Dana historical cemetery under the microscope of archaeologists

The five-thousand-year-old cemetery of Sadat Mahmoudi village, Dana city, within the implementation area of ​​Khorsan 3 dam, is considered as one of the important cultural heritage examples of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, the fourth season of the rescue excavations of the ancient cemetery “De Bayan” and the second season of the “Lehsavare” cemetery have been completed. Is.

According to IRNA, a historical cemetery in Sadat Mahmudi village (Lehsavare village) of Dana city was discovered during the archaeological excavation operation, and it revealed artifacts from the end of the second millennium and the beginning of the first millennium BC.

Sadat Mahmoudi village is one of the Patawe Districts of Dana County in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Provinces, and most of the villages in this village are located between the 2 roaring Bashar and Khorsan rivers.

Historical cemeteries are a sign of the history, culture, identity and collective memory of human settlements, but due to the weakness in the knowledge of these areas and the lack of written policy in dealing with them, we are witnessing the destruction of the country’s historical cemeteries.

In the 13th government, the historical cemetery of Dena was specially seen and its rescue operations are being carried out and the exploration and protection of this precious national heritage is on the agenda.

The discovery of 4500-year-old objects in the historical cemetery of Dana

Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Kohgiluyeh and Boyar Ahmad says: The archeological exploration of the last few days in Sadat Mahmudi village of Dana city has marked a new chapter of historical periods in the province.

Saeed Talebipour added: In the archaeological exploration of the Sadat Mahmoudi region of this province, historical objects related to four thousand and 500 years ago were discovered.

He stated: The fourth season of rescue excavations of the ancient cemetery of Deh Domen (Deh Dumen) and the second season of Lehsavare cemetery in Sadat Mahmoudi village located in Dana city have been completed. These excavations started on the first of Shahrivar 1401 and continued for 45 days had

Salbipour emphasized: These areas are located in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad provinces and Dana city, which were explored as part of the rescue excavation project of endangered areas behind the Khorsan dam (located in Chaharmahal, Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad provinces).

Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Kohgiluyeh and Boyar Ahmad stated: Among the important goals of the excavations of Dehpayin and Lehsavare cemeteries, in addition to rescuing and showing the remaining works before the dam was drained, is to present the relative and absolute chronology of the mentioned cemeteries and to know the burial methods and the structure of the graves. and also identifying the regional and extra-regional connections of the people of these cemeteries.

Talebipour continued: From the results of past excavations, it can be pointed out that burials were carried out in these cemeteries from 4500 to 2650 years ago (in other words, the entire period of Elam).

He stated: Some discovered works (such as marbles and metal vessels) indicate cultural-commercial connections and stylistic similarities in the art of this area with the areas of southeastern Iran during the third millennium BC.

The latest findings from a historical cemetery

The head of the excavation team said: Lehsavare cemetery is located in Dena city of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad provinces on the banks of the Bashar and Khorsan rivers and has revealed artifacts from the end of the second millennium and the beginning of the first millennium BC.

Alireza Sardari added: The archeological exploration in this ancient site was carried out with the aim of knowing the prehistoric and historical cultures of the southern Zagros valleys.

According to him, these studies were carried out in graves that had human burial remains along with metal objects such as weapons and ornaments made of silver, bronze and iron.

The head of the excavation team stated that in addition to this, a large number of clay vessels were also found in them and stated: The findings and objects obtained are very comparable to the cultural materials of the Elam civilization that lived in Khuzestan, Fars and Zagros.

The member of the scientific board of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism added: Similar works have been identified with the civilizations of the east and southeast of Iran, which may show cultural connections and interactions with these societies.

This archeologist called the narrow and high valleys of Bashar and Khorsan rivers as one of the habitats of the mountain communities in Zagros, whose history of habitation dates back to the Neolithic era and the 6th millennium BC.

He stated: In addition to this cemetery, other sites and cemeteries such as Lema and Deh Payin (Deh Duman) have been explored in this area, which provide similar works and documents related to a common ancient culture from the third to the first millennium BC.

