فهرست مطالب محسن سعادتی

Passing from the Sasanian era to the Islamic era, the culture and art of Iran continued in its previous way and few changes occurred in it. One of the key archeological sites next to Tepe Hisar and Chal Tarkhan (and some other sites), which shows the transition from Sasanian to the early Islamic era, is Nizamabad. Despite this importance, the location of this hill has been shrouded in mystery and most researchers have noted it near Varamin or Ray. However, according to the photograph taken by Ernst Herzfeld in 1925 of Nizamabad, it can be identified by morphology. Nizamabad is located in the southwestern of the Tehran. In this article, by introducing this hill, we are trying to show its importance so that proper planning can be done for future research activities. Fortunately, there has been minimal encroachment on this hill -in the southeast of Islamshahr- and although it has been registered in the list of national monuments of Iran, the area and boundaries have not been determined. Considering the importance of the unique plaster casts of this hill in museums, measures should be taken to protect the hill.

The use of published research contents and the application of  maps provided in such research is one of the most important ways to accurately discover and understand the location of ancient cities and their spatial analysis. The present research intends to identify the geographical location of the ancient city of Ray and its urban structure by referring to historical documents and maps, including maps provided by Robert Ker Porter and Pascal Coste, Wolfram Kleiss, aerial photographs of Eric Schmidt and Hussein Kariman’s map. This study has been conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and referring to content analysis of published sources and texts. In general, historical maps and documents play a significant role in locating Shahr-e-Rey in the early Islamic centuries. The results depict that some of these maps bear shortcomings, as such, they should be studied side by side. Through studying the maps and historical documents it became evident that Kohandej was located in the north of the city and along the Mount Tabarak. Moreover, it is observed that Sharestan area in the south of Kohendej was separated by a fence and rampart. The suburbs and Rabaz of the city were surrounded by a fortified rampart and fence. The fence and rampart in the west  surrounded Imam Zadeh Abdollah’s shrine, passing along the northwest,  then southwards passing through Qala Gabri, as the southern gate of the city, leading towards the western slopes. According to the study and investigation of historical maps and documents, it is found that the city has been developed and expanded on the southern and western parts.

From among the topics related to archaeology, archaeologists and researchers have always been interested in the archaeology of the Islamic era, as one the most diverse periods with currents regarding art, architecture, urbanism, etc. The present article intends to describe and review “An Introduction to Islamic Archaeology” by Marcus Milwright. This research aimed at archaeologically reviewing the Islamic era as one of the important areas in archaeology. The above-mentioned book introduces the Islamic period looking at the social and religious status, some monuments of the Islamic era, cultures, as well as customs and traditions. The current article seeks to review this work in terms of form and content. In such a review, the book is considered in three aspects: technically, structurally, and in terms of writing features. Then in the content review, the accuracy and validity of the material as well as the author’s deficiencies are addressed. The detailed review of this book indicates that despite its remarkable print quality and the relative fluency of the text, the book has several problems in some chapters. In terms of content, the book suffers from a number of drawbacks, for example, it fails to refer to first-hand sources, the images have no reference, there is no general structure for dynasties and governments of the Islamic period and finally, the contents are dispersed given the extensive scope of the subject matter.

A site located on Babak Street (at the corner of Zahmatkesh alley) of Shahr-e Rey was reveled in January 2018 due to constructional excavation in Rabaz section of city of Rey. The present paper investigates and studies the findings of Malek site on Babak Street (at the corner of Zahmatkesh alley) in Shahr-e Rey and compares this site with other contemporary sites and finally clarifies some ambiguities in this area. According to its geographical location, this site is situated in Rabaz area of Shahr-e Rey and has architecturally been developed. The architectural findings of this area indicate the important features of urban planning and residential architecture such as the use of bricks as the main element of building materials, the use of decorative arches, advanced systems and water supply mechanisms related to architecture (water passages and waterways, water storage ponds, bathes and toilets, sanitary facilities and etc.), industrial and workshop spaces and the existence of a surface rock-cut architecture. In pottery art, this site is also highly diverse in terms of motifs and techniques. The pottery findings include non-glazed, mono-color glazed, splash-glazed, Sgraffito, golden ceramics, etc. The results of the archeological excavations in this area showed that two cultural periods have been settled in this region; in the first period of settlement during the Seljuq era, as a result of being located in Rabaz area of the city, it contains advanced architectural evidence and significant pottery data. In the second period, which is related to the Ilkhanid era, the architecture is related to a temporary settlement and there is no stable and in architectural evidence.

Ray has always been considered as one of the most important cities of the Islamic era and also the archeological excavations and surveys indicate the existence of ancient and historical layers in the heart of this ancient city. In general, during the recent years and due to numerous constructional excavations and diggings conducted in the ancient urban area of Rey, abundant evidence which indicates the existence of ancient and historical layers has been obtained. Numerous factors such as geographical location, cultural, economic status, religion and social conditions could have caused the gathering of human groups in a space with defined boundaries. Meanwhile, due to the importance of its political, economic, cultural and social status, Ray has always been considered in different eras. This matter has affected the urbanism and especially the residential architecture of this city. The site of Babak Street (on the corner of Zahmatkesh Alley), as a perfect example of residential architecture of Ray in the Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods, represents a number of special architectural features and elements. The greatest and most important collection of findings from Malek site located at Babak Street in Rey consists the ceramics which are regarded as the first-hand documents for dating and chronology of the site and are also very important data for analyzing the urban status and social structure of Rey in this geographical location. During an emergency excavation season in the intended site, more than 2000 potsherds were obtained. About 1800 pieces of the pottery discovered belong to the Islamic era. In terms of technical and decorative features, this pottery is divided into two separate categories of non-glazed and glazed pottery.

