The Emam Zadeh Chahar Rustayi Site, a Bakun Period Settlement in Bushehr Province, Southern Iran

Abstract

Genaveh County is located on the NE coast of the Persian Gulf with an area of about 1837 Square kilometers, 165 kilometers Northwest of Bushehr. Our information about the prehistoric period of the coastal province of Bushehr is very limited. The few studies conducted in this area have not been systematic and have not pursued a specific goal. Only for the Paleolithic period has some research been done. Therefore, our systematic study in this region has attempted to identify the cultural status of this area. The Chahar Rustayi archaeological site (34°68′47′′N; 57°69′32′′E; 87-meter elevation) is located within 5 kilometers of the west bank of the Shoor River and 2 kilometers south of the village of Chahar Rustayi. Realizing the importance of the Chahar Rustayi site (Eman Zadeh Hill or Tepe Emam Zadeh) to the understanding of regional exchanges, and the utility of pottery in identifying prehistoric cultures, as well as the role of pottery shapes and designs in assigning the sequence of cultural eras, our goal was a thorough analysis of the cultural materials obtained in a methodical study of the site to clarify the cultural succession of the region. After mapping and 10 × 10 m 2 gridding of the area, alternative sampling was performed on 50% of the squares (207 squares). Pottery and lithic material recovered during the surface survey showed that this site had been settled from the late Neolithic Period until the end of Chalcolithic Period.

Full text

Sociology and Anthropology 3(1): 45-51, 2015 http://www.hrpub.org
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2015.030106
The Emam Zadeh Chahar Rustayi Site, a Bakun Period
Settlement in Bushehr Province, Southern Iran
Hakimeh Bargahi 1, Mohammad Hossein Rezaei 2,*
1Archaeology Department, Central Tehran Campus, Islamic Azad University
2Archaeology Department, Neyshabur University
*Corresponding Author: mohammad.1561@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2015 Horizon Research Publishing All rights reserved.
Abstract Genaveh County is located on the NE coast of
the Persian Gulf with an area of about 1837 Square
kilometers, 165 kilometers Northwest of Bushehr. Our
information about the prehistoric period of the coastal
province of Bushehr is very limited. The few studies
conducted in this area have not been systematic and have not
pursued a specific goal. Only for the Paleolithic period has
some research been done. Therefore, our systematic study in
this region has attempted to identify the cultural status of this
area. The Chahar Rustayi archaeological site (34°68′47′′N;
57°69′32′′E; 87-meter elevation) is located within 5
kilometers of the west bank of the Shoor River and 2
kilometers south of the village of Chahar Rustayi. Realizing
the importance of the Chahar Rustayi site (Eman Zadeh Hill
or Tepe Emam Zadeh) to the understanding of regional
exchanges, and the utility of pottery in identifying
prehistoric cultures, as well as the role of pottery shapes and
designs in assigning the sequence of cultural eras, our goal
was a thorough analysis of the cultural materials obtained in
a methodical study of the site to clarify the cultural
succession of the region. After mapping and 10 × 10 m2
gridding of the area, alternative sampling was performed on
50% of the squares (207 squares). Pottery and lithic material
recovered during the surface survey showed that this site had
been settled from the late Neolithic Period until the end of
Chalcolithic Period.
Keywords Iranian Prehistory, Systematic Survey,
Pottery, Bakun Period, Chahar Rustayi Site, Chalcolithic
1. Introduction
The Province of Bushehr, with an area of 23167 square
kilometers, is located in the southern part of Iran (centered
around 28°58′N 50°50′E) on the eastern margin of the
Persian Gulf. It has an average altitude of about 5 meters, and
is bordered on the north by Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh, and
Boyer-Ahmad provinces, in the east by Fars Province, and in
the southeast and southwest by Hormozgan Province (Figure
1).
Figure 1. Location of Bushehr Province
The Chahar Rustayi site lies at 34°68′47′′N 57°69′32′′E at
87- meters elevation, and is located less than 5 kilometers
west of the Shoor River, and 2 kilometers from the village of
Chahar Rustayi [1]. The Chahar Rustyi Site was first
identified and recorded in 2004 during an archaeological
survey along the shores of the Persian Gulf conducted by an
Iranian-English team supervised by Robert Carter [2]
Eman Zadeh Hill is a low relatively large hill with a flat
surface approximately 270 meters long, 148 meters wide,
and 4 meters high. The vestige of a gravel road, 1.50 meters
long and 1 meter high composed of sand and grit, is clearly
visible on the central part of the hill’s surface. A trench has
been dug around the hill by the Natural Resources
Organization to delimit the hill from the surrounding lands,
and trees have been planted on the entire surface of the hill.
A dirt road, which runs towards the nearby Amir el Momenin
Shrine has cut through and destroyed the central part of the
site, divides it into eastern and western parts. (Figure 3).

