this issue
previous article in this issuenext article in this issue

Document Details :

Title: Archäologische Untersuchungen in Horriyeh und Dehno, Khuzestan (Iran)
Author(s): MOFIDI-NASRABADI, Behzad
Journal: Iranica Antiqua
Volume: 45    Date: 2010   
Pages: 259-276
DOI: 10.2143/IA.45.0.2047121

Abstract :
In order to determine the settlement structure around Chogha Zanbil surveys were carried out at Horriyeh and Dehno but also at some other archaeological sites in this region. Horriyeh is situated about 3 km northwest of Chogha Zanbil. There is a large variety of pottery from the Parthian to the early Islamic Period. Some small eroded baked brick structures were found near the Dez river. Ghirshman suggested that these should be the remains of the New Year festival house (bīt akīti) of Chogha Zanbil that was built near the river. Although there is some pottery of the middle Elamite period at Horriyeh, which indicates that there might have been a settlement of that time, it is unlikely that a New Year festival house was here, because the course of the river could not have been exactly the same as today. Furthermore, the sediment layers are several metres high due to the yearly flood at the river bed. Therefore it is impossible to assume that the baked brick remains near the river are from the middle Elamite period. Dehno is situated about 7 km northeast of Chogha Zanbil. It is a mound about 150 × 200 m large and 10 m high. The pottery shards at Dehno are from the 4th millennium B.C. to the Islamic period. Some inscribed baked bricks found on the surface indicate that Igi-halki, Šutruk Nahhunte and Kutir Nahhunte made a temple for the Elamite goddess Manzat in this place. We were able to carry out a geomagnetic prospection, which shows some monumental buildings partly made of baked bricks on the top of the ancient mound. The surveys at the river bed indicate some other settlements from the Parthian to the early Islamic period, which were situated close to the river. However, the earlier settlements from the different Elamite periods are located afar from the river. Because of the high density of sediment layers by the river, the existence of Elamite settlements can not be excluded under the sediments. In order to obtain a more accurate image about the settlement structure of the different Elamite periods by the river bed geological research is inevitable, which provides an informative basis about the course of the river through the time and the density of it’s sediment layers.

Download article