Excavations at Tepe Yahya, 1967-69, CC Lamberg-Karlovsky

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Excavations
at Tepe Yahya, Iran
1967-1969
PROGRESS REPORT I
c. C. Lamberg - Karlovsky
ETIN 27 .
UCAN SCHOOL OF PREHISTORIC RESEARCH . PEABODY MUSEUM . HARVARD UNIVERSITY
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The Asia Institute of Pahlavi University
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MONOGRAPH NO.1
Edited by Richard N. Frye
MUSEUM

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Excavations
at Tepe Yahya, Iran
1967-1969
PROGRESS REPORT I
C. C. Lamberg - Karlovsky
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS , 1970
r v ~ ,'2 7
COPYRIGHT 1970 BY THE PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS O F HARVARD COLLEGE
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER 74-143902
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" Hal lo !" said Piglet, " what are you doing?"
" Hunt i ng," said Pooh.
" Hunt i ng what? "
" Tracki ng something," said Winnie-the-Pooh very mysteriously.
" Tracki ng what? " said Piglet, coming closer.
" That' s just what I ask myself. I ask myself What?"
Winnie-the-Pooh
A. A. Milne
A C K NOWL ED GMEN TS
Members of the project who have contributed to
our work include Dr. Beno Rothenberg; Dr. Ron-
ald Tylecote, undertaking metallurgical analyses of
copper bronzes; Dr. Radomir Pleiner, analyses of
iron; Dr. Colin Renfrew, obsidian analyses; Dr.
Fred Matson, ceramic studies. Anal yses of the
above and t he paleobotanical and zoological
studies wi ll be included in our final report. Ex-
cavations were supervised by James Humphries,
Richard Meadow, Philip Kohl, Peter Dane, Dr.
E. C. L. During Caspers , Denise Schmandt, Arthur
Bankoff, Jane Britton, Thomas Beale, William Fitz,
Ir. Donald Whitcombe, Martha Prickett, Henry
Adams, David Biernoff, Elizabeth Stone, Dr. Naga-
raja Rao, Barbara Card, and Andrew Williamson at
Tepe Dasht-i-Deh. Alexander D. Kernan acted as
Staff Photographer; Andrea Bankoff, Pauline Shank-
man , and Victoria Tompkins were Registrars; Ann
Hechle and Barbara Westman undertook the art
work (al l pottery was drawn by the former; sec-
tions, maps , and architecture by the latt er). Repre-
sentatives of the Iranian Archaeological Service
included Mr. Cholam Ali Shamlou , Mr. Mahmoud
Khordavany, and M r. Hu shang Azimzade. The co-
operation of the Iranian Archaeological Service is
gratefull y acknowledged. The assistance of His
Excellency Mehrdad Pahlbod, Mr. Abdol-Ali Pour-
mand, and Mr. M. Khorramabadi has greatly fa-
cilitated our work, as have the advice and help of
Dr. Ezat Negahban. Mr. Ali Hakemi , Director of the
Iran-Bastan Museum, has allowed us to study the
material from his related excavations and has pro-
vided helpful advice. Mr. David Stronach, Direc-
tor of the British Institute of Persian Studies, has
consistent l y bee n of the utmost help; our debt
to him is great. Mr. Richar d Arndt, U.S. Cult ural
Attache, Mr. Bowen Kennedy of t he U.S. Embassy
Commissary, and the Scientific Attaches provided
assistance in securi ng essential supplies without
which our work could not have proceeded.
My wife alternately took charge of the domestic
duties for the expe dition, typed t he manuscript,
and provided support in difficult moments, ac-
cepting the unpleasant separation when she could
not join me in the field. Throughout our work at
Tepe Yahya, both in the field and in our research
at home, she has bee n one of the most construc-
tive of critics.
At the Peabody Museum our Director, Profes-
sor Stephen Williams, and Dr. Hugh Hencken have
con sistentl y offered support and encouragement.
To all the above, my gratitude and debt are great.
Contents
Acknowledgments vi
Introduction 1
The Partho-Sasanian Settlement : Period I 6
The Achaemenian (?) Settlement: Period II 22
The Iron Age: Period III 27
The Elamite (?) Settlement: Period IV A 34
The Proto-Elamite Settlements: Period IV B, IV C 48
The " Yahya" Period: V 83
Chart I 84
The " Neol it hic" Settlements: Period VI 111
A Middle Persian Inscribed Sherd from Tepe Yahya by Richard N. Frye 131
Appendix: Radiocarbon Dates 132
Reference Bibliography 133
List of Plates
1. Tang- i-Mordan rock art 2
2. Tang- i -Mord an rock ar t (not e peck ing technique)
3
3. Vi ew of Tepe Yahya from the sout h 4
4. Subt erranean st orage rooms, Area A3E 11
5. Sasanian Gayomard seal, Area A4E-5. Domed,
perf orat ed, roc k cr ystal 13
6. Per i od I i ron ob j ect s 16
7. Small finds - metal , Period I 18
8. Mi scellaneous smal l finds, Period I 20
9. Gla ss and ceramic jars 23
10. Per iod II architecture vi ewed from the east 24
11. Surface showi ng habitation debri s, st one founda-
tions, and column (?) base, Per iod III 28
12. Pottery, Period III 29
13. Burni shed gray-ware, bridge-spouted sherd, Pe-
riod III 32
14. Architecture of Period IV. Central platform between
Rooms I and II. Uppermost walls, Period IV A;
lo wer wall s IV B 37
15. Ceramics, Period IV AlB 50
16. Ceramics, Period IV A 51
17. Mi scellaneous beads 52
18. Compartmented seal of agate , BI-12 53
19. Steat ite objects 54
20. Metal s, Period IV B (all objects are copper-bronze)
68
21. Cylinder seal, diorite (?), surf ace 70
22. Cylinder seal , glaz ed, serpenti ne, Period IV B 70
23. Steat it e, Per iod IV B 56
24. Steatite, Period IV B 57
25. Steatite, Period IV B 62
26. Steatite and ceramic objects, Period IV B 64
27. Small finds 129
28. Per iod V B architecture viewed f rom above 104
29. Per i od V C architecture viewed from above 105
30. Ston e pal ette, from Area C-1 , Period V A 86
31. Painted potter y, Period V A 87
32. Painted pottery , Period V A-B 88
33. Painted pottery, Period V A-B 94
34. Painted Nal sherd, C TT6-6, and Amri sherd, sur-
face 101
35. Thumb- impressed bricks from Period V C; similar
brick i s used in Period VI A 102
36. Metal impl ement s and honing stone all from Pe-
riod V B, C TT1, 3-2 103
37. Bone and shell , stone seal (E) 108
38. Mother of pearl , turquoi se necklace, stone celt,
bronzes, Per i od V 109
39. Stone tools of Periods V and VI 110
40. Wall (?) confi guration of Period VI A, Area D.
(See Fig. 54 for th e same con struction unraveled.)
116
41. Coarse ware pottery from Period VI B-C 128
42. Flint, sto ne, and bone implements associated with
f emal e f iguri ne (PI. 43), Area D-8 (7) 123
43. Front vi ew of female figur ine of steatite from
Ar ea D-8 (7), Period VI D 130
44. Peri od VI C and Period VI D architecture viewed
f rom th e sout heast 125
List of Figures
Map showi ng l ocat i on of Tepe Yahya Faci ng page 1
1. Map showi ng locat io n of cairn buri al s and canal
6
2. Areas excavated, 1968, 1969 7
3-6. Cerami cs, Peri od I 9-12, 14
7. Area B, nor th face 25
8. Ceramics, Per iod II 26
9-11. Cerami cs, Peri od III , 30, 31, 33
12. Tr ench BW, north section 35
13. Third Mi lle nnium architecture 36
14- 19. Cer ami cs, Per i od IV A 38, 40-42, 44-47
20. Cer amics, Period IV B 48
21. Steat it e, Peri od IV B 58
22. Steat i te, Period IV B 55
23- 32. Cerami cs, Per i od IV B 60, 72-79, 82
33. Seal s, metal , and ceramics 71
34. Ar ea C, east secti on 85
35-38. Ceramics, Period V A 89-92
39-41. Ceramics, Per iod V B 96-98
42-43. Ceramics, Period V C 99-100
44. Top ographi cal Ma p of Strat um 7, Trench C 106
45. Levell i ng architect ure C- 7 107
46. Cer amics, Perio d VI A 118
47-49. Ceramics, Peri od VI A- B 119-1 21
50. Cer ami cs, Perio d VI B 122
51. Cerami cs, Peri od VI C-E 124
52. Area D, east sect io n 114
53. Ar ea D, north secti on 115
54. Area D, St rata 3, 4 117
55. Ar ea D, St rata 6, 7, 8 126
56. Area D, Strata 8, 9 127
Excavations at Tepe Yahya
Om;. ! 200 400
200 4 0 0 ~ m .
e M EDI N A
R K I
MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF TEPE YAHYA
Excavations at Tepe Yahya
INTRODUCTION
In the summer of 1967 while conducting an ar-
chaeological survey in the southeastern reaches
of the province of Kerman, Iran , we were fortu-
nate in discovering a large mound in the Soghun
Valley, approximately 225 km. directly south of
Kerman and 30 km. northeast of the present town
of Dolatabad. Our research and excavations have
been supported through grants from the National
Science Foundation in 1967, 1968, and 1969, and
by the Ford Foundation in the latter two seasons.
The Peabody Museum, the Milton Fund of Har-
vard University, and private benefactors, notably
Mr. Landon T. Clay, have contributed further sup-
port. The excavations were undertaken under the
auspices of the American School of Prehistoric Re-
search, Peabody Museum, and the Archaeological
Service of the Iran-Bastan Museum, Iran.
The return of our museum to this area of Iran
was motivated by the earlier surveys and excava-
tions undertaken by Sir Aurel Stein (1937). The
material gathered by him is in the collections of
the Peabody Museum and the British Museum."
The early pioneer work of this great explorer-
archaeologist has been, until very recently, the
only information known for the prehistoric periods
of southeastern Iran . The past decade has seen
a renewed interest in this area - two sites ini-
tially discovered and excavated by Stein have
been reexcavated: Miss B. de Cardi (1967, 1968)
at Bampur and Professor Joseph Caldwell at Tal-i-
Iblis (1967). Their work has added fundamentally
to our appreciation of the importance of this area
in prehistory. " Both Bampur and Iblis evidence
difficulties in outlining a sequence of major dura-
tion. Tal-i-Iblis has had well over 80 percent of
the mound carried away by villagers for the use
of topsoil, while Bampur has a very considerable
fort capping the mound, which presents an insur-
mountable difficulty for horizontal excavations.
1 My thanks to R. W. Barnett, Keeper of Western
Asian Antiquit ies, British Museum, for permitting me to
study their holdings.
2 Recent work has also revealed a " mesoli t hi c" in
the province of Kerman (Huckriede 1962 :25-42). It is
stated that the flint industry at Kuhbanan, north of
Kerman, is similar to Natufian. This, however, appears
doubtful. The types illustrated and discussed all can
readily be paralleled at Tepe Yahya , Period VI , carbon-
dated to the middle Fifth Millennium.
It was considered profitable to return to south-
eastern Iran in the hope of locating a site which
would not only help place the Stein collections
in a firmer stratigraphic context but further clarify
the nature and extent of settlement in this little
known area. The possibility of shedding new
light on the economic exchange patterns between
Mesopotamia, Persian Baluchistan, the Indus, and
the Persian Gulf in the Third Millennium did not
escape our more extravagant hopes. From our
own study of the Stein collections it became
readily apparent that this area had a considerable
diversity and was far from the cultural backwater
it was thought to be (Lamberg- Karlovsky 1969a:
163-168).
We did not locate a single site on survey, with
the exception of Tepe Yahya, which promised to
provide sufficient time depth to outline the cul-
ture history of this area. Our final report of the
Harvard-Iran survey will detail and map the sites
recorded and excavated. This report provides a
preliminary statement of our excavations at Tepe
Yahya. Such a progress report is written in the
belief that the presentation of preliminary evi-
dence stimulates ideas and criticisms benefiting
the final report. Detailed analysis of faunal, floral,
metallurgical, and geological data, together with
ceramic quantifications, must await the final report.
The great number of sites surveyed indicate
short periods of occupation and scattered settle-
ment. We had come to share the idea that south-
eastern Iran was sparsely occupied by semi-no-
madic peoples throughout prehistoric times and
certainly was without major settlements of the
dimension of Bampur, Iblis, or even Nurabad in
the liroft plain, the previously known major sites
for the area (St ei n 1937, Meadow 1968) .
On August 17, 1967, our low morale was dra-
matically changed with the discovery of Tepe Yah-
ya. In traveling westward from the village of
Buluk we crossed the Tang-i-Mordan, a formidable
pass and today's major east-west route leading
from the liroft to Sirjan and Bandar-Abbas. Along
the rock cliffs of the Tang-i-Mordan, extensive
rock carvings were noted incorporating scenes of
the hunt, geometric symbols, man-beasts, bird-
men, and ithyphallic figures (PI. 1, 2). Their date
remains enigmatic. No settlements could be 10-
N
W
I-
-e
....
CI.
PLATE 3 View of Tepe Yahya from south
INTRODUCTION 5
cat ed nearby. The rock art ext ended for two kilo-
meters on both si des of the pass, with a variable
density throughout th is str etch. It had no doubt
been l ong used as a major pass. Several cairn
burials were noted around the area of th e pass
(Lamberg-Karlovsky and Humphries 1968). In our
1970 season, Mr. William Fitz excavat ed over 25
cai rn burials in t he Sogh un Valley. Parall els for
the complete vessels in the cairns are evidenc ed
throughout our Periods I-III at Tepe Yahya.
In descending the Tang-i -Mordan, Tepe Yahya,
locat ed i n the Soghun Valley, was immediately
sighted (PI. 3). The valley in which Yahya is sit-
uated is approximatel y 1200 meters above sea
level and slopes eastward toward Hajjiabad, pro-
vi di ng ready access, without major geographic
barriers, to Fars, Khuzistan, and the eastern Iran-
ian Plat eau 3 (Fig. 1). The si t e is ideall y si tuat ed
for east-west movement while being onl y a 5-6
day walk from the coast. (Several men in the vil-
lage of Soghun have wa lked this distance in that
reported time.)
~ Tepe Yahya stands at a height of 19.8 meters
above the present-day valley floor and measures
187 mete rs at its base; a nearly perfect circu lar
conformity. Prom the base of the mound, sherds
are scattered over a distance of almost 2 km. in
every di rect io n. Directl y to the east of the mound,
approximat ely 75 met ers, f lows t he Kish-e-Shu r
River (see Fig. 1), which, though normall y onl y
marshy i n the summer months, flowed for two
days after rains in the mountains in August, 1969
and 1970. To t he west of t he mound, approxi-
matel y 50 meters, a canal encircles half the base
of the mound. This canal has evi dence of mud
bricks lining its banks, and qanats parallel the
canal fo r some 200 met er s before conti nui ng t heir
rout e toward the Ashin Mountains (Fig. 1). The
date for the construction of this water syst em may
be indicated by the size of the bricks lining the
canal, a size i dentical to that of Period I: Sasanian.
Further work on this water system and the cairn
burials as well at Tepe Dasht-i-Deh, the only
other mound in the valley, will be subjects of fu-
ture seasons of research. An attempt will be made
to work out an understanding of the settlement
history of the valley. Sherds from the surface of
Tepe Dasht-i- Deh indicate parallels to the 9th -
15th century A.D. ceramics known from Siraf t :'
"The material from this site is interesting for the
3 For a general discussion of this area as an eastern
extension of the Zagros see Fi sher (1968 :3- 110).
4 I would like to thank Mr. An drew Williamson, Fel -
low of the British Institute of Persian Studi es, for thi s
identification of sherds for thi s sit e.
unusual combination of coastal pott ery of Meso-
potamia and Chinese typ es found at Si raf with
Si rj an typ e pottery normall y restri ct ed to the pla-
teau . Owing to its po sition on th e borders of
Garmsir and Sardsir , Soghun seems to be on the
fringe of both di stribution areas" - a rol e Tepe
Yahya played in pr ehi stori c times as we ll. In our
1970 season, Mr. Andrew Wi lli amson undertook
a sondage at Dasht -i -D eh, recovering a cache of
77 compl et e and restorabl e vessel s, associ ated wi t h
celad ron ware, painted and inci sed cerami cs of
the 14th century A.D. overlying earlier fine molded
ware of th e 12th-1 3th centuries."
We have completed three full seasons of exca-
vation at Tepe Yahya, concent rat ing in the first two
on recovery of the cult ure hi story of this little
known area of Iran. In th e first season, a seri es of
five 1Ox1O-meter tr enches were set f rom the top
of the mound to the base (Fi g. 2) and lettered
from A-E. In the 1969 season, excavations at the
top were extended four squares to the north and
one square we st of B (Fig. 2). Work in the test
trench was continued and will continue until a
full stratigraphic sequence can be establi shed. The
1970 season has been included here through
short comment s introduced in gal l ey proof s.
To date, the excavat ions at Tepe Yahya reveal a
virtuall y unbroken sequence of occupation ex-
te nding from the middle of the Fifth Mi l lennium
to the end of th e Third Millennium B.C. A major
gap in th e sequence is evident throughout the
greater duration of the Second Mill enn ium. The
mound was reoccupied in the latter third of the
Second Millennium, when habitation is again evi-
dent, to early Sasanian times (Lamberg- Karl ovsky
1968 , 1969, 1970). At thi s time we put forward
a tentative sequence - the major periods of oc-
cupation and their duration. A complete list of
radiocarbon determinations is given in Appendi x I.
Each of these periods is defined by natural st rata
Period I Sasanian pre 400 A.D.
Period II Achaemenian(?) 300- 500 B.C.
Period III Iron Ag e 500-1000 B.C.
Period IV A Elamite? 2200-2500 B.C.
IV B Proto-El amite 2500- 3000 B.C.
IVC Proto-Elamite 3000-3400 B.C.
Period V Yahya Culture 3400-3800 B.C.
Period VI Coarse Ware-
Neolithi c 3800-4500 B.C.
;) Hi s report on the excavati ons wi ll be included in
our fi nal publicat i on; see Iran, IX, 19 71, fo r a pr e-
limin ary stateme nt.
EXCAVATIONS AT TEPE YAHYA
"*
r"JJ.
*
rr
rrr
rOO
zr
I;:r
x 1\
~
r
r A
/'
"=rnoder n cernet e ry
*=cairn burials
O=qan a t
------=--
~ N
NO T TO SCALE
FIGURE 1 MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF CAIRN BURIALS AND CANAL
containing a greater pe rce ntage of shared ma-
terial remains and co ntrasti ng i n l arge measur e
with the material s of a different pe riod. Al most
all per iods can be st rat ig raphicall y subdivi de d
i nto phases - by which is meant : (1) an architec-
tu ral reb ui ld and /or (2) a st ratigraphi c divi sion in
which an increase or presence of a new ware be-
comes det ect abl e but is quantitatively minimal.
Thus, whereas the Achaemenian i s i n evide nce in
only one bui ld ing leve l without addit ional ph ases,
t he earlier Period VI had four maj or, supe ri mpose d
archi t ect ural rebu ildings. By period we simply
mean a gro upi ng of the st rat i graphi c divisions
which cont ai n th e great est percentage of shared
cult ural mat er ial s. By ph ase we mean a strati-
graphic subdivisi on of a period, i. e., a rebuild of
t he same architecture or superi mposed architec-
ture where t he associated mat eri als indicate direct
cul t ural conti nu ity. In summarizi ng t he results of
-o ur excavations, the lat est sett lement on the
mound is treated first (Per iod I) and we conclude
with th e earliest exposed sett lement (Peri od VI).
PERIOD I
The latest period of occupat ion at Yahya i s not
easi ly defined or i solated. Ar eas excavated i ncl ude
ten- meter squares: A, A1N, A:.! N, A
3E
, A-IE (Fi g. 2).
Large scale architectural features includi ng wa l ls,
platforms, or courtyar ds suggest a cit adel- l i ke
st ruct ure. At least two ph ases of co nst ruct ion are
evide nt. Ceramic changes are difficult to detect,
for wa res are domi nantly of the t hick st orage jar
variety. The vessels t he msel ves occ upy a series of
st orage magazi nes (PI. 4).
TAL-I-YAHYA
~ ~ ~ __~ ~ ~ i
20 60 METER S
Da t um Seco ndar y Datum
1969
RHM/S FI/ l K
THE PARTHO-SASANIAN SETTLEMENT
FIGURE 2 AREAS EXCAVATED (NOT INCLUDING 1970)
7
Area A. The greater portion of th is 1Ox1 O-meter
trench consisted of a brick platform (brick size:
37x37x10 cm., 35x15x10 cm.) four courses thick.
Toward the downward slope of the mound this
platform extended down the contour of the
mound as a single brick glacis. There is no evi-
dence of a substantial wall enclosing the settle-
ment; only a small wall has been isolated of 1.3-
meter width and standing to a height of ten
courses. Considerable organic material rested on
the floor of the platform, includi ng bones of wild
boar, camel , sheep, goat, and horse.
Area A1N an d A
2
N. This area evidenced an archi-
-- - - - - - - - - -..,
tectural complex of four partially excavated rooms
3x2 meters square, constructed of variably sized
brick (35-40x35-40x8-10). The size and construc-
tion of these rooms is identical to those of A
3E
and A
4E
, PI. 4. The roofing of these rooms was
probably domed; curved bricks were seen in sec-
tion. .
Of considerable interest is the presence of a
water well in the southeast corner of one room.
Thi s well , 1.45 m. in circumference, has three plas-
terings on its inner face. The wel l is set into a
corner of the room with carefu lly moulded bricks
at the mouth of the well. The possibility of its
being constructed at an earlier date and continued
in use into later times remains viable.
8 EXCAVATIONS AT TEPE YAHYA
Area AaE, A.tE. This area revealed the mos t ex-
t ensive architecture and cerami c materials (Fig.
3, 2). Four sma ll square rooms (2.3 m.) w i t h wal ls
1.14 m. th ick were uncovered and fo und to be sur-
ro unded by a larger wall (2.2 m. wide). The
presence of f alle n curved brick suggests domed
roofi ng over the rooms. The f lo or of the rooms
was of bri ck (35x35x10 em.) either one or two
co urses t hick. The rooms co nta i ned a con siderable
number of large storage j ars, all broken in anti-
qui t y, some f i ner wa res, including painted vari eties
(Fig. 4: L,G/D,E) and painted wares of bla ck over
deep red -plum (Fi g. 4: B,C) . In 1970 we recovered
this ty pe wi t h painted ani ma ls: ram and horse.
(Al t hough rare, we recovered from thi s Period a
number of stamped sherds bear i ng geometric de-
signs.) Th e presence of on e sherd wi t h inci sed
Pahl avi scri pt i s notable (Fi g. 4: M). Two larger -'
storage jars had the same potter's marks as those
illustrated in Figure 3: L and Figure 5: G. A large
vari ety of these we re recovered i n 1970. In one
jar t wo daggers were found wi t h evidence of red-
pain ted woode n scabba rds. The f ul l arch itectural
confi guration mu st await further exposure.
Of parti cul ar i nterest is the recovery of a fine
bla ck paint on li ght red-tan ware (Fi g. 4). This
potter y i s remini scent of t he t ype identified as
" Londo Ware" in Paki stan (de Cardi 1951: 63-75) .
At Yahya thi s ware, occurring predominantl y i n
beaker shapes, is a fine ware (in contrast to de
Card i' s coarse Londo Ware) w it h black-painted
curvi li nea r motifs, particu larly hangi ng spirals
(Fig. 4: G-M). Thi s t ype is the onl y pai nt ed pot-
tery fou nd in Peri od I context except for one sherd
whi ch is t ypologically identical to several
Period VI context (see Fig. 6: J and compare with
Fig. 46: I) and is obviously int rusive.
Thi s t ype of ware, formerl y known only f rom
cairn burials (St ei n 1937; Rai kes 1968;
Karlovsky and Humphri es 1968) and t he site of
Anjira, south of Kalat, West ern Pakistan, (de
Card i 1965) has bee n dat ed to the early part of
th e First Millennium B.C.
0
(de Cardi 1951). A
fi rm date and co ntext for this relat ed vari ety have
been elusive until now. The recovery of this ware
from a number of different areas and locali t ies at
Yahya secures it s context in sealed Part ho -Sasanian
level s. A sma ll qu anti t y of bluish gr een glazed
ware was also recovered from this peri od (Fig.
3: I,j ).
,- 'Small finds from t his period include a hemi-
spherical perforated rock cr ystal " Gayomard" seal,
dated by Bivar (1968) to the 5t h century A.D. (PI.
5 and Fig. 33 : E); iron: tange d trilobate arrow-
heads, shaft - hole axe, two daggers, and chisel
(PI. 6); bro nze : trilobate ar row points, belt
buckles, and bosses (PI. 7, 8). The catalog of small
finds illustrates a sampling of t he pr osperous na-
ture of this str ucture. A rel at ivel y large quanti ty of
(j Th e proposed dat e fo r th i s ware, ca. 1000 B.C.,
based on un con vin cing parall el s wit h Sial k VI, has been
recentl y al te red by de Card i (1964: 25) to a Hellenistic
horizon.
FIGU RE 3 PERIOD I
Descr ipti on
Glazed war e, gree nis h bl ue
Gree ni sh glaze
Plain wa re, fi ne cha ff / sand, light
brown-tan
Browni sh slip, medium grit tem-
per , in scr ib ed
Coarse gr i t -te mpe red, plain red-
di sh wa re
Pl ain buff ware; redu ced 1:2
Co arse pl ain br own ware
Gra y gr i t- te mpered
Plain coa rse gri t- t empered, brown-
i sh war e
N A4E- 2 (2)
o A4E- 2 (21)
P A4E-1 (19)
Q A4 E TT5- 3
L A4 TT2- 2
M A4 E- 1 (26)
I A4E-1 (9)
J A3E Surface
K A4 E TT1- 2
Figure
No. Locu s Descr i pt i on
Coa rse gr i t, pl ain gray surface
Inci sed l in es, pl ain bu ff wa re,
gr i t -te mpered; Sasania n.
Coa rse grit-t em pered, pl ain bu ff
wa re
Coarse gr i t t emper , reddi sh tan
surf ace
Pl ain buff-brown ware, co arse
temper
Extern al red plum sl i p, pl ain red
in sid e
Coa rse temper , mouth spout be-
neath ri m
Red wa sh
Locus = Fir st l ett er i s ar ea of excavat i on. (see 2). TT stands fo r Test Tr ench often followed by the number of
that t est t rench. Number foll owi ng th i s I S st rat um and nu mber enclosed by parent heses i s a feature within
t hat st rat um.
Thus, A4E i s th e Area, TT 5 t he operat io n un it of excavat i on, 3 th e st rat um and 5, a feature = A4 E TT5-3(5).
Figu re
No . Locus
A A3 TT2- 2
B A3 TI2- 2
C A3 TT3- 6
D A3 T13"':-1
E A3 TT3-1
F A3 T13- 5
G A3 T13- 7
H A3E-1 (8)
THE PARTHO-SASANIAN SETTLEMENT 9
M
I
\
0
\)
~
(
I
~ I -====---- ( F
~
(j)
,/<,/
'// G
,
I
Q
n
0 5CM
~ .....
FIGURE 3
u_ ----- I
I
~ = = = = = = = = A
o SCM
........ bwwl ........
FIGURE 4
l
.-'
PLATE 4 Subterranean storage rooms, Area A3E
FIGURE 4 PERIOD I
Figure
No. Locus
A Cairn -Site 4
B A3E TT-3 (2)
C A3E-3 (2)
0 A2 T13-16
E A3E-1 (10)
F A2 TT6-5
G A2-4
Descri pti on
Black on red
Top vert i cal lines: bla ck paint on
buff ware; lo wer design : red
smoothed sli p, bl ack paint
Buff ware, red sli p, bl ack paint
Plain red wa re, bla ck paint ; bur-
ni shed, fi ne temper
Red sli p, black paint
Black on brown sl i p; internal
buff wa re
Red sl i p, black paint
Figure
No. Locu s
H A TT1-1
I A2 TT2-4
A2 T13- 4
K A4 E TT5- 3
L A3 TT3-1
M A2 TT2- 4
Description
Black paint on pl ain red
Black paint on pl ain red wa re
Black pai nt , ora nge-red fil l be-
tween vertical l i nes on pl ai n red
wa re
Black pain t on plai n red ware
Plain tan ware, brown pai nt; fi ne
temper
Plain tan ware, brown paint ; fi ne
temper
I ~ t ~
j ) I (.
o SCM
..... --
a
:t
G
lIIr I r
K
7 - -1--\,
'--'-1 - ~ / M
-- r--
I
~ ~
lUG
- -- - ~ . . . . . . . - - - r - - - -
\
, . -
. ,
J
I I
, I
I
. \
I ,
\ ,
. ,
\ ,
, '
,
FIGURE 5
PLATE 5 Sasanian Gayomard seal, Area A4E-5. Domed, perforated, rock crystal
FIGURE 5 PERIOD I
13
Figure
No. locus
A A-2
B A-1
C A-2
D A-2 (5)
E A2-1
F A2-1
G A2 TT2-16
H A2 TT2-1
Description
Coarse grit, buff ware
Chaff grit-tempered, burnished
orange-brown
Coarse grit-tempered, plain buff
ware
lug; plain brown ware, fine tem-
per
Coarse plain brownish ware
Plain ware, charcoal gray surface
Coarse ware, grit-tempered, red-
dish black outside from firing;
reduced 1:2
Coarse grit temper, greenish sur-
face
Figure
No . locus
A2 TT3-4
A2 TT3-1
K A2 TT3-1
l A2 TT3-1
M A2 TT3-4
N A2 TT3-4
o A2 TT3-4
Description
Plain buff ware, grit temper; ped-
estal (?)
Plain buff-brown, very coarse
temper
Buff wash , grit temper; reduced
1:2
Plain reddish, chaff and grit tem-
per; reduced 1:2
Brownish plain ware, coarse grit
temper
Coarse ware, grit
Coarse grit temper
c
~ D
~ I c
E
M 0 SCM
..... ' ' h-e'
FIGURE 6
15
FIGURE 6 PERIOD I
Figure Figure
No. locus Description No. locus Description
A A2 TT4-5 Brown i sh tan wash A2 TT4- 3 Brownish orange paint on buff
B A2 TT4-6 Coarse grit temper, tan /buff (Period VI)
C A2 TT4-4 Coarse gr it temper, buff K A2 TT4-16 Plain buff ware
D A2 TT4-4 Coars e grit temper, buff l A2 TT4-16 Plain redd ish tan ; coarse -tern-
E A2 TT4-4 Coarse grog, greenish buff pered ware
F A2 114-2 Plain buff ware M A2 TT5- 16 Plain ware, coar se temper, buff
G A2 TT4-16 Plain brown ware, coarse temper N A2 TT6- 5 Plain buff ware
H A2 TT4-3 Red slip (belongs to Period IV A) 0 A2 1T6- 5 Plain buff ware
I A2 TT4-3 Coarse grit temper, buff-brown
ware (pedest al ?)
A A3E-1 (8)
B A3E IT2-1
PLATE 6 Period I iron objects
iron dagger C A4E-1
iron shaft-hole axe 0 A2E-2
iron tool (?)
four iron trilobate arrowheads
17
PLATE 7 Small finds - metal, Period I
A A1-1 copper- bronze spoon G A4E-1 (1) gold earring
B A3 TT3-2 copper-bronze finger ring, un- H A2-4 copper-bronze awl
decorated I A2-4 copper-bronze rod
C A3E-2 bone ring
J
A2 TT3-4 copper-bronze socketed trilobate
D E TT3-3 copper -bronze ring with pearl (?) arrowpoint
E A1 E-1 coppe r- bro nze thread chai n K A2 TT3- 3 copper-bronze needle (point
F A3 TT3- 3 l ead spi ndl e whorl broken)
PLATE 8 Miscellaneous small finds, Period I (left to right)
A A2 TT3-1 faience bead F A4 TT3-1 animal, with rear attachment
B A3E TT2-1 copper-bronze belt buckle G A3 TT3-4 carnelian pendant bead (per-
C A3E TT2-2 steatite bead forated)
D A four surface beads H A3 TT3-4 four beads: steatite, shell, blue-
E A2 TT3-8 agate bead glass, and shell
22
glass bottles was found, small in size and often
dupl icated in ceramic forms (PI. 9: glass left, cera-
mic right). A single carbon 14 date from the floor ';
of one of the rooms in Area A
3E
yielded 290 60 '
A.D.
In the 1970 season of excavation, additional
rooms were uncovered representing three super-
imposed phases of architecture, all poorly pre-
served . Preliminary analysis does not indicate
major ceramic changes. We recovered a 21 1/2
em. ceramic statue of a warrior wearing headdress
and sword, a carved angular horsehead of steatite,
several iron daggers and arrowheads, incised stor-
age j ars incorporat ing scenes of a dancing female,
a horse, and stylized human heads si mila r to coins
of Ardashir I. A possible Zoroastrian Dakmeh of,
Sasanian date was discovered on a mountain
along the western ridge of the Soghun Valley, J
Mr. William Fitz, its discoverer, its
most elliptic stone wall at 135 meters In
Underlying this Period I architecture, we un-
covered in 1970 a previously unknown complex:
I A, characterized by fine buff wares and red and
black bichrome over buff. We have exposed but
little from this period where architectural presef l
vation is now good. The 1971 season should se-
cure a good exposure of this and the earlier Pe-
riod ,, : Achaemen ian.
PERIOD II
In Area B, after the removal of a considerable
overburden of eroded brick, a si ngle architectural
complex of two rooms was uncovered (PI. 10).
This complex rests on floor TT
19
-2 (see section
Fig. 7). The associated materials suggest a mid-
to-late First Millennium B.C. date. Two charcoal
samples collected in the NW corner provided dates
of 270 250 (WSU 273) and 370 340 (WSU
874) .7
It appears t hat the above- lyi ng Period I struc-
ture (Fig. 7) has seriousl y disturbed this level. A
limited exposure of this period suggests an
Achaemeni an pr esence from the recovered cera-
mi cs.
The roo ms measure over 5 m. in width. The
f ul l length of t he room s remains i ndetermi nate as
t he walls extend into t he north baul k and stand
to a hei ght of 3-5 courses (36x36x12 em.). The
use of half- si zed br ick alte rnate ly faci ng i nto t he
room and outward is evident on PI. 10. The sout h-
ward exte nsio n of t he wal ls has bee n eroded away.
It would appear from t he evi dence t hat t he site
contai ned no fortification wall arou nd t his ap-
parent domestic architecture. The presence of a
si ngle pi t, i n t he southwestern corner of one
roo m, is t he only feature detected. The pit was
7 No sat isf actory expl anat io n for th e hi gh plus/
minus ran ge of our dat es has been pr ovid ed by t he
laboratory. The samples wer e excel lent. Al l C
14
dat es
from the WSU lab orator y are report ed fo r th eir 5570
half life.
lined with plaster and contained considerable
charcoal and bone fragments. The floors of the
rooms were not rich in remains. From a series of
surfaces associated with this construction we are
able to present a minimal amount of pottery (Fig.
8). A number of typical Achaemenian shapes:
cream bowls (sometimes painted below the rim,
Fig. 8: E); high-necked jars (Fig. 8: K,N,O); evert-
ed rim and plain bowls were most characteristic
(Fig. 8: F,G,I). The presence of painted wares is
also to be noted, most often with a single plum
or brown-red horizontal band below the rim (Fig.
8: I) or around the body of the vessel (Fig. 8: A,
0 ). Meandering motifs, loops, and evidence of
actual design (Fig. 8: L) are rare . It should be men-
tioned that the shapes and painted designs from
thi s period find parallels in the recent excavations...,
at Pasar gadae. s A single trilobate iron arrow- ';
head, small er in size than those of Period I, was
th e onl y small find excavated. The minimal ex-
po sure, as we l l as th e considerable stratigraphic
di stu rbance, necessitates f urt her excavation. The
cont i nued vertica l excavat ion in Area A, A1N an-
ticipated for the 1971 season wi ll allow us to ob-
tain adequa te exposure and f ull er understanding
for t his i mportant peri od of clear Achaemenian
cult ural i nf l uence.
ii I woul d li ke t o thank Mr. David Stronach who
ki ndly made avai lab le hi s pottery drawi ngs from the
excavat ions at Pasargadae.
E T13- 4
PLATE 9
glass bott le (left)
Glass and ceramic jars, Period I
A3E-1 (8) ceramic jar
,
!
~
I
. ;
\
,u.
, >
t
... ~
, .,
\
. ~
(
...
I/J
r:
QI
""-
QI
( I
.;
~ ,
)
E
.{
I
~
I
~
QI
'I
~
QI
(
'>
,J
~
" /
.:
\I
I
~
I :c
', \
~
:.
r:
\
=
"
~ ~
~
, ' 0(. ) "
Q
' ~
',l "
QI
Cl.
,
,
..
C)
, >
'.'
..
, '\
::,
~
III
I
l-
I .
<
.I
Cl.
I '
'-
...i
I
1
I
t ,
o
AREA B-NORTH FACE
o 20 40 60 80 100CM
TT
2
&
TT- 2 / 11
&
t6
'WI7t/1
TT2&CD
J ....