46 The Emam Zadeh Chahar Rustayi Site, a Bakun Period Settlement in Bushehr Province, Southern Iran
Figure 2. Location of Chahar Roustayi Site
Figure 3. Chahar Roustayi Site
The Shoor Kolahi River is the best water resource for the
site, and is lies about 4.5 kilometers west of the hill. There is
also a small ephemeral wetland on the eastern margin of the
site which still contains water and is a sanctuary for animals
and birds, especially migratory birds, but is dry by summer.
This wetland was probably part of an earlier channel of the
Shoor River, but was eventually cut off from the river,
becoming a habitat for birds.
Investigstion of Tepe Emam Zadeh was conducted using a
systematic survey method. The primary goal was to achieve
an understanding of the relationship between Tepe Emam
Zadeh and other sites located in southern and southwestern
Iran. Our intention was to prepare a chronological table, and
present the resulting data as a framework for the
implementation of future long-term, systematic excavations
in this area.
2. Methodology
Mapping
Topographic mapping of the Chahar Rustayi Site, began
with selection of the highest point of the hill and its
designation as point A. Then, using a GPS instrument and a
string balance, the elevations and angles were recorded for
determining the coordinates. To the south and within 10
meters of point A, another point was designated as B, and the
north-south axis of the hill was determined along these
points. The grid network was formed into four sections using
string. The northwestern, southwestern, northeastern and
southeastern quadrants were respectively gridded. First, the
northwestern quadrant was divided into 10×10 m2 squares
using a string and wooden pegs. Then the squares were
named. For naming the squares, vertical/west sides of the
grid were assigned numbers, and the horizontal/north sides
of the grid were assigned letters. On the numbered side, the
northern most row of squares was numbered 1, and the
western most row of the squares was designated with A (see
Figure 4)
Sampling
Sampling began in square A1 and ended in square Q21.
The collected samples were placed in plastic bags bearing
labels including square name, date and name of the person in
charge, and for greater certainty, a card with similar
information was placed into the bag.
A total of 414 squares in 10×10 m2 dimensions were
created on the surface of the hill (Table 1). Due to lack of
time and money, the vertical rows were sampled alternately,
that is, only 50% of the squares were sampled. Out of 207
sampled squares, 122 squares contained nothing (that is,
there were no movable objects to be evaluated and collected
from the square). Out of a total of 191 samples, there were
170 pottery sherds and 21 lithic fragments.

Sociology and Anthropology 3(1): 45-51, 2015 47
Figure 4. topography of Chahar Rustayi Site
Table 1. Gridding of the systematic archaeological survey of the Chahar Rustayi Site.

