TEHRAN – Fragments of potteries and human bones have accidentally been discovered during a construction project in Damghan, an ancient town in northcentral Iran.

The discovery was made in the premises of a religious shrine, which dates over one millennium, Damghan’s tourism chief Mehdi Qasemi said on Saturday, IRNA reported.  

The newly-discovered objects suggest that the area was home to ancient tombs and burial sites, a notion that needs more investigation to be confirmed, the official explained.

Unfortunately, the potential ancient layers in this area have been vanished due to construction operations by endowment and charity bodies, he added.

The construction project has been halted until relevant authorities issue ruling on the case, Qasemi said.

Damghan lies at an elevation of 3,900 feet (1,200 meters), just southeast of the Alborz Mountains on a large, barren gravel plain. Archaeological excavations at nearby Tappa Hiṣar (Tepe Hissar) reveal occupation from prehistoric times through the Sasanian period.

Damghan was an important town and capital of the medieval province of Qumis but was destroyed by Afghans in 1723.

It is home to one of the oldest mosques in Iran, the Tarik Khaneh (c. 9th century), and several tomb towers of the Seljuq period, which still stand tall in the town.

AFM/MG