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Archaeological Survey of the Parthian-Sassanian Oltan Fortress

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Dr. Kaveh Farrokh

The article “Archaeological survey sheds new light on Sassanid era fortress” was published in the Tehran Times on September 21, 2022. The version printed further below has been edited from its original in the Tehran Times. Excepting one image, none of the other images and accompanying descriptions printed below, appear in the original Tehran Times report.

Note that the article below alludes the Oltan fortress as Sassanian in origin, however its foundations were most possibly built during the earlier Parthian era.

For further information on Sassanian military architecture see:

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A team of Iranian archaeologists has recently finished an archaeological season on the Sassanian-era (224–651 CE) Oltan Fortress in Ardabil province, ISNA reported on Wednesday. The new archaeo-geophysical studies with magnetometric methods have led to novel discoveries, said Kurosh Mohammdkhani, who presides over the project. As a result of this method, as well as the aerial photographs taken by a drone from 95 meters above the ground of the castle and its surroundings, digital maps of the terrain will be prepared, he added.

A view of the standing structures of Oltan Fortress (Image Source: Ezzat). Note the openings in the corner tower which were most likely used as slits for firing arrows, with the smaller slits towards the top of the structure possibly used as observation ports.

There can be no doubt that this castle was an important defensive structure in northwest Iran during the Sassanian era, but its studies and excavations have largely been neglected until this day, he mentioned. The fortress has been inscribed on the national heritage list. From ancient to modern times, defensive walls have often been necessary for cities to survive in an ever-changing world of invasion and conquest. Fortresses were designed primarily to defend territories in warfare and were also used to solidify rule in a region during peacetime.

An excellent view of the Sassanian-built wall of Derbent, located in the modern city of Derbent in Daghestan and the Caspian Sea (Source: Сулим Кудусов in Public Domain).

Uruk in ancient Sumer (Mesopotamia) is one of the world’s oldest known walled cities. The Ancient Egyptians also built fortresses on the frontiers of the Nile Valley to protect against invaders from neighboring territories. Many of the fortifications of the ancient world were built with mud brick, often leaving them no more than mounds of dirt for today’s archaeologists.

An archeologist engaged in data collection at the site of Oltan castle (Source: Tehran Times).

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and the Shrine Ensemble. The province is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

A splendid view of the defensive wall of the Oltan fortress (Image Source: Tishineh).

Related posts:

  1. Documentary Film Production: the UNESCO Sassanian Fortress in Darband
  2. UNESCO: Sassanian Archaeological Landscape of the Fars Region
  3. Archaeological Survey finds Prehistoric Hatch to Apadana Palace in Persepolis
  4. UNESCO: Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent
  5. The Izadkhast Fortress at Fars Province
  6. Shahr-e Belqeys in the late Sassanian and Early Islamic eras
  7. Parthian artifacts housed in Istanbul’s Archaeological Museums
  8. Ancient 70-Mile-Long Wall Found in Western Iran. But Who Built It?
  9. The Ancient Sassanian City of Bishapur
  10. Oblicza Wojny [Faces of War] (2024) publishes article on Parthian Military Architecture

Hidden for 2,000 years: Egypt’s astonishing tomb discovery

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Dubai: Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered a remarkably preserved funerary complex dating to the Late and Greco-Roman periods at the Tell Athar Quesna necropolis in Menoufia Governorate, revealing hundreds of burial artefacts, imported pottery and evidence of ancient trade links across the Mediterranean. 

The excavation provides archaeologists with fresh evidence to reconstruct the religious, cultural and economic life of communities that lived in the Nile Delta more than 2,000 years ago.

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The discovery was made by an Egyptian mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities during ongoing excavations at the site, one of the most important non-royal cemeteries in the central Delta. 

According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the excavation uncovered a complete funerary unit centred on a main hall connected to several vaulted burial chambers, where archaeologists found human burials in Osirian positions, alongside an extensive collection of objects associated with funerary rituals.