Cities, both in terms of history and antiquity, and in terms of modern and contemporary dimensions, serve as a suitable research field for archaeological and historiographical studies. According to the geographical location of the intended excavation, this site is located in the historical context of the current city of Rey and given the architectural evidence and pottery findings, it shows the progress and development of this part of the city in its time period. The results of this excavation reveal two periods of settlement in this site; In the first period, the people of the Seljuq era settled in this area and in terms of residential architecture, notable progress and urban expansion was achieved. This section, representing the residential architecture and urban planning of Rabaz section of Rey in the Seljuq period, suggests the importance of this site. In terms of architecture, we see that the previous features is developed and expected, and new formation features are observed in the architecture of this area. Architectural findings of this site exhibit the important features of urban planning and residential architecture such as the use of bricks as the main element of building materials, the use of decorative arches, advanced architecture-related water supply systems and mechanisms (waterways and water passages, water storage ponds, baths and washing areas, toilets and etc.), industrial and workshop spaces and the existence of a hand-carved architecture. According to the writings of historians and geographers, the first period of settlement in this region was destroyed and abandoned as a result of an earthquake in 571 A.H and ended afterwards. In the second period of settlement, the people of the Ilkhanid era used the architectural remains of the previous period (Seljuq), which was destroyed by an earthquake, in such a way that the flooring in this period has been formed with broken brick pieces of the previous period. In general, most of the buildings of this period were temporarily built with broken materials of the previous period. During this period, no surviving and stable architectural evidence was obtained and it mostly indicates a nomadic settlement. The Ilkhanid lifestyle is classified according to two governmental and temporary approaches, and this reveals the settlement practice and the use of the second architectural period of this region to refer to the Ilkhanid period to some extent. One of the most important findings of this research is the pottery. These materials indicate a great variety of the motifs and techniques. In terms of typology, the pottery data exhibit the different types of non-glazed pottery with engraved, added and stamped decorations, and the various types of glazed pottery, including monochromatic glazed pottery, splash glazed pottery, Sgraffito and Luster wares. According to the comparison and analysis of the pottery, a timeframe extending from the fifth to eighth centuries A.H can be dated for the pottery finds.

Defensive fortifications in different regions of Iran have been an effective factor in the survival ‎of residential centers and commercial routes. An investigation on defensive structures will ‎provide useful information on this kind of architecture. The study of remains of castles in the ‎Rey region has provided an important context for archaeological research. In the present ‎study, the Seljuk fortifications (Rashkān fortress, Gabri and Kāsni Castles) are introduced and ‎recognized as inner city castles. It aims at identifying and studying the Seljuk fortifications of ‎Rey, identifying the function of inner city fortifications, and comparing them with other samples ‎in neighboring regions in terms of characteristics. The data were gathered through field and ‎documentary studies while an analytical-historical method was applied in the course of the ‎research. Important questions intended to be addressed were: 1. what has been the role of ‎Seljuk fortifications of Rey in security provision of the region? 2. In which categories can the ‎Seljuk fortifications of Rey be classified in terms of structural characteristics and architectural ‎classification? Among the Seljuk fortifications of Rey, Kohandez (e.g. Rashkān Fortress) had ‎functioned as the political headquarters, and in other inner city castles, larger circular towers ‎have been usually located in four angles and interspersed with subsidiary towers. These types of ‎defensive architecture indicate the progress in the urban construction and security provision. ‎

Ilam is one of the most important area where have considerable works of early Islamic period as distribution and many of this works show strategic location this area at this time.one of this works is ancient cities of this province .in here has not been done Scientific and archaeological investigation yet and this cities has remained unknown.one of this cities is ancient city of Seymare in Dareh shahr. According to the excavations that were carried in recently year, the archaeological data indicated that the Archaeological data provides valuable information for researchers. geological analyzed and studied this result achieved that the city completely destroyed in the early centuries of Islam in 258 AD by anearthquake. Ilam is one of the most important area where have considerable works of early Islamic period as distribution and many of this works show strategic location this area at this time.one of this works is ancient cities of this province .in here has not been done Scientific and archaeological investigation yet and this cities has remained unknown.one of this cities is ancient city of Seymare in Dareh shahr. According to the excavations that were carried in recently year, the archaeological data indicated that the Archaeological data provides valuable information for researchers. Among the major cities of the ancient West, rarely this city can be found the Seymare size, which attracted the attention of historians and geographers to himself due to placement in the communication route to Mesopotamia. Archaeological data besides confirming the historical data anecdote that the continued existence of the city from the early centuries of the Sasanian period express the continued existence of the city from the early centuries of the Sasanian period to early centuries of Islam. In order to achieve this purpose, historical and geographical context, the archaeological and geological analyzed and studied this result achieved that the city completely destroyed in the early centuries of Islam in 258 AD by anearthquake.

Castle and village of Göyce Qala are located 46 kilometers southeast of Maragheh, with traditional structure and Rocky architecture. There is a catacomb in engraved rocks which was misinterpreted as storage for rainfall. Some scholars, local people, and internet materials have wrongly identified it as a storage place for water. The authors attempt to reject such claim and identify the chronology and functions of the site by surveying the site and drawing its plan and comparing it with foreign and Iranian similar sites. The tomb consists of a main chamber with attached spaces and a symbolic square yard that is integrated with stony staircases that reach to them and can be presented as rocky Urartu tombs known as “integrated single unit”. Apparently, in Urartu, tomb types indicated the buried people’s status and since catacombs usually were for royal family and local governor, understanding and presenting can be profitable for a better realization of the region in Urartu period.