Shiraz, April 10, IRNA �Pieces of pottery and animal bones were found but there was no track of metal technology during the exploration of the river basin in Harmangan of Bavanat County in the southwestern Fars Province, said the head of the archeological exploration team Saturday.


Morteza Khanipour told IRNA that in the first stage of exploration, some 200 artifacts were found in the basin, none of which were metal but mostly broken pottery and animal bones that are the oldest evidence of Neolithic settlement in the area.

During excavations, he added, two phases of settlements were identified while during the earlier phase lack of architecture and existence of multiple ovens and ash dispersion indicate the settlers here were not sedentary but probably emigrants.

Khanipour said on the remains, stratigraphic architecture including rooms and multiple spaces were identified.

He said that the recently excavated settlement in Harmangan, a village in Bavanat County, could be attributed to some 8,000 years ago.

Head of the exploration team deplored that due to the damage done by the agricultural activities in the area all the discovered artifacts have been damaged.

He said improving the understanding and knowledge of chronology of the Neolithic period in Bavanat, recognizing cultural characteristics of the period and studying ways of living of the residents in the area based on the found plants and bones are among the most important objectives in exploring Harmangan.

Bavanat County is located 230 km northeast of provincial capital of Shiraz.

By IRNA