Among the most significant finds were 560 faience ushabti figurines in their traditional Osirian form, many inscribed with passages from the Book of the Dead, one of ancient Egypt’s most important religious texts relating to the afterlife. 

Louvre reopens months after royal jewels heist

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PARIS (AP) — The Louvre’s Apollo Gallery reopened to the public Wednesday for the first time since 88 million euros ($102 million) in royal jewels were stolen in a dramatic daytime heist.

People can tour the magnificent room on their way to the nearby Mona Lisa, admiring its gilded ceilings and Greek frescoes, but they won’t see any royal jewels or empty display cases. The collections and precious jewels that were once displayed there have been removed as the museum says the gallery is returning to its original purpose, which was 17th-century ceremonial.

The stolen jewels have not been found nine months later.

The gallery’s previous exhibits will be moved elsewhere in the museum, said Christophe Laribo, the Louvre’s director. “It is also an opportunity to rediscover the magnificent architecture and decoration of the gallery,” he said.

Laribeau was appointed head of the Louvre in February after the resignation of the previous director, Laurence de Carres, following the October theft of the royal jewels and a series of failures that have shaken confidence in the leadership of the world’s most visited museum.

“That fateful day, when the iconic pieces were stolen, is unforgettable and, indeed, I believe, should not be forgotten,” said Catherine Pegar, France’s culture minister. “It was a shock to the whole world, which for several days expressed its shock and sorrow in every language. It was a shock to us, discovering the fragility of a place we thought was unshakable, which, like so many others, turned out to be vulnerable.”

Security at the Paris museum has been stepped up with the addition of new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems.

Controversy over Hollywood star’s 3,000-year-old Iranian earrings in Odyssey commercials

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American actress Zendaya has faced a wave of criticism online for wearing earrings made from ancient Iranian artifacts during the promotion of the film “Odyssey.”

Zendaya is facing backlash after ancient Iranian gold medallions she wore to a London press event drew sharp criticism from archaeologists, historians, and social media users, with many citing the timing of the active U.S.-Iran conflict.

At a photocall for The Odyssey, the actress wore earrings described by jewelry dealer Barron London as “a pair of Ziwiye gold medallion plaques, circa first millennium BC Iran.” The pieces feature ancient Iranian sun motifs.

Keeping up appearances: Greece reveals Parthenon façade after 220 years

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For the first time in about 220 years, the west façade of the Parthenon in Greece can be see in its fullest possible form. External scaffolding has now been permanently removed from the monument, marking a key step in its long restoration.

Greece is marking a major milestone with the completion of work to reveal the western pediment of the Parthenon. For the first time in more than two centuries, the country’s most famous monument is now definitively free of its external scaffolding.

The restoration of the orthostates of the tympanum constituted one of the most complex interventions of recent years for the Acropolis Monuments Restoration Service (YSMA).

According to Greece’s culture ministry, the project required highly specialised technical solutions and absolute precision at every stage of the process, from working the new marble to lifting it into place and installing it on the monument.

The large orthostate of the west pediment was restored to its original geometry by bonding the surviving ancient fragments and supplementing them with new marble, while the second was made entirely from new marble. For the final placement of the blocks, a new functional scaffolding system was installed, meeting the strictest modern safety standards and being aesthetically adapted to the monument.

https://www.euronews.com/

UNESCO: Sassanian Archaeological Landscape of the Fars Region

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By Dr. Kaveh Farrokh

In a report provided by UNESCO on Jul, 2, 2018, eight Sassanian archaeological sites have been officially identified as heritage sites. These are located in three geographical regions in Iran’s Fars Province: Firuzabad, Bishapur and Sarvestan.

 

Aerial view of Ardashir’s Firuzabad palace. Note circular pattern for defense and town planning (Picture source: Historical Iran Blog).

These UNESCO sites are Sassanian fortified structures, palaces, as well as city plans. These are chronologically dated from the early to late Sassanian eras (224-651 CE).

These sites include the original capital of Ardashir Papakan (founder of the Sassanian dynasty), as well as the city and architectural structures of his son and successor, Shapur I.

