Iranian Central Desert City, Lush Area Thousands of Years Ago - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural Daily News of Iran©

Paleoethnobotanical studies carried out in the ancient Siyalk site in Kashan, central Iran, suggest the desert area had enjoyed a mild climate with a variety of plants some 5,000 B.C.

Siyalk is a unique historical site in the country with remains from the 5th to 1st millennium B.C. It houses the world's oldest ziggurat estimated to be 4900 years old. Despite its current arid weather, the area had favourable weather conditions with a variety of plants, head of the local archaeological explorations team Shahmirzadi said.

"Studies indicate trees such as willow, pine, fig as well as barely and wheat were grown in the area," he noted.

Shahmirzadi also said remains of a river and two brooks have been found, which could indicate there had been enough water for human settlement.

A new round of explorations started in Siyalk in 2001 which led to the discovery of the world's oldest ziggurat. It is a three story mud brick structure with more than 1.25 million bricks. Archaeologists also discovered 500kgs of copper scrap.

Siyalk is comprised of several hills which have rendered many objects such as pottery from various historical era from the 5th to 1st millennium B.C.

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