding signed a few months ago between Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) and the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry was expected to coordinate its projects with ICHTO and is in charge of providing the budget for carrying out excavations in the vicinity of their development projects.

“Mehr Ali Farsi is one of the most important archeological sites of Fars province and archeological excavations in this historical site could lead into revealing many unknown facts about the pre-historic period of Fars province. Despite the fact that this historical site had been identified before the inundation of Mulla Sadra Dam, the authorities of the dam have neglected the necessity for carrying out excavations in this area and started the flooding of the dam in a very short time,” said Azizollah Rezayi, head of archeology team in Mehr Ali Farsi historical site.

According to Rezayi, some parts of the region have already been submerged and by the start of seasonal rains in less than three months, this historical site will be drowned up to 15 meters.

“We are determined to carry out our excavations in this historical site in the remaining three months to unearth and save as much as we can the historical relics which exist in this area. We have demanded a 100,000 US dollar budget for undertaking the excavations. However, the Ministry of Energy which is formally in charge of paying for the excavations has failed to give a penny although it has admitted that if the Archeology Research Center does not start excavations in the area, the historical site of Mehr Ali Farsi will soon be submerged due to inundation of Mulla Sadra Dam and starting of seasonal rains,” added Rezayi.

Rezayi also explained that the Ministry of Energy has asked the Archeology Research Center to pay for the excavation expenses and it will reimburse for it later. “However, previous experiences the Center has had with the Ministry such as the Sivand Dam show that this ministry does not keep its promises and is less likely to fulfill its financial commitments,” said Rezayi.

Despite all the efforts made by the authorities of ICHTO to postpone the inundation of Mulla Sadra Dam, the opening ceremony for flooding of this dam, which has been constructed for irrigation of agricultural lands, was held two months ago with the presence of the authorities of the Ministry of Energy, destroying part of the Mehr Ali Farsi historical site by its first phase.

Enjoying an old civilization with numerous historical sites, Iran had already encountered bitter experiences due to construction of dams in different parts of the country where hundreds of invaluable artifacts were lying. These included Sahand Dam in East Azarbaijan which will submerge the 6000-year-old Kul Tepe site, Alborz Dam in Mazandaran province, which caused irreversible damage to cultural heritage of the eastern part of Mazandaran province, the Karun Dam in Khuzestan province, Salman-e Farsi, Mulla Sadra, Marvasht in Fars province and the most sensational one: the construction of Sivand Dam in Fars province which will drown Bolaghi Gorge and all its historical sites in a near future. Even after all these disasters, it seems that it is not the end of the story and the trend of destruction of historical sites due to construction of dams still continues.

It is estimated that some 42 ancient and historical sites belonging to the Elamite (2700 BC-539 BC), Achaemenid (648 BC–330 BC), Parthian (150 BC–AD 226), Sassanid (226–650 AD), and Islamic (650 AD-present day) eras will be submerged by the Salman-e Farsi, Mulla Sadra, and Marvasht dams in Fars province.

these people continue to disgust me everyday. The energy comitee didnt keep their word, now its lost forever.

[gole_hayahou]

Committee established to pursue return of ancient Persian artifacts: official

TEHRAN, July 7 (MNA) -- A special committee has been established to pursue the return of the ancient Persian artifacts that a U.S. court has ruled can be sold off, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization Research Center Director Taha Hashemi said here on Friday.

A U.S. federal judge recently rejected a key defense by the University of Chicago in a lawsuit brought by U.S. survivors of a 1997 bombing in Israel demanding that Iranian treasures in its collection be auctioned off to pay them compensation.

“The committee is working under the CHTO director and officials from the legal and international departments of the organization,” Hashemi told the Mehr News Agency.

Iran has filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and the CHTO intends to hire an experienced U.S. lawyer to obtain the return of the ancient tablets, he added.

Both Iran and the United States are signatories to the UNESCO Convention of 1970, which prohibits illicit trade in cultural property.

Iran’s representative to the United Nations is seriously pursuing the case and the Foreign Ministry has asked the Swiss Embassy, which hosts the U.S. Interests Section in Iran, to give explanations, Hashemi said.


RS/HG

END

MNA


SICK!

http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6477

http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6470

[shugs]

Very sick... hectic to see the yanks took a leaf out of the Brits book

Hopefully we get it back

[shugs]

Humans Have Lived in Mazandaran for 29000 Years


The first season of paleontology studies
in Mazandaran province revealed that the
existence of human beings in this province
goes back to 29,000 years ago.

