دکتر سعید امیرحاجلو

Residential architecture as a living space for family members has been influenced by climatic and geographical conditions. Accordingly, some methods for designing climate-responsive architecture can be seen in historic houses of Iran, such as Ashtian. Therefore, this research aims to identify the influence of climate and geography on Qajarid residential architecture in Ashtian and to elucidate the strategies and measures employed by architects to mitigate negative effects and increase beneficial climatic and geographical influences. Questions are: What is the effect of climate and geographical features on the location and spatial distribution of Qajarid houses in the Ashtian? How did climatic and geographical factors affect the plan, form, and architectural features of Qajarid houses in Ashtian? Two hypotheses are: the topography of Ashtian, watercourses, and soil type have played a role in locating houses. Furthermore, the plan, form, and architectural features of the houses were influenced by climatic factors such as wind, angle and amount of sunlight, and temperature. ArcGIS, Google Earth, WRPLOT design software, AutoCAD, and SPSS software were used for data analysis. Based on the results, the architects were started the construction of the building by considering climatic factors such as sunlight angle, prevailing wind, temperature, and humidity. They have paid attention to the type and color of materials, size of windows and doors and courtyards, and size and location of rooms. Also, based on the models obtained from WRPLOT software, the dominant wind of the region in two directions east-west and west-east was identified and its effect on architecture was explained. The results of the analysis in SPSS also show the correlation between “type of land and social class of people”, “type of land and soil with reservoirs”, and “maximum wind speed and the number of floors”.

Due to their longevity of castles, utilize and importance in various governments, castles are among the most essential data that are discussed in archeology. Until now, many ancient castles have been identified within the vast Parthian and Sasanian territories inside and outside of Iran. The abundance of these structures in the mentioned periods, in addition to the protection and regional political aspects, due to the protection of various communication routes such as the Silk Road and the side routes of this road, was also important to the development of trade in the ancient world. As one of the eastern plains of Central Zagros, Azna is considered one of the crucial archaeological areas, which is located on the east-west and north-south communication route of ancient civilizations. Despite the registration and identification of a large number of ancient sites in the Parthian and Sasanian periods in the Azna plain, no targeted research has been done on these works and the settlements of the mentioned periods in Azna are unknown. "Qela Dez" castle which is located on the top of a huge stone mountain overlooking Azna plain, in the east of Masoud Abad village.During the archaeological researches of this castle, which was conducted by the authors in 2019, many ancient finds were identified and documented, including architectural remains, pottery and bone data. The main goal of this research is to investigate the architectural features, periods of settlement and the role of this castle in the regional and extra-regional trade network. based on the remains of this fort, it can be acknowledged that its residents have a complete knowledge of the region's ecology and the use of local materials with a combination of rock carving and stone materials, mortar and square-shaped bricks, an iconic, big and impassable structure. created in due to achieve

Qal’eh Ardeshir is one of the most outstanding surviving buildings in the east of Kerman city and it seems that its formation, expansion and depopulation have been linked to the development and security of the city and Kerman region. Whereas, about chronology and its role in relation to the Kerman Spatial Organization, various and sometimes contradictory hypotheses and opinions have been raised so far. The purpose of this study is to explain the role of Qal’eh Ardeshir and to investigate the position of Qal’eh Ardeshir in the Kerman's Spatial Organization in different periods, especially the Islamic era. The research is historical-analytical in terms of essence as well as content, and information has been collected through field research and documentary research methods. Accordingly, by combining the data obtained from field research and content analysis of historical sources, attempting to explain the quality and impact of Qal’eh Ardeshir on the physical structure of Kerman. The study of the architectral structure, cultural materials and historical sources shows that this castle was designed and built according to the political and military status of historical and Islamic periods and has been used almost continuously from the historical period to the eighth century AH also have played a role in political changes and social events in the region. Based on the content analysis of the historical texts and the narration of written sources about the events related to Qal’eh Ardeshir, it seems that Qal’eh Ardeshir, in addition to its military role, had other roles such as a place for rulers, a refuge for rebels, a treasury and a place for political prisoners. Although this castle was physically located at the outside of the historical context of Kerman and on the eastern outskirts of the city, but functionally, it has been an influential element and affiliated with the Kerman's Spatial Organization.

