Entrance to the Tus Ancient Fortress Discovered

News Category:

Islamic Period

News Location:

 Khorasân Province

The fourth season of excavation in the Tabaran ancient fortress located near Tus in the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan was completed in the wake of discovering the main entrance of the fortress, a turning point in the history of excavations in this site.

Aiming at finding answers to the previous questions remaining unanswered during the previous phases of the excavation works in this historical site, the fourth season had started in the late June.

“The whereabouts of the entrance of the fortress has always been one of the perplexing puzzles about this ancient fortress which has finally been solved by its discovery”, said Saberi, the head of the excavation team.

Considering the architectural features of the fortress, he said the structure is a wide area with a floor covered by stone, the construction of which has been completed and renovated in different Islamic eras from the Sasanian to Ilkhanid periods.

He went on to say that the main entrance of the ancient fortress discovered in the fourth season has two towers on the two sides and a platform-like area in front of the entrance where a cantilever bridge likely existed, given the existence of a trench in the back.

In the previous seasons of excavation conducted in the Tus fortress, a government citadel and a wide round shaped area have been found where it seems to have been the prison of the citadel.

The Tabaran ancient fortress used to be the main resident of the governor of Tus in the Samanids era up to the Ilkhanid era. Mud bricks and bricks are the construction material of the fortress.

The historical site of the Tous project is one of the permanent research centers of the Cultural Heritage Organization.