Part of a series on the
History of Iran
Ancient period BC Prehistory of Iran Ancient Times–4000 Kura–Araxes culture 3400–2000 Proto-Elamite 3200–2700 Jiroft culture c. 3100–2200 Lullubi Kingdom/Zamua c. 3100-675 Elam 2700–539 Marhaši c. 2550-2020 Oxus Civilization c. 2400–1700 Akkadian Empire 2400–2150 Kassites c. 1500 –1155 Neo-Assyrian Empire 911–609 Urartu 860–590 Mannaea 850–616 Zikirti 750-521 Saparda 720-670
Imperial period Median Empire 678–550 BC Scythian Kingdom 652–625 BC Anshanite Kingdom 635 BC–550 BC Neo-Babylonian Empire 626 BC–539 BC Sogdia c. 6th century BC–11th century AD Achaemenid Empire 550 BC–330 BC Kingdom of Armenia 331 BC–428 AD Atropatene c. 323 BC–226 AD Kingdom of Cappadocia 320s BC–17 AD Seleucid Empire 312 BC–63 BC Kingdom of Pontus 281 BC–62 BC Fratarakas 3rd-century BC–132 BC Parthian Empire 247 BC–224 AD Elymais 147 BC–224 AD Characene 141 BC–222 AD Kings of Persis 132 BC–224 AD Indo-Parthian Kingdom 19 AD–224/5 Paratarajas 125–300 Sasanian Empire 224–651 Zarmihrids 6th century–785 Qarinvandids 550s–11th century
Medieval period Rashidun Caliphate 632-661 Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 Abbasid Caliphate 750–1258 Dabuyids 642–760 Bavandids 651–1349 Masmughans of Damavand 651–760 Baduspanids 665–1598 Justanids 791 – 11th century Alid dynasties 864 – 14th century Tahirid dynasty 821–873 Samanid Empire 819–999 Saffarid dynasty 861–1003 Ghurid dynasty pre-879 – 1215 Sajid dynasty 889–929 Sallarid dynasty 919–1062 Ziyarid dynasty 930–1090 Ilyasids 932–968 Buyid dynasty 934–1062 Rawadid dynasty 955–1070 Hasanwayhids 959–1095 Ghaznavid dynasty 977–1186 Annazids 990/1–1117 Kakuyids 1008–1141 Nasrid dynasty 1029–1236 Shabankara 1030–1355 Seljuk Empire 1037–1194 Khwarazmian dynasty 1077–1231 Eldiguzids 1135–1225 Atabegs of Yazd 1141–1319 Salghurids 1148–1282 Hazaraspids 1155–1424 Pishkinid dynasty 1155–1231 Khorshidi dynasty 1184-1597 Qutlugh-Khanids 1223-1306 Mihrabanids 1236–1537 Kurt dynasty 1244–1396 Ilkhanate Empire 1256–1335 Chobanid dynasty 1335–1357 Muzaffarid dynasty 1335–1393 Jalayirid Sultanate 1337–1376 Sarbadars 1337–1376 Injuids 1335–1357 Afrasiyab dynasty 1349–1504 Mar'ashis 1359–1596 Timurid Empire 1370–1507 Kar-Kiya dynasty 1370s–1592 Qara Qoyunlu 1406–1468 Aq Qoyunlu 1468–1508
Early modern period Safavid Iran 1501–1736 (Hotak dynasty) 1722–1729 Afsharid Iran 1736–1796 Zand dynasty 1751–1794
Modern period Qajar Iran 1789–1925 Pahlavi Iran 1925–1979
Contemporary period Iranian Revolution 1979 Interim Government 1979 Islamic Republic 1979–present
Related articles Name Monarchs Heads of state Economic history LGBT history Military history Women's history Wars
Timeline  Iran portal

The Rahmatabad Mound or the Rahmatabad Tepe (5th millennium BC) is one of the most historically significant settlements on the Marvdasht plain, Persia (Iran) measuring 115 m (377 ft) in length, 75 m (246 ft) in width, and 4.5 m (15 ft) in height.^[1] The mound sits at the edge of the fertile Kamin plain (near the town of Sadat Shahr) at the southerly end of the Bolaghi gorge.

‌Background

On 5 June 2005, a team of Iranian and foreign archaeologists began a new phase of excavations at the mound, which is located near Pasargadae in the Marvdasht region. The team, made up of Iranian experts and a number of U.S. archaeologists from Binghamton University, has been tasked with saving the artifacts and gathering information from the ancient site, which is threatened by road construction and the canals that will transport water from the Sivand Dam, which is scheduled to become operational at the ancient site of Tang-e Bolaghi in March. The team also plans to revise the dating of the region through exact stratigraphy and to carry out palynological and phytological studies on the region.^[2]

"Since it is the most important mound in the area and quite close to Persepolis, any exploration in Rahmat-Abad could possibly render answers to our raft of questions on the way people lived their lives and built their dwellings." said Mohammad Hassan Talebian, head of the Pasargadae and Parse project.^[3]

Geography

Marvdasht is located in the north of Shiraz & it has a cold weather in the hilly areas and moderate climate in other regions. Archeological excavations have shown that millenniums before Darius decided to choose the plains of Rahmat Mount for the construction of the majestic Persepolis Palaces, civilized populations had been living in the Marvdasht Plains. The ruins of Estakhr and Persepolis demonstrate a part of history of this city.^[4]

Located 140 kilometers north of Shiraz, the provincial capital of Fars, Rahmatabad Tepe is one of the most significant ancient sites in the Marvdasht region.^[5]

Excavations

"The latest excavations on the Rahmatabad Tepe in 2006 led to the discovery of a large number of ancient shards and kilns, and an important industrial site dating back to the 5th millennium BC." Iranian Center for Archaeological Research Director Mohammad-Hassan Fazeli Nashli told the Persian service of CHN on Tuesday.^[6]

"The archaeologists have unearthed 12 square-shaped coupons (tokens), indicating that the people of the region had economic and commercial ties with neighboring regions in the fourth and fifth millenniums BCE," the director of the team added.^[7]

Iranian archeologists have discovered priceless artifacts during their geophysics surveys and now they want to unearth them.^[8]

Date

The tepe dates to the Chalcolithic era like the Tall-e Bakun site on the plain of Persepolis. This phase of the excavation work at Rahmatabad Tepe will continue for one more month.

A long cultural sequence has been found with a 9 m (30 ft) in depth cultural deposit. From the top, the following ancient layers have been found,

1. Achaemenian (fifth century BC)
2. Early-Middle Bakun culture (early to mid-fifth millennium BC)
3. Pottery Neolithic (late seventh millennium BC)
4. Pre-Pottery Neolithic (late eighth to early seventh millennium BC)^[9]

"The latest excavations on the Rahmatabad Tepe in 2006 led to the discovery of a large number of ancient shards and kilns, and an important industrial site dating back to the 5th millennium BC." Iranian Center for Archaeological Research Director Mohammad-Hassan Fazeli Nashli told the Persian service of CHN on Tuesday.^[10]

The archaeologists have discovered 6000-year-old^[11] clay coupons during excavations at Rahmatabad Tepe, the director of the team said.^[12]

Sources

30°12′12″N 53°10′44″E / 30.2033°N 53.1790°E / 30.2033; 53.1790