Due to their longevity of castles, utilize and importance in various governments, castles are among the most essential data that are discussed in archeology. Until now, many ancient castles have been identified within the vast Parthian and Sasanian territories inside and outside of Iran. The abundance of these structures in the mentioned periods, in addition to the protection and regional political aspects, due to the protection of various communication routes such as the Silk Road and the side routes of this road, was also important to the development of trade in the ancient world. As one of the eastern plains of Central Zagros, Azna is considered one of the crucial archaeological areas, which is located on the east-west and north-south communication route of ancient civilizations. Despite the registration and identification of a large number of ancient sites in the Parthian and Sasanian periods in the Azna plain, no targeted research has been done on these works and the settlements of the mentioned periods in Azna are unknown. "Qela Dez" castle which is located on the top of a huge stone mountain overlooking Azna plain, in the east of Masoud Abad village.During the archaeological researches of this castle, which was conducted by the authors in 2019, many ancient finds were identified and documented, including architectural remains, pottery and bone data. The main goal of this research is to investigate the architectural features, periods of settlement and the role of this castle in the regional and extra-regional trade network. based on the remains of this fort, it can be acknowledged that its residents have a complete knowledge of the region's ecology and the use of local materials with a combination of rock carving and stone materials, mortar and square-shaped bricks, an iconic, big and impassable structure. created in due to achieve

The old city of Sirjan developed during the 11th – 15th centuries in the Qal’eh Sang near the modern city of Sirjan. There is a limestone staircase with an inscription on the northern slope of Qaleh Sang. Various hypotheses have been made about its function, such as a Minbar or pulpit for a mosque from the Muzaffarids period, or an artifact related to the fire-altar. In the excavation at the Qal’eh Sang in 2015 new information was obtained about the staircase that is important for evaluating previous hypotheses. The question is what was the process of formation, changes, and functions of the stone staircase in the Qal’eh Sang? This paper deals with the results of the excavation at Qal’eh Sang and the study of historical sources. The results show that this artifact was not a staircase form before 789 AH/1387 CE. Therefore, it did not resemble the stone stairs of the fire-altar in Pasargadae. An inscription was first created on this artifact in 789 AH/1387 CE, and then its stairs were carved. Furthermore, no evidence of the mosque was found in the excavation around the staircase. Therefore, it was not an insitu Minbar or Pulpit. The north slope of Qal’eh Sang lay outside the Gate and was, therefore, on the outskirts of the city. This area has become a hewing workshop after the decline of the city. This stone artifact was probably made as a memorial to Sultan Ahmad, the Muzafarri ruler. It seems that the carving process of the Minbar was still in progress after the Timur’s invasion, but was never completed.

Some of Iran's castles are called Qal’eh Dokhtar and some others are called Qal’eh Ardeshir. Regarding the reasons for choosing the name Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir, a lot of research has been done and various theories have been proposed for its name. In some historical texts, the castles of Kerman are mentioned in general terms and the examination of other historical sources also shows a number of contradictions about the previous names of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir. These contradictions have not been resolved until now due to the lack of detailed investigation of these two castles and the lack of attention paid to them in scientific research. In other words, no research has been done about matching the names of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir with ancient names in historical texts. Therefore, the goals of this article are to locate the Qal’eh Kuh and the Qal’eh Kohan mentioned in historical sources and to explain the historical background of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir as two prominent buildings in the city of Kerman.
In this research, these questions will be answered: Which names in historical sources correspond to Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir? And what is the reason for naming these two castles?

The method of data collection is field and documentary, and the research method is analytical. Information obtained from field surveys has been matched with documentary data. The analysis of historical and geographical sources has been done with the content analysis method. The ups and downs of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir in the historical-Islamic era have been investigated based on historical sources.

Qal’eh Dokhtar has been built on a high rock overlooking the Kerman plain. This high rock is stretched lengthwise from east to west and its length is more than 720 meters. The architecture of Qal’eh Dokhtar follows the topography of this rock. Some of the architectural spaces of Qal’eh Dokhtar were formed on many large stone slabs, and in some others, space was provided for construction by carving the mountain bed, and buildings were formed with clay, rubble stone, Saruj, plaster, and lime materials. Qal’eh Ardeshir also includes structures that are completely destroyed in some areas, and the buildings that have remained standing are all filled with sediments. The castle consists of various parts such as four rows of fences, a moat, an entrance gate, a ruler's seat, and a number of rooms. Around this castle, there are remains of an old moat, which has been filled by the accumulation of sediments and windblown sand over time.
Mud brick is the dominant material in Qal’eh Dokhtar. Mud bricks of various sizes were used in different parts of Qal’eh Dokhtar. The largest mud bricks of Qal’eh Dokhtar have dimensions that were not common during the Islamic era and clearly belong to the pre-Islamic era. Based on field surveys in Qal’eh Dokhtar, in addition to mud bricks, bricks have also been used in the construction of buildings. The architectural materials of Qal’eh Ardeshir are mud brick along with mud mortar, bricks, and in parts such as the watchtowers of the southwest and southeast fronts, the walls of the center of the castle, the ruling part of the castle, and the southeast fences, stones have been used behind the walls. The multiple layers of mud bricks and bricks and their different dimensions indicate the reconstruction of the castle in different periods.
In the archaeological survey of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir, various finds such as ceramic sherds, tiles, plaster pieces, and glass were also identified and recorded. The most significant of which are the ceramics obtained from these two castles. The ceramic pieces of these two castles are very similar with little difference.

