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A team of archaeologists based in Persepolis has
started a series of studies on Jari and Moushaki hills which are
considered the first residences of farmers in Marvdasht plain,
in the southern province of Fars.
Based on a report by the Research Institute of Parse-Pasargadae,
the project, carried out with cooperation of the Tehran
University, Azad University branches in Tehran, Marvdasht and
Kazeroon and headed by Abbas Alizadeh from the Oriental
Institute of Chicago University, seeks to identify and analyze
the lifestyle of Marvdasht residents some 8500 years ago, plus
the environmental, plant and animal characteristics of the
plain.
The two hills, located 80 km south of Persepolis, were excavated
years ago by Japanese and Belgian experts; however, their
reports lacked information on the mentioned features.
The time sequence of the ancient cultures of the region is
another matter still unsolved.
According to Alizadeh, the hypothesis is that during some time,
Marvdasht was full of trees and many springs existed in the
plain, providing water for its residents and their agricultural
activities.
He adds that the 3-meter deep sediment of mud and soil found in
the area is proof that since 9000 years ago, Marvdasht ground
level rose 3 meters, while no such thing is observed in the
perimeters of Persepolis. Discovering the reason of the
phenomenon is another aim of the archaeology team.
At this stage samples of pollen, plant seeds and bones are
collected, said Alizadeh, explaining that experiments on pollen
can provide information on plants and animals’ characteristics
and also on humidity levels of the time.
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