---

  Khaveh plain in the township of Delfan is considered as one of the important plains in the Central Zagros Mountain situated in Eastern Pusht-i Kuh and located between Garin and Sefid-e Kooh Mountains. In general, 36 archeological sites have so far been identified in this plain: the oldest of which relates to aceramic Neolithic Age, and the newest one belongs to the Late-Islamic Age. Among them, 20 sites contain relics related to the Parthian Period. The noteworthy discussions in the present study are mainly based on the activities performed at this plain during 2009-2010 in order to register and determine the boarders of archeological sites, and those carried out in 2011 aiming to identify and analyze the settlement patterns of the Parthian reign in this region. General perception and understanding of the settlement pattern in this region during the Parthian period is the results of this research, which represents demographic or settlement dispersion changes compared with the previous eras. Also it became clear that most of the settlements in the region were small villages or temporary settlements and no evidence of urban centers was recognized. Finally, the present study deals with the investigation and interpretation of the settlement patterns of the Parthian period in this plain.    

---

This study examines the history of animal domestication, nomadic tribes’ development, and factors influencing them in Central Zagros according to the archaeological and anthropological studies of Neolithic to Islamic eras. Besides, the migrational tribes of western Zagros, specially the tribes of Kermanshah, Eslam - Abad, Shirvan-Chardavol, Aivan, and other tribes of the southern parts of Ilam province, which reside there in hot seasons, are introduced. Through thousands of years, these connections and peaceful coexistence coexistence have led to cultural exchange in the Central Zagros region. Tribe ways, migration roads, and architecture of their homes are also investigated.  

---

Hunting different animals was one of the first strategies that human beings adopted to obtain food. This way they could secure their lives through hunting in small groups. Little by little they became so skilled that they could hunt huge animals, too. Hunting involves such skills as tracing, following, and killing the prey. Therefore, it has devoted an important part of anthropological and ethno-archaeological research to itself. On the other hand, due to its nature as a means of living, hunting depended on natural resources on which the human had no control. This factor had a direct influence on the population of human groups. Following the developments in technologies and domestication of wild animals, which were affected by hunting, hunting lost its importance to a great extent. Even though all the aspects of hunting had been specialized, it could no longer continue as an independent means of living. Studying various methods of hunting within Kalhor Tribe in Aivan township, the kinds of animals hunted and the purposes for which they were hunted, the strategies in the region to protect and sustain natural resources, and also the tools and devices people of this region used for hunting, nowadays and some decades ago, provide us with valuable information on the system of hunting from Paleolithic era to recent times.  

---

In order to locate the territories that has been established from 3ed millenume B.C up to date of emergence of Iranian tribes in early 1th millenume B.C, and to disscuss about the tribes who has setteld there,this article provide an image of historical geography of a region in western Iran which is known as Central Zagros cultural basin in literature of archaeology , and this is accomplished through a survey of Mesopotamian texts that are the best documents about western Iran, and some Elamide texts.The teritories so called Varhashe, Simashki and Kassit are some examples. Many Scholarships have proposed different theories about the locating of these territories on the base of above mentioned texts. In this article, we disscussed these points of view and try to arrive at some conclusion about historical geography of this important cultural basin in west of Iran during the above mentioned period.

---

Alashtar is one of the prominent valley plains in central Zagros Mountain Range. The main focus of this study is based on the activities performed in this plain in 2006-2007 periods with the aim of identifying and studying the ancient relics as well as the studies conducted in 2010  to identify and analyze Parthian settlement patterns in this area. Archaeological survey in the area identified 72 historical sites and ancient monument. The current studies suggest that first settlements in this area date back to Copper and Stone Age and the most recent settled sites belong to the later centuries of the Islamic period. Among the historical relics found in Alashtar plain, 42 relics contained remnants of the Parthian.  The overall perception of the settlement pattern in this plain during Parthian period reflects variation in population or distribution of settlement patterns compared to the former and later periods. The distribution pattern of the identified historical sites suggests that the settlements were mainly in the form of rural units with no evidence of urban centers. Overall, the distribution pattern of Parthian settlements has been strongly influenced by climatic characteristics, environmental capabilities and the special geographical position of the region. This paper attempts to study the Parthian settlement pattern in this plain; moreover, it seeks to examine these historical sites and interpret the settlement patterns in the Parthian period.
 



 

---

An insight into the geomorphological characteristics of Holeylan as well as its suitable environment in the Central Zagros convince us that it has a capacity, more than ever shown, in presenting Paleolithic sites. Thus, the necessity of doing an intensive archaeological survey in this valley with the aim to explore the Paleolithic sites became apparent and was achieved only in the autumn of 2015.
The research questions are mainly based on the number of sites, their type and size, geographical variables influencing the site selection patterns among the Paleolithic societies, tool making techniques and identifying raw material sources in Holeylan. 
During the survey, 103 sites, including 24 caves and rock shelters as well as 79 open air sites were identified with utilities such as residential compounds, seasonal camps and hunting ambushes. Among them, only one of the rock shelters was situated in the eastern most part of the valley. The open air sites formed on the natural hill tops with terraces overlooking Seymareh and Jezman Rivers and their tributaries. Climate and tectonic features seem to be the two main reasons that made Holeylan as one of the most important valleys of central Zagros during the Paleolithic era. Moreover, water resources and its elevation above the sea level were the most important components which led settlements access to raw materials. Chert pebbles and cobbles accumulated in the bed by rivers were resources of tool making in Holeylan Valley during the Paleolithic period.