Due to the lack of historical sources, the history of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir is mixed with many stories, and we are faced with different names for these two castles in historical books. The reason for naming Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir can be seen as mixing with Haftvad's story. A story that has been heard for years after these two castles were abandoned. A story that connects Qal’eh Dokhtar with Haftvad, the ruler of Kerman, and his daughter. The construction of Qal’eh Ardeshir is related to Ardeshir, who built it after the defeat of Haftvad and the capture of the city of Kerman. It is clear that Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir were named in recent centuries, and this issue is related to the abandonment of castles in recent periods. Also, according to the authors' archaeological field surveys, the time of construction of both castles is before the Islamic period and at least to the Sassanid period, and the basic reconstruction of both castles can be considered as belonging to Ibn Elias in the Samanid period. Considering that in the description of various events in historical texts, the outer castle of the city is often introduced as the Qal’eh Kuh, and the inner castle is described as the Qal’eh Kohan or the Qal’eh Kohneh. Considering that the present-day Qal’eh Dokhtar is located within the boundaries of the old city of Kerman and Qal’eh Ardeshir is located on the edge of the old city, the Qal’eh Kuh can be considered as Qal’eh Ardeshir and the Qal’eh Kohan as Qal’eh Dokhtar.

Qal’eh Dokhtar, as one of the important historical sites on the eastern outskirts of Kerman, has been described in historical texts with different names such as Qal’eh Kooh and Qal’eh Kohan, as a place of political and social events. One of the important features of this castle is its special location in Kerman plain, as well as the extent of its architectural structures and type of materials. The purpose of this study is to analyze the nature, function, and chronology of Qal’eh Dokhtar. This study was done based on the results of an archaeological survey, sounding, and archaeological excavation in 2019 in this site. This study can explain the role and position of Qal’eh Dokhtar in the social and political developments of Kerman during the Islamic era. Data collection was done by documentary and field methods and the research method is descriptive-analytical. The questions are: When were the foundations and renovations of Qal’eh Dokhtar made and what were the functions of this complex? For this purpose, the data of previous archaeological research and recent field activities of the authors were studied and reviewed, and while studying the historical geography of the region, a correct idea of the nature, formation, and function of this building in relation to cultural developments, Political and social of this area in the different period were presented. The study of cultural materials along with the study of historical sources shows that this site is probably almost continuously inhabited from the pre-Islamic period and certainly from the first centuries of Islam to the tenth century AH. The results show that this structure has played a decisive role in the political and social developments in the region. It seems that Qal’eh Dokhtar was probably constructed and reconstructed from the pre-Islamic period and certainly from the first centuries of Islam to the Safavid era for establishing a military and defense base, as a place to hold political prisoners, a treasury, a safe haven for sit-ins and the rulers and their families.

Passive defense in architecture and urban planning was formed based on the defense strategies of human societies. Passive defense includes principles that increase the defensive power of societies and reduce the vulnerability of humans, buildings, and facilities to crises. Today, the principles of passive defense were changed due to the development of societies and the transformation of dangers. But some of the principles that were conceived in historical periods for the design of cities, villages, and architectural elements have in common with today's principles of passive defense. These principles were also used in the old Mourcheh Khort Citadel. This citadel, as one of the vast and complete historical contexts, makes it possible to study the principles of passive defense in the Islamic period. The questions are: what are the passive defense measures in the old Mourcheh Khort Citadel? How have these measures affected the spatial organization and architectural elements of the Mourcheh Khort Citadel? The purpose of this article is to explain the principles of passive defense in the design of the spatial organization and the architectural elements of the old Mourcheh Khort citadel as one of the most prominent and enduring examples of historical monuments in central Iran. The architectural features of Mourcheh Khort citadel were collected in the archaeological field survey of the citadel in 2009 and 2017 and then, these features were documented. Data related to the principles of passive defense were also obtained through documentary methods. This research as a qualitative research was done in a descriptive-analytical method. Then, data analysis was performed separately for the spatial organization and architectural features. The results show that the spatial organization of the old Mourcheh Khort citadel was influenced by factors such as the ease of meeting vital needs during natural and unnatural hazards, the decentralized design of residential quarters, the enclosed and defensive elements, and the creation of escape routes. winding passages leading to dead ends is an example of the principle of deception in the spatial organization of the citadel. In terms of the characteristics of the architectural elements, some measures were considered, such as angled access to the spaces, a room above the entrances to control the movement of people, gated and dead-end alleys, the lower floor level of the yard, windows, and doors in high elevations, and strengthening of buildings through connection and proximity of structures to reduce vulnerability and maintain the safety of residents in the old Mourcheh Khort citadel. Introversion and simple facades are examples of the principle of deception in architectural features. Also, features such as hiding places, angled entrances, and the same color of the materials with the environment are examples of the covering principles in the architectural features of the old Mourcheh Khort citadel.

The purpose of the settlement pattern analysis in archaeology is to study the relationship between settlements and analyze the impact of environmental and cultural variables on the distribution, displacement, and evolution of the settlements and population changes over time. These studies have been developed by using combined and interdisciplinary methods. But there are some criticisms regarding the published research works on the mentioned subject in Iran, including inaccuracy of the field survey methods, focusing only on relative chronology, total ignoring of interdisciplinary sciences, satellite and aerial photos, remote sensing methods, the size of sites, taphonomic processes, statistical analysis methods, theories and methods of spatial analysis, and economic factors. Accordingly, it is suggested here that the data collection and analysis could be done by using the combined method that considers the following items: the study of historical texts, full coverage survey of the region, and attention to off-site archaeology especially in Neolithic studies, regarding absolute chronologies before going through the settlement pattern analysis, analysis of animal and plant remains, soil analysis and geophysical methods, statistical analysis, use of models and analysis of economic relations between settlements, and finally, the spatial analysis of settlements based on up-to-date theories and models.

Significant evidence of the lustre has been discovered during the excavation and restoration of the historical Arg-e Bam. 24 samples of these lustres are kept in the pottery bank and Exhibition of the Arg Bam. There are the following questions about them: what are the characteristic features of the lustrewares in the pottery bank and exhibition of the Arg-e Bam? Where is the production center of these lustrewares based on laboratory results? What local pottery traditions have existed in the production of lustreware in Kerman? After classification and typology of the lustrewares, 10 pieces have been chosen as the samples to perform elemental analysis of the body and glaze by the micro-PIXE method. The results of the elemental analysis of the paste and glaze indicated that these samples are of local origin and their raw materials are supplied from mines in Bam, Jiroft, or Kerman and produced in the same area. Therefore, the variety that can be seen in the color, pattern, and paste of these lustrewares is not due to their production in several centers in Iran, but due to production in different periods from the early to the late Islamic centuries in several local workshops in Kerman, Jiroft, or Bam.

Sirjan was one of the great provinces of Kerman and expanded in Qala-Sang from the sixth century AH. However, during the ninth century it gradually abandoned. The question is what variables have influenced the growth and decline of Sirjan in the middle Islamic centuries? The data are the result of historical sources and archaeological excavations in the Qala-Sang and the analytical research has done. According to the results, leaving the early city of Sirjan was probably due to a consequence of the invasion of the Oguzs, and the actions of the Shabankareh kings in the late sixth century led to its transfer to the Qala-Sang. Sirjanchr('39')s position on the southern highways as a “middle city”, with suitable minerals and biological resources, led to its development, especially in the shadow of the powerful governments of the Qarakhtais and Muzaffarids. In addition, the characteristics of “location, security and strategy of the rulers” made Sirjan an economic center. However, the late Muzaffarids dispute, the invasion of Timur and Sultan Hosayn Bayqara, led to its decline and abandonment.

