|
Abstract
|
The purpose of this article is to introduce the large prehistoric site of Hajjiabad-Varamin, its
changes in time and the first discoveries made there, in the specific literature on the early
Bronze Age of the south-eastern Iranian Plateau. The first part of the article describes the
site, its present damaged conditions, the periodisation we adopted and the complex
topographic shifts and changes of functions through time. The second part focuses on the
settlement of the 3rd millennium BC and discusses a major craft activity area found east
of the main elevation of the site, in which were manufactured vessels in various stones
(white alabaster, grey limestones with white fossil inclusions, and probably chlorite).
Collections include large drill-heads in volcanic rocks used on the interior of the stone
pots, and standardised beads of a green and red-banded calcite broken while being
drilled. While the stone vessels find abundant comparisons and were certainly in demand
for long-distance trade, the beads type is not known in other contexts and were
presumably made for a local demand. We also present the unusual find of a hoard of
copper objects which helps framing the 3rd millennium BC centre in terms of cultural links
and chronology.
|