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<< Our Photo Pages >> Gohar Tepe - Ancient Village or Settlement in Iran

Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 21 September 2011  Page Views: 21347

DigsSite Name: Gohar Tepe Alternative Name: Gohar Teppeh, Gohar Tappeh
Country: Iran Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Nearest Town: Neka  Nearest Village: Behshahr
Latitude: 36.651389N  Longitude: 53.296944E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
no data Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
no data Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
2
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Gohar Tepe
Gohar Tepe submitted by Andy B : Excavation at the Gohar Tepe historical site, one of the most important historical sites of Mazandaran province in Iran. Credit: CAIS Archaeological and Cultural News) (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Site in Iran. Gohar Tepe historical site, with a 50 hectare area, is one of the most important historical sites of Mazandaran province. It is believed that Gohar Tepe once enjoyed a complicated urbanization with a history that goes back to some 5000 years ago.

Based on stratigraphical studies done over the past few decades on the site, the existence of Gohar Tepe dates back to the middle Bronze Ate and continued to the Iron Age.

Archeologists are determined to identify the transitional period from Bronze Age to the Iron Age (the third to first millennia BC) during this season of excavation in Gohar Tepe. "In order to identify the transitional period from Bronze Age to Iron Age, we have created three new trenches in a place the graves of both periods have been discovered. This way we can see this transitional process," said Mahforouzi.

Gohar Tepe historical site is located in eastern parts of Mazandaran province between the cities of Neka and Behshahr, north of Iran. Evidence shows that from 7000 years ago to the first millenniums BC, a lot of people lived in the region, enjoying an urban life since 5000 years ago. The discovery of architectural structures and graves in this region are evidence of continual life during the later centuries there.

More (with photo): Payvand.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: Location given is for the nearby city of Neka, we would appreciate a more accurate long / lat location for this site

Note: An artefact confirmed as a musical instrument and a dice discovered at Gohar Tepe, see latest comment
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"Gohar Tepe" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Artefact confirmed as musical instrument at Gohar-Tappeh, dice discovered by davidmorgan on Tuesday, 20 September 2011
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Experts have proved that the artifact, which was unearthed at the Gohar-Tappeh prehistoric mound in Mazandaran Province in 2005, is a clarinet.

In addition, a team of archaeologists has recently discovered dice for playing the game of craps at the site, team director Ali Mahforuzi told the Persian service of CHN last week.

The musical instrument, which was very common in Mazandaran, had been discovered in a grave beside a skeleton that belonged to a woman, he said.

This is the oldest musical instrument ever discovered in the Mazandaran region.

The dice were also unearthed from a grave of another woman at the Gohar-Tappeh cemetery.

“About 300 pairs of dice of a kind used for playing craps, which is common among the Iranian Turkmens, were discovered in the grave of the woman, who seems to have been a crapshooter,” Mahforuzi said.

Based on the carbon-14 dating tests carried out on the oldest archaeological stratum of the mound, it dates back to about 3500 BC, he added.

He said that the mound comprises the ruins of a city, a cemetery and an industrial part, but based on the artifacts discovered in the ruins of the city, there apparently was no connection between the city and the cemetery.

The burials were carried out in fetal or face-up positions. The team has also found some jar burials, which mostly pertain to children, Mahforuzi explained.

“Jar burials were common mostly among the Parthians. Thus, this find strengthens the theory that they had lived in this region for a period,” he stated.

“The Parthians ruled part of Mazandaran and the northeast of Iran, but Gohar-Tappeh dates back from third millennium BC to the Iron Age, afterwards people migrated to other regions nearby,” he added.

The team has also discovered some skeletons buried with jars containing animal bones.

“The archaeologists surmise that the ancient people buried the bodies with animal meat and water. This fact shows their belief in the afterlife,” Mahforuzi said.

The archaeologists have also found skeletons of a couple buried in a single grave. They are currently studying this case to unravel the mysteries surrounding this type of burial.

Mahforuzi’s team has also collaborated with some German experts on the city divisions of Gohar-Tappeh in 2009. However, nothing has been published about their studies so far.

The team had previously unearthed a cobble-stoned lane at Gohar-Tappeh during the fifth season of excavations in 2006.