Over a hundred pieces of luster tiles were excavated in Qal’eh Dokhtar, Kerman. This article discusses the characteristic features of the luster tiles of Qal’eh Dokhtar, and the origins and sources of raw materials of these tiles. The tiles were classified in four groups: “octagonal star tiles”, “crucifix tiles”, “square tiles” and “rectangle tiles”. Then, the relative dating was done based on an inscription on a tile that reads: in 661 AH/1263 CE. The inscriptions of the luster tiles of Qal’eh Dokhtar also showed that they include poems. Eleven tiles have been chosen for chemical and microscopic analysis by Micro-PIXE, and SEM-EDX. The results indicated that there are different elements in the luster and paste of the samples of Qal’eh Dokhtar and other regions of Iran. Magnesium is the element of which was detected only in the samples of Qal’eh Dokhtar at high weight percentages and likely its mines exist in Ashin Valley around Jiroft.

Soleyman Castle is mentioned in written sources of the Islamic era and is very important in the modern culture of the people of Halilrud. due to this importance, false stories and information about this castle have been formed among the people of the region. Therefore, research on Soleyman Castle and its function will lead to a revision of the views that have already been presented without scientific evidence and reasons.
In this article, an attempt has been made to discuss a historical monument, while analyzing this important work, to examine a corner of the dark corners of the region's history. This article, which is a monograph on Suleyman Castle, consists of two general sections; In the first part, this important castle is described and in the second part, historical texts are examined. Although they only mention the name of this castle, they are very important because they have hidden points that without them, it will not be possible to understand exactly what this monument is.

This research is basic research in terms of the nature of research and historical in terms of the type of research. The information of this article is collected by field and library methods and the method of using the data is descriptive-analytical. In this article, first, the appearance of the castle is discussed and elements such as the topographic features of the mountain on which the castle is located, architectural works, etc. are described and spatially analyzed. Then, the data of historical texts are analyzed.

Location
Soleyman Castle is located in the southwest of Jiroft, on top of a single mountain of the same name, at the southern end of the western mountain range of Jiroft called Mata, and can only be reached from a difficult route. Despite the low height of this mountain compared to the northern peaks of the Bahr-e-Asman mountain range, it has a complete view and control over the Jiroft plain, and this mountain itself can be seen from very far distances and from four directions.There is only one way to reach the surface of Solomon Castle from the northeast (Photo 4) and access to this castle from other directions is impossible. Mount Solomon's Castle minus the north side, which has a relatively gentle slope, can be likened to a rectangular cube, of course, on two floors with a sloping head. The height of the mountain from the ground level to the second level floor is approximately 150 meters and from the second level floor to the highest part of the mountain is estimated at about 110 meters (Photo 6). In fact, it seems that the most important part of the castle is the strip that exists in the eastern part of the mountain. There is no other structure on the surface of this strip except 12 water storage ponds. Access to the mountain level on which the castle is built is possible only from one point and one route. To do this, you have to walk the entire eastern side of the mountain - which is about 550 meters - around the southern end of the mountain and reach a very narrow gap in the mountain wall.Contrary to expectations, the surface of the castle is very steep and has a very steep slope to the east. At this level, no other construction can be seen except for two artificial and man-made features, one at the southern end and the other near the northern end, including three reservoirs. Photo 16 shows the position of these three structures relative to each other and at the castle level.
Text review: In the texts, this fort is mentioned in two periods of time, first in the events related to the late Seljuk dynasty of Kerman and second in the period of Al-Muzaffar. The first reference is made in the book Bada'i al-Azman by Afzal following the events of 570 AH. At this time, one of the elders of the Seljuk court [named Amir Mukhlis al-Din Massoud] was angered and sent to Soleyman castle for imprisonment (Afzal Addin Kermani, 1948, p. 57. Mirzā Mohammad Ebrahim Khabisi, 2008, p. 456-458).There are several important points in this reference: First, the castle was state-owned and administered by the government, at least during the Seljuk period. Second probably one of its main uses was prison, sending political prisoners or important prisoners there. The second period is related to the time of Al-Muzaffar and during this time, Suleiman's castle was famous for its invincibility and greatness (Moinuddin Yazdi, 1948, p. 176). During this period, there were clashes between the rulers of Al-Muzaffar and the Mongol tribes of Oghan and Jerma, known as the Hazareh of the Mongol tribes (for these two tribes, see Hafez Abru, 2001, p. 193) - who fled to this fort and took refuge in it. It took place (Kotobi, 1986, p. 53; Moinuddin Yazdi, 1947, pp. 187-188; Hafez Abro, 2001, pp. 194-195).