TT1
TT
1
&
TT.<!l :
I .A
-_.. --- . _- - .. _-----
t . A

+

El3wall
TT
PERIOD IV B
PERIOD IV A
[:.:"':;::1 brick

PERIOD II
PERIOD III
PERIOD I
--------- .. _---------- -
UNEXCAVATED
FIGURE 7 AREA B, NORTH FACE
)
/Z7 J I
( ~
,,)
~
,(block po inted
& ~
~
),
l-
e
)R
,
1
FIGURE 8 PERIOD II
Figure
No. Locus Descript i on
Figure
No. Locus Descripti on
A B-9
B B-9
C B- 7
D B-9
E B-9-10
F B-10
G B-8
H B-9
I B- 9
Plai n buff ware, black paint
Plain buff ware
Plain buff ware
Plain buff ware
Fine buff sli pped
Plain buff wa re
Pl ain buff ware
Plai n buff ware
Bl ack paint on pin ki sh buff sl i p
J B- 9
K B-10
L B-10
M B-9
N B-9
o B-10
P B-9-10
Q B-9-10
Plum red sli p ove r buff
Plain buff ware
Black paint over buff ware
Plain buff ware
Plain buff ware, pl um red
Plain buff wa re, hor i zontal band
Plain bu ff ware
Plain bu ff wa re
THE IRON AGE
PERIOD III
27
Several hard-packed surf aces, one of which sup-
ported the fragmentary remains of a collapsed
mud-brick st ructure buil t over a heavy stone
foundat ion (PI. 11), were found beneath the above
two rooms. It is interesting to note that this is
the only evidence for the use of stone foundations
at Tepe Yahya. The surfaces were littered with
pottery and brick-bats with reed impressions, sug-
gesting collapsed roofing. Two plastered pillar
bases (?), 43 em. in diameter, in the center of the
exposed area, 2.5 meters apart, suggest a col-
umned room. The pottery of the richest stratum
(BTT
1
1-4) differed again only quantitatively from
that above it (TTl 10, see Fig. 7). Pottery in-
cluded red and gray burnished varieties (PI. 12),
as well as plain buff wares (see Fig. 9 and 10).
Attention is drawn to Fig. 10 : D,E- the color of
the reddish plum slip is identical to that of cera-
mics from Sialk VI. Attention is also directed to
the gray burnished bridge-spouted vessel frag-
ment (PI. 13). This piece, together with other
shapes and surface treatment, i .e." , red and gray
ware burnishing (Fi g. 11 : F,G,H), suggests ceramic
parallels throughout Period "' to the Iron 1/11
potteries of northwestern Iran)(Dyson 1965, Young
19(5) . I A single radiocarbon date from the lower-
most Period III stratum (Fig. 7: TT
27
-TT
110
) yielded
a date of 980 455 B.C. (WSU 875). It is regret-
table that the substantial overburden of Periods I
and II has thus far not allowed us to obtain an
adequate horizontal exposure. It is hoped that in
fu ture seasons we shall, through continued vertical
excavation in Periods I and II, be able to provide
more effective architectural and material associa-
tions for this early-to-mid First Millennium occu-
pation.
Tepe Yahya a p p e a ~ to have been abandoned
throughout the Second Mi llennium. Radiocarbon
dates are presently being run to determine the
duration of this abandonment. A series of burned
lenses and quasi-living surfaces (Fi g. 7: BTT
42)
may indicate a certain amount of squatter occupa-
tion - pottery is rare, small finds are almost en-
tirely absent, and neither are diagnostic of date
or readily paralleled (Fi g. 11: M-T). It is difficult
to avoid thinking of this abandonment without
connecting it with other major dislocations of set-
tlement seen at several other sites on the Iranian
Plateau during the Second Millennium (Dyson
1968) . No further work was undertaken for this
period in 1970, which awaits our next season.
......
e
11\
c:
E
:I
'0
~
'tI
c:
"
11\
c:
o
;:
"
'tI
c:
:I
oS
GI
c:
.9
III
N
,..
)
"
7 \ I
"
I
7
J
I
(
1
)
\0
I J
\
\:
I
I
I 0
\.
0
SCM
.... ..... ......
FIGURE 9 PERIOD III
Figure
Fi gure
A B-1A (1)
B B- 2A (1-4)
C B TT1- 1(1)
D B TT1- 4(1)
E B T13- 2(3)
Deep red plum-l ik e sl i p, fine gri t
t emper
Red-burni shed
Plain ware, heavy coa rse temper,
t an
Buff pl ain wa re
Tan sl i pped wa re
F B TT1- 2- 3
(1- 4)
G B-1A
H B TT1- 1(1)
I B- 2(2)
J B- 2A (1-4)
K B- TT1-4(1)
L B- 2A (1-4)
Ext erna l white sl i p, reddi sh ware,
fi ne gr i t t emper
Plai n buff, fi ne gr i t temper
Pl ai n reddi sh t an
Pl ain bu ff wa re
Pl ai n, med ium t emper
Pl ain wa re, li ght gray, tan /buff
Pl ain t an wa re
THE IRON AGE
31
I
I
I
I
I
I
,
,
I
,. --.- - .,
, I
, I
I ,
1", ,
o SCM
IyewI IFewI Ieewl
---
\ -, __-'
I
:
o