48 The Emam Zadeh Chahar Rustayi Site, a Bakun Period Settlement in Bushehr Province, Southern Iran
3. Discussion
Pottery sherd frequency is plotted in the pie chart below
(Figure 5). Most of the identified sherds were of the Bakun
B2 period. The frequency of the pottery was as follows: the
lowest number was of the Bakun B1 period with 4 sherds,
equivalent to 2 percent of the pottery recovered; Bakun B2
period pottery with 143 sherds comprised 88 percent of the
total sherd; Bakun A type pottery with 10 sherds, was
equivalent to 6% of the total sherds; Finally Lapui period
pottery with 6 sherds, comprised 4 percent of the total
identified sherds (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Pie chart of the proportions of ceramics of different types
recovered during the survey of the Chahar Roustayi Site.
After separation of pottery based upon morphology (rim,
body, base shapes), they were subject to typology based on
decoration (Figures 6, 7, 8). Among these sherds, a major
part was comprised of portions of the body. Pottery is the
most important archaeological tool in the Middle East, and
because it was the major artifact recovered during the
archaeological survey of Chahar Rustayi Emam Zadeh Hill,
its analyses forms the basis for the chronology, and regional
comparisons of the site (Figure 10). In this analysis, due to
lack of stratified prehistoric sites in Bushehr, pottery from
the site was compared with those excavated from sites in
Fars and Khuzestan provinces, e.g., from Tale Bakun, Tale
gap, Tale Nurabad, Choghamish and Choghabanut (Table 2).
Comparison of pottery from the Chahar Rustayi Site with
the prehistoric pottery of other cultural zones of southern and
southwestern Iran showed that the pottery of the Chahar
Rustayi Site is very similar to samples from Fars Province to
the east, in particular from the Marvdasht Plain and
Mamasani region (Fig.1) Only in that region, have pottery
designs comparable to those recovered from the Chahar
Rustayi Site been found. Therefore, this suggests a close
relationship between the Genaveh region with Marvdasht
and the Nurabad plains. Although the form and design of
Chahar Rustayi Site pottery is similar to the form of pottery
in southern and southwestern Iran, what makes them more
similar to more local pottery is the flexibility or angular form
of the designs (perhaps a question of taste). Also there are
differences in more technical issues such as size, temper
amount, and pottery color. In a comparison of designs of the
pottery from the Chahar Rustayi Site with those of Tale
Bakun and Tale Nurabad in Fars, it is seems that only
geometric designs (mostly crossed hatchings, diamond
hatchings and broad bands) can be seen, and no example of
plant, animal and human motifs were found.
Figure 6. Body sherds
Figure 7. Base sherds
Figure 8. Rim sherds

Sociology and Anthropology 3(1): 45-51, 2015 49
Tab le 2. Descriptions of pottery from other areas
Number
Sherd
type
Square
number
Technique Quality Firing Decoration
Fabric
(core)
Surface
color
Inside
color slip
Temper
Chronology =
probable period
Extra-local comparison references
1 rim M7-3 wheel fine well
painted
black
duplex
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Egami & Sono 1962 figs.12.5-6-15.10, 28.4 [3];
Egami & Massuda 1962 fig.15.11 [4]; Egami et al 1977
pl.III.19 [5]; Lagsdorff & McCown 1942 pl 9.1-6 [6];
Delougaz & Kantor 1996 XIVC-2.118 [7]; Hole &
Flannery 1969 fig. 52, j-f-I [8]
2 rim G8 -4 wheel fine well
painted
brown
duplex
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2 Alizadeh 2004 77,78 fig: 22,E fig. 35 D [9]
3 body C1-1 wheel fine well
painted
black
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Alizadeh 2008 fig: VIII-3, 187 [10] Pots & Roustaei
2006 fig. 3.87, tnp 1204 [11]
4 body N14-2 wheel fine well
painted
black
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Delougaz & Kantor 1996 [7]
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig. 3.55tnp1317 [11]
Hole & Flannery 1969 fig. 52, e, f [8] Carter & Challis
2004 fig. bh. 56, 36 [2]
5 body H16-1 wheel fine well
painted
black &
brown
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh. 56, 44, 142 [2]
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig. 3.86tnp1204 [11]
6 body A7-2 wheel fine well
painted
black
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh56 .142.30 [2]
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig 3.82tnp1355 [11]
7 body C17-1 wheel fine well
painted
black
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh 56 3, 44.231 [2]
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig. 3.91tnp1055 [11]
8 body G11-4 wheel fine well
painted
black
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh56, 35, 142 [2]
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig. 3.87tnp1194 [11]
Alizadeh 2008 fig. 4, f [10]
9 body B6-4 wheel fine well
painted
black
red
buff
light
buff light vegetal Lapui Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig: 4.115, TS1407 [11]
10 base I13-3 wheel fine well
painted
black
red
buff
light
red vegetal Bakun B2
Pots & Roustaei 2006 fig. 4.96Ts501, 567 [11]
Miroschedji 1981a fig. 26,9 [12]
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh56 .19.140 [2]
11 base H6-2 wheel fine well
painted
black
duplex
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh56,17 [2] Pots & Roustaei
2006 fig. 3.82, tnp1325 [11]
12 base L16-1 wheel
mediu
m
well
painted
black
duplex
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2
Deluogaz and Kantor 1996 pl.176 r.192.c [7]
Langsdorff & McCown 1942 pl.5.9,10 [6]
13 base B10-3 wheel fine well
painted
black
duplex
buff
buff
light
buff light vegetal Bakun B2 Carter & Challis 2004 fig. bh56 .76 [2]