Analysis

Depending on the location, accessibility, distance from main routes, distance from settlements and villages, distance from water resources and the shape and plan of the castle and its spatial facilities. It is not with a defensive function or control of the path, but according to the authors, it is a work that was developed in a certain period, probably during the Seljuk period, with a specific purpose, but later different groups used it with different purposes. Of course, it is quite acceptable that other groups have known and used it under any name before this date, but there is no convincing textual evidence and archaeological evidence to prove this hypothesis. There are many mountain castles in different parts of Iran that are very similar to Suleiman Castle in terms of various conditions such as distance from settlements and large population centers, difficulty of access, topographic features, etc., which was used as a prison according to historical texts. They will be useful, including Qahqaheh Castle in Ardabil and Alamut Castle in Qazvin, Istkhar Castle in Fars and Olonjoq Castle in Marand. Alamut Castle apparently served as a prison in pre- and post-Ismaili periods.

Soleyman Castle is one of the most famous mountain castles in Jiroft and south of Kerman, which is an invincible natural fortress due to its special shape, location and location on a single all-rock mountain. But this castle has features such as location, shape, plan, distance from the road and large settlements, water supply and lack of vast space facilities that make it unused for a long time and can only be provided if food and water are provided. The required time spent in it means that if the castle is besieged by the enemy, the besieged will not last long.
Although cultural materials are slightly scattered on the surface of Soleyman Castle, but due to the similarity of its pottery pieces with the examples of Sadr Islam to the Middle Ages in the old city of Jiroft and also based on historical sources, three historical periods can be considered for this castle: The period before the Seljuks, the period of the Seljuks and the periods after that. Although the oldest evidence of the use of this castle dates back to the first centuries AH, but its use in earlier and even pre-Islamic periods due to its natural features is quite possible, but it can not be considered its use. In the Seljuk period, according to a very important reference to the text of Badāye' al-Azman written by Afzal al-Din Kermani, this fort had a governmental function and was probably a prison or at least a prison of certain people whose natural characteristics of the monumental confirm such a use. Comparing this castle with several castles in different regions of Iran, such as Alamot, Qahqahe, Istakhr and Olonjok castles, which are comparable to Soleyman Castle in different ways and have been used as prisons based on the texts, strengthens such an assumption. The third period after the extinction of the Seljuks includes this period in which the castle seems to have been abandoned and lost its former use and was used only by various groups that generally fought with the central government (in Kerman). Considering all the features that have been enumerated, Soleyman Castle has never been a military, defensive, orWith the function of controlling important communication roads.

Historical and Cultural Landscape of Narmashir in Kerman during the Islamic Period IntroductionThe routes of the center of the Iranian plateau to Hormoz, Oman, Sistan, and India passed through Kerman along the Lut desert during the Islamic era. Narmashir plain is located on these routes. The settlements were developed in this plain due to this special location. Furthermore, there are monuments and archaeological evidence in Narmashir from prehistoric to the Islamic period .Therefore, this plain has played an important role in the social and political developments during the Islamic era in southeast Iran, like other urban centers of Kerman.The old city of Narmashir (Choghook Abad site) was one of the five cities of Kerman during the Sassanid and Islamic periods. This old city has 190 hectares, and it was called “Narm-Ardeshir” or “new-Hormoz-Ardeshir” in the Sasanid period. Narmashir was a warehouse for Bam and Oman goods, the center of agriculture and various fruits, the storehouse of Kerman Date, the settlement of wealthy merchant and the midway residence for Sistan pilgrims. But, this cultural landscape is unknown in the archaeological research of Iran. For this reason, introducing the archaeological sites of Narmashir, studying the developments of Islamic settlements in this cultural basin, and analyzing their interactions with neighboring cultural basins has an important role in understanding the cultures of the Islamic period in southeast Iran. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct extensive and methodical research in this cultural basin. The main question is that what are the characteristics of archaeological remains at Narmashir during the Islamic period? And, how is their distribution? The purpose of this article is to introduce, study the monuments, and explain the distribution map of Islamic sites of Narmashir. Materials and MethodsThe archaeological remains of the Islamic period in Narmashir were studied in this article and a map of historical sites in Narmashir was drawn.  Data were collected via fieldwork and documentary method. For this, the historical and geographical sources about the cities of Narmashir were studied at the beginning. Then a full coverage survey was conducted, and the remains of the Islamic sites and monuments in the Narmashir plain in an area of 32,000 hectares were recorded and documented. Finally, a map of the distribution of these sites and monuments was prepared, and the factors affecting the formation and development of this cultural landscape were explained. ResultsTwo urban or rural settlements, the old city of Narmashir (Choghok Abad) and Jalal Abad site, as the settlements from early to the late Islamic centuries were identified and studied in the archaeological survey of the cultural landscape of Narmashir plain. Rafi Abad Castle was also identified as a settlement that was used intermittently from the fifth century AH to the Qajar period. Qal’eh Shahid has been the landlord’s house since the late Zand and early Qajar eras. Pirmasha site and Jamali castle are other monuments of the early and middle Islamic period in Narmashir plain. Chehel Tokhm is probably one of the surviving caravanserais in Narmashir plain. Tepe Karton in the western parts of Narmashir cultural landscape is a hill from the Islamic Middle centuries. Furthermore, many towers were identified in this cultural landscape that follow the same pattern and style in construction and decoration. Probably all of these towers were built at the same time. The towers of Zia Abad, Enayat Abad, and Hojjat Abad are among the surviving towers in this plain. Discussion and ConclusionIt seems that two sites of the old city of Narmashir and Jalal Abad were developed between the first to middle Islamic centuries as central settlements in Narmashir plain, based on the study of the distribution map of the monuments and archaeological sites in Narmashir plain. The centrality of the old city of Narmashir and Jalal Abad site is also confirmed based on the comparison, study, and chronology of cultural materials of this two sites. Furthermore, Rafi Abad and Qal’eh Shahid were established as landlord residential centers or periphery settlements. It seems that Rafi Abad in the Middle Islamic centuries was associated with the old city of Narmashir and the Jalal Abad site. Qal’eh Shahid was also established to exploit agricultural lands and garden products in the alluvial plain of Narmashir. Pirmasha site and Jalali castle were considered as military and defense centers. These two buildings played a role in securing the central settlements of the Narmashir plain. The Chehel Tokhm Caravanserai was built to serve the caravans on the routes from the center of the Iranian plateau to Kerman, Bam, Sistan, and the coasts of Oman and India. Tepe Karton was probably considered an industrial site, based on the molded pottery pieces and molds. Furthermore, Zia Abad, Enayat Abad, and Hojjat Abad towers were built to control and maintain security in this plain.The study of the cultural-historical landscape of Narmashir showed that most of these monuments and sites were developed in a linear pattern with an east-west orientation. The formation of this pattern and the east-west axis is probably due to the main road connecting Kerman to Sistan as well as the geographical and climatic features of the Narmashir plain. On the other hand, the construction style and the type of materials in the royal residence of the old city of Narmashir, Shams Castle, Jalal Abad and its Qal’eh Dokhtar show some similarities. Bricks with dimensions of 10 × 38 × 38 cm were used in the main structures in all four buildings. The style and features of beams and flash-like watchtowers are the same in four buildings. The construction method of niches is similar in the buildings of the old city of Narmashir and Jamali Castle. In addition, the choice of location of the buildings indicates similar decisions. Because the Pirmasha site, Jalal Abad, and Jamali castle were built on top of natural sedimentary hills. Impermeable walls were created around these hills due to alluvium. This feature has ensured the security of these settlements. FundingThis research was supported by the administration of cultural heritage in Kerman under grant number 932/137/2736 in 2014, to compile the monuments and sites file for registration in the list of national monuments and sites. Author’s contributionSara Saghaee: Data curation, field archaeological survey, maps and findings design, Writing - original draft.Saeed Amirhajloo: Data curation, Funding acquisition, field archaeological survey, Project administration, review, and editing. Conflict of interestNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. AcknowledgmentsThe authors wish to acknowledge Mehri Javadi, expert of the administration of cultural heritage in Kerman, and also thanks Mohammad Reza Mansouri, expert of the Bam world heritage foundation. ReferencesAmirhajloo, Saeed, 2014a, Sounding for delimiting the Old City of Narmashir (Choghook Abad Site), Kerman Province, the archives of administration of cultural heritage in Kerman, (In Persian).Amirhajloo, Saeed, 2014b, The file of Zia Abad Tower for registration in the list of national monuments of Iran, the archives of administration of cultural heritage in Kerman, (In Persian).Garazhian, Omran; Rahmati, Masoud, 2012, “The First Period of Tal-e Atashi; Neolithic Culture before Pottery and its Architecture in the Landscape of Southeast of Iran”, Iranian Journal of Anthropology Research, Vol. 2, No. 1: 111-148, (In Persian).Hamawi, Yaqut, 1990, Mo’jam Al-Boldan, Vol. 5, Beirut: Dar Al-Kotob Elmiyah, (In Arabic).Ibn-e Khordadbeh, Nd. Al-Masalek va Al-Mamalek, Beirut: Dar Sader, (In Arabic).Maqdisi, Abu Abd-Allah, 2006, Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma’refat al-Aqalim, Tr. by Alinaqi Monzavi, second edition, Tehran: Koomesh, (In Persian).Mustawfi, Hamdallah, 1985, Tarikh-e Gozideh, Vol. 1, Compiled by Abdolhossein Navaee, Tehran: Amirkabir, (In Persian).Qudama Ibn-e Ja’far, 1991, Al-Kharaj, Tr. by Hossein Qarachanloo, Tehran: Alborz, (In Perisan).Ya’qubi, Ahmad Ibn-e Abi Yaqoub, 2002, Al-Boldan, 4th edition, Tr. by Mohammad Ibrahim Ayati, Tehran: Elmi Farhangi, (In Persian).Zare, Shahram, 2008, The report of the Second Season of Archaeological Survey in Bam county, the archives of administration of cultural heritage in Kerman, (In Persian).

