An Overview on the Archaeology Aspect and Cultural Developments of the Islamic Settlements of Tuyserkan Plain (Beginning of Islam to The End of the Qajar Period)

Tuyserkan plain is one of the middy mountain and highland plains in Alvand Range, strategically one of the most important connector plains of western Iran and throughout history, especially the Islamic period, the path of the great Khorasan has been of considerable importance. This plain has been studied and identified during the winter of 2012. This study has been studied at random by collecting cultural material from the area of the site in order to identify and record ancient sites and monuments. The results of the study include 44 sites from the copper and stone Age to the late Islamic period, and according to the identified surface artifacts 14 of these sites have artifacts from different Islamic times, this area has shown importance in the Islamic era but so far the plain has not been explored in terms of the cultural developments of the Islamic settlements. The question now is, what are the characteristics of Islamic period in Tuyserkan plain and what is their pattern of distribution and expansion, and in what periods has it grown and expanded? The main purpose of the research is to study the archaeology of the Tuyserkan plain with the typology of cultural changes in the works and settlements of the Islamic periods and it is an appropriate pattern of distribution in the Tuyserkan plain. The research method utilizes spatial analysis and field and library, analysis of cultural works and materials collected from archaeological survey and study of Islamic settlements of Tuyserkan plain, it will be based on current theories of settlement patterns and archaeological landscape. The results show that the settlements of Islamic period of this plain are distributed in all parts of the plain, consisting of large enclosures as the main dwelling cores and small enclosures formed as small bases dependent on roads and arable land, in the Safavid period, the Tuyserkan plain also witnessed a growing number of settlements with the Carvansara and Bridge Farasfaj  being one of the most significant monuments of that period, and finally in the Zandieh and Qajar period expanding population and settlement.