4,000-year-old Remains Unearthed beside Manjil Dam

News Category: Prehistory

Archaeological excavations in the basin of the large Sefidrud River and Manjid Dam led to the discovery of some evidence belonging to 2000 BC.

“Recent research on the shores of Manjil Dam indicates of the existence of a rich civilization in the region,” says Vali Jahani, archeological expert of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Gilan province.

“This historical site is one of the vastest settlements in the area, parts of which have unfortunately been buried underneath the dam water. The variety of the discovered clays in the region indicates the activity of different ethnic groups and different industries in the region,” added Jahani.

According to Jahani, the historical site which is more than 3 hectares is located in a level plain west of the historical city of Manjil on a height of 230 meters from sea level. Since Qazvin-Anzali highway passes through this site, the salvation project determined to obtain accurate information on the region besides the dam and Sefidrud River has been started.

Despite the discovery of the settlement, no remains of the cemetery have yet been found.

What is considerable in this regard is that previous to these discoveries, Manjil city was always famous for its 1000-year-old cedar tree, while the city with its historical evidence such as residential areas, pits, a historical fortress, and ancient hills dates back further than 1000 years ago.

With the recent discoveries in the region, archeologists have concluded that the historical city of Manjil, just like the other regions such as Deilamanat Oshkurat, Tavalesh, and Rudbar should have enjoyed a rich culture, with different ethnic groups settling there during different periods of history.