فهرست مطالب سعید باقی زاده

In terms of synchronic studies, the Late Chalcolithi period is characterized by Sialk IV1 cultural horizon at on the northern edge of the central desert. The final feature of proto-literate period known by the titles of Uruk and the Proto-Elamite characterized by the sudden disappearance of painted pottery of Sialk III6-7 and emergence of simple and coarse pottery of Uruk tradition. MeymanatAbad is an important site for study the Sialk IV1. Meymanatabad Tepe (N 3928141.46 and S 515322.47, AMSL: 1053.96 m) is located in southwest of Tehran, surrounded by two shallow hills of Northern and Southern ones. In general, a complete sequence of late chalcolithic was identified at this Tepe based on stratigraphic excavations. Stratigraphic excavation and presenting its chronological table help us to illuminate new information of the mid and late fourth millennium especially late chalcolithic in the frame of Sialk III6-7 and Sialk IV1. Considering the fact that the two mounds were settled along the chronological sequences, this report had done to present the Operation at the northern mound and relied upon on pottery analysis.

During the Holocene Epoch and simultaneously with the Neolithic Period, weather variations caused wide-ranging changes in temperature and humidity of various regions. These together with geographical and climatic features, led to the shaping of special regional matching of Neolithic cultures. We have obtained most of our knowledge of Epipaleolithic and Neolithic sites from excavations in locations on coasting regions bordering the Caspian Sea. Obviously, feasibility of relationships and population and information transfer between the mentioned regions is a research priority considering the role natural geography plays in the shaping of and developments in human communities. Available data includes climatic information from various sources such as magnetic analyses and geochemistry, paleoecology, palynology, study of oscillations in the water level of Caspian Sea, and sequences of loess sediments in the Gorgan Plain together with archeological data obtained from explorations made in the region. Considering the importance of developments in and environmental potentials of the region and their relationships with domestication of plants and animals, attempts were made to answer these questions through comparing and matching data obtained from reviewing studies carried out on oscillations in the water level of Caspian Sea, studies on soil sequences of loess sediments, and studies on archeological findings in the region.The study region is the cultural-geographical area of Gorgan that refers to a triangle in the southeastern corner of the Caspian Sea. The base of this triangle borders on the southern end of the eastern coasts and the other two sides meet the Alborz mountain range to the south and the Kopet Dagh mountain range to the east. The most important geographical feature of the Gorgan area, in addition to the Alborz and Kopet Dagh mountains, is the Caspian Sea that is fed by river sources in Iran and Russia. Presence of coastal sediments is the other feature of the region, and these sediments are derived from the rivers and aeolian loess belts. One of the strategies for paleoclimatology of the region is the study of alternate oscillations in the water level of the Caspian Sea that has yielded various results. The Caspian Sea region has experienced numerous alternate advances and recessions during the years. Moreover, soil studies have also provided interesting results. The loess formation in the region is in the form of the hilly areas in Gorgan and results from aeolian deposits of the last glacial recession in the Quaternary Period. Rereading archaeological data of the region and matching it with ancient weather can provide us with important information. Classification of Epipaleolithic layers in the Hotu and Belt caves can be matched with ancient weather and be confirmed by advances and recessions of the Caspian Sea. The present conditions indicate that the region faced hard and harsh conditions at the start of the Neolithic Period. Evidence of deep gaps between dating of the Hotu and Belt caves and evidence of plant and animal domestication and of pottery, and accumulation of aeolian loess sediments are among the available reasons for confirmation of population transfer. Another reason supporting this claim is that the Pokerdval area in the Gorgan Plain with materials and pottery of the Neolithic Period, that have great similarities with the oldest samples of the Tappeh Sang-e Chakhmagh and the Hotu and Belt caves, lies one yellow layers of loess that probably match the second advance of the Caspian Sea during the Holocene Period. Therefore, this set of information shows that cultural and technological developments in the human communities of the region strongly depended on conditions imposed by the environment, and severe environmental fluctuations necessitated continuous population movement, which caused infiltration of cultural material beyond geographical borders and created the relative homogeneity between the potteries attributed to the Jeitun Culture. Based on present documents, population mobility was one of the features of this region in Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene Periods.

