Dehloran land of ancient stories of settlement and life

Dehloran, land of ancient stories of settlement and life

TEHRAN - Dehloran, as one of the significant regions in western Iran, has been settled in prehistoric times and contains signs of civilization, said Habibollah Mahmoudian, a faculty member at Islamic Azad University of Ilam.

He told ISNA that Ilam’s pre-civilization era is called the Proto-Elamite era, adding that numerous artifacts have remained from this era.

Excavations conducted in the region show that the mankind lived in [and around] Dehloran 8,000 years ago and domesticated livestock such as sheep and goats.

Dehloran was considered one of the cultural and economic centers in this era, which is concurrent with Ali-Kosh era -- famous to pre-pottery era. The ruins of Ali-Kosh hill were inhabited by people before the invention of potteries.

This era was simultaneous with other ancient regions such Choghamish, Tal Bakon Fars and Goodin Tepe. 

Also, regions like Bayat in Dehloran and Meymeh in Zarrinabad were settled by people during that time. 

**Agricultural and livestock breeding developments **

Mahmoudian explained that archeological findings indicate that human beings achieved to cultivate vegetable seeds such as barley, lentils, mung beans, flax and wheat in Dehloran during 5,500-7,500 BC. They established the first settlement and domesticated the livestock.

These developments have been approved by evidence obtained from archeological excavations conducted by Kent Vaughn Flannery and Frank W. Hull on hills of Ali Kosh, Cheghasefid and other ancient regions in 1961, he said. 

The human beings achieved to launch the first village and settlement during 5,500-7,500 BC. These villages indicate important developments in architecture and social organizations of people of that era. 

Dehloran, as one key regions in pre-historic era, has played a great role in promoting agriculture, animal husbandry and preliminary architecture. 

Given the existence of rich monuments, he said, the region is a testament to ancient civilizations and human advancements in prehistoric times. 

Earlier Abdolmalek Shanbehzadeh, provincial tourism chief, said Dehloran plain is one of the most significant areas of the country where a lot of archeological excavations and surveys have been carried out so far. 

However, the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) and land leveling for agricultural purposes over the past two decades have caused irreparable damage to the ancient sites across the plain, he explained. 

The Dehloran plain is best known for the excavations conducted at several prehistoric sites, which elucidated the origins and development of sedentary agricultural villages and towns in the region, and for surveys documenting the history of settlement into the modern era. 

As a relatively small and remote rural area, it has always been affected by political, economic, and technological developments in the adjacent regions of Khuzestan, the Zagros Mountains, and Mesopotamia. Beginning as early as the 3rd millennium BC and throughout its subsequent history, it was under the political control of kingdoms in one or another of these regions according to Iranica Encyclopedia.

Although no cuneiform texts have been found at any of the Dehloran sites, the most prominent mound, Tepe Musiyan, is possibly to be identified as ancient Urua, an Elamite city known from Mesopotamian texts.

Dehloran has been on a trade route linking the Zagros Mountains with Mesopotamia; in the 1st millennium, the route linking the Achaemenid capitals of Susa and Ecbatana passed through the region.

From the 18th century, Dehloran has been a winter resort for the local tribes. 

KD
 

source: tehrantimes.com