This archeologist pointed out: the large number of such cemeteries in this area, despite the rarity of settlement areas and residential hills, could indicate nomadic animal husbandry communities that lived seasonally for part of the year in these valleys, despite this, such a hypothesis can To be proven through detailed survey surveys in this area.

The concern of the people of Sadat Mahmoudi for the protection of the historical cemetery

The dam is under construction in Khorsan Seh in the area of ​​Sadat Mahmoudi villages of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad districts and a part of it is also in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces.

The most important goal of exploration in Sadat Mahmoudi village is to save historical monuments and record the historical information of the province before the implementation of Khorasan 3 hydroelectric dam.

One of the residents of Sadat Mahmoudi village expressed requests to save the historical monuments of this area in an interview with IRNA reporter and stated: The 4,500-year-old Dana culture should not be buried under the water of the dam and it is necessary to take all necessary measures to protect it.

He continued: The new dam under construction should be done with the supervision of cultural heritage with careful planning so that these works are not buried under water.

Of course, the archeology expert of the cultural heritage department of Kohgiluyeh and Boyar Ahmad says: In fact, the transfer of water from this reservoir is not correct and it will be used mostly for agriculture and electricity production.

Ali Asghar Atesh Faraz added: This cemetery is located in the water intake area of ​​Khorsan 3 dam, and until its full exploration is completed, the National Institute of Archeology and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage will refuse to give any permission for the water intake of the dam.

The governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad said during his visit to Sadat Mahmudi district that Khorsan was planned to be 850 km long with the aim of transferring water to Kerman and Yazd.

Seyed Ali Ahmadzadeh continued: Currently, with the help of the representatives of the people of Boyar Ahmad, Dana and Margun in the Islamic Council, we are trying to get the rightful rights from this dam because there are many villages in need of drinking water and agriculture along this river.

Ahmedzadeh pointed to the lack of proper exploitation of the province’s right of way, and said: Before the construction of the Khorsan dam, the agricultural jihad must take the right of the province so that the agricultural lands of the region can be irrigated.

The Governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, referring to the context of the historical area related to the Elamite period in Sadat Mahmoudi village, said: The presence of these works may be a reason to prevent the construction of Khorsan dam in this area.

Historical cemeteries are considered as a valuable heritage and historical identity of the people of every country and are attractive places for tourists in touristic countries.

The exploration and study of cemeteries can be considered as one of the richest sources of the social life of past generations, and with recent advances in the study of human bones such as the study of ancient genetics and chemical analysis, it is a method to understand complex social relationships and The relocation of ancient societies has been provided.

Undoubtedly, the historical cemetery of Sadat Mahmoudi has many things to say, a cemetery that with each season of exploration presents a greater extent of the unknown history of South Zagros to archaeologists and sheds light on the relations of the inhabitants of different regions of the Iranian plateau thousands of years ago.

If this historical cemetery is not buried behind Khorsan Dam 3 and its excavations are completed, it can turn another page in the readable history of ancient Iran and turn the deprived area of ​​Sadat Mahmoudi in Dana city into a destination for domestic and foreign tourists. This passer-by did not lag behind the caravan of sustainable development.

Three thousand and 709 historical objects have been discovered in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, of which 420 have been restored so far.

So far, 731 historical, cultural and natural monuments of this province include 61 mills, 50 historical houses, 40 castles, 40 reservoirs, 233 blessed tombs, 19 cemeteries, 17 universities, 13 bridges, 13 historical structures, five baths, five mosques and three caravanserais of this province in The list of national works has been placed. The bas-reliefs of Teng Solek Bahmei are the first nationally registered works of Kohgilouye and Boyer Ahmad in 1316.

The oldest historical objects recorded in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad are tools related to the hill of Bibi Zalikha village in Kohgiluyeh city and the Neolithic era.

One of the most significant historical works of this province is a clay coffin from the first millennium BC, which is unique in the country. Coins, pottery and metal vessels belong to the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian periods, including the historical objects of Kohgiluyeh and Boyar Ahmad.

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province with 723 thousand people is located in the southwest of Iran. This province has an area of ​​more than 166 thousand square kilometers.