In terms of synchronic studies, the last stage of cultural development of prehistoric societies of Iranian Central Plateau prior to proto-literate period is characterized by Sialk III6-7 cultural horizon at Tepe Ghabristan and Sagz Abad in Qazvin plain and Tepe Sialk on the northern edge of the central desert. The Late Chalcolithic period, which is referred to as ended around 3400 BC. The final feature of proto-literate period known by the titles of Uruk and the Proto-Elamite characterized by the sudden disappearance of painted pottery of Sialk III6-7 and the emergence of simple and coarse pottery of Uruk tradition. Meymanat-Abad Tepe is considered as an excellent option to study that how the transition between the two these significant periods was happened. Also, Meymanat-Abad is an important site for study the Sialk III6-7. Meymanat-Abad Tepe (N 3928141.46 and S 515322.47, AMSL: 1053.96 m) is located in southwest of Tehran, in the 25 km distance to Tehran, 2 km of south of the Golestan town, 6 km of West of Robatkarim city and 500 meters south of the Meymanat-Abad village and surrounded by two shallow hills of Northern and Southern ones. Meymanat-Abad Tepe consists of two northern and southern mounds and both of them were gone under excavation. In general, a complete sequence of late chalcolithic was identified at this Tepe based on stratigraphic excavations. Stratigraphic excavation and presenting its chronological table help us to illuminate new information of the mid and late fourth millennium especially late chalcolithic in the frame of Sialk III6-7 and Sialk IV1. The southern mound contains the Sialk III6-7 material culture and the northern one contains Sialk III7 and IV1 records. Considering the fact that the two mounds were settled along the chronological sequences, this report had done to present the Operation at the southern mound and relied upon on pottery analysis. Based on the pottery analysis, the settlement phases of I to IIb at Tepe Meymanat-Abad are comparable to Ghabristan IV6-4, Sialk III6, Sagz Abad Tepe, Ismaeel Abad Tepe and Shizar Tepe and the phase III0 is compared to Ghabristan IV6-4, Sialk III7, Sagz Abad Tepe, Ismaeel Abad, Shizar and Arisman B. The presence of some of the typical Iranian Central Plateau ceramics such as buff wares at sites such as Godin indicates that a degree of interaction and communication had been established with the central western Zagros during the second half of the fourth millennium BC. They will refine the typological sequence of the ceramics of the late Chalcolithic horizon. Meymanat-Abad also throws considerable light on some of the problems connected with the emergence of societies in this part of Time. The Southern mound has a continuity of pottery tradition in Sialk III6. The pottery was buff, painted and fine and the forms included cups, deep bowl with plain bases, etc. Common forms included vertical and inverted-rim hemispherical bowls of shallow to medium depth, some with a pedestal base painted with rows of animal decoration such as leopards, goats with S-shaped horns, and cups and open bowls with concave and oblique walls, incurving and flared rims, and flat base. Most motifs consist of geometric designs but stylized animals such as goats, leopards, cattle, and birds were found in abundance. These styles and motifs are similar and parallel to Arisman B, Sialk III6-7, Ghabristan IV6-4, and Godin VI3.

Khorasan province and in particular Dargaz plain which is located among the cultural area of southwestern central Asia (Turkmenistan mountainous), northeastern of central plateau and northeastern Iran is one of the unexplored but important regions in archaeological investigation in Iran. Climate characteristics of the region, its special geographical conditions and its important location caused this region to receive attention from human’s groups long time ago. Therefore, our records of the changes of the region in different periods of prehistory and its mode of relationship with other cultural area are incomplete. So archaeological investigation and archaeological excavation is very necessary. Archaeological survey’s and settlement pattern analysis is one certain method in archaeology for understanding cultural contacts at prehistoric periods. Information and awareness of settlement pattern of Dargaz plain could improve the perception of its cultural landscapes. In the past, this kind of analysis was done through traditional methods but nowadays analysis of settlement pattern is done by different software like ArcGIS that results in real and accurate information. In this article, we are working with the results of archaeological surveys of Dargaz plain and analysis of them with ArcGIS. In this study, the influence of soil, water and also a certain height range created a specific pattern.