The Chronological Analysis and Process of Evolution of Settlements from The Uruk Period to the End of Neo- Elamite Period, in The Deh Luran Plain (Patak)

The beginning of field research in the Deh Luran Plain dates back to the early twentieth century. During this period, researches have been mainly focused on the northwestern part of the plain rather than its southeastern part (Patak Plain). However, the southeastern part of the plain, under the supervision of the author by project of identification and study of the sites in the area of drainage network 23 of the national tropical plan, was intensively surveyed at the end of year of 2015. The primary and general purpose of this program was identifying and documentating the sites, which was achieved. The next goal, namely determining the chronological position and understanding how the settlements were located and recognizing their cultural interactions, compared to their neighboring area, was also achieved by using the discovered cultural materials. In total, out of the 56 identified sites in this archaeological survey, 22 sites had surface evidence of the Uruk Period until the end of the Neo- Elamite Period, at first glance, this number represents a fourfold increase in the number of the settlements by comparing it to the results of previous studies. In the next step, with the registration of the Uruk Sites, it was found that, the population that was living in the plain compared to the previous period, namely the Later Village Period has increased significantly. Then, the population decreased sharply in the Jemdet Nasr Period and we can see an increase in the settlements again in the Dynasty Period, but this increase ended in the Old Elamite Period and decreased in the Middle and Neo- Elamite Periods, this decrease was probably as a result of the effects of trans-regional power centers and climate change.