Tehran, 19 November 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk) – In search of architectural layers, the Iranian-Italian archeology team in Pasargadae are about to wrap up the second season of excavations in Tal-e Takht. The archeological excavations which have been started in an attempt to identify the architectural layers and record them in a chronological order has resulted in discovering some clay evidence belonging to Seleucid (330 BC-150 BC) and post-Achaemenid (333-248 BCE) dynastic eras, however, no architectural evidence belonging to these periods have been identified so far in the area.  

 

Announcing this news, Alireza Asgari, Iranian head of Iranian-Italian archeology team in Tal-e Takht told CHN: “Archeological excavations in Tal-e Takht Pasargadae have been resumed in an attempt to complete the previous researches conducted by David Stronach some 40 years ago. In the second season of excavations, the architectural layers dating back to Achaemenid dynastic era (550-330 BCE) in this historic site have been studied and recorded in a chronological order.”

 

Located in farthest reaches of Pasargadae historical site in Iranian Fars provonce, Tal-e Takht has been undergone archeological excavations repeatedly, however, there are still much unknown about this historic site.

 

“Since the excavated area was very limit, we only succeeded in identifying the cultural evidence existing in Achaemenid architectural layers in this historic site in order to arrange them chronologically,” added Asgari.

 

He further explained that during the first season of excavations conducted by Iranian-Italian joint team last year, it became evident that Tal-e Takht was used as a ceremonial building during the reign of Cyrus the Great, the Achaemenid King, and afterwards during the reign of Darius the Great, it was turned into a defensive fortress.  

 

The Iranian-Italian joint team which has started their excavations since last month under supervision of Alireza Asgari from Iran and Pier Francesco Calliere from Italy will wrap up their excavations in Tal-e Takht next week to pick it up later.

 

For the first time, some 40 years ago, David Stronach, who is a renowned Scottish archeologist of ancient Iran and Iraq and is currently a professor at the University of Berkeley in California, carried out some excavations in Tal-e Takht.

 

 

Soudabeh Sadigh

foreigndesk@chn.ir