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Soil data can be very significantly informative in archeological and anthropological studies. Bam Citadel (BC), as the largest and oldest earthen (non baked brick) monument of the world has been restored for several times, but no data have yet been available surrounding the materials employed in the restoration work. Bam Citadel (BC) was almost totally destroyed by the severe earthquake of December 26th, 2003. A detailed knowledge concerning the old sun-dried cobs and the architecture of the exposed parts could be essential for a better ongoing as well as future restoration. Some old parts of the citadel have been exposed following the devastating earthquake. A micromorphological, physico-chemical, mineralogical and sulfur isotope geochemistry study was carried out to compare the characteristics of the soil samples obtained from the previously restored vs. those of the exposed old parts of the BC. The results indicated that the electrical conductivity differs widely between the samples obtained from the exposed old parts and those obtained from the restored parts (6.4 dS m-1 and 42.4 dS m-1 respectively). This indicates that a saline soil (EC 42.4 dS m-1) has been used in the recent restoration work, while the old non saline cobs’ building material, used by original builders, are thought to have been brought from other non saline areas. Smectite, illite, kaolinite and palygorskite were determined as the predominant clay minerals. Massive microstructure was found as dominant in all the samples, but igneous microlites and gypsum crystals were observed only in the repaired parts. The soil matrix from the old parts was found to be high in organic matter.

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Topography and climate are two important soil forming factors affecting genesis and clay mineralogy of soils. Calcareous and gypsiferous soils are widely spread in arid and semiarid parts of Iran and palygorskite is a dominant clay mineral in these soils. The objectives of the study were to: (1) determine soil genesis and classification along the climotoposequence and (2) investigate clay mineralogy and mode of mineral formation in soils along the sequence. The study area is a transect located in the southwest of Kerman Province covering 1,200 km2 beginning from Kerman Plain (1,840 m above sea level) with aridic moisture regime and extending to Lalehzar elevation (3207 m above sea level) with xeric moisture regime. Soil parent material changed from recent Quaternary alluvium in north of the transect (Kerman Plain) to the materials originated from weathering of igneous granodiorites of Lalehzar Mountains in the south. Illite, high charge smectite, palygorskite, chlorite and kaolinite clay minerals were found in almost all the soils studied. Smectite-vermiculite interstratified minerals were found only in Histosols (pedon 8 at lowland geomorphic position close to Lalehzar Mountain), which are attributed to higher soil moisture in this geomorphic surface. Palygorskite bundles were associated with both calcite and gypsum crystals and they were both pedogenic and inherited from the parent material. Due to higher soil moisture at the end of the transect (Lalehzar elevation), palygorskite was not observed. A close relation was found between soil properties, topography, and climate in the studied sequence.

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This paper focuses on studying, introducing and comparing seals from the settlement areas and cemeteries in the North of Central Plateau of Iran. These seals were discovered in the previous and present excavations and surveys over the region. Based on the obtained results, the ratio of similarity and difference between the two groups of seals (from the settlement areas and the cemeteries) is quite proportionate to that of the potteries found in the mentioned region (again in the settlement areas and the cemeteries). The differences are not so significant to that ignore the traits they have in common. To put it simply, the specific signs and traits could be generally introduced as the seal making style of the Iron Age.

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Archaeologists define the Proto-Elamite phenomenon by the appearance of Proto-Elamite writing, the first form of local writing in Iran on tablets in many cases together with specific types of other management tools and pottery, over a vast geographical territory across the Iranian plateau. Different explanations have been offered to account for this spread and the shift from a Mesopotamian-oriented culture during the earlier period (Late Uruk) to a predominantly Iranian-oriented culture during the late fourth and early third millennium BCE. However, up to now, most of these explanations have been concentrated on the recovered material culture from Fars in the southern part of the plateau and Khuzestan in the southwest. New discoveries from sites on the northern fringes of the plateau depict a fresh and more complete picture of this enigmatic phenomenon. The new excavations and surveys conducted in the settlements that contain the material culture of this horizon have significantly added to our knowledge about the formation and spreading processes of this horizon. Cultural material recently recovered from these sites have extended the Proto-Elamite territory even further, have changed our understanding of the relationships among them and the potential ways this cultural horizon was shaped and diffused. In this paper, we present some of the newly discovered evidence from these sites including but not limited to: Sofalin, Shoghali, Ozbaki, Gholi Darvish and compare them with our older understanding of the presence of this cultural horizon in the center and northern parts of the Iranian plateau.

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This paper, reflecting on the village and archaeological site of Jamalo located on the top of the Zayanderud dam, aims to explore the circumstances human settlements would have encounter with the construction of the dam and when its reservoirs were flooded. About 30 years ago, as the images from Google Map showed, the water strip emerging from the Zayanderud dam, wherein the left riverbank hosted the village and archaeological site of Jamalo. This site had been occupied for much of the sixth and fifth millennium BC until the beginning of the Early Bronze Age. In the Middle Bronze Age, it had been dominated by the Proto-literate, historic, and Islamic periods. Archaeological evidence from surface surveys also indicated that pottery shreds were similar to those of Sialk III and Bakun A. Now, Jamalo is exposed to the waters of the dam reservoir. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of what would have happened to archaeological sites with the construction of the dam, its reservoirs were flooded, and when landscapes were radically altered. Another question was:  “What would have happened to archeological sites as floods made it inaccessible?” Based on the excavation at Jamalo and the comparison of images taken from the region before and after the construction of the dam, it was observed that the reservoir had destroyed the village, and the slopes of the site, especially on the eastern and northeastern parts, had been covered with a layer of deposits.