Sirjan was one of five districts in Kerman province during the Islamic periods. According to archaeological research and historical sources, the city of Sirjan was located at Qal´eh Sang at the time from the 12th to 15th century AD. During the first season of archaeological excavation besides the identification of architectural remains, a big variety of Islamic ceramics was found which suits for further specialized studies. Questions are concerning the variation of ceramic decorations, the dating of the objects as well as the characteristics of local production at Qal´eh Sang. To answer these questions a descriptive-analytical approach is applied. The goal of these analyses is to give answers about the relative chronology, the role of Qal´eh Sang on cultural interactions with other regions, the zenith and descent of Qal´eh Sang on base of documented pottery finds in comparison with historical sources as well as on the local pottery production during early Islamic times. At Qal´eh Sang many ceramic shards dating from Middle Elamite to Qajar period were documented, but the majority belongs to the time from the 12th to 15th century AD. These ones show similarity to pottery finds from Jiroft, Ghubayra, Kashan, Rey, Farahan, Gorgan, Neyshabour, Belgheys, several sites on the Northern coast of the Persian Gulf as well as Al-Mataf, and Al-Huleylah in U.A.E. Some pieces seems also to be imported from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan or f.e. from China during the Yuan and Ming dynasty as evidenced by fragments of blue and white ware and Celadon. In general, the investigation of the ceramic finds from Qal´eh Sang can be used as a good indicator for the developments of trade contacts with centres along the coasts of the Persian Gulf. Trading contacts between the Persian Gulf and Sirjan have been an important economical branch for the exchange of goods with Central Iran and is also an indicator for the imminent influence on the development of the Southern cities.

Due to the plurality of the rulers’ religions, many of the religious miniatures in the hand-written copies at the beginning of the Ilkhanate period contained subjects relating to the prophets and different religions. In the second half of the Ilkhanate period, a new wave of Shi’ism appeared among the rulers that matched with their political and governmental intentions and thoughts. The question is, "How has the art of miniature been influential in the advancement of the Ilkhanate goals for legitimizing their rule in Iran? Data was collected using archival documents and the method of research was descriptive-analytical. The analyses have been done using the methods of content analysis and comparison. The aim of this article is to study the features and Shia contents in the Ilkhanid miniature School (The first Tabriz or Roshdiyeh) and to clarify the relationship between the Ilkhanate’s legitimate government and Shia miniature. Based on the findings of the research, the political, social, and religious inclinations and ideas of the Ilkhanate rulers appeared in the miniatures of the Prophet, Imams, al-Qadir Traditions, the event of Mubahala, and wars at the beginning of Islamic period. They were available in the copies of Jami al-Tawarikh and Assar al-Baghieh with a Shia motif, and were influential in legitimizing the Ilkhanate government.

Narmashir located in southeastern of Kerman is located in the ways connected center and west of Iranian plateau to the Southeast and coast of Oman. According to this, the evidences of settlements were formed and the fortifications related to them were built in this region. The purpose of this study is to explain the architectural characteristics of these monuments. There are questions that what were the characteristics of the defensive fortifications of Narmashir plain and what factors might have influenced their locations and what patterns were followed? The data gathered through “field and library method” and the methodology is descriptive - analytical. Some of the findings of this research that can be mentioned are as follows: there is a linear pattern in the spatial distribution of the defensive fortifications, there is a network of identical individual brick towers, the architectural elements follow the topography, there isn’t any stable pattern in their plans, they were built over the impassable natural platforms, the buildings were constructed on the southeast – northwest axis to counter to the effects of the weather and strong winds, the materials are consistent with the climate and the thickness of walls for better insulation of places.