Tehran, 6 July 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- A team of Iranian and French archeologists and anthropologists recently excavated northern parts of Iran in Mazandaran province to search for evidence of human beings during the ancient times.

Initial studies in the city of Amol show that the existence of human beings in this province dates back to 29000 years ago. Vali Cholabi, head of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Office of Amol, said that the excavations were carried out by the joint Iranian-French team for one month in the city of Amol which resulted in discovery of traces of human beings during the Paleolithic epoch in this area.

“This joint team consisted of 10 Iranian and French archeologists and anthropologists, with the participation of Dr. Farzad Forouzanfar, anthropologist of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Iran, a French professor from Sorbonne University, under the supervision of Dr. Asgari from University of Tehran. This team of experts carried out excavations in the eastern bank of Garm Rud River in Bolboran Village which dates back to the Quaternary period (the period covering the span of time between one and a half million years ago and the present day),” explained Cholabi.

According to head of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Office of Amol, the discovered evidence such as stone instruments, all indicate that unlike results from the previous studies in Central Alborz area, the existence of human beings in this area most probably goes back to 29,000 years ago.

“The existence of first human beings in the area was approved to a great extent during the studies for finding out the mystery of human beings during the Paleolithic era in this region which had been started in 2005 and resulted in discovery of 200 objects including stone instruments and bone fragments.

SOURCE: http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=6481

Good stuff! :P

[shugs]

Ali Qapu Gate Unearthed in Sheikh Safi Domed Mausoleum



The main gate of Sheikh Safi al-Din
Ardabili’s Mausoleum which was
constructed during the Safavid era was
unearthed completely by archeologists.

Tehran, 27 July 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- The first season of archeological excavations in the vicinity of the domed mausoleum of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili in the city of Ardabil resulted in discovery of some architectural remains belonging to the Safavid dynastic era (1502-1736 AD). Unearthing the Ali Qapu gate, which is the mausoleum’s main gate, in this historical domed monument was a major achievement during this season of excavations in Ardabil. Remains of the famous kitchen of Sheikh Safi were also discovered by archeologists.

Prior to this, development constructions in the vicinity of Sheikh Safi-al Din Ardabili’s domed mausoleum led to destruction of a great part of the Ali Qapu gate, which made archeologists decide to take out the gate entirely to prevent further damages.

“Among the architectural remains found in this area, which had previously been excavated in 1995, is part of the original wall of this monument which was constructed with rubble and brick. The new wall was later constructed on the old one which separated the building from the street,” said Hassan Yousefi, head of excavation team in Sheikh Safi-al Din Ardabili Mausoleum.

After finishing the excavations, the place was covered with soil and brick to protect the remaining evidence which may still be left in the area. Archeologists are hoping to find the main architectural plan of this Islamic monument during their future excavations.

Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili (1252-1334 AD) was the spiritual heir and son in law of the great Sufi Musshid Sheikh Zahed Gilani. Sheikh Safi was a Sufi and poet; however only a few verses of him called Dobaytis (double verses), which were written in old Tati and Persian, have been remained which have linguistic importance today.

Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili Mausoleum is one of the historical and tourism attractions of the city of Ardabil. This historical complex has a close relation with the history of the Safavid dynasty. Some Safavid kings have been buried in this place. The main section of the mausoleum is composed of a circular tower with circumference of 22 meters which is about 17 meters high. In the interior of this monument, near Sheikh Safi’s, the tomb of his son who laid the foundations of this mausoleum after his father’s death to keep alive his memory, as well as those of other family members can be found.

Main parts of the complex include the gate, the large court, the small court, the graveyard, Shahidgah (martyrdom place), Jana Sara Mosque and Chelleh Khaneh which encircles Ghandil Khaneh, Haramkhaneh (the harem), and Chini Khaneh. The Allah Allah Dome is very famous and probably the most spectacular part of the complex.

[shugs]

The Biggest Stone Megalithic Grave Discovered in Gilan



Tehran, 2 September 2006 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- After 12 years, confession of an illegal digger resulted in discovery of the biggest megalithic grave belonging to the pre-Achaemenid era in north of Iran. This massive grave is more than three and half meters in width and 15 meters in length.

Prior to this, the illegal diggings of a villager in the area led to discovery of a huge stone grave containing a golden goblet, two bronze axe, 12 bronze daggers and swords, as well as some opal bracelets in Gilan province.

According to Mohammad Reza Khalatbari, head of archeology team of Talesh historical site director of Marian Research Center, a road was constructed over a historical cemetery which its identity was unknown some 12 years ago during the construction of a place for fish hatcheries in a village near Marian.
“Since nobody noticed the existence of such archeological site in the area, some historical graves were destroyed during the development activities. Some huge stones used in graves were unearthed during the construction activities and put on the road sides. One of the villagers accidentally noticed that these stones have special characteristics and were different from regular stones in the bed of the road and concluded they should have belonged to historical periods. Therefore, he started diggings in the area which resulted in unearthing a big stone grave containiing a golden goblet, two bronze axe, 12 bronze daggers and swords, as well as some opal bracelets which were very similar to those ones belonging to the Achaemenid dynastic era. Figure of a king on his seat, somebody was offering him a bird was engraved on one of the opals. Unfortunately all these valuable relics were sold for only 180 US dollar some 12 years ago,” said Khalatbari to CHN.

However, since the discovered grave was located on the way of the road, the illegal digger could not continue his diggings and concealed the place of the grave for 12 years and at last decided to report the case to Talesh archeology team.

In a talk with CHN correspondent, the illegal digger explained about his diggings in the area and told that when he noticed that there is no hope to continue his diggings due to construction of the road, he decided to report the case to Talesh Archeology Center to have a role in preserving Talesh archeological relics.

Prior to this archeologists did not know anything about existence of such a historical place in the area.

“This digger told us that he has succeeded in discovery of a massive grave which he has not seen so far and direct us to the place. After studying the stones left on the side of the road, we noticed that some of these stones are scraped stones which means that even before the Achaemenid era (550-330 BC) Iranians were familiar with the technique for cutting the stones to set locks for graves. When we started archeological excavations, for the first time we face with a unique grave we had never seen before,” added Khalatbari.

According to Khalatbari, the width of this grave is 3 meters with more than 15 meters in length and it is known as the biggest megalithic four layer grave which has been discovered so far.

With unearthing the grave, archeologists found two burials belonging to two different periods. Although some 3 meters of this grave has been unearthed so far, archeologists have not yet reached to pure soil.

“It is not wise at all to abandon our excavations in this stone megalithic grave. This act would result in rush of illegal diggers to the area and losing one of the most valuable archeological evidence. Therefore we have asked a budget from Archeology Research Center to continue our excavations and finish our work,” explained Khalatbari.

Soudabeh Sadigh, special thanks to Hassan Zohouri

SOURCE: http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=6624

[Gilgamesh]

Tomb of Zoroaster and Achaemenid Manor House in Dahan-e Golaman Saved from Submergence

LONDON, (CAIS) -- An agreement between the ICHTO, Sistan’s Soil and Water Co. who are responsible for the construction of the Chāh-Nīmeh IV Dam in Sistan va Baluchestan province, is being set that the two historical monuments of the Tomb of Zoroaster (Ārāmgāh-e Zartušt) and the Achaemenid Manor House will be saved from submergence.

Full artical http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2006/S...06-09-tomb.htm

[shugs]

Damn straight! Imagine if they wanted to do that to Makkeh?!

[panj-delaavaraan]

I did not know that his tomb site was known... how interesting! he was born in Azerabadgan, as far as I know.. interesting he was burried in that area

[shugs]

Yeh I wasnt sure where his tomb was either... BTW It isnt known exactly where the Prophet Zoroaster came from... could have been Azerbadgan or Central Asia/Bactria area.. Infact now theyre not really too sure of exactly when he was around.. mysterious charactor indeed.. But it is known the Prophet Zoroaster in his travels in Azerbadegan heard the voice of God while looking into the natural fires in the land from the land.

[Gilgamesh]

I didn't know Zartosht was buried there either. I thought he was buried in Takht e Soleyman??

[Gilgamesh]

A documentary about the 8000 year history of Tehran have been created by ChasmiDigar. I think this history is unknown to many people.

Here are two short 3 min clips from the documentary, they're both in part English part Persian (the most important parts are in English) :

http://www.iranian.com/ram/Clips/tehran1.ram
http://www.iranian.com/ram/Clips/tehran2.ram

ChasmiDigar