50kg Achaemenid Clay Jug Found in Bolaghi Gorge

15 March 2005

A huge clay jug dating to the Achaemenid dynastic era have been unearthed in the historical site of Bolaghi, behind the Sivand Dam, where archaeologists are carrying out a rescue project to save the area’s ancient treasures before the Dam is flooded in one year time.

The clay jug, which took 16 hours and four men to be taken out, is one meter high and weights 50 kilograms. Previously only two jugs similar to this have been found in Pars-e and Persepolis historical sites.

The huge jug, which is red, has been discovered during excavation work in a store and residential quarter of a village discovered in the gorge dating to the Achaemenid era, explained the Iranian head of the joint team of Iranian and Italian archaeologists working in the area, adding that it has a 35 centimeter diameter at the mouth, and an 80 centimeter one at the body section.

The jug is now transferred to the ancient complex of Persepolis for further studies and sampling of the contents remaining inside. It is planned to be publicly showcased during the upcoming holidays of the Iranian New Year, Norouz.

In the three weeks that archaeologists have been excavating the historical site of Bolaghi, a collection of pot shreds, as large as some 8000 pieces, have been unearthed, and according to the Italian head of the archaeology team, Pier-Francesco Callieri, from university of Bologna, some one hundred potteries may be rebuilt using them.

The pieces date back to a time span from the 4th millennium BC to the Sassanid dynastic era.

Bolaghi site, is located 8 kilometers from the world heritage site of Pasargadae in Fars province, where passed the major historical road of the country built by order of King Darius the Great to connect Persepolis to Susa. Remains dating to the cave dwelling period, up to the prehistoric times to the Islamic era have been unearthed in the area.

Source: CHN