: The Jiroft area, located in a semi-arid zone along the Halil Rud in southeastern Iran, seems to have been an important cultural center during the 3rd millennium ВС. This paper presents the preliminary results of the first two years (2004 and 2005) of a geoarchae- ological program carried out at the invitation of Prof. Madjidzadeh. The Quaternary geomorphological dynamics in the valley are studied, and we present the preliminary results of a geophysical prospection (electro-magnetism, seismic refraction, radar) carried out in January 2005. Climatic aridity, seismicity and large, sudden floods are the most important risks for human societies in the Jiroft basin. Artesian wells and abundant phreatic water are of primary importance for human settlements even though the water is salty. The reconstruction ofpaleoalluvialfans and fossil riverbeds under several meters ofHolocene deposits, should come first in our attempt to understand the paleogeography of the valley.
La région de Jiroft, située le long de la vallée de l'Halil Roud au sud-est de l'Iran en domaine semi-aride, a été un foyer culturel important au IIIe millénaire avant J.-C.. L 'aridité climatique, l'aléa sismique et les crues brutales sont des contraintes récurrentes qui pèsent sur toute implantation humaine dans cette région. En revanche la présence de puits artésiens et d'une nappe phréatique abondante, proche de la surface, ont constitué un atout inestimable malgré une salinité élevée. La reconstitution des emboîtements des dépôts fluviatiles, la recherche des lits fluviaux fossilisés sous plusieurs mètres d'alluvions holocènes sont une priorité pour reconstituer la paléotopographie de la région lors de l'implantation des sites.
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