Structures at the site of Shapur I’s palace at Bishapur (Photo: Pentocelo in situ [Bishapur, Iran] April, 2006).

As averred further by UNESCO:

The archaeologic landscape reflects the optimized utilization of natural topography and bears witness to the influence of Achaemenid and Parthian cultural traditions and of Roman art, which had a significant impact on the architecture and artistic styles of the Islamic era.

Related posts:

  1. A Forgotten Gem of Sassanian Architecture: Iwan-e Karkheh
  2. UNESCO celebrates 1,750th anniversary of Iran’s Gundi-Shapur University
  3. Documentary Film Production: the UNESCO Sassanian Fortress in Darband
  4. Archaeological Survey of the Parthian-Sassanian Oltan Fortress
  5. An Overview of the Sassanian site of Nagshe Rajab
  6. UNESCO: Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent
  7. The Ancient Sassanian City of Bishapur
  8. Shahr-e Belqeys in the late Sassanian and Early Islamic eras
  9. UNESCO: Takht-e Soleiman

    Castle of Ardashir at Firuzabad-فيروز آباد in Fars

The world’s wild lion population is in grave danger

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The world’s wild lion population is in grave danger. There are only 600 Asiatic lions remaining, all of which live in a wildlife reserve in the Gir Forest in northwest India. And just 23,000 African lions roam the land between the southern edge of the Sahara and northern South Africa. The total number of wild lions worldwide has dropped by more than 40 percent in the last half century. But in the past, lions were among the most geographically widespread animals on Earth. Each ancient culture that encountered lions had its own way of embracing their power, and the big cats became symbols of spirituality, kingship, bloodlust, divinity, and even safety and peace.

https://archaeology.org/collection/when-lions-were-king/

CRNO JEZERO CAVE, CROATIA

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The Dubrovnik Times reports that an archaeological team from the Dubrovnik Museums recently uncovered 4,000 years of human occupation in the Crno Jezero (“Black Lake”) Cave. The 780-foot-long cavern snakes its way 300 feet underground near the village of Ponikve on the Pelješac peninsula. The excavations highlighted the different ways that local peoples used the cave from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. During the second millennium b.c., the cave was mostly used for temporary or seasonal housing, especially during periods of conflict or inclement weather. From the ninth to the sixth century b.c., the space was transformed into a burial ground. Archaeologists learned that it was most intensely used during the last few centuries b.c., when Illyrian communities established a sacred sanctuary at the site. Excavations unearthed miniature ceramic vessels of Greek or local origin that were left as votive offerings during religious ceremonies. Archaeologists also found luxury Greek wine vessels such as amphoras and cups that were not used in everyday Illyrian life but served as symbols of status associated with unknown wine-based rituals. Human skeletal fragments uncovered deep within the cave date to the thirteenth century a.d. and mark the site’s final phase of use, although researchers are not yet sure whether they were intentionally buried there or represent the remains of individuals who were accidentally trapped in the narrow hollows and died. 

Medieval Documents Recovered at Sudan’s Old Dongola

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WARSAW, POLAND—Science in Poland reports that a medieval document has been recovered at a large residential structure at the site of Old Dongola in Sudan by a team of researchers from the University of Warsaw. The text, written in Arabic on paper, is an order issued by King Qashqash, a ruler thought by some to be a legendary figure known only from mention in a nineteenth-century work. The building where the document was found also contained textiles made of cotton, linen, and silk; objects made of ivory and rhino horn; amulets; and more than 20 letters and administrative and legal documents. Team member Tomasz Barański said that the language and handwriting of the order indicate that Arabic was not yet fully established in medieval Dongola. “The use of non-standard grammatical forms and the rather unsophisticated hand should not be surprising, particularly in an environment where Arabic had not yet become a native language,” he said. “Moreover, the irregular shape of the sheet of paper on which the order was written suggests that this text may have been only a draft of the actual document.” Read the original scholarly article about this research in Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa.