haamid norasi

The archeological studies of the Kani Shinka Dam basin in Piranshahr City were carried out in two stages, including archeological investigations of the dam catchment area in the fall of 2017, as well as exploration to speculate and investigate the condition of the historical-cultural layers of the areas identified in the summer of 2020. In the archaeological survey of the Kani Shinka dam basin, 27 sites were identified, including caves, settlements, cemeteries, and castles, and according to the size of the dam water basin and the number of dangers caused by the construction and drainage of the dam, the number of sites was finally reduced to 5. Receipt. Historical-cultural layers were chosen for speculation and reading. Archeological investigations of the Kani Shinka dam basin indicate settlements from the prehistoric era (iron, bronze, and iron), historical era (Parthian and Sassanian), and Islamic era. The primary purpose of this article is to introduce and review the historical places of the Kani Shinka Ore Dam basin so that while introducing these places, the most important factors of the formation and dispersion of the environments will be addressed. In terms of the extent and volume of historical-cultural layers, the Gerd Sheytan site The is the most extensive site, which has evidence of the copper (Dalma), bronze, and historical periods, and the Gerd Marwan site with little prominence, found evidence of the Old Bronze Age. Much of the extent and layers of the Bawleh site have been lost due to agricultural activities in recent years, and now there is little evidence of its historical period. The sites of Qalat Shakhtan and Qalat Marah also have evidence of the historical and Islamic era. Other sites can be documented and studied in ain a single period with few cultural finds. The topography of the area as well as the location of the building and the catchment area of Kani Shinka Dam is one of the most important types of quantity, quality, and distribution selection.

Urmia City, the capital of West Azerbaijan Province in northwestern Iran, holds a rich historical background with numerous Islamic era structures. Despite this, the historical-cultural evidence in Urmia has been less studied due to its location beneath urban and residential buildings. In 2017, due to the digging operation for the restoration and organization of the eastern side of the Urmia Grand Mosque, evidence of evidence of architectural structures and cultural artifacts was obtained. However, disputes led to the suspension of the restoration operation. Subsequently, in 2019, archaeological excavations were initiated to identify architectural remnants and understand the site's cultural layers. Aligning with the excavation's objectives and the General Department of Cultural Heritage's goal to establish a museum site, two trenches were excavated. Notably, evidence of cultural materials from the Sassanid period beneath Islamic-era structures was uncovered. This paper, while studying and relative chronology of cultural findings of the Urmia Grand Mosque, compares them with findings of Sassanid sites in western Iran. The data of this research has been collected by documentary and field methods, and this study has been carried out by descriptive-analytical approach.

The historical site of Qalat Mutabad in Piranshahr is of paramount importance in numerous historical and cultural documents such as potteries and brick architectural remains, especially in terms of architectural maps and plans. The existence of a star-shaped plan in the design of the site’s outer fence illustrates the importance and pivotal role of this area in the Piranshahr plain. The site is located beside one of the branches of the Little Zab (or Lower Zab) River, which has been gradually destroyed due to the passage of time and the land-use change, “use as a military base in the contemporary period,” and currently the evidence of the architectural debris of the building at the site is evident. Examples of star-shaped plan design in different parts of Iran, as well as European fortresses, can be observed, and it is comparable to the plan of Qalat Mutabad in this respect. The main problem of this article is to evaluate the site relying on the available documents and evidence so that we study the importance of military forts in the Piranshahr plain while achieving a relative dating of the site. Accordingly, some questions about the architectural structure, especially its plan and the military and residential function of the site arise. According to written historical sources, the study of similar examples, as well as material artifacts at the site level, hypotheses concerning the attribution of the site to the period after Safavid, “Afshar or Qajar,” military function inspired by Western architectural elements, are presented. This study was conducted in a historical, descriptive-analytical method. In addition to studying historical sources and field documentation by the authors at the site, aerial images and data gained from these images were exploited.