In addition, a skeleton of a warrior buried in an attacking pose with a dagger in his hands in one grave, a skeleton of a child and a bronze pendant with a bullhorn motif in another grave, and a number of bull statuettes have been found at the site during previous phases of excavations in 2005.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index.php/component/content/article/2414

Submitted by coldrum.
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Oldest remains of Caspian Horse discovered in North of Iran by Andy B on Thursday, 19 May 2011
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During the eighth season of archaeological research in Gohar Tappeh, in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran, archaeologists have discovered the remains of a horse identified as the Caspian also known as the Māzandarān Horse, the oldest breed of horse in the world still in existence.

The remains were discovered in a cemetery dating back to the late Bronze and early Iron age, around 3400 BCE.

“Due to the form, figure and size of the discovered remains of the horse, we now have the oldest evidence for Caspian horse ancestry at hand”, said Ali Mahforuzi, the director of the archaeological team in Gohar Tappeh.

He added: “We have to continue our research until we reach the virgin soil in order to establish the oldest human occupation of the site.”

“It seems the excavation is gradually moving past the cemetery, and into an industrial level since we found a clay-kiln in 2006. We are hoping that we will have more information about the industrial section of the site too by next year”, said Mahforuzi.

Mahforuzi concluded: “obtaining information from Gohar Tappeh helps us to understand the site’s cultural settings and its link to other cultures in the region during pre-historic times.”

The Gohar Tappeh historical site with a 50 hectare area is located in the eastern part of Mazandaran province between the cities of Neka and Behshahr, north of Iran. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Iran located near the Caspian Sea, which carries the secret of an ancient civilisation. It is also believed that Gohar Tappeh once enjoyed a complicated urbanisation some 6,500 to 7,000 years ago.

Discovery of architectural structures as well as a large number of graves with different burial methods observed in this region all point to the existence of continual life in this region during different periods of history till 1st millennium BCE.

The oldest stratum identified in this season is of the chalcolithic age (3500 to 3400 BCE) and the oldest so far dates to the Neolithic age, circa 14,000 years ago.

More at CAIS:
http://www.cais-soas.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=361:the-oldest-remains-of-caspian-horse-discovered-in-north-of-iran-&catid=59

with thanks to Coldrum

Photos of Gohar Tappeh on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Gohar+Tappeh&z=m
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Iran urbanized 4,500 years ago by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 June 2009
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Iran urbanized 4,500 years ago

Archeological studies have indicated that traces of ancient population in Iran's northern province of Mazandaran goes back 5,600 years.

“Archeological excavations and precise date recognition at the historical site of Gohar Tappeh revealed urbanism had entered the region about 4,500 years ago,” says Ali Mahforouzi, head of the excavation team of Gohar Tappeh of Mazandaran.

The discovery has also led archeologists to believe that powerful political and economic systems in the region were established around 5,600 years ago.

“If we believe in the theory that urban dwelling occurred after agrarian, we could claim settlement in Mazandaran province dates back to at least 5,600 years ago,” Mahforouzi added.

“We believe the powerful economic system was based on agriculture, animal husbandry, and trade - all among the basics of industry at the time,” he said.

“The history of pre-agrarian dwelling goes back to cave-dwelling era,” Mahforouzi said. “There was a 3,800-year-old gap between cave and agrarian dwelling in the region though.”

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=87905§ionid=3510212
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German-Iranian team to study city divisions of Gohar-Tappeh prehistoric site by bat400 on Monday, 30 March 2009
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Submitted by coldrum --
The city divisions of the ancient site of Gohar-Tappeh in Iran’s northern province of Mazandaran will be studied by a joint team of German and Iranian archaeologists in the near future.

“We plan to study that how the city’s divisions and governmental centers were formed at the site during the forthcoming season of excavation,” team director Ali Mahforuzi told the Persian service of CHN on Friday.

The team plans to use topographic studies in this season, Mahforuzi said, adding, “Study of the ancient shards scattered at the site will also be helpful. However, the excavation of the lower strata should contribute more information in determining the exact location of the centers and divisions.” Research may also lead to the identification of social classes that existed in the region 3000 years ago, he noted.

Based on an agreement signed between the Archaeological Research Center of Iran (ARCI) and the University of Munich, the university will conduct and finance part of the research and experiments, which would otherwise be impossible to carry out in Iran due to lack of facilities.

A large number of graves and artifacts found during the previous seasons of excavation date back to the first millennium BC. “However, a 5000-year-old city is buried in the lower strata of the site,” Mahforuzi said.

