Shahr-e Sukhteh

Shahr -e Investigated (Persian شهر سوخته, other spellings Shahr -e Sokhta, Shah- re Sokhteh, Shahr -e Sūkhteh, Shahr -e Sookhte; literally " Burnt City ") is an archaeological site on the banks of Helmandflusses in the province Sistan and Baluchistan in Iran. It is located halfway between the cities of Zabol and Zahedan in ancient Turan. The place is located in a salt steppe - located just on the banks of the perennial river gallery forest.

Excavation history

First excavations were made 1967-78 by the Iranian Centre for Archaeological Studies and the Italian Institute of Middle and Far East. Further investigations were carried out 1979-1997 and later. A publication of the research results is planned.

The site

With a size of more than 300 acres of locality is the largest prehistoric site in Iran. A further 40 satellite cities have been identified in their environment. The archaeological site provided important tourist information, Bronze Age settlements in the region ( 3 Jtd. BCE).

The city is divided into four periods of construction and was three times burned.

Period I is known only from deep cuts. Shahr -e Investigated at that time had both contacts with Elam ( a proto- Elamite cuneiform tablets and seals have been found in low cut XDV ) and the southern Turkmenistan. In period II, the settlement expanded greatly from, various crafts, such as the production of beads made ​​of semiprecious stones, basketry and wool processing can be detected. Period III shows a strong expansion of the settlement and evidence of social differentiation. Ceramic is imported inter alia from Mundigak (Afghanistan ) and the Quetta valley in Pakistan. After the destruction to 2100, the settlement was abandoned largely, as well as other sites in Sistan and in Turkmenistan.

Shahr -e Investigated was due to the so-called Amu- road Investigated from Central Asia via Samarkand, Bukhara, Merv, Sarakhs, Mashhad, Gonabad and Shahr -e continue to Kerman, Tepe Yahya led by Hormuz, from where the goods by ship to Mesopotamia were transported

Finds

The majority of the finds were dated to 2700-2300 BC. They suggest that the city has been a hub of the Persian with the Mesopotamian, Indian and Chinese civilization.

Among the finds are Siegel, a complex trade network, the oldest found to date backgammon game and worked on artificial stones made ​​of alabaster and sandstone.

The oldest known ocular prosthesis, an artificial eyeball, was found here. The archaeologists found him in the grave of a 25-30 year old woman and suspect material as a mixture of tar and animal fat.

Subsalt also organic radicals have received excellent. It fine linen fabric probably of local origin were found (detection of flaxseed ), but also fibers of Sunn hemp ( Crotalaria juncea ), which originated in South Asia and jute ( Corchorus ), demonstrating also far-reaching trade relations.

Lapis lazuli, a blue mineral was found as a raw material in the form of small blocks, semi- finished parts and cut beads. This included equipment for stone processing: over 200 drills and 50 blades made of flint, ram, a hammer and trowel several of jasper. The findings were part of a 2600-2400 BC dated workshop, were produced in the lapis lazuli beads. The introduced mineral came from the 2,000 kilometer northeastern Afghan province of Badakhshan.

Shahr -e Investigated was proposed for the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sequential representation of leaf eating a goat from a tree