Ei- -- -- ---..J __----:-- ----.J}
<
} I
FIGURE 10 PERIOD III
Figure
No. Locus Description
Figure
No. Locus Descri ption
A B-2A (1-4)
B B-2A (1)
C B-2A (1)
Fine plain reddish tan ware
Fine plain reddish tan ware
Red ware, red slip, fine temper
D B TT1-2 (1)
E B-2A (1-4)
Reddish plain slipped
Reddish-plum slipped, grit-tem-
pered ; reduced 1: 2
M
...
\.
o
I
(
s
~ Q
T
o SCM
.... 1Ii;;;d ..
\
I 1
I JI I
7 1
0 10
\
l
""
I
J l
.IT1 r:J"
t I },
FIGURE 11 PERIOD III
Figure
No. locus
A B TT4-1
B
B TT4-1
C
B TT4-1
D
B TT4-1
E
B TT4-1
F
B TT4-1
G
B TT4-1
H
B TT4-1
B TT4-1
Description
Coarse tan ware, grit temper,
smoothed
Red slipped, internal burnish
Plain buff ware, black paint
Plain reddish ware
Plain red ware
Gray burnished ware
Red slipped, plain buff ware, bur-
nished
Plain buff ware, identical size of
burnished gray ware
Plain brownish crushed, shale
temper
Figure
No. locus
B TT4-1
K B TT4-1
l B TT4-1
M B TT4-2
N B TT4-2
o B TT4-2 (1)
P B TT4-2
Q B TT4-2
R B TT4-2
5 B TT4-2 (3)
T B TT4-2
Description
Plain brownish tan ware, incised
marks
Red slipped, polished
Plain buff ware, trefoil spout
Plain grayish ware, burnished
Plain buff ware
Plain reddish buff ware, red slip?
Plain brown burnished ware
Plain buff coarse ware
Red slipped burnished ware
Brownish wash over buff
Plain buff ware, grit temper
PERIOD IV
IV A: Fig. 14-20
IV B: Fig. 21-33
This period consists of three major phases of
construction with several associated strata to each
(Fig. 7 from TT44 to unexcavated and Fig. 12-
all strata above BW-4 include Period IV A; Fig.
12 BW-5, 8 equals Period IV B). Period IV A
includes Phases A and B of construction, while
Period IV B incorporates Phase C (Fi g. 13). Not
onl y is this Period of cons iderable importance to
an understanding of the Third Millennium in
southern Iran , but it contains evidences for ma-
jor external relations to cultures far to the west
(Mesopotamia), the east (Bal uchi stan), and the
Persian Gulf. Three dates are available for Period
IV B; two are unacceptable due to the high plus
or minus: 2480 360 (GX-1727) and 3245 465
(WSU 876). The f i rst date of 2480 360 is from
BW TT5-7 (Fig. 12) and is reported by the lab-
oratory as a " good date." The sample yielded less
carbon than might have been expected, thus a
larger than normal plus or minus, whereas the re-
ported date is believed " accurate." Additional ra-
diocarbon samples are being run on all phases of
this period. For the third date of 3280 170
(GX- 1734) see discussion below.
Period IV can be subdivided into IV A, incor-
porating a single wall without articulating struc-
t ures (Fig. 13; Phase A and PI. 14 upper wall
st ruct ures) and an earlier IV B (Fi g. 13, Phases B,C,
and PI. 14 wall face beh ind stadia rod ) architec-
tural complex. The IV A f eatu re rests on 20-40
em. of f i ll , beneath which is a second larger wall
structure (IV B), (see PI. 14). The IV B architecture
(Fig. 13, Phase C, room I, II) was the earl iest of thi s
period expo sed (1969) and indicates the greatest
pre sence of painted pottery and carved steat i te
bowl s. Several additional rooms of IV A and IV B
were uncovered in 1970, while an earlier IV C pe-
riod, continuous wi t h IV B, was exposed. The
bricks of Period IV A do not appear to be stan-
dardi zed or indeed, to di ff er by phases, variab ly
measuring 28x17x10, 34x34x10, 42x26x10 and
52x28x10 in all phases, whereas t he bricks of
Phase C appear un iforml y to measur e 36x36x10 .
Th i s sett lement is of outstandi ng i mportance i n
sheddi ng li ght on th e " mechanism" of " t rade"
(exchange systems) in t he Third Mi l lenniu m. It
contains a wide variety of materials with connec-
tions between Mesopotamia on the one hand, and
the cultures of the east, including the Harrapan,
on the other. It is of considerable importance to
view these "trade" items in the light of their full
ceramic and architectural associations. Our evi-
dence suggests that Tepe Yahya was in contact
with the cultures to the east and west as well as
the culture centers of the Persian Gulf, yet pre-
dominantly manifested an independent ceramic
tradition. It is our contention however, that direct
overland relations between Mesopotamia and the
Indus were entirely limited. This was largely owing
to reasons of cultural geography; situated between
the two was Elam, which in being hostile toward
one, Mesopotamia, would not have permitted (to
Mesopotamia) direct overland routes through
Elamite territory. Trade was carried on therefore,
by neutral hands, the peoples of the Persian Gulf,
by sea. The overland routes, we bel ieve, would
have been controlled by the peoples inhabiting the
eastern highlands of Iran. Tepe Yahya is ideally
situated on such a major east-west route; and we
suggest that its Third Millennium occupation be-
longs to the greater Elamite federation (Hi nz 1963,
1964). Sea routes may have necessitated ports of
call along the Persian side of the Gulf. These are
not evident, however, west of Sutkagen-dor. Was
the area of Elam from east of Bandar Abbas to
the Euphrates delta hostile to the " i nternat ion-
alization" of Third Millennium trade, prohibiting
the existence of such ports? We will return to
these points later. Here we simply mention the
presence of Elam, more particularly its eastern ex-
ten sion to Tepe Yahya, while recognizing the
limited knowledge we have archaeologically of
Elam, and reiterate our belief that its economic
role has been overlooked in the middle and lat-
ter parts of Third Millennium "international
tr ade."
Bet we en Per iod IV A (Fi g. 14-20) and IV B (Fig.
21-33) th ere are marked differences in ceramics
(Period IV A = Phase A, B; Period IV B = Phase
C; Fi g. 13). Th e potter y associated with the upper
Phase A wa ll co nsisted primari l y of bowls with flat
bases (Fi g. 14: E,I). The bowls were most often
PERIOD
IV A

::?- -y-- - - - - ... - - - -
PERIOD
IV B
UNEXCAVATED
------------------- -
TTS &
&
UNEXCAVATED
hard fill
soft
FOUNDATION118wl&
Pile?)
PERIOD
IV B,VA?
7
----------
----_...--------gm.....:.:;....
'.:-"....." .... cr
" ;""'Sii.Y ; <) l:l "'/di";;;::;;91"3 '9
\ BRrcKS & BATS ":," ", ,..': ' .""
1-----
TTS&

'"ii
&
organic
material
TT
5
&
MATTING
SOFT PI T- LI KE DIRT
TTs
TT
S
= Brick ::::lBrickbats
TRENCH SECTION
/
FIGURE 12 TRENCH BW, NORTH SECTION
IBWI
axe III
3rd Millennium Architecture I!lIBWI
[]]
? _
"-1:__",:- __ -1 \\
r-

r
<: _
.r ':
'fur; 'I! N
/VEl
i'l&l 0 'N
{JJ <& $ 1--4
'" .@br a:rn 1: 50
(phases A,B,C)
phase A phase B D phase C .1 rock pia ster face -;t.f;- eroded brick
FIGURE 13 THIRD MILLENNIUM ARCHITECTURE
(Topographical plan of Plate 14.)
-
<II
C
E
ell
C.
c.
:J
38
1 I (.
G
l
o 5CM
-
FIGURE 14 PERIOD IV A
Figure
No . Locus Descri ption
Figure
No. Locus Description .
A BW-2 (1) Redd ish sl i p, coarse wa re, grit
J
BW-4 Coarse, grit te mpe r
temper ; reduced 1:2 K BW-4 Plain red di sh ware, coa rse t emper
B BW- 2 (1) Plain reddi sh ware, grit temper; L BW TTC- 3 Burn ished red wa re
reduced 1: 2 M BW TTC-3 Plai n buff ware, i nci sed line in-
C BW- 2 (1) Plain ware, medium coar se temper side neck
D BW- 3 Tan /red plain war e N BW TTC-3
Buff ware, outside red sli p, bur-
E BW- 3 Reddi sh tan, outsi de smoo t hed
ni shed , no sl i p inside; reduced
F BW- 3+ 2 (2) Co arse ware, gri t and chaff tem- 1: 2
pe r; redu ced 1:2 0 BW- 4 (3)
Plain
buff ware, Period II
G BW- 4 Plai n buff ware, coa rse temper P BW- 4 (3)
Plain
buff ware, Period II
H BW-4 Tan sli p, gr i t tempe r Q BW- 4 (3)
Plain coarse wa re, grog temper,
I BW-4 Buff sli p, coa rse gri t te mper
Period II
THE ELAMITE (?) SETTLEMENT
39
red-slipped with a fine polish and decorated by
punctations beneath the rim (Fig. 14: E). This
'pottery was quantitatively most common. It is to
be noted that the ceramics found on the surfaces
aligned to Room III, Phase B had identical shapes
but a more casually applied red slip (Fig. 15: C).
The plain wares of Period IV A were by far the
most abundant, and are without parallel on the
Iranian Plateau or in the known archaeological
materials to the east. Potter's marks, located on
the base or lower third of the vessel appear on
the plain buff wares and red-slipped wares (Fig.
15: L; Fig. 16: Q,L). With the addition of our
1970 potter's marks (some applied by stamp seal),
we have recorded a total of 87 different types. A
wide variety have been noted (Fig. 18: E,F,M-EE),
many incorporating a combination of marks (Fig.
18: E,F). These potter's marks are not restricted to
specific shapes nor correlated with volume of con-
tents.
A rare streak-burnished gray ware is evident in
Period IV A and is continuous from earlier IV B
levels (Fig. 18: D,G,J,K), where it is more com-
mon. The painted sherds (Fig. 16: D; Fig. 17: G
and Fig. 15: M) are the only two found which rep-
resents a continuity from the earlier common IV
B painted varieties. The painted varieties of Fig.
16: K,M,N,O are distinctly different from IV B
(Fig. 16: N,O are the only bichrome sherds of this
Period IV A, Phase B complex) painted wares.
The most common painted wares of Period IV A
are the examples in Fig. 16: K,M; and Fig. 15: G.
In all, no more than 150 sherds were found-
less than 1 percent of the total- which were
painted. The painted ware of this Period IV A
cannot be readily paralleled; but compare Ghirsh-
man 1935, Tomb 75:3, 73:4, 79:4,5 and 77:3 with
Fig. 16: K,M,N,O. Tripod legs are also existent
at Yahya (see Fig. 16: A; see also Young 1969,
Period II, PI. 22 for generalized parallels). The
presence of many very small vessels in this period
should be noted (Fig. 16: R,S; Fig. 14: C,D,J,K;
Fig. 32: D-E and PI. 15 and 16). Several beads,
inclUding imperfectly cored beads (by tubular drill
, technique) were found as well as a fragment of
," glass bracelet (PI. 27:A) from this period. The
" painted sherds of Period IV A (Fig. 15: G, Fig. 16:
I K,M) and a single similar sherd in Period IV B (Fig.
28: F) appear most likely related to the Tel-i-Tai-
muran ware of Fars (Vanden Berghe 1959, PI. 56-
j 59). Typologically they are similar to the Taimuran
ware collected by Mr. William Sumner throughout
Fars,
The remains recovered from Period IV Bare
extensive and rich in their variety. Though steatite
vessels existed in Period IV A they were rarer and
bowls were never decorated. It might be said that
IV A and IV B are, in fact, distinguished by the
greater presence of steatite and painted potteries
in the earlier IV B than IV A Period. The materials
from IV B can be divided into three distinctive
classes:
1) Steatite vessels and objects (over 550 pieces)
2) Ceramics
3) Seals (stamp and cylinder)
The carved and uncarved steatite vessels at Tepe
Yahya (Fig. 21: A-K; Fig. 23: A-W) of which the
greatest number and finest workmanship were
found associated with the architecture of Phase
C of Period IV B, incorporate almost all known
motifs from Mesopotamia, Iran, and Pakistan as
well as a variety of new motifs (Durrani 1964a; De-
lougaz 1960). A very considerable number of
fragments (over 200) were found from bowls with-
out evidence of carving. Shapes included round-
bottomed (Fig. 23: J) or shallow-footed ring-bases
(Fig. 23: E,H,I) with simple everted rims.
The range of parallels for the carved steatite
motifs have been treated by Durrani (1964a,b). A
partial list of these parallels points to their wide
distribution: "hut-pot" motif (Fig. 21: A) known
at Mari, Ubaid, Susa, Khafajeh, Ur, Telloh, Adab,
Agrab, and in ceramic at Bampur, Shar-i-Sokhta,
and Umm-an-Nar (Abu Dhabi); basket weave (Fig.
21: D,E [Figure 21: E is drawn upside-down. It is
decorated on both sides, one side having the bas-
ket-weave motif, the other side showing a portion
of the hut-pot motif.]): Susa, Kish, Mohenjo-daro,
Failaka (Persian Gulf); interlocked spiral forms (Fig.
21: B): Susa, Mari; hatched triangles (Fig. 21: F):
Mari , Mehi, Shahi-Tump, Susa, Mohenjo-daro (see
Durrani 1964a for bibliography of site-finds), and
Shari-i-Sokhta in ceramic imitations. These carved
vessels have been dated to Early Dynastic lila (Mal-
Iowan 1968, Durrani 1964a) but for some an Early
Dynastic II date is not unlikely, and even earlier.
It might be mentioned that though carved vessels
have been recovered from over a half dozen Meso-
potamian sites, they are almost nowhere found in
reliable context - thus date and duration of use
are still to be determined. Seals of steatite are
dominantly round with a button perforation on the
back (Fig. 21: L; PI. 17: BW6) which finds parallels
at Bampur VI, Mundigak III/IV.. and Shar-i-Sokhta.
At Yahya several round blank seals with knobs for
holding or attachment (unperforated) were found,
incompletely worked and unfinished. A recent
close parallel to that of Fig. 21: L was recovered
from Nindowari (Casal 1965). A single square,
(
(
)I. J
--- - - - ...,-- - - - - - -
~ ~ ~ 6 W . = % ,
@@
o
o SCM
..... .... heeaI
FIGlJRE 15 PERIOD IV A
Figure Fi gure
No . Locus Descr ipti on No . Locus Descr ipti on
A BW TT5- 1 Tan/red buff wa re I BW TT5-1 (4)
Red burni shed ware , black paint
B BW TT1- 1 (1) Pl ain buff , med i um gri t t emper
J
BW TT5- 1 (4) Pl ain
b rown wa re
C BW TT4- 4 Si i pped red wa re, smoothed out- K BW TT5- 3
Buff ware, reddi sh wash, grit tem-
side, gri t t emper; red uced 1 : 2 per
D BW TT5- 1 Tan/red sl i pped war e L BW TT5- 3
Tan/ red sl i pped wa re
E BW TT5-1 Plain redd i sh war e M BW TT5-4
Black on bu ff wa re
F BW TI5-1 Plai n buff wa re N BW TT5-4 Pl ain buff wa re
G BW TT5-1 Pl ain buff wa re, bl ack paint 0 BW TT5- 4 Plain
buff wa re
H BW TT5- 1 Tan/ red sl i pped wa re P BW TT5- 4 Pl ain tan
red ware
o
M
o
!we+4
19
o
r::::::::
q : : 1 ? ~ : _ - - - - - -
~ , ill.
, //
\. 17
1 I
Figure
No. Locus Descript ion
Figure
A B TT4- 4A-3
B B TT- 4A
C B TI4A- 4- S
I B TT4A-4A-4
J B TT4A- 2
K B TT4A
L B TI4A-4
M B TT4A-4- 4A
Footed base, plai n buff ware
Red wash ove r buff wa re
Red fugitive slip i nside and out-
side, plain buff ware
D B TT4A-4 Black on red sli p over buff ware
E B TT4A- 4 (3) Pl ain buff ware
F B TT4A- 4- 4A Redd i sh brown ware
G B TT4A-4 (1) Grit-t empered, pla in buff ware
H B TT4A-4A- 2 Coarse grit, red wash over buff
ware
Plain buff ware; reduced 1:2
Pl ain brown wa re
Brown wash on pl ai n buff ware
Red wash over plai n buff ware
Bl ack on plain buff/tan wa re
N B TT4A-4A
o B TT4A-4A
P B TT4A-4A-2
Q B TT4A-4A-3
(1)
R B TT4A-4A-2
S B TT4A-4
Plain buff, chaff-tempered ware,
black pai nt with red-orange paint
between black parallel l i nes
Buff slip, black paint with red-
orange fill between parall el black
lines
Reddish buff plain ware (appears
to have red lines runn in g parallel
the length of the spout), black
paint on lower part of spout
Plain orange-buff ware, incised
design
Coarse gr it , red wash over plain
bu ff
Plain buff ware, gr it-tempered
42
Q
o SCM
... .., ..
Figur e Figure
No . Locus Description No. Locu s Description
A B TT4- 3 Plain buff burn i shed ware B TT4- 3 Plain reddi sh brown ware
B B TT4- 3 White sli p, pl ain tan ware, grit B TT4A- 2 Coarse , plain buff ware; reduced
t emper 1: 2
C B TT4-3 Buff sli p on red ware, gri t t emper K B TT4A- 2 (3)
Plain buff ware
D B TT4- 3 Plain t an ware; redu ced 1: 2 L B TT4A-2 Plain buff ware
E B TT4-3 Brown f ugi t ive paint, pl ain buff M B TT4A- 2 Red sl ipped smoot hed ware
ware, fi ne temper N B TT4A- 2
Red burni shed ware
F B TT4- 3 Burni shed, coa rse ware 0 B TT4A-2 Plain t an wa re
G B TT4- 4A- 2 Black on reddi sh tan P B TT4A-2 (3)
Plain buff wa re
H B TT4- 3 Browni sh sl i p outsid e, pl ain buff Q B TT4A-2 (1)
Plain bu ff wa re
i nsi de
THE ELAMITE (?) SETTLEMENT
43
compartmented seal of a green agatelike stone
belongs to this period (PI. 17: B
1-12;
PI. 18). The
obverse side has a perforated knob.
Steatite fragments from bowls are reported at
Iblis and attributed to Periods I and II. Clearly,
should this context be correct, it would be the
earliest use of steatite in the production of bowls.
The reported presence of steatite bowls with
II grooved" decoration at Iblis (Caldwell 1967:
211-212, 163, 172, 204) suggests parallels to the
carved steatite beads, bowls, and bracelet frag-
ments recovered in our 1970 season from Period
VI at Yahya. The decoration is simple incised lines
and bears no relationship in shape or design to
that of Period IV. More recently Engineer Hakemi,
Director of the Iran-Bastan Museum, Teheran, has
reported that in his excavations of a locality known
as Agous, east of Shahdad and northeast of Ker-
man, he recovered in Third Millennium tombs
steatite vessels with animal designs, including a
lion, bull, and other animals, other vessels of cop-
per, jewelry of silver, agate, and lapis lazuli (per-
sonal communication from Engineer Hakemi).
Mr. Hakemi kindly allowed me to study the col-
lection. The steatite bowls in shape and decora-
tion, the painted and plain ceramics and the pot-
ter's marks all bear unmistakable parallels to our
Period IV A and IV B. Mr. Hakemi believes there
to be distinctive chronological differences between
tomb groups.
Carved steatite vessels (PI. 23, 24), sharing a
common variety of motifs, have provoked com-
ment since the early 1930s. Field (1933 :84) first sug-
gested that a fragment from Mohenjo-daro (iden-
tical to Fig. 21: D) was an "importation from
Elam." Piggott (1950:117) believed they originat-
ed in Baluchistan and were traded to Mesopotamia
while Durrani (1964a:96) believed they were made
locally in Baluchistan and traded to the east and
west.
An incised gray ware duplicating the motifs of
the steatite bowls has also been found on sev-
eral sites. Only one surface sherd of this type
was found at Yahya, incorporating the incised tri-
angle motif (similar to Fig. 21: F, Plate 26, second
row, 3rd from left). At Bampur incised gray ware
of this type appears in Period IV, where the only
carved steatite fragment was also found (de Cardi
1968:149), while around the Persian Gulf the in-
cised gray wares are found at Umm-an-Nar (hut-
pot motif) (Thorvildsen 1962:212) and fragments of
steatite compartmented vessels appear at Abu
Dhabi in the Buraimi Oasis (Bibby 1966:117).
The absence of incised gray ware at Yahya sug-
gests either a later date or the presence of a
steatite resource which made it unnecessary to
translate their production into ceramics.
In Period IV B, in the southwest corner of Room
II, we recovered a shaft-hole axe of steatite, iden-
tically incised on both sides of the blade, with an
eagle having spread wings and outstretched claws
(Fig. 22: B; PI. 19). This motif is common on the
painted wares of Susa (C and D) and is a character-
istic motif on Early Dynastic seals (Le Breton 1957:
PI. XXVI, Fig. 43, 1,2; Amiet 1966; Frankfort 1955b:
PI. 36:371, 37:385, 60:641). Eagles with spread
wings are also depicted on two Indus seals (Harap-
pa, Chanhudaro). The wide distribution and long
duration of the eagle (and serpent) throughout the
Near East were noted long ago by Wittkower
(1938) and de Morgan (1912). Eagles similar to
that incised on this axe (though without a "foot"
at its tail and less schematic) are found on the
steatite vases at Khafaje (Frankfort 1933/34: Fig.
54-55, found in room No. Q43/1I, Sin Temple IX;
Early Dynastic II. For their dating to E.D. II see
Delougaz and Lloyd 1942:69) and Asmar (Herz-
feld 1941: 90, Fig. 197, b), both dated to E.D. 11/
III times.
Also made of steatite is a fragmentary torso,
approximately 5 cm. high, representating a male
with two strands of plaited hair resting over the
chest (Fig. 22: A, PI. 19). The torso is split vertical-
ly in mid-section and may have been either a
plaque or part of a decorated vase. A pattern of
punctations, perhaps representing hair, covers the
chest. The carving is deep and of fine workman-
ship. The arms would have moved away from the
body. This piece is not readily paralleled; how-
ever, the plaited braids and emphasis in the deep
cutting of the neck and pectoral muscles are al-
most identical to the kneeling figures on the
steatite vessels from Agrab (Frankfort 1936) and
Khafaje (Strommenger 1964, PI. 38). The steatite
vase from Bismaya (Frankfort 1955a: 19-20, PI. 1/a,
pp. 237, note 2-8), as well as those of Agrab and
Khafaje, shares with this fragment the patterned
incising of the braid over the chest, deep carving
on the neck, and the emphasis on pectoral devel-
opment. We believe that they belong to a com-
mon tradition - one originating in the eastern
highlands of Iran - or the homeland of the proto-
Elamite civilization (see below).
A curious, incomplete flat object of steatite was
found in an area which appeared as a small door-
way of Room I (Fig. 13). No parallels exist for
this piece; its function and identification remain
elusive (Fig. 22: C, PI. 19: B). It may represent part
/ 1
G
/
---'
o SCM
......
r l
I ~
C
FIGURE 18
THE ElAMITE (1) SETTLEMENT
Figure
Figure
No. Locus
Description No. Locu s Description
A B TI-4 (6)
Plain tan/buff with characteristic Q BW TT4A- Potter's mark, inci sed
fugitive red wash 4A-2
B
B TT4A-7 (1) Plain buff ware R B TT4-2 (2) Potter' s mark, inci sed
C
B TT4A-6 Plain reddish coarse ware 5 B TT5-2 Potter' s mark, inci sed
0
B IT5-3 (2)
Gray burnished ware T B TT4-2 Potter' s mark, inci sed
E
B TI5-1&2 Plain buff ware U B TT4-2 Pott er' s mark, inci sed
F
B TT4-3
Red smoothed wa re V BW TT5-6 Potter' s mark, inci sed
G
B TT5- 1 (3) Gray burnished ware W BW TT5-1&2 Potter's mark, inci sed
H
B TT5-3 (2)
Reddish orange plain ware X BW TT5-2 Potter's mar k, inci sed
I
B TI5A-3 Plain buff ware
y
B TT4A- Potter's mark, inci sed
J B TI5-3 (2)
Gray burnished ware 4A-3
K
B TT5-1&2 Gray burnished ware Z BW TT5-5&6 Potter' s mark, inci sed
L
B TT5-1
Orange/reddi sh buff plain ware AA BW TT5-1 Potter's mar k, inci sed
M
B TT4-2
Potter's mark, incised BB BW TT5-5 Potter' s mark, inci sed
N
BW TT5-1 (4)
Potter's mark, incised CC BW TT5- 3 Potter' s mar k, incised
0
B TT4A-6 Potter's mark, incised DO BW-5 Potter's mark , incised
p
B TT4-2 (2) Potter's mark, incised EE BW TT5- 3 Potter's ma rk, incised
45
IJJ
~ - I ~ ~ ~ ~ Q ~ Q ~ ~ ~ : (
-
FIGURE 19
o 5CM
.............
N
THE ELAMITE (1) SETTLEMENT
47
Figure
No. Locus
A BW TTA-2
B BW TTA-2
C BW TTA-2
D BW TTA-3
E BW TTA-3+2
F BW TTC-3
G BW-1 (6)
H BW-1 (6)
I BW TTA-
3+2 (2)
J BW-1 (6)
K BW-1 (6)
Description
Buff slipped ware, fine temper,
red and gray blotches on buff
Red wash, buff ware, fine temper
Plain orange-red ware, fine temper
Plain buff ware
Plain buff ware
Brownish red plain ware, coarse
grit; red uced 1: 2
Red slipped burnished ware
Plain buff ware, coarse grit
Plain tan, grit temper; reduced
1 :2
Plain buff ware, reddish tan paint
Reddish tan ware, coarse grit tem-
per
Figure
No. Locus
L BW-1 (6)
M BW-1 (4)
N BW-1 (4)
o BW-1 (4)
P BW-1 (4)
Q BW-2 (1)
R BW-2
S BW-2
T BW-2
Description
Reddish tan ware, coarse grit tem-
per
Red slip, smoothed ware
Buff slipped plain ware
Coar se grit-tempered ware
Red slipped, fine ware
Red-orange, internal and external
burnishing, f i ne temper
Plain coarse ware, grog temper ;
reduced 1:2
Buff slip, internal and external
coarse grit temper
Brown paint on t an ware , li ght
grit temper
H
R
I
t C/<D
, '\ I )
A
I K
1 1- ( l ~ N
U I iJ~ ) l l ~ o '
F G i)
FIGURE 20
THE PROTO-ELAMITE SETTLEMENTS
FIGURE 20 PERIOD IV B
Figure
Figure
No. Locus Description No . Locus Description
A BW-S Plain ware, reddish, grit temper; I BW-S Plain buff ware, grit temper
upper third contains charcoal
J
BW-S Plain buff ware, grit t emper
burning from firing K BW-S+6 Plain buff ware
B BW-S Red slipped ware L BW-S Plain buff ware
C BW-S Red slipped burnished ware, me- M BW-S Plain buff ware
dium grit N BW-S Black on red slip
0 BW-S Plain tan ware 0 BW-S Plain ware, grit temper
E BW-S Tan coarse ware, grit temper; re- P BW-S Red/tan slipped ware
duced 1:2 Q BW-S Tannish, coarse grit temper
BW-S Plain red slipped ware, chaff and R BW-S Plain tan ware
grit temper; reduced 1:2 5 BW TT6-4 Plain tan ware, Period IV B
G
BW-S Plain tan ware T BW-S Plain tan ware
H BW-S Red-orange black on buff, U BW-6 Plain tan ware
smoothed
49
PLATE 15 Ceramics, Period IV AlB (left to right)
A BW-S sma l l j ar, gri t t emper H B TT4A- 4A2 reddi sh buff plain ware, coarse
B BW-1 (4) reddi sh wa sh, grit t emper
temper
C BW TT5-4 light reddi sh plain war e I BW3
plain reddish ware, sand slipped
D BW TT5-4 reddish sl i p, grit temper
J B TT5-4 plain buff
E BW-5 plain buff, grit temper K B TTS-4 plain buff
F BW TTS-9 one of two attached . pots, black l B TT4-1 reddish plain ware: spouted cup,
paint on red ware
note potter's marks beneath the
G B TT4A-4 gray reduced vva r e
spout
PLATE 16 Ceramics, Period IV A (left to right)
A B TI4A-4 orange- buff plain wa re, gr i t- E BW- S plain bu ff wa re, redd ish/brown
temper ed wa sh Period IV B
B BW-4 pl ain buff ware, grit- tempered F BW TTS- 9 gray wa re bowl , redu ced wa re,
C B TT4A-4 orange-buff ware with reddi sh f i ne t emper, Peri od IV B
wa sh G BW TTS-6 orange-buff bowl , note potter ' s
D B TT4A-4 pl ain buff, coars e-t emper ed marks, contex t is f rom Period
IV B
B1 - 12
E6-4
PLATE 17 Miscellaneous beads
co mpart me nted stamp seal wi t h E-3
back butt on for perforati on (agate-
l ik e sto ne), Peri od IV B BW-6
bl ack sto ne in ci sed surface, Pe-
ri od IV B C3-4
C7-1
carne l ian bead, ivory game piece,
Peri od I
steat i te di sc, perfor at ed button
kn ob at rear , Per i od IV A
she l l and ivor y (? ) game pi ece
coppe r-bron ze pin
THE PROTO-ELAMITE SETTLEMENTS 53
I I I I II I I I II I I I II I I I II 1'1 I I I II I I II
HH ' 1 ? ~ ,
PLATE 18 Compartmented seal of agate, 81-12
A BW TT5-6A
PLATE 19 Steatite objects
shaft-hole axe with incised eagles B BW TT4A-6
(identical) on both sides of the C BW TT5-5
blade
plaque: (fish?)
human torso, male
55
( ~
-0
:. <: .
. :'?") : ~ . : . ~ : , ~ - ' - .' : . , , ' ~ : . ~ '
/
I
II
I E
o
,
Figure
No. Locus
A BW TT5-5
B BW TT5-6a
C B TT4A-6
Description
Steatite statuette
Steatite shaft-hole axe
Steatite plaque
FIGURE 22 PERIOD IV 8
Figure
No. Locus
D D Surface
E B TT4A-6
Description
Steatite spout
Steatite handle (?)
Steatite, Period IV 8 (left to right)
H A
I BW TT5-6
J BW TT5-5
K B TT5A-1-(1)
A BW TT5-5
B BW TT5-6
C BW TT5-5
o BW TT5-5
E BW TT5-5
F BW TTS- S
G BW TTS-6 brick-
L BW TT5-5
brickwork motif, surface
spira/-curl motif
incised geometric motif
basket-weave plaque, incised on
both sides (see Fig. 23)
hut-pot motif, secondar y u se as
seal (?)
A B TT4-4A3
B B TT4-4A3
C D surface
PLATE 24 Steatite, Period IV B
flat-based bowl, wavy line around D B TT4A-6
bowl E BW TT5-4
ring-based bowl F BW TT5-4
spout
ring, incised snake at end (broken)
square jar
incised jar neck
E
B
, ,
~ " ' " ,
~ .
P
C
I aD
\ ~
H
I fi
J
M (j DQ ~ (}PT
t J__)N ID
o
lJR ([Ju
o SCM
, ; ; ; , ,
FIGURE 21
THE PROTO-ELAMITE SETILEMENTS
59
Figure Figure
No. Locus Description No. Locus Descript ion
A BW TT5-5 Steatite hut-pot motif M BW TT6-1 Steatite pot-base, inci sed dog (?)
B BW TT5-6 Steat ite bowl fragme nt N BW TT4A- Steat ite bead
C BW TT5-5 Steat ite bowl fragment 4A-4
D BW TT5-5 Steat ite bo wl fragme nt 0 BW TT5-6 Steatite bead
E BW TT5- 5 Steatite plaque, carved on both P B TTSA-1 (1) Steatite stamp seal
sides
Q
BW TT6-2 Steat ite bead
F BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl-rim fragment R BW TT5-7 Steatite jar neck
G BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl fragment S BW TT6-1 Steatite bead
H BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl-rim fragment T BW TT6-1 Steatite bead