50 The Emam Zadeh Chahar Rustayi Site, a Bakun Period Settlement in Bushehr Province, Southern Iran
Tab le 3. Pottery distribution at the Chahar Roustayi Site by period: Bakun B1 (yellow), Bakun B2 (Black), Bakun A (Blue), and Lapui (Red)
The density and frequency of finds in the central and
southern parts of the hill was higher than in other parts. The
most dense concentration of artifacts (15 pieces) was found
in square F20 in the southern part of the hill. Evaluating the
spatial distribution of dated pottery indicated the density and
frequency of Bakun B1 pottery is greatest on the northern
part of the hill, although the greatest number of sherds of this
period were retrieved from square A9 (2 samples) located on
the southern part of the hill. The greatest density and
abundance of Bakun B2 pottery shereds was on the
southern and central parts of the hill. The greatest number of
sherds of this period was found in square F20 (15 sherds)
located on the southern part of the hill. Bakun A pottery
sherds were often found as interspersed with sherds of other
ages. The greatest number of sherds of this period was
recovered in square F8 (three sherds). There were a few
sherds of Lapui period pottery. Most of these sherds were
scattered, primarily on the northern and central parts of the
hill. The greatest number of sherds of this period were
retrieved from square J20 (two sherds) located in the
southwestern part of the hill (Table 3).
The lithics recovered from the surface of the site included
retouched blades, a notched bladelet, a notched flake, a
rejuvenation core bladelet, and an end scraper on bladelet
(Figure 10).
Figure 9. Sketch of painted designs on sherds from the Chahar Roustayi
Site

Sociology and Anthropology 3(1): 45-51, 2015 51
Figure 10. Lithics (the scale is 2 centimeters)
4. Conclusions
The pottery and lithics recovered during a systematic
surface survey of the Chahar Rustayi Site indicates that it has
been inhabited from the early fifth millennium B.C. until the
late fourth millennium B.C. When the Chahar Rustayi Site
pottery is compared with stratified sites in Fars, it clearly has
been settled from the end of Neolithic Period (contemporary
with Bakun B1-type pottery) up to the late Chalcolithic
Period (contemporary with Lapui-type pottery) according to
the chronology.
The presence of the hollow pottery with plant temper and
buff color along with lithics, including chipped stone,
bladelet, scraper, etc. indicates settlement of this site
beginning during the Neolithic period. Distribution of the
pottery indicates that most of the settlements of the various
periods were primarily in the central and southern parts of
the hill. Based upon the distribution of pottery sherds, it
seems that this site had its greatest extent during the Early
Chalcolithic (Bakun B2) Period. The majority of the sherds
found (88%) are from this period. Comparison of the
pottery designs of the Chahar Rustayi Site with other sites in
south and southwestern Iran indicate that this site has had an
intra-regional relationship with other sites of Bushehr
Province, and has had extensive extra-regional relations with
the Tale Bakun, Tale Nurabad, Choghamish hill and
Chaghabanut hill regions in the Fars and Khuzestan
provinces [11]; [7]; [2]; [3]; [9]; [6].
Finally, it is necessary to point out, that, so far, the
description of the prehistoric settlement of the Chahar
Rustayi Site only relies on evidence obtained from surface
survey, and upon a limited number of pottery sherds that
compare favorably with those from regions primarily to the
west of Bushehr Province. In the final analysis, a more
reliable interpretation should be based upon the far more
accurate results of extensive, radiocarbon-dated,
stratigraphic excavations of the site.
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