A Study on the Parthian Pottery of Dargaz Plain, Northeast of Iran

Northeastern Iran has been considered a connecting bridge and natural passageway for the entry of different tribes from the past to the present time, yet despite such importance, it has rarely been studied by archaeologists and researchers. Dargaz plain in northeastern Iran, due to its special geographical location and environmental conditions, as well as its proximity to major settlement centers of the Parthian period in South Turkmenistan, contains many remains and settlements of that period. In the surveys conducted in this region, 84 sites belonging to this period were identified and analyzed. As a result of these studies, it was discovered that the area has been among the most important and populated centers during the Parthian period. Moreover, based on the pottery evidence, it was revealed that the region has been a center of activity from the onset to the end of this period. The present research dealt with categorization and typology of the pottery based on the studies carried out on 425 pieces of pottery, and it was found that the Parthian pottery of this region is divided into two groups of simple and painted pottery; however, the painted pottery class is divided into several subclasses, such as engraved, added, grooved, marked, and painted. Red pottery has been the most common pottery of the region during the Parthian period. Common forms include crocks, pots, and skillets, small and big bowls, and long-neck and short-neck jars and cups. Comparative studies indicate that the most cultural interactions in the study region were related to cultural areas in neighboring regions such as the northeastern and eastern Iran and the western parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan so that almost 70% of the cultural relations of this region was with the above-mentioned areas and about 43.54% of these relations has been with South Turkmenistan and the sites of Marv, Nisa, Sarakhs oasis and Shar- tappeh Chapeshlou.