I BW TT5-5 Steat ite bowl-rim fragment U BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl
J BW TT5-6 Steatite fragment V BW TT5-4 Steatite bead
K BW TT5-3 Steatite fragme nt W A-1 (6) Ste atit e an imal head (goat ?)
L BW TT5-6 Steatite perforated stamp seal X BW-4 (4) Steat ite thimble
,
1
A
\
\ I
/
M
,
?
B
?
I N
,
I
,
0
I
0
\
!
\
I
p
,
I
)
J
tR
\
Q
\
I
(
Z
\
I ~ )
,
T
I
ill
D
u
Yn
H
7
,
]
(
I
w
0
SCM
,
Figure Figure
No. Locu s Descr ipti on No. Locu s Description
A BW TT5- 7 Stea ti te bowl frag me nt M BW TT5- 7 St eati te bowl fragment
B BW TI5- 5 Steatite bowl frag ment N BW TT5-5 St eatit e bowl frag me nt
C BW TT5- 5 Steatite bowl frag ment 0 BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl fragment
0 BW TT5- 5 Steatit e bowl frag me nt P BW TT5- 5 Ste at ite bowl frag me nt
E B TT4-4A3 St eatite bowl frag me nt Q BW TT5- 5 St eatite bowl fra gment
F BW TT5- 5 St eatite bowl frag me nt R BW TI5-5 St eatite bowl fra gment
G BW TT5- 5 Steat ite bowl frag ment S BW TIS-SA St eatite bowl
frag me nt
H BW TT5- 4 Steatit e bowl frag me nt T BW TT5-5A Ste at ite bowl fragment
I BW TT5- 5 Steat ite bowl fragme nt U A Surface Steatite
bowl fragment (incised)
J
B TI4-4A3 Steatit e bowl frag ment (inci sed) V BW TT5-5 Steatite bowl fragment
K BW TT5-6 Ste atite bowl fragment W BW TT6-1 Steatite bowl fragme nt
L BW TT5- 5 St eatit e bowl fra gme nt
61
of the surface forming a gaming board or a frag-
ment of a fish(?). The reverse side and two edges
where unbroken are carefully smoothed.
Of these large steatite carvings Le Breton (1957:
120) believed the Khafaje and stylistically related
steatite vessels found in Mesopotamia, were of
Elamite manufacture and /or derived from proto-
types from the highlands of southeastern Iran. Sir
Max Mallowan, Pierre Amiet, and the author have
reached the same conclusions following different
lines of reasoning (personal communications from
Mallowan, Nov. 17, Dec. 12, 1969). The abundant
steatite, both worked and unworked at Yahya,
supports our contention of Yahya 's role as a center
for production and involvement in its manufac-
ture and dissemination. Frankfort (1955a: 237, n.
2), we believe, incorrectly emphasized the Meso-
potamian character and origin of this type of
steatite workmansh i p.
A tubular spout (Fig. 22: D) is the first known of
steatite and the very large (Fig. 22: E) steatite ring
with incised decoration (snake?) is also without
parallel. Only one complete stamp seal was found
(Fig. 21: L) compared with several unfinished
round stamp seals with incised button perforation.
A complete steatite wheel with square socket and
incising of four sections to indicate the quadripar-
tite production of the wheel is also datable to this
period (See PI. 26) . The incised animal on the base
of the steatite pot (Fig. 21: M, PI. 25: A) is rather
reminiscent in style to the crude animals from
Susa placed on tablets and identified as being
" proto-Elamite" script. The eye of the animal is
carefully drilled with a tubular rod, though the
rest of the animal (dog? ) is haphazardl y incised.
The deep boring of its eye duplicates the tech-
nique for depicting eyes on Persian Gulf seals
(Anonymous: n.d.) .
A great number of unworked and incompletely
finished steatite objects were found on surfaces
articulating with the walls of Rooms I and II. Un-
finished beads, primarily of tubular and rectangu-
lar shape (Fig. 21: P), and circular and sub-rectan-
gular blanks for stamp seals (PI. 25) in considerable
quantity, as well as incompletely cored vessels,
argue for the local production of steatite objects at
Yahya. Plate 26: A depicts an incompletely cored ,(
and finished small vessel. Directly beneath it , E, Y
is a blank unperforated bead, cylinder(?) . A num-
ber of crudely shaped blocks of steatite were also
found. Possibly steatite "ingots" imported for
working.
The shapes of the undecorated steatite vessels
(Fig. 23, particularly E,H,I , which have slight-
ly everted rims and ring-bases) are of impor-
tance. These shapes have identical parallels to
the undecorated steat it e vases from Ur, termed
by Woolley, " bell shaped bowls" (Wool ley 1934:
379). Woolley was quite specific in stating that
the shapes of these bell shaped bowls appeared
exclusively in steatite and not in other materials.
The parallel is even more striking for these ves-
sel s; in their profile and conformation of base
they are quite unlike any other stone or ceramic
vessel of Third Millennium date in Mesopotamia
or Iran . At Ur they are reported as of pre-Sargonid
date, Early Dynastic II/III.
The important question of the source for stea-
tite cannot be adequately answered. Geologically,
steatite is said to be manifest in places where
chromite and asbestos appear - chromite is
mined 15 km. from Yahya and asbestos veins are
found in the rocks excavated at Yahya. Villagers
around Yahya report that steatite, which they use
for their modern gravestones, comes from a local
source. We have, unfortunatel y, been unable to
locate this source. Even when villagers have taken
us to areas of supposed origin, our venture proved
either unproductive or ill-fated and we had to turn
back. A form of steatite is known from around
Meshed and a closer source has been suggested
near Bampur, from Hichan (personal communi-
cation, B. de Cardi). The geological mapping of
steatite sources, and the development of tech-
niques for determining provenance (neut ron acti-
vation) are approaches being pursued in our re-
search. Certain it is that at Tepe Yahya we are
dealing with a wealth of this material ; the obvious
question of its natural origin is fundamental to
solving the problems of its distribution. In the
summer of 1970, we located in the Ashin Moun-
tains. to the north of Yahya (15 miles) a large
steatite mining area with evidence of ancient strip
mining. The quantity of steatite in the Ashin
Mountains appears to be almost limitless.
Noteworthy is the secondary use of some frag-
ments, i.e., the hut-pot fragment reused as a
stamp seal (PI. 23: L).
A number of bronze needles and chisels found
from this period may well have served as the carv-
ing tools in the production of the bowls, PI. 20).
Also arguing for the local production of steatite
are numerous honing st ones (PI. 39) recovered,
used perhaps in sharpening the above needles,
chisels, and tools of production.
To date, two cylinder seals have been recovered,
neither readily attributable to Mesopotamian
workmanship. The first (PI. 21), retrieved from the
surface, shows a frieze of pal m tr ees on a hard
black stone (diorit e?). It clearl y belongs on t ypo-
PLATE 25 Steatite, Period IV B
A BW TT6-1 base of bowl with incised dog (?) F B TTSA-1 -(1) geometric stamp seal with rear
B BW TT6-1 rectangular bead incompletely perforated knob
perforated G BW TTS-6 large bead
C BW TTS- S rectangular blank H BW TT6-2 flut ed fragment
0 BW TT6-2 perforated axe pendant I BW-6 inci sed stamp sea l without rear
E BW TTS-S blank stamp seal , rear perforated attachment
knob
J
BW-4-(4) th imbl e
K BW TTS-4 large bead
- - - ----_. ---- -
A
B
C
o
E
F
G
A
BW surface
BW TT5-5
BW-4
BW TT5-5
BW-4
Surface
PLATE 26 Steatite and ceramic
surface, steatite vessel
surface, steatite vessel
steatite vessel
unfinished steatite vessel
steatite rim sherd
steatite rim sherd
incised gray ware, the only ex-
ample from Yahya
objects,
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
Period IV B
BW TTS-S
BW TT5-S
BW TT5-5
BW TT5-5
BW TT5-5
A2E TT6-5
Surface
(left to right)
incised steatite, hut-pot motif
steatite cylinder, un perforated
steatite disc, wheel
bead
perforated steatite bead
three beads of steatite
unfin ished stamp seal of steatite
logical grounds t o Period IV B. The palm t rees
are ide ntical i n sty le t o those on t he steat it e vase
f rom Susa (Durrani 1964a: 53, PI. 1, 8-9). The at -
t rib ut e of t wo or more palm branches de scending
to the ground i s shared by thi s seal and the palm
trees on steat it e vases at Khafaje (St ro mmenger
1964: PI. 39) and the vessel of st eat i t e in the
Met ropol itan Museum of Art (Herzfeld 1941: PI.
XXIV). A si ngle seal f rom Susa, without con-
text , resembles thi s seal f ro m Yahya (Mecquenem,
etc. 1910:170, Fig. 275). The manner of depicting
the palm on the above steat it e vessel s i s ver y di f-
ferent fr om Mesopotamian treatment, where the
st em is taller and the branches do not fa ll to the
ground (Dant hine 1937). I recentl y had the op-
portun it y of st udy ing the steatite slab with handle,
reported f rom Palmyra (Godard: 1938 : Fig. 212-
13, 310-11 ), si mi lar to the one reported from Azer-
baijan (Godard 1938).9 The former includes a
fri eze of palm tr ees simi lar to those on the cylinder
seal of PI. 21. The slab wit h handle from Azer-
baij an incorporat es hut-pots and an eagle carved
on opposit e sides of the piece.' ? It would appear
th at the palm trees on the seal at Yahya find their
context in the t radit ion of palms on st eat i te bowls
- l it tle question of thi s can exist. t!
The second cyli nder seal f rom Yahya is from
good context (Fig. 13, Fig. 33, PI. 22) . The seal is
three-quarters complet e wit h a surface glaze (t he
resul t of f i ri ng to make the sto ne harder) and a
recessed groove at the t ermi nal end. The motif
shows: 1) two nearl y identical personages, one
bearded; 2) both weari ng a rounded horned cap ;
3) hai r worn in a plai ted bun down the back; 4)
hand s clasped in f ront of the chest; 5) palm fronds
behind th e shoulders; 6) deep carving particularly
of the eye; and 7) bo th men we arin g a pleated
ski rt . Mes op otamian parall el s exist in 2 and 4,
9 My t hanks to General Fi rou z (i n whose privat e co l -
l ect ion , Teher an, t hi s is i ncluded) fo r permi tting me to
exami ne and photogr aph t hi s object.
} O Th e " padl ock shape" han dled slabs of t hese pi eces
(Pal myra-Abzerbai j an) fin d a paralle l at 5ialk, descri bed
as of stone and un decorat ed (Ghi rshman 1938: PI.
LXXXV; 5233.). An un decorat ed steat it e object in th e
for m of a padl ock wa s di scove red in use on a modern
shrine in t he vi llage of Ashi n. Th i s object meas uri ng
24 cm. at it s base and 34 cm. from base to handl e i s
of identical shape to those di scover ed as "ri tua l slabs"
by Durrani (1964a).
11 Prof essor Edit h Porada co nfi rms t hi s opi nio n. In
person al co rrespondence she i nforms me that no si mi l ar
du pl ication of t he palm is known in Mesopotamian
gl yptic art and writes one must " assume t hat t hi s is a
feature for which an explanat ion would have to be
fou nd i n Elarn."
while the other attributes are unique to this piece.
The treatment of the hair, tied in a bun, deeply
carved eye, and large nose are reminiscent of
the heads and faces carved on steatite vases (see
Strommenger 1964: PI. 38).
The steatite vessels and seals argue for a mid
Third Millennium date, E.D. II/III for Period IV B
and to a di stinctive tradition emanating from the
mountains of southeastern Iran. Three "trinkets,"
a small ring, chisel , and shaft-hole axe, were all
found together on a surface directly above the
st rat um in which this cylinder seal was found (Fig.
33: A-C). The equall y extensive finds of Persian
Gulf shells, turquoise, beads, carnelian, ivory
beads, and a single ivory perforated plaque (4.5x4
cm. ) in Period IV B indicate that Yahya at this time
maintained a far-reaching network of exchange
with areas to the east and west. Whereas the
steat i te vessels in shape and motif have wide
parallels, the essentially distinctive ceramics do
not. Thus , we appear to have a situation which in
one material , steatite, seems to suggest the ex-
istence of an " int ernat ional trade" or network of
exchange, while the other, the ceramic material,
is largely independent of that known to the east
or west . It is to be emphasized that very little has
been found in Mesopotamia, Baluchistan, and the
Indus to support the existence of a dynamic trade
between these areas. In f act, the archaeological
evidence rests largely on steatite, seals, and etched
carnelian beads (Oppenhei m 1954). This could
be the result of preservation, for the hard woods,
agricultural produce including barley, oils, wool,
hides, textiles, copper, and precious metals (said
to be coming from Magan and Meluhha: Leemans
1960) would not have survived in the archaeologi -
cal record . It could al so be that prohibiting Meso-
potamian economic expansionism to the east was
the combined st rengt h of the federation of Elam.
It has already been suggest ed that the steatite
bowl s are of Elamite manufacture. We would like
to hazard a further hypothesis as to the function
of steat it e bowl s. Certainl y they must be regarded
as th e most peripatet ic objects of Mesopotamia,
Iran, Baluchi stan, and t he Persian Gulf during the
Earl y Dyn ast ic II/III period. We suggest that these
vessels of steati te we re exchanged as gifts (Mauss
1925) between lead ers of communities, cities, etc.,
to ceme nt a socio-pol iti cal relationship which
enabled f urt her tr ade to take place. They acted
as a symbol of member ship in a large and far-
reachin g net work of gif t- exchange, standardized
off erings gi ven by on e rul er to another. We com-
pare thi s wit h t he well known "kula trade" of
67
the Trobriand Islands, where an exchange of neck-
laces was patterned to maintain periodic contact
with distant places. The exchange of necklaces
enabled important trade goods then to pass along
the same routes of the kula trade (Malinowski
1922). The hostility between Elam and Mesopo-
tamia might have been minimized by a patterned
gift-exchange system , thus allowing economic re-
lations to continue even in the face of hostility.
Similar gift-exchange systems are known to be of
fundamental importance in maintaining socio-po-
Iitical stability between and within cultures of
classical Greece (Finley 1965 : 61-65). The presence
of Persian Gulf trading depots (Bibby 1969) might
be viewed as " ports of trade" as meant by Polanyi
(1963:30-45). Such ports of trade are established
in neutral territory, allowing economic exchange
to be undertaken between hostile areas.
Textual evidence supports Mesopotamian trade
relations with the Persian Gulf and areas as far
as the Indus (Oppenhei m 1954). It is Sargon of
Agade who boasts that ships from Dilum (Bah-
rein), Magan (sout heast ern Iran and Oman: both
sides of the Gulf), and Meluhha (the Indus) moored
at his quays (Gadd 1963 , Mallowan 1965). The
role of Yahya in this trade has been indicated; only
further research and excavation will add to our
understanding (for the Persian Gulf and Baluchis-
tan see Durrani 1964b:1-11). The far-reaching
parallels for the materials recovered from Period
IV B have been greatly expanded in our 1970 sea-
son. We indicate below their nature, which our
next report will more adequately discuss and il-
lustrate:
1. A "Persian Gulf" seal of steatite with button-
back perforation. A bull , ibex, and crescent
moon are excellently carved on its face. It finds
a close parallel to the one reported from Bah-
rein of the same composition (Bi bby 1966: 79 f .).
2. A fragment of steatite bowl with carved lion
and intertwined snake. Superbly carved, it is
readily paralleled in the piece from the Ishtar
Temple at Mari, dated to E.D. II/III.
3. Opposing serpents with feline heads carved
on a cylindrical steatite fragment, again paral-
leled at Mari and at Nippur VII.
4. A perforated disc seal carved on both faces
is unique in type. One face illustrates two pa-
rallel prints of left feet, toe-to-heel. The ob-
verse side depicts a top view of an insect with
bulbous abdomen, head, and antennae in pro-
file.
5. A cylinder seal of steatite, poorl y executed,
illustrating a standing man with wolflike head .
6. A white, circular, stone stamp seal depicting
a quadruped animal with bearded human head
wearing a crownlike headdress.
7. An elaborate and unique spacer-bead with
incised animal head (donkey? horse?).
8. A square 8 cm. steatite "ashtray," 2 cm. in
height, with incised triangles point-to-base
along the sides. On its base is incised an eagle
with spread wings, wearing a pleated skirt, belt,
and V-type necklace. It is similar in profile to
Fig. 22: B but of finer workmanship and more
elaborate.
9. Painted pottery paralleled at Bampur V-VI
was found in greater abundance in the 1970 sea-
son. The continuity of V A pottery into IV B
was incontrovertibly attested to - a large ar-
chitectural complex beneath IV B has given rise
to our identification of IV C incorporating strong
Bampur I-IV parallels, as well as later IV Band
continuous V A ceramics (see below for discus-
sion of IV C and proto-Elamite tablets found) .
We believe that the date of IV B is somewhat
earlier than E.D. II/III in Mesopotamia, where
steatite is an import; at least in southeastern
Iran weare assured of its use in E.D. I and
earlier. We await a large series of radiocarbon
dates from IV A, IV B, and IV C. Securely dated
steatite objects from Mesopotamia would help
in determining the start of Yahya's export of
this material.
10. Several finely flaked laurel leaf points were
recovered from IV B contexts readily paralleled
with those from Shahr-i-Sokhta (Tosi 1968).
The ceramic materials found on the surfaces of
Room I and Room II are typologically related and
different from the ceramics of Room III (Period
IV A). In fact, ceramically, the differences between
IV A and IV B are so great as to suggest consider-
able time differences, cultural replacement, or
rapid stylistic change. It might be remembered
that in IV A, steatite was rarer -150 pieces and
all uncarved, as opposed to more than 450 pieces
in IV B. We turn now to a consideration of the
ceramics of IV B (for the context of ceramics on
Fig. 24-30 see, in part, sections on Fig. 12-13).
Painted wares include predominantly a black
paint over red wash (Fi g. 24: A-E). A black on
gray ware similar to that at Hilli and Bampur V-
VI (Fig. 24: L), as well as to that found at Shahr-i-
BW surface
BW TTS-4
A
B
C
D
E
F
BW-S
BW TT6-2
BW-6
BW-4
BW-S
BW TTS-S
PLATE 20
copper-bronze
pin (bent)
needle
spear-point
two awls
needle point
Metals, Period IV B (all objects are copper-bronze)
needle G BW TT6-2 spatula
H BW-5 dagger, mid-section
perforated tang
lead (?) ring
two rings
thickening,
PLATE 21 Cylinder seal, diorite (1), surface
l ~ I
PLATE 22 Cylinder seal, glazed, serpentine, Period IV H, HW TT5-5
71
~
B
D
o
!
5CM
!
Figure
No. Locus
A BW-S
B BW-1 (4)
C BW-S
D E TI2-8
Description
Copper-bronze miniature ring
Copper-bronze miniature axe " -
Copper-bronze miniature shaft-
hole axe
Black on brown/red slip , Period
VI E
Figure
No. Locus
E A4-S
F BW TT5-7
/l
.,
Description
Horizontally perforated hemi-
spherical rock crystal seal, Gay-
omard, Period I ..-
Cylinder impression; reduced 1:2 1' -'\,'::>
- see PI. 22
Sokhta in abundance by Dr. M. Tosi, is also of this
period. Further parallels are evident - to Bampur:
in Fig. 25:5; pedestal vases of Fig. 30 : N, Fig. 26:
N,O,P; ring bases Fig. 25: B,C,D; to Iblis: in Fig. 30:
B; Fig. 29: H,I; Fig. 28: D; and to Mundigak: Fig.
29: P,F,G. A most remarkable parallel exists in Fig.
32: G and Fig. 24: H, the former in raised relief
I the latter painted. The former is identically paral-
leled at Hill; in Abu Dhabi, though the painted
, variety is not evident there (the parallel was noted
on a visit by the author to Hilli).12 The " chain-
ridged" ware (Fig. 27: C,D; Fig. 30 : P; Fig. 26) ap-
peared in considerable numbers and has general-
ized parallels to the Barbar Temple at Bahrein as
do the shapes on Fig. 27: J and Fig. 30: E. Further
, connection to the Gulf may be indicated by the
raised snakes heads (Fig. 38 : Q,R,S) also found in
the Barbar Temple.
Thus parallels to this pottery, at least those
which can be drawn with some conviction, exist
12
1 would like to thank Miss Karen Frifelt for allow-
ing me to study her excavated materials.
at Bampur V-VI: caprids, gray streak burnishing,
stylized palm trees , ledge-handled jars; Mundigak
IV 13; as well as to Iblis. Two further parallels merit
mentioning: Fig. 29 : 0 has raised knobs which
appeared in less than a dozen examples. In shape
and decoration it is precisely like those in Meso-
potamia (Tell Asmar) which appear in the Indus
and have been used as evidence for connection
(Delougaz 1952:144). Fig. 24: J,M depicts the only
two sherds found of this type which in design
motif and paint are reminiscent of Susa D paint-
ed pottery. Unillustrated and not discussed in the
text is the presence of a limited number of per-
forated wares which have been used as a type
suggesting Harappan influence in Baluchistan.
They also appear in Iran at Hissar III A,B,C and Tu-
reng Tepe (for a discussion of this type see Khan
1955:60-63), as well as Bampur, Shahr-i-Sokhta,
and other sites, and do not indicate Harappan in-
fluence.
13 My thanks to J. M. Casal and E. C. L. During
Caspers for help in drawing parallel s to the wares of
Period IV B in the above sites.
G
./

