TEHRAN – An archaeological team has conducted a field survey across Qiz Qalasi with the aim of defining and proposing legal boundaries to preserve the ancient site, which is situated in northern Iran.

Led by archaeologist Saeid Sattarnejad, this project, funded by Ardabil’s provincial directorate of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts, involved carving 28 archaeological trenches around the site.

Qiz Qalasi, a significant historical site from the early Islamic centuries, played a crucial role in the region's historical events, particularly in the Azarbaijan area. Situated along the trade route connecting Azerbaijan with the South Caucasus, the site holds remnants from the Sassanid, early Islamic, and Seljuk periods.

Sattarnejad emphasized the importance of this survey due to threats posed by the expansion of a nearby village, which has already led to the destruction of parts of the site's architectural remains.

The archaeological work aims to establish clear boundaries to protect the remaining structures and lay the groundwork for more comprehensive future research.

Earlier this year, Rouhollah Mohammadi, head of the Archaeology Department at the provincial directorate, confirmed that the Qiz Qalasi site was registered as a national heritage site in 1966 under number 629. He added that the month-long excavation would help safeguard the site and better understand its historical significance and cultural sequence.

AM