TEHRAN — Newly published findings from rescue excavations at the Bardeh Mar archaeological site in Iran’s Hawraman region are shedding fresh light on the seasonal rhythms of pastoral life during the Islamic period.

The excavations, originally carried out in 2015 ahead of the filling of the Daryan Dam reservoir, focused on a site long known to local herders as a Hawar — a temporary winter encampment. According to the recently released report, archaeologists uncovered clear evidence that the camp was used during two distinct phases: the Middle Islamic period (12th–13th centuries CE) and the Late Islamic period (18th–19th centuries CE).

Researchers say the discoveries offer a rare glimpse into how mobile pastoral communities organized their winter settlements in the rugged highlands of western Iran. Structural remains, tools, and domestic artifacts found at Bardeh Mar suggest that herders adapted their shelters and material culture over time, while maintaining long-standing traditions tied to transhumance.

Located in the rugged mountains of Kordestan province, the site was characterized by simple, circular dry-stone structures built without mortar. Unlike the permanent villages of the region, which feature rectangular architecture, the buildings at Bardeh Mar were modest, temporary shelters.

"The architectural evidence is clear and compelling," said Dr. Amir Saed Mucheshi, the lead archaeologist of the project from the University of Kordestan. "We are not looking at a permanent village, but at a seasonal campsite. The seasonal circular houses and a combination of a house and a hut, built quickly and efficiently from locally available stone, are directly comparable to the Hawars used by modern pastoralists in Hawraman for winter grazing."

A key line of evidence confirming the site's function came from the detailed analysis of animal bones recovered from the excavations. The faunal assemblage was dominated by the remains of domesticated sheep, goat, and cattle, pointing to an economy heavily reliant on herding. The study also identified bones of wild animals such as deer, fox, and wild boar.

Dr. Marjan Mashkour, a leading zooarchaeologist from the CNRS in France who studied the remains, stated, “The zooarchaeological data unequivocally show that the subsistence economy at Bardeh Mar was based on pastoralism. The inhabitants were primarily herding goats, sheep, and cattle. These animals were their main source for food and secondary products, which is entirely consistent with the site’s interpretation as a seasonal camp for pastoralists.”

The artifacts recovered from the site further support its interpretation as a short-term habitation. The excavation yielded nearly 4,300 pottery fragments, the vast majority of which were simple, mainly handmade, and brown-colored. The absence of glazed ceramics and the limited variety of vessel forms—mostly small and medium-sized bowls and jars—suggest a community with minimal possessions, transporting only essential items for their seasonal stay.

The chronology of the site was established using both radiocarbon dating of bone and charcoal samples and thermoluminescence dating of pottery. The results firmly place the two main phases of occupation in the Seljuk-Ilkhanid and after the Safavid to the Qajar eras.

A significant find that helped anchor the later period was clay tobacco pipes discovered on the floor of one structure. These artifacts, which date to the 18th century, align with the historical record of tobacco's introduction and popularization in the region during the Ottoman era.

Perhaps the most significant outcome of this research is the demonstration of cultural continuity. The site’s spatial layout, architecture, and pastoral function persisted for several centuries across the Middle and Late Islamic periods, reflecting the same patterns of seasonal nomadism that are still practiced in Hawraman today.

The study of Bardeh Mar is pivotal as it sheds light on a type of site that is often overlooked in Iranian archaeology, which has traditionally focused on large, permanent settlements. Also, the use of ethnoarchaeological data in explaining the function of archaeological sites is one of the valuable results of this research.

"This research fills a critical gap in our understanding of the rural economy and land-use systems in the highlands of western Iran," Dr. Saed Mucheshi explained. "It shows how ancient communities successfully adapted to a challenging mountain environment through a mobile pastoral lifestyle, a tradition that has shaped the cultural landscape of Hawraman for generations."

The findings from Bardeh Mar, now submerged under the reservoir of the Daryan Dam, stand as a valuable record of the enduring relationship between humans and their environment in the Zagros Mountains.

The excavation of Bardeh Mar was part of the broader Darian Dam Archaeological Salvage Program, initiated before the reservoir's flooding between 2015 and 2016. Under the general direction of Fereidoun Biglari, this rescue project led to the discovery and excavation of numerous significant sites in the Hawraman region, spanning from the Middle Paleolithic period to the modern era. Key excavated sites included Darai Rockshelter (Middle Paleolithic), Kenacheh Cave (Upper Paleolithic), and Sar Cham (Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Historical Period). The program provided a crucial snapshot of human occupation in this mountainous area, with most of the sites, including Bardeh Mar, now permanently underwater.

AM