The Archeological and Geographical Structure of full-time pastoralism in Southern Zagros

Differences in modes of production between full-time pastoralism and full-time agriculture societies caused diverse modes of natural resource utilization and divergent directions of development in these societies. This led to the formation of two types of settlements in different climates and landscapes, with two different, though supplementary, economic approaches. Because of the special characteristics of cultural materials, such as low density of ceramics, non-mounded sites usually located in mountainous terrains, shallow valleys and slope edge of plains, scholars was less interested in archaeological contexts of full-time pastoralist societies. For this reason full-time pastoralist societies are thought to be invisible and intangible. Based on ethnoarchaeology, this study introduces some evidence of typical sites, that are similar to mobility patterns of contemporary nomadic pastoralist societies in southern Zagros, (case study: Qashqayi confederacy, Shesh Boluki tribe), to delineate the landscape and cultural boundaries between the mountainous terrains and the plains. This research suggests a correlation between deposition patterns in archaeological sites and economic subsistence and social structure of societies in intermountain plains, or valley, at north and south of southern Zagros.