In addition, a skeleton of a warrior buried in an attacking pose with a dagger in his hands in one grave, a skeleton of a child and a bronze pendant with a bullhorn motif in another grave, and a number of bull statuettes have been found at the site during previous phases of excavations in 2005.

For more, see Tehran TImes.
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Unprecedented Jar Burial of a Dog observed in Gohar Tepe by Andy B on Tuesday, 28 November 2006
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Discovery of a jar containing the skeleton of a dog in a human grave for the first time in Gohar Tepe, northern Iran, has puzzled archeologists. The two skeletons are dated to the 1st millennium BC.

Archeological excavations in Gohar Tepe, Iranian northern province of Mazandaran, led into discovery of the skeleton of a man belonging to the first millennium BC alongside a dog which was buried in a jar in the same grave.

Human burials in jars have commonly been observed in different historic sites of Iran. Similar examples of jar burials of humans have also been found in Gohar Tepe. However, this is the first time that the skeletons of a dog are found in a jar. This is why the new discovery has astounded the archeologists.

Some ornaments have also been discovered with the skeleton of the man which shows the economic wellbeing of the dead person during his own time.

Story continues at http://www.payvand.com/news/06/nov/1185.html
and more photos here:
http://www.chnphoto.ir/search.php?search_query=gohar&lang=en
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3000-year-old instrument discovered in Iran by Andy B on Tuesday, 28 November 2006
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Prehistory News The latest (Nov 2005) archaeological excavations in the 7000-year-old site of Gohar Tepe led to the discovery of an unknown instrument beside a skeleton, which seems to be musical instrument and as believed by some well-known musicians of Mazandaran province is similar to a clarinet.

If the claim is proved, this 3000-year-old instrument will be the oldest musical instrument which has been discovered in the shores of the Caspian Sea so far, changing the history of music of the region and taking it back another 1000 years.

“The instrument is built of deer horn and a bronze sheet is fixed with 7 pins to its end. Some holes can be seen on the instrument. Two well known musicians of Mazandaran province believe that this instrument is something like a clarinet, which can be acceptable with regard to the holes on the instrument,” says Ali Mahforouzi, head of the archaeological excavation team of Gohar Tepe.

No anthropological studies have been undertaken on the skeleton yet, but considering the large size of the bones and the existence of a dagger alongside it, archaeologists are guessing that it should belong to a man. A bracelet, necklace, a bronze strap and a bronze sheet have also been found next to the skeleton.

Source: CHN News

Also: 3000-yr-old warrior fighting at Gohar-Tappeh

A team of archaeologists working at the 3000-year-old site of Gohar-Tappeh in Iran's northern province of Mazandaran have recently unearthed a skeleton of a warrior buried in an attacking pose with a dagger in his hands.

"He is holding a 26-centimeter dagger and appears to be making a forward thrust. The evidence shows that he was originally buried in this pose", the director of the team, Ali Mahforuzi, said.

This is the first burial in this style ever discovered in Iran. The archaeologists have not yet been able to determine why the man was buried in such a position.

"Beside the skeleton, a number of dishes have also been found which seem to have been presented to the warrior. One of the dishes has some holes in it containing the remains of coal. Archaeologists had discovered such dishes before, but they could not determine their practical application; but the traces of coal indicate that the dish has been used for burning agalloch or other types of incense. The skeleton was also wearing a beautiful coiled shell necklace", Mahforuzi explained.

Covering an area of 40 hectares, Gohar-Tappeh is located near the town of Behshahr. Ruins and other artifacts unearthed in the region indicate that the site dates back to the Iron Age, but further study is required to determine its specific period during the Iron Age.

Archaeologists believe that the large extent of the site implies that the region had been very developed in trade and competed with neighboring areas.

On September 27, Mahforuzi announced that his team had discovered a number of bull statuettes, although most were broken into pieces. Afterwards they unearthed a skeleton of a child and a bronze pendant with a bull-horn motif at Gohar-Tappeh.

The team has recently discovered an unidentified artifact in a grave beside a skeleton, which some prominent musicians of Mazandaran believe looks like a clarinet. If the archaeologists can prove that the artifact is a musical instrument, the 3000-year-old relic would be the oldest musical instrument ever discovered in the region.

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