The group recently unearthed some 4000-year-old artifacts indicating that there was a developed civilization in the region in ancient times, an expert of the Gilan Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department said.

“Unfortunately, a great part of the site has been submerged under the water of the dam’s reservoir. However, several earthenware items discovered in the region bear traces of various business activities of the time,” Vali Jahani added.

Covering an area of three acres, the site is located on a plain west of the historical city of Manjil. Since a railroad track passes through the middle of the region, experts are conducting operations at the site in order to obtain more accurate information, he stated.

He went on to say that no cemetery of the newly discovered civilization has been found yet.

Although Manjil is home to historical settlements and castles, ancient and Islamic cemeteries, and ancient cellars, it became famous for its 1000-year-old cedar just recently.

The discovered items will be registered on the National Heritage List in the near future.