Tehran, 8 October 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk) – With unearthing 4 other skeletons belonging to 6000 years ago behind Galabar Dam, Zanjan province, the number of discovered skeletons in this prehistoric site has reached to seven. Studying parts of the skulls of the skeletons which have remained intact, archeologists give a strong possibility that the discovered skeletons must have belonged to four children. However, more anthropological researches are due to be conducted on the skeletons to clarify their identity. Prior to this the skeletons of 3 children were unearthed behind Galabar dam.

 

Regarding this recent discovery, Abolfazl Aali, head of excavation team behind Galabar Dam told CHN: “Since our previous excavations in prehistoric site behind Galabar dam were not complete, we decided to resume our excavations during the last days of excavations in the area which resulted in discovering evidence of residential layers and skeletons of 4 other children dating back to the fourth millennium BC.”

 

According to Aali, since the depth of prehistoric layers behind Galabar dam do not exceed 1.25 centimeters, therefore only the surface layers of the area can be studied and it is easy to create trenches.

 

Among the discovered skeletons, archeologists are confident that one of them belong to a child, however, since only parts of the skulls of the rest three skeletons have remained intact, it is not easy for archeologists to determine the exact identity of them.

 

Samples of the skeletons will be given to an anthropologist to determine the cause of their death. 

 

Aali further explained that researching on historical sites belonging to Iron Age (750 BC-500 AD) and the Islamic fortress behind the dam have been already wrapped up and now archeologists are determined to finish their excavations in prehistoric sites behind the dam.

 

So far archeological excavations behind Galabar Dam have led into discovery of 24 graves belonging to 3000 years ago ranging in date from advent of Iron Age to the late of this historic epoch.

 

A fortress belonging to Parthian dynastic era (248BC-224 AD) and Islamic period (651 afterwards) is the other historical site which has been identified behind the dam on top of a hill. Since only the foothill will be submerged with inundation of the dam and the level of water would not reach to the top of the hill, the fortress will remain like an island in the reservoir.

 

Soudabeh Sadigh

foreigndesk@chn.ir