Tft" l

o 5CM
Iww! ..... IeeezI
Fi gur e Figure
No. Locu s Descript ion No. Locus
A C (5) Redd i sh brown sli pped ware, H BW TT5-5
black paint
B BW TT5- 5 Reddi sh brown sl i p, bl ack paint, I BW TT5-5
coa rse wa re
J
BW TT5-5
C BW TT5- 5 Red slip, black paint K BW TT5-5
D BW TT5- 5&6 Black pain t on red wash L BW TT5-6
E BW TT5-5 Black on red wash M BW TT5-5
F BW TT5- 5 Reddish orange sli p; redu ced 1 :2 N BW TT5-5
G BW TT5- 5 Plai n buff ware 0 BW TT5-5
P BW TT5-5
Descript ion
Plai n wa re, reddish brown, brown-
ish black pai nt
Bl ack on brown red slip
Red slip, brown paint
Bl ack on red slip
Black on plain gray
Dark reddi sh brown, black paint
Red and black paint on buff slip
Black buff slip
Buff sl i p. l i ght brown paint
73
I W J,
( ~ l
I I
( I
I
\.
)
)
o SCM
... """"",. ""'e4
r
Figure
Figure
A BW TI5-5
B BW TT5-5
C BW TT5-5
D BW TT5-5
E BW TT5-5
F BW TT5-5-6
G BW TT5-5-6
H BW TT5-6
I BW TI5-5-6
Red/purple, stone bowl
Reddish brown slip over buff
ware
Plain red ware
Plain red ware
Brown slip on plain buff ware
Reddish tan slip
Red wash over plain buff
Brownish tan wash over buff ware
Tan coarse ware, grit temper
BW TT5-5
K BW TT5-5
L BW TT5-5-6
M BW TT5-5-6
N BW TT5-5-6
o BW TT5-5-5
P BW TT5-5-6
Q BW TT5-5-6
R BW TT5-6
5 BW TT5-6
Chaff-tempered reddish slip, plain
ware
Buff plain ware, chaff temper
Plain reddish slip, black paint
Plain buff
Modeled untreated plain ware
Reddish orange burnish
Reddish tan, coarse grit temper
Plain buff ware
Gray burnished ware
Black on reddish wash
o SCM
........... ""-w
I
Figure
No . Locus
A BW TTS-SA
surface
B BW TIS-S
C BW TTS-S
D BW TTS- S
E BW TTS-S
F BW TTS- S
G BW TIS-S
H BW TIS-S
I BW TTS-S
J
BW TTS-S
Descri pt i on
Plain brown coarse ware
Plain buff , gri t -te mpered; re-
du ced 1: 2
Plain tan ware
Redd i sh orange sl i p; reduced 1:2
Gr it -t empered, t an slipped ware
Plain bu ff ware
Reddi sh sl i p ware
Plain reddi sh sl i pped ware
Plain reddi sh sl i pped ware
Plain wa re, reddi sh tan
Figure
No . Locus
K BW TTS- S
L BW TTS- S
M BW TT5- 5
N BW TT5- S
o BW TTS-S -6
P BW TTS-6
Q BW TTS-S
R BW TT5- S
S BW TIS-S
T BW TTS-S
U BW TTS-S
V BW TTS-S
Desc ri ption
Red slip over buff wa re
Some kind of stone
Reddi sh br own wash
Red/ orange sl i p
Plain redd i sh wa re
Reddi sh bu ff plai n wa re
Plain reddi sh wa re
Plain red sl i p
Plain red wa re
Plai n red ware
Pl ain brown ware
Pl ain buff ware
75
(
)1
I r
\ I
j
~ l
\
J ~
~ 1
H L Ieee! ....J
CM
Figure Figure
A BW TT6-1 Plain brown ware H BW TT6-3 Plain reddi sh brown
B BW TT6-1 -2 Plain coarse ware I BW TT6-3 Burnished gray ware
C BW TT6-1 Plain reddish ware, Bampur V;
J
BW TT6-3
Coar se, brownish ware
reduced 1 :2 K BW TT6-3
Plain brown ware, red/brown slip
0
BW TI6- Plain reddish ware L BW TT6-4 Reddish tan slip, burni shed in-
2(8)-3 {8)
side, coarse
E BW TI6-2A Buff sl ip, black paint M BW TT6-4 Red burnished
F BW TT6-2A Buff slip, coarse grit N BW TT6-2A Plain buff
G BW TT6-3
Plain gray ware 0 BW TT6-2A Buff slip
,
I
/
I
I
A
o SCM
""""'" IwwI
Figure
No . locus Description
FI GURE 28 PERIOD IV B
Figure
No. locus De scription
A BW TTS-6
B BW TTS-6
C BW TIS-6
D BW TTS-6
E BW TTS-6
F BW TTS- 6
G BW TTS-6
H BW TTS- 6
I BW TTS- 7A
BW TIS-
7 (10)
Plain gray ware
Red /orange slip
Plain red ware
Plain reddi sh orange
Black on plain red
Brown on plain buff
Plai n brown, coarse grog temper
Coa rse pl ain ware, tan-brown
Red sl i p, vertical stre ak burni shed;
in side hor izon t al st reak burn ished
Plain buff wa re
K BW TTS-7
l BW TTS- 7A
M BW TTS- 7
N BW TTS- 7
o BW TTS- 7
P BW TTS- 6A-
7A
Q BW TTS-7
R BW TTS-7
S BW TTS-7A
T BW TTS-7
Gray burni shed ware
Plain tannish ware, grit-tempered
Plain brown coarse wa re
Black burni shed ware
Black burni shed ware
Black painted on red ware
Plai n brown Coarse ware
Reddi sh brown wash
Plai n reddish brown
Red wash plain buff-i nc i sed goat
Q
o 5CM
he" ......
M
D
I ~ J I W l. / ~
\ P I ~ J/
' I J ~ ~ ~
Figure
Figure
No.
locus
Descrip t io n
No . locus De scr iption
A
BW TTS-9-l0
Black o n plain buff
K BW TTS- Black o n plain buff
B
BW TTS-9-10
Blac k on red/tan
1OA-l 0
C
BW TTS- 9- 10 Pla in reddish brown
l B TTS-l0 Red was h
D
BW TT5- l0 Coa rse grog temper
M BW TTS-l0 Plain buff wa re
E
BW TTS- l 0
Red plain, gr it and chaff temper
N BW TTS- l0 Black on bu ff slip
F
BW TT5-l0 Blac k on buff slip
0 BW TT5-10 Grog temper, pl a in red/ta n
G
BW TTS- l 0 Black o n red slip
P BW TTS-l0A Coarse wa re
H
BW TT5- l0 Black on buff slip
Q BW TT5- 10 Ta n- bu ff coarse- temper ed
I
BW TTS- l0 Black o n plai n buff
R BW TTS-10 Gray burnished smoothed
J BW TT5- l0 Plain bu ff
S BW TTS-10 Buff co ar se-tempered
)
Figure
No. Locus
\
Description
Figure
No . Locus
o
o SCM
..........
De scription
A BW TT5-8A-
9A
B BW TI5-8
C BW TT5-8A
D BW TT5-9
E BW TT5-9
F BW TT5-9
G BW TT5-8A
H BW TT5-9A
Plain buff
Black on red wa sh
Bro wn on plain red buff
Reddi sh wash
Brown grit temper
Plain redd i sh brown grit
Fine buff, orange tinge slip
Plain reddi sh brown
I BW TT5-9
J BW TI5-9
K BW TT5-9
L BW surface- 5
M BW TT5-9
N BW TT5-9
o BW TT5-9A
P BW TT5-8A-
~
Plain gray reduced wa re
Red wash, black paint
Coarse ware
Reddish brown wa sh, plai n ware
Plain reddish br own ware
Grit, red /orange plain
Plain brown
Plain reddish brown wa re
IF)
~
ill
CD
79
Figure
Figure
No . Locus
Iwwi
Description
G
A D-8
B BW TTS
C BW TTS
Coarse, chaff-tempered ware,
Period VI D
Plain ware, coarse chaff-tempered
Plain ware, coarse chaff-tempered
D 8W TTc-3
E BW surface
F 8-9 (2)
G BW TTS-S-8
Plain ware, fire temper
Plain buff ware
Plain buff ware
Medium grit-tempered ware, red
wash
The presence of red burnished (Fig. 28: I, Fig.
27: M) and considerable fine gray burnished wares,
sometimes though not always streak burnished
(Fig. 27: I; Fig. 29: R; Fig. 28: K,N,O; Fig. 25: R),
as well as plain and black painted spouts (Fig. 29:
E), are all rare. The burnished gray wares can be
paralleled on the one hand at Bampur IV as well
as more distant Hissar, particularly in the pedestal
vases. The quantity of burnished gray ware is not
great. The relationship, if any, of this gray ware
with that of Hissar II, III and the burnished gray
ware tradition of Iran cannot be either assumed
or negated (Young 1967), but it would certainly
seem to date earlier than the Hissar gray ware,
perhaps more related to the Uruk gray wares (see
below). It is of some interest that the pottery at
Tepe Yahya IV A or IV B is generally without
parallel to that of the important corpus being ex-
cavated by Dr. Tosi at Shahr-i-Sokhta. The painted
black on gray ware noted above is quantitatively
our strongest Shahr-i-Sokhta parallel. The dis-
covery of a ceramic incised hut-pot there (personal
communication) suggests a contemporaneity, but
again with its own distinctive pottery tradition. We
reiterate: ceramics are poor indicators here for
establishing chronological horizons, a factor per-
haps of the diffuse, non-centralized settlement
throughout southeastern Iran and Baluchistan.
Clearly, the presence of burnished gray ware,
plain and painted ceramics, associated with ivory,
steatite, turquoise, carnelian, obsidian (only four
blade fragments)," :' stamp and cylinder seals points
to a period of external contacts at Yahya. This is
more evident during Period IV B than IV A or the
earlier Period V. A certain picture emerges: the
luxury goods suggesting trade are all found as-
sociated with a ceramic industry, which, for the
most part , finds few external parallels. It would
appear from the data at Yahya that evidence for
the direct control of this trade by "merchant tra-
ders" from either east or west cannot be support-
ed. It is doubtful that the network of trade was
commanded by an outside single power. The
unfinished steatite objects argue for local pro-
duction and there is no specific isolatable intru-
sive element identifiable to a merchant-trader
class from the outside, which one could attribute
as responsible for in itiating or directing the trade.
The architecture of IV A and IV B is more im-
pressive in size, however, than in earlier periods.
14 Obsidian has been sent to Dr. Colin Renfrew for
anal ysis.
This may indicate a prosperity and the beginnings
of a more centralized political and social organiza-
tion. Briefly stated, Yahya is the first excavation
in an area dealing with a corpus of material sug-
gestive of Third Millennium trade and involving
an area which has been identified as Magan. The
fact remains, we have no evidence of direct Meso-
potamian or Indus materials, only identical shared
design motifs on steatite bowls. Evidence for a
single unified culture of merchants responsible for
the direct dissemination of the goods is not clear.
Our evidence conflicts with attributing this "inter-
national trade" to the elusive Kulli merchant ven-
tures (Dales 1965:268-74). We prefer to view Yah-
ya as having an essentially indigenous culture
which, under Elamite influence, supplies the re-
sources it has available (steatite), while passing
perishable goods on farther both east and west in
a trade mechanism not directly structured by a
single group but advantageous to several cultures
lacking available resources. Rather than viewing
a single culture, i.e., Kulli, as middleman in Indus-
Mesopotamian-Gulf trade, we prefer to view each
cultural area as having its own middlemen. Thus
each culture area (the Indus, Baluchistan, Meso-
potamia, Elam, Persian Gulf) can be seen as a
configuration of concentric circles with overlapping
boundaries of cultural influence. While the Kulli
peoples may have acted as middlemen in Ba-
luchistan, the highland cultures of eastern Iran
under Elamite influence acted as their own mer-
chants between Kulli and the Indus or Mesopo-
tamia, while in both latter areas their own middle-
men carried out trade in bordering areas. The
existence of Persian Gulf trade centers, i.e., Bah-
rein (Dilmun?) might have also enabled hostile
neighbors to meet on neutral territory, as suggested
in Polyani's concept, ports of call (Polyani 1963:
30-45).
Recapitulating, we believe that the presence of
steatite vessels (incorporating carved motifs and
shapes common to Mesopotamia), cylinder and
stamp seals as well as painted pottery and plain
wares (essentially distinctive but clearly deriving
inspiration from the East rather than the Iranian
Plateau or Mesopotamia) suggest that Tepe Yahya
played a significant role in the economic and cul-
tural relations between Mesopotamia, the Iran-
ian Plateau, and the cultures lying to the east in
Baluchistan. A full analysis of the materials, to-
gether with continued excavation, promises to
shed new light on the cultures of southeastern
Iran and elucidate the role thi s area played
THE PROTO-ELAMITE SETTLEMENTS 81
throughout the Third Millennium in Iran and
neighboring reglons.! e
In our 1970 season, our suspicions of the Elam-
ite identity of Period IV B were dramatically con-
firmed. We recovered beneath Period IV B a large
architectural complex, of 24 cm.-square mud brick,
containing pottery known from IV B and contin-
uous from V A. This structure, the largest exposed
at Yahya to date, contains a surface outline of
five large rooms, of which only one has been par-
tially excavated.
Ceramics in this building can be readily paral-
leled at Bampur I-IV and Shahr-i-Sokhta III. This
new period we term IV C. On the floor of the ex-
cavated room, we recovered six unbaked clay
tablets with a total of 17 lines of proto-Elamite
writing, readily paralleled in shape and writing
signs to Susa Cb proto-Elamite tablets. In the
corner of the room, over fifty blank tablets were
found, indicating their local production and writ-
ing! The tablets are in an excellent state of pres-
ervation. Also on the floor of this room, we re-
covered more than two dozen cylinder sealings
of superb execution. Processions of cattle, flying
fish, and rams dancing amidst vegetation are all
readily paralleled in the Susa C proto-Elamite cor-
pus. It becomes clear that an earlier dating for
15 We real ize that in stating that Yahya was part of
the Elamite federation, we extend Elamite influence
farther to the east than previousl y accepted. The east-
ern extension of Elam from Susa and along the coast of
the 'Persian Gulf is attested by the discovery of an
Elamite fragment, dated ca. 2400 B.C. on the island of
Liyan near present-day Bushire (Hi nz 1963 :5). This dis-
covery supports the exi stence of Elam at least this far
east of Susa, of the Sherikhum, equated to the " S
ea
-
land," along the Persian Gulf (Cameron 1936:128).
Even should the hypothesis of Elamite presence toward,
or part of, the area of Yahya be refuted (and at present
we have no grounds to do so) by additional or con-
travening evidence, it is clear that the role of Elam dur-
ing Third Millennium economic expansioni sm and trade
deserves fuller attention than the almost complete si-
lence heretofore accorded it. In " The Proto-Elamite
Settlement at Tepe Yahya" (Iran , vol. 9, 1971), the
author illustrates the cylinder and stamp seals, steatite,
proto-Elamite tablets, and ceramics recovered in 1970.
The role of the proto-Elamites in this Third Millennium
trade is further elaborated in that article.
Bampur, as well as an earlier date than E.D. II
for our IV B, is forthcoming. The date of 3280
170 B.C. (GX 1734) for the earliest IV B occupation
would seem to be acceptable. The implications of
proto-Elamite tablets at Yahya in excellent associa-
tion with a full corpus of pottery and small finds
(lapis lazuli) for establishing chronological and cul-
tural historical relations are enormous. We look
forward to excavating the remainder of this large
complex. We await our carbon-dating results from
samples collected on the floor of this building.
Before turning to Period V we must mention
a test trench operation in BW, the earliest ex-
posed area in this trench equating with the upper
strata of Area C TTl 2-8 (Fig. 34). It is a minimal
4x6-meter exposure establishing the stratigraphic
continuity of Areas BW and C. Clearly this painted
pottery relates more readily to the latest phase of
Period V (V A, Fig. 31: B-G). In our 1970 season,
we recognized this pottery as belonging in Period
IV C, where not only the above-illustrated painted
wares were found in abundance but also burnished
gray ware and Uruk-type bevel-rimmed bowls.
The area of test trench six (see Fig. 12) , a two-
meter trench from the west baulk, is badly dis-
turbed by what appears to be an earthquake fis-
sure (Fig. 12). Of considerable interest are two
sherds depicting faces, one of a highly burnished
gray ware, the other a buff slip, red-painted va-
riety (see Fig. 31: K,L). Both sherds are without
parallel in Iran . The idea of depicting a face in
relief on pottery is known only from Yanik Tepe
(Burney 1961: PI. XLIII , No. 12) and Shah Tepe
(Arne 1945 ; PI. XXXIX, 268 and S. 206, Abb. 412
a-b. 323). Both are entirely different in nature. For
parallels one must reach over a long distance but
of the same Third Millennium date: Anatolia and
southeastern Europe. An important recent study
(Kalicz 1963:45) reviewing the views of Frankfort,
Bittel, Lamb, and Mellaart with others, presents the
distribution, age, cultural relations, and Indo-Eu-
ropean identity of these face-pots. It is perhaps
more reasonable to see in them an influence from
[erndet Nasr face-pots, which better fit the date
of their context at Yahya than the more distant
Anatolian parallels.
82
Y
/
/ /
H
"
Figure Fi gure
No. Locus Descr ipt i on No. Locus Description
A BW TT6 Pl ain reddish ware G BW TT6- 4 Black on pl ain bu ff
surface (A) H BW TT6-2A Thi ck dark brown sl ip ,
spouted
B BW TI6-4 Brown, plain buff vessel
C BW-5&TI6-4 Black on buff TT6- 2- Black on red sli p
D BW TI6-2A Red slip, black paint 3(8)
E BW TI6-3 Black on plain buff
J
BW TT C-3 Brown plain, grit temper
F BW TI6-2A Black on pla in red K BW TT6-4-2A Face pot, black burnished ware
L BW TT6-2A Face pot, buff slip, red paint
THE "YAHYA" PERIOD
PERIOD V
V A: Fig. 35-38
V B: Fig. 39-41
V C: Fig. 42-43, 47
83
This period is stratigraphically divided into three
phases. The uppermost (Fig. 34: TTl 2-8, which
.may be equated to the lowest test-trench excava-
tion, and the middle phase (Fig. 34: TT13-1,2) have
minimal structural remains but considerable quan-
tities of painted ceramics. The earliest phase has
well-preserved architecture (Fig. 34: TT
13
-3,4 and
(-7). Ceramically there is a clear quantitative dif-
ference in the occurrence of painted wares. The
latest two phases, V A and V B, have Q higher per-
centage of painted wares (approximately 60 per-
cent). This painted ware is rarer in V C (approxi-
mately 20 percent) , where a coarse chaff-tempered
ware becomes dominant. In the limited exposure
of V A, we uncovered three partial rooms con-
structed of small bricks (25-27 x 25-27 x 15 cm.),
which form part of a domestic complex. Several
animal figurines of dog, sheep/goat, and a single
copper-bronze dagger, as well as carnelian beads,
were found in V A.
The painted pottery of the upper levels of area
C (Fig. 34, above charcoal lens) have typological
'parall els to the pottery of BW Period IV B and IV
C. The stratigraphic articulation of area C with
area BW awaits further research. Completed in
1970, it strongly supported our contention of con-
tinuity from Period V to Period IV B, C. It would
appear, however, that the charcoal lens separating
strata 4 from 5 in area C is that same burned lens
evident in BW separating IV A (charcoal lens of
nW3, Fig. 12) from lower IV B. Should this be
true, and every indication supports it, the pottery
of Fig. 35 should be added to the corpus of Period
IV B and that of Fig. 36 (from above the charcoal
lens) should be attributed to Period IV A (note
the occurrence of a similar bichrome sherd as
illustrated in IV A, Fig. 36: J). This was confirmed
in 1970.
Continuity in the painted pottery of V A and V
B is strongly supported in our quantitative studies.
Painted wares include black on buff and black on
red and share general similarities to Iblis III (Fig.
37-38). It should be noted that the designs of
Fig. 38 and PI. 33 appear in this period only and
have no strong parallels beyond Yahya, save for
perhaps Aliabad painted pottery of Iblis. A single
stone palette, perhaps a honing stone, from V C
was found (PI. 30) and is without parallel. The sur-
face is clearly worn from grinding. As our Period
V and VI are strongest in their relation to Iblis, a
preliminary attempt to correlate the sites is called
for (see Chart 1).
Several strata (Fig. 34: TTl 2-8) of V B, suggest-
ing only fragmentary remains of walls, were be-
neath V A. In order to isolate this architecture
profitably, further vertical excavation in areas B,
BW will be necessary. Two walls were isolated
with large-Sized brick (30-35 x 30-35 x 15 cm.).
One wall had a plastered ditch on one side and
stones backed up against the wall. We interpret
this to be a drainage ditch, further supported by
the presence of water-rolled sherds in the ditch
and a single sluice: two stones interrupting the
brick wall and feeding into the plastered gully.
The most dominant type of ceramic is a painted
black on red (Fig. 39: A-C,F,}, PI. 44) principally
of a beaker shape. Coarse ware identical in shape
to that from Period VI is also in abundance. The
surface treatment of this coarse ware includes
burnishing and the application of a red wash. It
is of some importance to stress the fact that shapes
and manner of production of the coarse ware
continue from Period VI into Period V; the con-
tinuity is noted in shape, ware; and surface treat-
ments: differences are quantitative. The variety of
painted pottery of Period V is not found in Period
VI however, and the painted wares of Period VI
are not continuous into Period V. At present we
can state with assurance that coarse ware dimin-
ishes from Period VI to Period V with the appear-
ance of new types of painted wares. Painted
wares occur dominantly in V A-B on either black
on red or black on buff. In the black on red the
dominant motif is a continuous multiple chevron
beneath the rim in black paint over red ware (Fig.
39: A-C). The bases of these distinctive cups and
beakers often have painted potter's marks; over
seven different ones have been recorded. An
identical potter's mark on an identical shape is re-
corded at Ib/is (Caldwell 1967:132, Fig. 15). With
the distinctive nature of this ware and its nu-
merical dominance, we have referred to this type
YAHYA
Iblis Related Sites Influences
ate
4200
3800
4500
5000 B.C.
~ Sialk II
------ 1-2 ---. Bakun B1
Ubaid
-----,--------1r-------------
: I Sialk III
1_ 2.!.3 ---1 Chah Husseini
VAB
Hassunan
Sialk I :
I I
VI C- E - - - - - - - - - - - _...l- - - - - - - - - - - - - - _..J
I
VIAS - 1
I
VC
I
_______________Uruk
~ - - - - - ' T " - - - - - -
I I --I Susa C
IVC I 6 Shah-Dad (Early)
Proto-Elamite Shahr-i-Sokhta 111-- Jemdet Nasr
Bampur I-IV 3200
Steatite
IVB
Proto- Elamite
Umm-an-Nar
Barbar I (Bahrein)
Bampur VI
Shahr-i-Sokhta IV
2800
?GAP?
IVA
Shah - Dad (Late) 2300
GAP
III -------------
Iron 1/11 1000
II
Achaemenian (?) 400
Partho-Sasanian 300 A.D.
CHART I
Strong Ceramic Parallels
Tenuous Ceramic Parallels
1(>:
,;<t',
wall
wall
....::..
: .... old brick
... ...
& -[]
o 20 40 60 80 100CM
-----_.-----
-- ()'CiT. -- wa /I?
AREA C - EAST SECTION

