Comparative Study of Defense and Security Fortifications of the Rayen and Bam Citadel in Kerman Province

Rayen and Bam citadels, dating back to ancient civilization from the Sassanid period, has a favorable commercial position due to its location at the intersection of the North to the South of Khorasan and Govashir of Kerman to Bandar Abbas and the west to east of Fars to Baluchistan. Its geography and position on the route of the above-mentioned communication way has always been threatened and invaded by various ethnic groups and governments; the Kerman province during the Islamic period has been the base of riot clashes with the government forces, and construction of many of the Kermans’ citadels and castles had a security and defense function. Two citadels of the Rayen and Bam, from the Sassanid to Qajar era, have played an important role in the life of the communities and the preservation of security in the Kerman area. The main question is, what are the similarities and differences of the defense structures of these citadels from a security perspective? The present study want to identify the security defenses of the two Rayen and Bam citadel in Kerman province and achieve structural defensive patterns and ways to connect, share and differentiate them. The information of this paper was collected through library (documentary) methods, visual observation and comparison of the findings and the research was conducted using an adaptive-analytical method. The presence of a fence, ruler, watchdog, as well as crossed stands and machicolation indicate the military and security function of the two citadels. One can hypothesize that structure of the Rayen defense fortifications is influenced by the Bam Citadel. The results of this study indicate that due to the location of these citadels in the communication paths of Khorasan, Sistan, the center of Iran, these citadels and defense fortifications have been formed in these two regions.