New Evidence of the Ancient Metallographical Activities in the Margin of the Iranian Central Plateau

Abstract

The Urmia-Dokhtar volcanic belt is the most important copper belt in Iran, where the archaeological materials discussed in this article also derive from. The discovery of metallurgy findings in several areas of eastern Zanjan province, such as Khurasanlou, Hipi, and Tapeh Kulyeri (Karavansara) which is located within the Urmia-Dokhtar belt on the western margin of the Iranian Central Plateau, indicates the high potential of this region for studies associated with ancient metallurgy. Recent excavation of the site Tapeh Kulyeri in the Zanjan province on the northwestern margin of the Iranian Central Plateau has yielded some copper ores, multiple anvils, a mold as well as several copper bars. These finds have been dated to approximately 4326 to 4240 BCE. based on two absolute dating samples, thereby providing some of the earliest evidence of ancient metallurgy on the Iranian Plateau, preceding remains from the Tapeh Ghabristan, dating to about 3700-3800 BCE., which has previously been considered the oldest.

Keywords

• iranian central plateau
• tapeh kulyeri
• early chalcolithic
• ancient metallurgy
• copper ores