Tehran, 19 May 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk)—The prehistoric site of Ashna Tepe in Isfahan province which is come out of water only once a year during September, would be submerged without presence of archeologists this year. Last year, archeheologists conducted some sounding works on this prehistoric hill.

 

Announcing this news, Asadollah Mirza Aghajani, head of archeology team during the first season of excavation said: “Following lowering of water level, last year we succeeded in undertaking some sounding works and delimiting this prehistoric hill. This research work in Ashana Tepe led into discovery of a number of earthenware evidence dating back to late of first Bacon era (late fourth millennium BC and early third millennium BC).”

 

He further added: “During these excavations we also discovered a skeleton of an infant belonging to Iron Age (about 3 thousand years ago) which despite that the hill was already submerged, it was still remained intact.”

 

Ashna Tepe is located 120 kilometers distance of Chadegan behind Zayandeh Rood Dam and in the vicinity of Zayandeh Rood River in Isfahan province. This 13-meter-hill is situated at the farthest point of Zanyandeh Rood reservoir and during September it appears like a small island.  

 

 

Head of excavation team told CHN: “Archeological studies on Ashna Tepe resulted in two main discoveries including: for the first time we succeeded in finding traces belonging to Bronze Age in Isfahan province and discovery of remains of wooden pillars in the lowest level of the hill.”

 

Mirzaaghajani believes that excavation in this part could provide archeologists some invaluable information about prehistoric settlements in this region.

 

This year the research project on this prehistoric hill was rejected by Archeology

Research Center, therefore, this year archeologists would have no chance to resume their studies in this prehistoric hill.

 

On the other hand, there is another hill next to Ashna Tepe as well which has the same condition and will submerge completely by inundation of the dam.

 

 

Archeology team has also succeeded in discovering remains of engraved earthenware dishes resembles to those already unearthed in Marvdasht, Fars province, Susa, Khuzestan province and Sialk Tepe in city of Kashan, in this ancient site.

 

According to Aghajani, from chronological point of view these two prehistoric hills are closely correlated with each other and in this research project, archeologists were determined to do chronological studies on both of them.

 

Ladan M.Sadeghioon

foreigndesk@chn.ir