(Q': i'::'z:;J
wa

TT
I
_
3
&
floor
TT'_2 &
TT'_2&
&
....
TT
I
_
3
&=
rfJ
PERIOD V C
PERIOD VB
.. _------ .... -.
PERIOD IV B
PERIOD VA
PERIOD IV A?
- _... ---
---------1F - ,r
FIGURE 34 AREA C, EAST SECTION
,..
M
~
I-
<
....
Q"
88
PLATE 32 Painted pottery, Period V A-B
FIGURE 35 PERIOD V A
Fi gur e
No. Locu s
A C- 5 (5)
B C-5 (5)
C C- 5 (5)
D C-5 (5)
E C- 5 (5)
F C- 5 (5)
G C- 5 (5)
H C- 5 (5)
I C- 5 (5)
J C- 5 (5)
K C-5 (5)
L C- 5 (5)
Descri ption
Black on red
Red sli p, grit temper
Redd i sh pl ain wa re
Plain buff wa re
Buff sli pped wa re, fi ne gri t tem-
per
Gr ay burni shed wa re
Coa rse wa re, pl ain redd i sh, gri t
temper
Coarse grit wa re, pl ain burnis hed
Coarse gray ware, grit temper
Red wa sh, grit temper
Coarse wa re, pl ain grit
Bi chrome: black li nes be tween
vertical fie lds of red-or ange paint
ove r bu ff sli p
Figure
No. Locu s
M C- 5 (5)
N C-5 (5)
o C-5 (5)
P C- 5 (5)
Q C- 5 (5)
R C- 5 (5)
S C- 5 (5)
T C- 5 (5)
U C- 5 (5)
V C-5 (5)
Description
Red sl ipped wi t h red painted rim
Coarse ware, chaff-tempered, red-
di sh paint
Red sl ipped, pattern burnished
wa re
Buff sl i pped, fine ware
Red wash over coarse chaff-tem-
per ed ware; reduced 1:2
Redd i sh sl i p, coarse chaff-tem-
pered wa re, gri t temper
Brown /red sl i p over tan ware,
black pai nt
Plai n red wa re, light grit temper
Coa rse gri t temper, tan ware; re-
du ced 1:2
Plain redd i sh tan, coarse ware
III11111111
THE "YAHYA" PERIOD 89
~ - - _ . --- - -- - - _.
v
o SCM
!&e4 .. """
FIGURE 3S
}
1
J
o
lwwl
(
M
N
Descr iption
Buff sli pped, black painted l ines,
ora nge - red paint between lin es
Black on red
Base? Ma t impressions
Plain buff ware
Black on red
Plain buff wa re
Plai n buff ware
\
/.
G(
Figure
Figure
No . Locus Descri pt i on
No. Loc us
A C-1 Plain buff ware
C-1
B C TT-3 Plain buff wa re
C C-1 Plain buff ware
K C-1
D C TI2-3 Plain buff ware
L C TT1- 4
E C TI1-4 Coarse grit ware
M C-1
F C TI1-4 Plain buff ware
N C-1
G C-1 Coarse ware, chaff grit
0 C TT1-3
H C-1 Plain buff war e, smoothed
P C TT1-4
I C TT2-4 Plain tan coarse grit ware
?
@ I ~ - _ " " ;
o SCM
heel ............
Figure
Figure
No.
Locus Description No. Locus Description
A C TI2-1 Plain brownish red ware C TT2 Surface Plain buff, chaff-tempered ware,
B
C TI2-(7) Red slip, black paint lines black, reddish orange fill
C C TI2-(8) Buff ware, black paint between lines (bichrome)
D
C TI2-(8) Buff ware, thick brownish paint
J
C TI2-(8) Buff ware, brownish paint
E
C TI2-(8) Buff ware, black paint K C TT3-3 Black on buff
F
C TI2-(8) Plain buff ware, smoothed, bitu- L C TT3-1 (4) Black paint on plain buff ware
men-like black paint M C TT3-4 Black on buff
G C TI2-(7) Plain brown, smoothed N C TT3-3 Black on buff
H C TI2-(8) Plain tan ware, black paint
0 C TT3-1-(6) Buff slip
92
A
FIGURE 38
~ L
o
!ueaI
THE "YAHYA" PERIOD
Figure
Figure
No. Locus
Description No. Locus Description
A
C TI6-6 Orange-red between black lines
J
C TT3-2 Black on red ware
on buff K 1) C TI 1&2- Black on red ware
B
C TI3-2 Black on buff ware 8
C
C-4 Black on plain gray ware 2) C-4
D C-4 Black on buff ware L C-4 Black on buff ware
E
C-4 Black on red ware M C-4 Black on buff ware
F
C-4 Black on red ware N C-4 Black on buff ware
G
C-4 Black on buff ware 0 C-4 Black on red ware
H C-4 (1) Black on buff ware P C-4 Black on buff ware
I C-4 (1) Black on greenish buff ware
93
THE "YAHYA" PERIOD
95
as " Yahya Ware." The only known parallels are
from Iblis (Caldwell 1967: Fig. 13-15, particularly
Fig. 15) and from the site of Chah Husseini, near
Bampur, reported by Stein (1937:131 ; PI. XIX: 109,
127, 116). Parallels of more generalized nature
can also be found for this period at Tal-i-Gap
(Fig. 40: A) and Tal-i-Bakun (Fig. 40: K,N). It is
noted that the pottery of Period V finds very
few parallels with the pottery of Giyan or Sialk on
the Iranian Plateau - it would appear that ceramic
parallels are at a minimum and that the Kerman
Range of southern Iran formed a rather distinc-
tive ceramic tradition. The bichrome sherds of
Fig. 39: E,L are very similar to those found in
greater abundance in Period VI A and argue for
cultural continuity. The plain wares of V B in-
clude many fine, plain buff ware jars and bowls
(Fig. 41). A single sherd (Fi g. 38: A; PI. 33; PI. 34)
from Period V A context, is clearly parallel in
shape and design to Nal potterv. v'
The artifacts of Phase V B include several ex-
amples of early metallurgy: chisels, awls, spatula,
and pins (PI. 36). In addition, varieties of beads
were found, fragments of alabaster or marble
bowls, and minimal animal bones. (All the above
are presently undergoing technical examination.)
The earliest Phase, V C, had two levels of ar-
chitecture (PI. 28), the upper (Fig. 34: TTl 3-3 and
4) and a lower (PI. 29; Fig. 34: C 7 and Fig. 44).
There is a clear architectural and ceramic con-
tinuity from earlier Period VI (see Fig. 47: A-E,M,N).
Some painted varieties are, however, different
(Fig. 43: G,H), while many are continuous (Fig.
43: L.M). Two sherds deserve particular mention:
Fig. 42: H, which appears to be an Ubaid
sherd in design and ware, and Fig. 42: F, which
in design motif is similar to Quetta ware. These
are the only sherds of these types found at Yahya .
The greater variety of V C ceramics are of the un-
painted coarse wares of Period VI; the painted
varieties are drawn on Figures 42 and 43.
The architecture of the lowest construction (Fig.
44, PI. 29) consists of several rooms in which an
16 My thanks to Dr. F. Durrani and Dr . M. S. N. Rao
for independently pointing this out in their study of
our collections. It is our only clear parallel to Nal,
while none exists to Amri or Togau and the Baluchistan
painted pottery from stratigraphic context. Dr . George
Dales has confirmed a Nal identity for this sherd while
also singling out a sherd from surface context as Amri ,
both illustrated on PI. 34.
interlacing of thumb-impressed bricks (PI. 35) set
in mud mortar is util ized . Thumb impressions,
evident only on the downward positioned face of
the bricks, vary in number (f rom 4-10) depending
on the size of the bricks. Over 45 percent of the
br icks are of standard 30x15x15 cm. size, suggest-
ing the use of molds in manufacture. The size
ranges from 15x15x15 to 60x15x15 . The thumb
impressions keyed into a fine chaff-tempered plas-
terl i ke mortar increase the strength of the walls
supporting the roofing of reeds set over with
mud plaster. The rooms made use of exterior
buttresses at the corners (see Fig. 44). The in-
terior facing of the walls is covered with a fine
yellow plaster, often indicating over twenty plas-
terings. Within the rooms several hearths and at
least one chimney, over hearth 12 (see Fig. 44),
were recovered. Bone awls (PI. 37) and carved
pendants of mother of pearl , as well as a tur-
quoise necklace (PI. 38), were found in the fill
of the rooms. Three stone celts have been found
belonging to this phase; two were identical (PI.
38). From the two architectural phases of this
period several large stone grinders, mortars, and
digging-stick weights were also excavated (PI.
39). This architecture (Fig. 44: PI. 29) appears to
have been sealed above by a brick floor (see sec-
tion Fig. 34) which indicates a short period of
abandonment and the later construction of V B
architecture. None of the settlements designated
in Period V appears to have had a containing wall
around the community.
One aspect which puzzled us for some time
was the architectural construction in area C-7 as-
sociated with V B (see PI. 28 upper left corner and
Fig. 45). We believe our interpretation answers
the greater number of problems. A series of very
small mud-brick rooms (of t en less than 1 m.
square) filled entirely with rubble, stones, and
sherds was isolated beneath the level of the V C
rooms. Over these small rubble-filled rooms a
single-course mud-brick platform was placed; the
entire construction was built up against the slope
of the mound forcing an extending buttress to
the mound. We believe this demonstrates a con-
siderable effort, in constructing along the slope
of the mound a horizontal surface for the exten-
sion of available flat ground for building. This
leveling technique is also evident in the earlier
Period VI construction. Period V C contained
obsidian and a flint industry as yet unstudied.
96
o SCM
.............
,
)
w " ~
T-- RW7
I ~ )
FIGURE 39 PERIOD V B
Figure
No. Locus
A C-1 (5)
B C TI2-7
Surface
C C T13-1 (4)
D C-1 (4)
E C- 1 (4)
F C-1 (2- 3)
De scription
Black paint on red w are (Yahy a
cup)
Yah ya cup, black paint on red
ware
Yahya cup, bl ack on red paint
Coar se wa re, burn i shed , red sli p
Triangl es out l i ne d in red paint
w i t h black paint ed hori zont al
l in es, buff sli p over red war e
Coar se wa re, bl ack paint on red
ware
Figure
No. Locus
G C-1 (7)
H C-1 (2-3)
I C-1 (7)
J C-1 (2-3)
K C- 'J (9)
L C-1 (9)
Description
Buff sl i p, black paint
White l imestone base
Plain red ware, brown paint
Yahya cup
Coarse war e, smoot hed, chaff-
t emper ed
Bl ack -fill ed lines are black paint ,
w hi te-fi lled l in es are red paint
over buff sl i p
o SCM
MwI IeezI """""4
f
\.
~ ]
'\ I /
\7\/ ' J41,
, I (
Figure
No. locus Description
Figure
No. locus Description
A C-3
B C-3
C C-3
o C TT1-1
E C TT1-1
F C TT1-1
G C TT1-1
H C TT1-1
I C TT1-1
Black on fine buff
Buff sl ipped, reddish fug itive paint
Reddish brown on buff ware
Fine buff ware, black paint over
ring base
Coarse ware, smoothed chaff
temper
Reddish tan light slip, burnished
interior and exterior, fine temper
Plain ware, tannish wash
Plain buff ware, black paint
Deep reddish brown slip over
buff, interior and exterior; fine
temper
J C TT1-1
K C TT1-1
L C TT1-1
M C TT1-1
N C TT1-1
a C TT1-2 +4
P C TT1-2+4
Q C TT1-3
R C TT1-3
Plain buff, brown/black paint
Buff slip, black paint; torso of
man and hands
Buff slip, th ick brown pa int
Coarse, chaff-tempered ware
Plain ware, reddish tan/black
paint
Coarse chaff-tempered reddish
brown paint
Coarse, chaff-tempered
98
N
o
(
)
Figure Figure
A C TT1+2-8 Coarse chaff-tempered buff slip K C TT1+3-2 Coarse chaff-tempered
TT1+3-1-4 l C TT1+3-4 Coarse chaff-tempered
B C TT1+3-2 Coarse chaff-tempered ware M C TT1+3-4 Fine plain buff ware
C C TT1+3-2 Coarse chaff-tempered, burnished N C TT1+3-4 Fine plain buff ware
D C TT1+3-3-4 Coarse chaff-tempered, smoothed
0 C TT1+3-2 Fine plain buff ware
E C TT1+3-3 Coarse chaff-tempered p
C TT1+3-2 Fine plain buff ware
F C TT1+3-4 Coarse chaff-tempered Q C TT1+3-2 Fine plain buff ware
G C TT1+3-4 Fine plain buff ware, grit temper R C TT1+2-8 Fine plain buff ware
H C TT1+3-3 Coarse chaff-tempered S C TT1+2-8 Fine plain buff ware
I C TT1+2-8 Coarse chaff-tempered T C TT1+3-4 Coarse chaff-tempered
J
C TT1+2-8 Coarse chaff-tempered
THE "YAHYA" PERIOD
99
A
\... ~ G
ICSIAIH
Figure
No. Locus
Description
FIGURE 42 PERIOD V C
Figure
A C-7 (9) (10)
B C-7
C C-7
D C-7
E C-7
Jar, coarse chaff-tempered ware,
made in two pieces joined at
point of carination; reduced 1:2
Buff slipped ware
Brown paint on buff slip
Plain buff, smoothed, black paint
Coarse chaff-tempered ware
F C-7
G C-7
H C-7
C-7
C-7
Black on buff ware
Black on buff ware
Ubaid-like ware, black paint on
greenish surface
Buff ware
Black paint on buff slip
100
fJ
A
I
lc
N 1jji
)
I
10
I
I t
I
~
\ I
}
FIGURE 43 PERIOD V C
Figure Figure
No. locus Description No. locus Description
A C- 1 Plain bu ff , sand-tempered H C-1 Black on red
B C-1 Buff wa re, bl ack paint I C-1 Coarse buff ware, grit temper;
C C-1 Coarse buff, gri t, smoot hed reduced 1:2
D C-1 Coarse wa re, chaff-tempere d f i ne-
J
C-1 Coarse grog temper
Iy smoothed; redu ced 1: 2 K C-1 Reddish brown wash over buff,
E C Surface (6) Black on red
gr it t emper
F C Surface Black on red l C-1 Black on buff sl ip
G C-1 Black on red M C-1 Plain t an-buff ware, black paint
11111""1""1"111""1""111"f11111
1
fIIllIll"lIl" "1
11 11
t11111
1111111
,'111"1"111 "111" "1"
11 1
1/"1"111""1"'11'1"111'11'1i 1.1"
11
1' 11 11
. ~ Vt " 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 . 9 10 11 12 13 1 14 1.5
1
m : 7 : ~
PLATE 34 Painted Nal sherd, C TT6-6 (left) and Amri sherd, surface
-e
5:
'C
Q
'i:
~
A.
,5
'C
~
III
:::I
,:!!
.:.:
lJ
'i:
.Q
..
.!
's
';
u
>
'tJ
Q
'i:
~
A.
E
Q
~
III
.:.:
, ~
.Q
'tJ
~
III
III
~
..
Q,
,5
~
E
:::I
.c
' s I-
~
C'I')
f'
Y.I
~
...I
A.
1
-._ '
. I
'/1 '1"' .'/"111
'"
11
'
"111111111"1'1111 ""1"111""1""11"11"11/""1'"11""11"11 11"1""1""1""1""/""1""1"111111111111 " 11111 11"1,
1'1/'1 1 2 J 4 5 6_ 7 8 9 10 11 1? , ~ , 4. 1 ~
PLATE 36 Metal implements and honing stone all from Period V Of C TT1 - 3-2
41
>
o
.D
I'll
E
o
.::
106
Topographical Map of Stratum 7, Trench C
o
Mud Brick
lEEm Mud Brick of an Earlier Phase
mm, Hearth
Plaster
Complete Coarse Ware Jars
Raised Peninsula
o Turquoise Neck lace
CD Copper Pi n
Infant Burial
Stone Step
Scale: 1:50 Nt
Stratum 2, Trench D
Reduced 1/3 in scale. Scale 1:50 represents 2/3 actual size .
FIGURE 44 TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF STRATUM 7, TRENCH C
1: 201N
....
Chineh
~ Rubble
c=J Brick
_ Mud Foundat ion
PIT
&
STE P
Architecture C
Leve II i ng
FIGURE 45 ARCHITECTURE C-7
A
B
C
D
E TT3-2
o TT2-8
o TT2-8
D TT1-10
PLATE 37
bone knife, ridged on the edge
for flint insets, Period VI 0
bone awl, Period VI 0
alabaster, bracelet fragment, Pe-
riod VI D
shell bead, Period VI C
Bone and shell
E 0 surface
F D TT1 -6
G E TT3-3
H D TT2-4
I D TT1-10
..&.-0- <; ",-",;
incised stone, seal (?); identical
types also were recovered from
VI A and V C
carnelian bead, Period VI B
bone bead
turquoise bead, Period VI A-B
shell bead, Period VI C
che" fragment"- .... .A "_.". _
A C-7 (11)
B C 1T1-
3-2 (8)
C C 111 -
3-2 (8)
D C-7 (15)
PLATE 38 Turquoise necklace, mother of pearl, bronzes, Period V
turquoise necklace, Period V C E C 1T1- mother-of-pearl snake, Period
shell , bone, ivory (?) beads , Pe- 3-2 (4) V B
riod V B F C 111 - two copper-bronze needles, Pe-
mother-of-pearl pig (?), Period 3-2 (15) riod V B
V B G C 1T1-3-2 green stone celt, Period V A, and
copper-bronze pin, Period V C V B also, where two identical
others were found
"'
PLATE 39 Stone tools of Period V and VI where a considerable quantity of mortars, pestles, hammerstones, and
digging stone weights were found. (Note the single honing stone from Period IV B, where several
were found.)
The architecture is directly superimposed - one
level built directly over the underlying one-
without evidence of a stratigraphic hiatus between
any two phases. Ooes this indicate a pattern of
transhumance and resulting seasonal occupation?
The size of the rooms, orientation, and doubtless
the function, remain constant throughout all five
levels of construction. The summary of Period VI
is presented through a review of the five major
levels of construction.
THE "NEOLITHIC" SETTLEMENTS
PERIOD VI
VI A: Fig. 46
VI A-B: Fig. 47-49
VI B: Fig. 50
VI C-D: Fig. 51
The earliest period of occupation at Tepe Yahya Period VI Stratum TT
26
has direct continuity in its pottery and architec- Period VI Stratum 7
ture into Period V. However, quantitative differ- Period VI Stratum 8
ences in Period VI exist between Phases VI A-B and Period VI Stratum 9
VI C-D. In the former, painted ware represents
less than two percent of the total, and in the
latter, less than one percent. Architecturally there
are five major building levels (see Fig. 52, 53), each
with isolatable phases of rebuilding. This period
was excavated exclusively in areas D and E and
was not found at all in our 1970 step trench on
the north side of the mound. The five levels of
construction can be distinguished as:
Period VI Strata 3, 4 = Phase A (Figs. 53, 52)
111
Phase B (Figs. 53, 52)
Phase C (Fig. 52)
Phase D (Fig. 52)
Phase E (Fig. 52)
PERIOD VI A
This architecture proved to be directly underly-
ing that of Period V C (V C = Area 0-2: Fig. 53) .
Beneath the rooms of V C, we uncovered a most
complex series of interlocking walls which had
been 'successively added to in order to form a
single thick wall (Fig. 54, PI. 40). The sequence
of its construction is outlined on Fig. 54. In the
initial level of its construction (0-3), walls 16 and
13 formed part of a room with a corner hearth
(see Fig. 54). The walls of this , room were later
incorporated into a larger wall structure. No do-
mestic architecture has been recovered from this
period. The removal of the architecture in area
C (PI. 29) will expose the structures associated
with this complex.
The careful removal of this complex (Fig. 54)
allows us to reconstruct the sequence of its build-
ing, though its purpose remains in doubt. Portions
of the structure were destroyed in the digging of
pits 3-(8) and 4-(1) during Period V C times
(Area D) (Fig. 54). The great majority (over 99
percent) of the pottery was a coarse chaff-tempered
ware (Fig. 47, 48) sometimes with a reddish wash,
less often buff slipped. A single Ubaid-like sherd
with thick bituminous black paint was recovered
(Fig. 46: D), as well as unparalleled red painted
on buff (Fig. 46: J,E) and bichrome (Fig. 46: 0)
red and black over buff wares. The painted ware
is a fine, thin ware, frequently with a fine buff
slip. The painted designs are uniformly geometric
and paint is always applied in red or black (or
both, forming a bichrome around the upper third
of the simple-rimmed bowls. Two bichrome sherds
(Fig. 39: E,L) were found in the fill directly in the
Period V C rooms (Fig. 44) and approximately a
dozen bichrome sherds in the architecture of VI
B, all typologically similar. Several small flint tools,
consisting of blades, small thumb scrapers, and
cores were recovered. (The study of the flint in-
dustry at Tepe Yahya has not yet been undertaken.
It represents a considerable quantity of tools in
number, type, and flint varieties but is not of a
high standard of workmanship.)
The Period VI A walls discussed above (Fig. 54)
were exposed in the northernmost three meters
of Area O. In the removal of the architecture of
Area C-7 we hope to recover the domestic archi-
tecture associated with this construction. The
single room incorporated into this complex (Fig.
54) contains both a hearth and outside wall but-
tresses, identical in their position, layout, and
technique to those in the above-lying architecture
of Period V C (contrast Fig. 54 room with Fig. 44,
PI. 29) . The thumb-impressed bricks in this con-
struction range from a length of 84 cm. to 18 cm.,
width from 14 to 20 em., and thickness 11 to 14
cm. It is obvious that sizes of bricks were not
standardized as in the above V C architecture.
Most, if not all, bricks were thumb-impressed,
from 4 to 12 impressions. Bricks were laid im-
pressed side down. (At least 1000 bricks were
individually removed, measured, and drawn.)
The size and thumb-impressed nature of these
bricks are identical to those from lblis 1/11 archi-
tecture (Caldwell 1967:304, PI. 7). To the south
of the wall complex, we uncovered a very large
area of rubble filled with fist-sized stones and
coarse ware pottery (see Fig. 52 - Strata 0-3 [1]).
We interpret this as either the village debris
thrown over the walls of the village, or perhaps
additional evidence for the technique of leveling
to enable further construction of Period V C ar-
chitecture along the horizontal surface of the
mound.
PERIOD VI B
Resting directly beneath the VI A construction
and built from a brick floor, several walls were
recovered which do not appear to form any rec-
ognizable architectural configuration. This archi-
tecture was not found farther to the south along
the slope of the mound, and greater understand-
ing awaits continued vertical excavation in Area
C. Pottery includes identical forms and wares of
VI A (Fig. 47-49), as well as painted wares also
similar to VI A (Fig. 50). The painted sherd (Fig.
50:J) is from an unknown but later context, as it
was found in a pit from the surface intruding into
the fill.
PERIOD VI C
Three phases of building can be isolated in this
period (Fig. 55: Area 0, strata 6,7). Rooms are
uniformly small - less than 1.5 meters square;
roofing consists of reed matting packed in mud;
and doorways for entry are not evident.. Some of
the floors in the rooms appear to have been plas-
tered. Sherds in only minimal numbers were re-
covered, and an equally small sample of flint
tools. No indications were present to shed light
on the functions of these rooms, a problem ever
present throughout the excavation of Period VI
architecture. The pottery is of a coarse chaff-
tempered variety with occasional evidence of
a red paint applied to the vessels, often in broad,
meandering strokes. The paint was faintly applied
and fugitive in nature, thus, no design motifs
could be reconstructed. Evidence for this type
of painting (on the coarse wares) existed through-
out Period VI but was not retrieved with its design
elements.
PERIOD VI D
Orientation and size of rooms are almost pre-
cisely that of V C (Fig. 55 and 56, Area 0, stratum
8). No major changes in type or in the quantity of
ceramics are noted. In the northeast corner of
the Area (Fig. 55), a fine plastered tub was un-
covered measuring 2m. in length and 80cm. wide.
The area around the tub had a considerable quan-
tity of a very fine clay, and the tub itself was very
thickly plastered with this material. It is possible
that this area, which also had around it water-
deposited soft sand, represents the area in which
fine plaster was produced by washing out the
clays brought here and later used for plastering
walls. The northwest quadrant area of D contained
a number of bricks constructed with rubble in be-
tween (Fi g. 55), perhaps further evidence of level-
ing.
The walls of these buildings were not construct-
ed of bricks but rather appear to have been built
of handfuls of hand-molded, chaff-tempered mud
plaster. Floors are difficult to isolate; roofing is of
reeds, supporting matting and mud. Walls are
sometimes plastered with a fine yellow-green clay
similar to that found in the tub. Doorways are
for the most part absent; access must have been
through the roof. Pottery is almost entirely a
coarse chaff-tempered ware (PI. 41). The presence
of a vessel handle, found in this phase, represents
the only example so far recovered (Fig. 32: A).
Period VI 0 , stratum 8 (see section Fig. 52 and
Fig. 55, 56) can be divided into several phases
of rebuilding. Several minor changes altered the
orientation of the rooms, a door is placed in
Room 11;7, etc. (contrast Fig. 55: stratum 8, A. B.
with Fig. 56, stratum 8, A1 . B1.). The doorways
between Rooms 11 and 7 seemed in actuality to
be small semi-circular dog-kennel passages be-
tween rooms, not full doors.
THE "NEOLITHIC" SETILEMENTS
113
In Room 7 of this architecture (Fig. 55) we un-
covered the most remarkable single object at
Tepe Yahya. Resting on the floor of this room and
associated with three bone tools, 63 flints, three
grooved stones (PI. 42) , a stone (serpentine-stea-
tite) female statue carved in the round was ex-
cavated (PI. 43). This statue (its association and
context have been fully published by Lamberg-
Karlovsky and Meadow 1970) was found resting
face down on the bed of 63 flints. With its bi-
lateral symmetry, linear style, the de-emphasizing
of the breasts, and perforation at the top of the
head, it is suggested that it represents a male
phallus with the attributes of a female carved
over it. It is certain that this statue and its as-
sociated remains were intentionally deposited on
the floor of this room. No other material remains
were found in the room. Samples await finer soil
and flotation analysis . It is possible that it rep-
resents an offering to pre serve and insure the ma-
terials placed in the storage(?) rooms, i.e., grain.
From both VI C and VI 0 a number of stone la-
brets were found similar to those reported from
Oeh Luran, at Ali Kosh (Hole 1969) (PI. 27).
PERIOD VI E
The earliest excavated architecture for this pe-
riod extends toward the south (Fig. 56 - Area D
stratum 9). It represents the earliest period of oc-
cupation at Tepe Yahya, above which the archi-
tecture of VI B, C, and 0 was built in direct con-
formity to the size and orientation of this earliest
level. In method and construction, roofing, floor-
ing, etc., the earliest construction served as the
prototype for the architecture of all later Period
VI construction.
In an exposure to the south of the rooms, we
uncovered two rows of thumb-impressed brick,
perhaps forming a small outside containing wall
(Fig. 56; see also PI. 44). This appeared as some
surprise for the architecture of VI B-E did not
utilize for the most part thumb-impressed brick.
The contemporaneity of this wall with the archi-
tecture of VI E is beyond doubt, for the bricks are
laid on the same surface from which the architec-
ture is constructed. A second line (Fi g. 56) of two
bricks closer to the actual rooms appears to run
beneath the walls of Room 4 (see Fig. 56), and
would thus be earlier. We have yet to excavate
beneath this complex. In a single test trench be-
neath Rooms 1, 2, 3, 18, and 19 we have reached
what appears to be virgin soil. Similarl y, in Area
Eto the south of D we have reached virgin soil
(see Fig. 52).
The pottery from this phase (Fig. 51) is not dif-
ferent from that of the above-lying phases, though
painted fine wares, with one exception, are
absent. Further excavation will clarify the brick
wall to the south and test for virgin soil beneath
this VI Earchitecture. A single sherd found on the
floor of TI2 8(3) (Fig. 52) remains rather unset-
tling. It was found directly on the floor and tightly
sealed by the floor above. The design and shape
of this ware is almost identical to that of the Yahya
Ware of Period V A and B. Its fabric, however, is
different; it is a coarser chaff-tempered ware with
a red slip, not the fine invisible temper of V A
and B Yahya Wares (for design contrast Fig. 330
and Fig. 39 B and C). In this sherd we have fur-
ther support for the continuous nature of the
settlement throughout Period VI and V at Yahya.
The full interpretation of our work awaits both
continued excavation and later publication of a
final report. The wealth of detail obtained in three
seasons indicates that such a report will extend
beyond a single volume. It was thought advanta-
geous to produce this - more than a preliminary
report but far less than a final statement on the
first two years work, so that others may contribute
their idea s to those we have forrned. !" Whatever
omissions of evidence, commissions of error, and
contradiction this report has cannot be excused,
save for the author's belief that it is better to pub-
li sh, even in an abbreviated manner one's selective
data and ideas without delay, than not to publish
at all or await the passing of years. We look for-
ward hopefull y to several more seasons at Yahya
and the clarification of the sequence offered here,
particularly Periods I-IV.
17 A considerable number of illustrations of the pot-
tery and objects recovered fror:n Yahya not in-
cluded in thi s report are publi shed In : James Hu.m-
phri e s, " Excavat io ns at Tepe Yahy.a" an? E. L.
Ca spers, " Te pe Yahya in the Third. Millennium:
articles a re published in the Bulletm of the ASia Insti-
tut e, Pahlavi Un iversity, Shiraz, Iran , 19 70.
AREA O-EAST SECTION
o 10 .0 60 80 100 CM
PERIOD VID
PERIOD VI C
0 8
AREA[D
'/ I RG I N SOIL
PERIOD VI B
TT, & '08
PERIOD VI A

