Bio-archaeological studies at Konar Sandal, Halil Rud basin, southeastern Iran

Mashkour, Marjan; Tengberg, Margareta; Shirazi, Zohreh; Madjidzadeh, Youssef

doi:10.1179/1749631413y.0000000006

Cited by 19 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…These shells are seen as indicators of the expansion of Mesopotamian trade with the societies of the Persian Gulf region, who are also suggested to have been critical in the supply of some shell species from the Gulf of Oman ( Lambis , Pleuroploca ) to the cities of the Indus Valley civilization (Gensheimer, ; Kenoyer, : 60; Moorey, : 130–139; Oppenheim, ). Shells from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including Pleuroploca , were also traded to inland sites in south‐eastern Iran, such as Konar Sandal, situated more than 250 km from the coast, and the likely trade of shells between various Bronze Age polities within the Persian Gulf should also be noted (Mashkour et al., : tab. 4; Olijdam & David‐Cuny, ).…”

Section: Raw Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Worked and decorated shell discs from southern Arabia and the wider Near East

Weeks

David‐Cuny²,

Avanzini

et al. 2019

Arab Archaeol Epigr

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This article presents and discusses a corpus of worked and decorated shell discs from recently excavated archaeological sites in southern Arabia, including Dibba (northern Oman), Saruq al-Hadid (UAE) and Sumhuram/Khor Rori (southern Oman). The artefacts are compared to a wide range of shell discs from controlled excavations in Arabia and the broader Near East in order to better understand their date, manufacture and use. The comparative study highlights the wide distribution of decorated shell discs across the ancient Near East, particularly during the early Iron Age, and the complex economic and cultural connections that underpinned the collection, crafting, exchange and significance of such items.

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Section: Raw Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Worked and decorated shell discs from southern Arabia and the wider Near East

Weeks

David‐Cuny²,

Avanzini

et al. 2019

Arab Archaeol Epigr

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“…Multiple expeditions by French archeologists including those in KS between 2001 and 2006 established that the Jiroft culture must have been a socio-economically advanced agrarian society with extended trade links with other cultural centers during the 3rd millennium BCE. Agricultural activities in the community included growing cereals (wheat, barley), fruits (dates and grapes), and domestication of animals (bovines, goats, sheep and horses) that are well-preserved in the archaeological surveys conducted by Mashkour et al (2013). The notable discoveries of Jiroft-style steatite vessels in Sumerian cities (Steinkeller, 1982) and a seal with Indus style iconographic components found in KS (Vidale and Frenez, 2015), validates the importance of this settlement as an EBA trade center.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Due to variable input of freshwater at the source, the hydrological regime of the Halil Rud is characterized by intermittent flows, displaying high inter-annual variability that may manifest itself through flooding events (Fouache et al, 2005). Construction of dams in the upper parts of the river has resulted in irregular flow on the downstream side (Mashkour et al, 2013), particularly into Lake Jazmurian, which currently remains dry during most times of the year.…”

Section: Physical Settingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…koelziana and Ziziphyus spina-christi (Frey and Kürschner, 1989; L eonard, 1991). The Jiroft valley has been exposed to strong degradation resulting from livestock (especially goats and camels) trampling the soil, and overgrazing (Mashkour et al, 2013). Such disturbance has facilitated the development of spiny-shrub species, including the commonly present Ziziphus spina-christi.…”

Section: Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The harsh environmental conditions combined with complex phytogeographic settings imply that data from paleoenvironmental studies are important to understand the cultural dynamics and its advancement in southeastern Iran home to many EBA settlements. To date the key investigations in KS have focused on archaeological findings (Madjidzadeh and Pittman, 2008), bioarchaeological surveys (Mashkour et al, 2013) and geomorphology (Fouache et al, 2005). However, lack of multi-proxy high-resolution paleoenvironmental data from the region hampers our understanding of the role of environment on ephemeral communities and their societal interactions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vegetation history and human-environment interactions through the late Holocene in Konar Sandal, SE Iran

Gurjazkaite

Routh

Djamali

et al. 2018

Quaternary Science Reviews

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The Jiroft valley, situated on banks of the Halil Rud developed as an important agricultural and trading center during the Early Bronze Age. Known for its famous steatite sculptures and clay pottery, the first settlement in Konar Sandal collapsed around 3rd millennium BCE. A second shorter, but major phase of occupation in the settlement occurred towards the end of 2nd millennium BCE. A 250-cm long peat sequence near the archaeological complex at Konar Sandal was investigated to reconstruct the humanenvironment history using palynological, sedimentological and geochemical data. With a basal age of 4 ka, the core traces the hydroclimatic changes and human activities that started just after large scale abandonment of Konar Sandal and extends from the late Bronze Age to the Mongol invasion. The results show that Jiroft had an arid dry climate dominated by the Saharo-Sindian open pseudo-savanna vegetation. However, due to human clearance and intensified agro-sylvo-pastoral activities, and climatic factors, the land-cover shifted from open xeric scrublands to a more open degraded landscape. The principal human occupation was cereal cultivation and herding. However, it is likely that during the more arid periods, communities retreated and abandoned agriculture, facilitating successional processes. Such droughts occurred around 4.0e3.8 ka and 3.4e2.8 ka and are related to the Siberian Anticyclonic system. Declining Artemisia and shrubs indicate milder climates ca. 3.8e3.4 ka and 2.8e0.6 ka. The latter period that started with the rule of the Persian empires (550e650 BCE), and continued through the Islamic era, coincides with intensive human activities, and the highest degradation of vegetation.

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Towards a deeper understanding of the third millennium BC Iranian metallurgy: Use of synchrotron light for characterizing arsenic‐bearing minerals in metal objects from Espidej

Emami

Dardeniz

Vallcorba

et al. 2022

Surface & Interface Analysis

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New excavations at Espidej at the Kerman Province of the Halil Basin corridor in Iran offer a unique opportunity to reconsider the third millennium BC (i.e. Bronze Age) metallurgical practices related particularly to arsenical copper (Cu‐As) alloying and to explore arsenic‐bearing raw materials. This paper presents results of optical microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) on a selected group of copper‐based artefacts from Espidej. Additionally, we have benefited from synchrotron light for further investigations on a dagger sample. The scientific examinations on metal corpora adds new information regarding the microchemistry and production techniques of metals of the south‐eastern cultural zone of Iran. Synchrotron micro X‐ray diffraction (SR‐μXRD) data of the sample demonstrates traces of arsenic‐bearing minerals in the corrosion products indicative of types of ores used in alloying processes. Preliminary research on copper ores indicates possible extraction of local ore deposits that were outcropped along the south‐east Makran orogeny zone of Iran. This area is part of hydrothermal mineralization zone consisting of arsenopyrite (FeAsS), sinnerite (Cu6As4S9), bornite (Cu5FeS4) and algodonite (Cu6As). Noticeable arsenic‐bearing phases within the metallic core of the sample were frequently characterized as sinnerite and algodonite.

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Bio-archaeological studies at Konar Sandal, Halil Rud basin, southeastern Iran

Cited by 19 publications

References 19 publications

Worked and decorated shell discs from southern Arabia and the wider Near East

Worked and decorated shell discs from southern Arabia and the wider Near East

Vegetation history and human-environment interactions through the late Holocene in Konar Sandal, SE Iran

Towards a deeper understanding of the third millennium BC Iranian metallurgy: Use of synchrotron light for characterizing arsenic‐bearing minerals in metal objects from Espidej

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