TEHRAN – An archaeological site has recently been unearthed on the outskirts of Torbat-e Heydarieh after torrential rains washed the soil away in the northeastern Iranian region.

“A number of historical potteries were found in a [nearby] river after torrential rains poured down in the region, which caused a historical site to be unveiled,” Ali Mohammadi, the head of Torbat-e Heydarieh Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, said on Monday, CHTN reported.

The site dates back to the early and middle Islamic eras, according to preliminary studies carried out by the cultural heritage experts, the official noted.

Police forces and local officials in charge of safeguarding cultural heritage have been on high alert during and after the rainfalls, he said.

“Over 40 inspections have been made over the past couple of days and an illegal excavation team has been arrested in this regard,” he noted.

The history of the area stretches back to very ancient times. It was part of the Achaemenian Empire of the 6th to 4th century BC and the Parthian Empire, which spanned from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century CE.

AFM/MG