face
I!lll!ID br i ck ba t f ill

pla st er

vc PERIOD
UNEXC "V" Tf O
TT,&
...i' 9 '" ' 0I l
FIGURE 52 AREA 0, EAST SECTION
PERIOD V, C
PERIOD VI B
PERIOD VC
------
&
..:.-:.
TT2.&

$ bd-------
0
UNEXCAVATED
TT,
TT
__________ I
I
PERIOD VI D
AREA D-NORTH SECTION
TT2
nlA
v irg in so il
o 20 40 60 80 100CM
[fJ brick. ash stones
bricky rubble Et3 wall
vi rgi n so il
FIGURE 53 AREA 0, NORTH SECTION
PLATE 40 Wall (?) configuration of Period VI A, Area D. (See Fig. 54 for the same construction unraveled.)
AREA IQ]
STRATUM &
STRATUM &
'THE "NEOLITHIC" SETILEMENTS
Architectural Phases
A 35 0 19.2 0,6 ,7.9,10,11 Ghatched, dotted bricks mH
B 1 12 .23 . 2. (r ocks) E all dotted brick thus C::; H18. 28
C IS. 21. 22. 25 F 26 .27 I 16, 17,13.29
117
N
'111
20.0 60 80 l00 cm
1eeeezI ... Ieeeeefl
0 ~ \
FIGURE 54
o
I 0
: ~
1 ,... ..~ ... .._ J
.: / . r ' \ .
: ' ~ ' \
"'"" " ' _ " : Y ~ " .. TT1 &CD :
. '
..-
AREA 0 , STRATA 3, 4
118
o
\ I ~ l
I V \,
I
I
YJ13 \
o
o 5CM
......
FIGURE 46 PERIOD VI A
Figure
No. Locus
A D-4 (1)
B D- 3 (8)
C D- 3-4
D D- 4 (1)
E 0 -4
F 0 - 3 (5)
G D 3-5
H o 3-5
I o 3-5
J
0 - 3 (3)
Description
Bl ack paint on buff ware
Black paint on buff ware
Bl ack pain t on buff ware
Bl ack vitrified paint , gree ni sh
backgr ound (Ubai d-Ii ke)
Red on buff sl i p
Buff sli p (Giyan4-5?), black de-
signs
Red-orange pai nt on buff
Bl ack paint on buff wa re
Red-orange pai nt on buff
Red on buff
Figure
No. Locus
K o 3-5
L 0 - 3-4
M 0 - 3
N 0
0 0 - 3 (6)
P 0 - 3 (7)
Descr iption
Ani mal out l i ned in black, body
fi ll ed with red-orange paint on
buff wa re
Black pain t on buff ware
Buff ware, l i ght brown paint
Bl ack paint on bu ff ware
Buff sl i p over red ware, f ine tem-
per ; squar es b ut li ned in black,
f i ne hori zon tal red l ines inside
squares
Buff sl i p, tan ni sh wa re, red paint
119
7
I I \N
~ I I \
;I
"NEOLITHIC" SETTLEMENTS
K
H
I
L
r-- - - ---,- - - - ---.
LffiA \: [ ) ~ I
L . I - J ~
, I
o SCM
"""M IwewI
FIGURE 47 PERIOD VI A-B
Figure
No. Locus
A 0-2
B D-2
C D-2
D D-2
E 0-2
F 0-3 (5)
G 0-3 (5)
H 0-3 (5)
0-5
0-5
Description
Coarse chaff-tempered ware,
smoothed
Coarse chaff-tempered ware, bur-
nished
Plain red, grit temper
Plain red, grit temper
Plain red, grit temper, shallow
grooves
Fine buff slip, ring base
Plain buff ware, ring base
Figure
No. Locus
K 0-5
L 0-5
M 0-2
N 0 -2
o 0-3 (5)
P 0-3+4
Q 0-3 (4)
R 0-5
5 0 -3
T 0-4
U 0 -4
Description
Plain tan ware
Coarse chaff-tempered
Plain buff ware
Plain buff, grog temper
Coarse ware, chaff-tempered; re-
duced 1:2
Coarse ware, chaff-tempered
Buff ware
Reddish wash, coarse chaff temper
Plain tannish ware
120
-J
A
\
c ( [ \
- --,--- - - - - ,
- J
_ _ _ _ _ .L..- _
o 5CM
..... Iwew! .....
Figure
No. Locu s
A 0 - 3- 5
B 0 - 3-5
C 0 - 3-5
o 0 - 6
E 0 - 3- 5
F 0 - 6
G 0 - 6
Descr ipti on
Coar se chaff -te mpe red ware
Coarse chaff- tempe red ware
Fin er coarse chaff-t emper ed wa re
Coarse chaff-te mpe red wa re
Fin er coa rse chaff -tempe red ware
Coa rse chaff-tempered wa re
Coar se chaff-tempe red wa re
Figure
No. Locu s
H 0 -6
I 0 - 3- 5
J 0 - 3-5
K 0 - 6
L 0 -6
M D- 6
Oescri ptio n
Coarse chaff-t empered wa re
Finer coarse chaff-tempered ware
Coar se chaff-t empered wa re
Buff sl i pped ware
Coar se chaff - tempe red wa re
Coar se chaff- tempered wa re
121
o SCM
...... heeezI ....
\ I !
G
, ,
Figure
No.
Locus Description Figure
A D 3-5 Burn ished coarse ware H D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware
B
D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware I D 3-5 Finer chaff-tempered ware
C
D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware
J
D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware
0 D 3-5 Coarse chaff-te mpe red ware K D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware
E D 3-5 Coarse burnished ware L D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware
F
D 3-5 Coarse chaff-tempered ware M D 3-5 Finer chaff-tempered ware
G D 3-5 Stone vase
122
H
o SCM
.... heeeyI IwwI
~ ,
A
B
, 11;' \ J
{ ~ I W
\ E 1 I ~ )
FIGURE 50 PERIOD VI B
Figure Fi gure
No. Locus Descr i ption No. Locus Description
A D-S (1) Red on t an/buff G D-S Reddish brown on buff
B D- S Red on buff
H D-S Bl ack and red paint on buff
C D- S Red on buff I D- S Red on buff
D D- 5 (1) Red/ brown on fi ne buff sli p
J
D TT1-8 Reddi sh brown paint on red
E D- S (1) Red/ br own on fi ne buff sli p
sl i pped fi ne ware
F D TT1- 7 Buff ware, red painted hanging K D TT2- 8 Buff sli p, red paint
t riangles wit h or ange-f ill ed lines L D- 5 (1) Black paint on plain buff ware
~
::I:
ITl
i
ITl
o
r-
=i
::I:
~
fI)
3
r-
ITl
~
ITl
Z
~
fI)
- -... . . ~ ..:.- -~
'" -- --- ...... ....
- ~
"""" N
("t,)
PLATE 42 Flint, stone, and bone implements associated with female figurine (PI. 43), Area D-8 (7)
I
" _ 1 ~
o SCM
,
~ - ' \ I j
" 1'---.-)
I ?, { /o I I a
___0 \.U
FIGURE 51
PLATE 44 Period VI C and Period VI D architecture viewed from the southeast
FIGURE 51 PERIOD VI C-E
Figure
No.
locus
A o T3 (1)
B
o TT-4 (1)
C o TT1-11
D
o TT1-11
E
o TT1-3
F
o TT1-3
C
o TT1-3
H o IT2-5
I
o IT2-5
D IT1-8
~ _ . -
De scription
Coarse ware, grit temper
Burn ished, coarse ware; reduced
1 :2
Coarse wa re, chaff temper; re-
duced 1 :2
Plain redd ish wash, medium gr it
temper; reduced 1:2
Plain red ware, chaff temper, fine
grit
Buff sli p
Coarse ware, smoothed, bur-
n ished chaff temper
Figure
No. locus
K D TT1-4 (1)
l D TT1-8
M D TT1-8
N D TT1-4
o D TT1-4
P D TT2-8
Q D TT2-13+14
Description
Bevel -rim bowl, coa rse chaff-
tempered
Smoothed, coarse chaff-tempered;
reduced 1:2
Wh ite sl ip on both sides, reduced
1 : 2
Coarse wa re, inte rnal smoothing,
rough externall y, typologicall y
identical to bevel-rim bowls
Gray stone ware
Coarse ware, reddi sh brown slip,
internal plain buff slip
Coarse ware, handle similar to
Fig. 32:A
e
I
II
II
II
6 !
m
II
VI
~
~
129
PLATE 27 Small finds
A B TI4A-4A glass bracelet, Period IV A l B TT5-2 stone ring, Period IV A
B B TT4A-5 copper-bronze pin, Period IV A M B TT5A-1 (1) incised stone disc, perforated,
C B TI4A-5 copper-bronze pin, Period IV A Period IV A
D BW TT5-6 copper-bronze chisel, Period IV A N BW TT5-5 steatite bead, Period IV B
E C-7A clay dog (?), Period V C 0 A-1 bronze arrow point, Period I
F BW TT5-6 clay dog (?), Period IV B P A-1 stone axe-shaped bead, flint chip,
G BW TT5-6 stone labret for ear or lip, Period
three shell beads, two shells,
IV B; directly beneath is steatite
Period I
fragment
Q BW TT5-5 steatite bead, Period IV A
H BW TT5-6 three beads, steatite, turquoise, R D-7 (2) two beads (stone, mother-of-
alabaster, Period IV B
pearl ), Period VI B
J B TT5-6 black stone bead, Period IV B 5 D-7 mother-of-pearl pendant, perfor-
I D TT2-7 stone labret, Period VI A ated, Period VI B
K BW TT5-5 green stone bead, Period IV B
PLATE 43 Front view of female figurine of steatite, from Area 0 -8 (7), Period VI 0
A MIDDLE PERSIAN INSCRIBED SHERD FROM TEPE YAHYA*
RICHARD N. FRYE
The inscription incised on a potsherd is incom-
plete, but it reads as follows:
-]tkn 'P -: patronymic in -kn, and -"
The script is well-formed inscriptional Middle
Persian and must date from about 225 to 350 A.D.
The earlier date represents the beginning of the
Sasanian dynasty under Ardashir while 350 is the
middle of the reign of Shapur II , in which time
the inscriptional alphabet had been modified by
the cursive alphabet. One need only compare the
-t- of our potsherd with the t in the inscription
of Abursam at Firuzabad. A rough date for the
inscription on the potsherd from Tepe Yahya
would be 300 A.D. It could hardly be earlier than
240 A.D. since the alphabet on the coins of Arda-
shir is not as well developed as on the inscriptions
of his son Shapur.
Inscribed pottery from the Sasanian period, as
opposed to ostraca, is extremely rare. I know of
no other incised inscription in the Middle Per-
sian inscriptional alphabet. From the size of the
letters 1.6 cm. one would infer that the pot was
large. Since it was inscribed at the time of making,
the pot was probably intended to be placed in a
fire temple, an official storehouse, or the like,
rather than in a private house. Few people could
write inscriptional Middle Persian and in all like-
lihood a pot for private use would not be in-
scribed.
To turn to the letters, the reading -tkn is clear
whereas the 'P has a line beneath which makes the
interpretation 'P a guess, but a good one. There
are few common words ending in -tkri, except er-
roneous spellings such as krtkn "deeds," where
one would expect -k'n. More likely is a place name
such as 'twrptkn "Azerbaijan," but most probable
is a patronymic such as the names in the Ka'bah
inscription of Shapur I, wldptkn, snbytkn, n'sptkn
(a title?). Therefore, I would propose that the in-
scription contained a name, of which only the
last part -tkn is preserved, followed by a new sen-
tence beginning with 'P "and."
* See Fig. 3:M.
29060 A.D. (GX- 173 8)
145 120 B.C. (GX-1732)
PERIOD I
A3E-3
A2TT6-4
Appendix
RADIOCARBON DATES
PERIOD V B
CTT1,3-2 3630 410 B.C. (WSU 872)
PERIOD 11
BTT1 -9
BTT1 -9
PERIOD III
BWTTW-3
BTT1-1(1)
BTT1 -1 0
BTI1-10(1 )
270250 B.C. (WSU 874)
370140 B.C. (WSU 875)
645 120 B.C. (GX-172 6)
590 130 B.C. (GX-1 729)
545 140 B.C. (GX-1733)
980 455 B.C. (WSU 875)
PERIOD V C
CTT1,3-4
PERIOD VI A
D-3
D-4
PERIOD VI C
D-7
3660 140 B.C. (WSU 871)
4120180 B.C. (GX-1509)
3620160 B.C. (GX-1737)
4660 140 B.C. (GX-1728)
PERIOD IV B
BWTI5-7
BW-9
BWTI 5-6
2438 360 B.C. (GX 1727)
3245 465 B.C. (WSU 876)
3280 170 B.C. (GX- 173 4)
Radiocarbon dates, unacceptable:
CTT6-6 2640 180 B.C. (GX-1730)
BTT5-1(1) 9,190 360 (GX 1735)
C-7(13) 1340120 (GX-1737)
All dates are reported wit h a 5570 hal f-l ife. To con vert to a half-life of 5730 multiply the age given above by 1.03
(Radiocarbon Vol. 7, 1965). Add itional dates are bei ng undertaken by the lata Institute for Fundamental Research,
Bomba y, Ind ia, and Geochr on, Camb ri dge, Mass.
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