Khuzistan Entered into Writing Period with Egypt & Mesopotamia

09 January 2005

Based on the latest excavations in Tappe-Baladieh in Khuzistan, southern Iran, this hill has been a city in the 4th millennium BC, and Khuzistan has begun its writing period simultaneously with Egypt and Mesopotamia in Uruk period.

Uruk city comprising a period of its own is the most important period in the history of mankind, in that it marks the beginning of urbanization and central governments. Owing to the development of social relations, writing at first in the form of images was invented.

“In our stratographical studies on the hill, we came across a stratum dating back to the Uruk of the 4th millennium BC that shows the Uruk civilization and beginning of writing in Khuzistan have been simultaneous with the development of Mesopotamian civilization”, Abbas Alizadeh, head of excavations in this region, told CHN.

Tappe-Baladieh covers an area of about 8 to 9 hectares. This extensive area shows that this hill has been a residential area dating back to 7400 to 5000 years ago. “We have to do more research on the data grasped in this area. We have not yet been able to identify the precise form of transition in this prehistoric city between 5500 and 5000 years BC,” said Alizadeh.

Tappe-Baladieh is one of the most ancient hills in Khuzistan that has gone under archeological excavations for the 1st time.

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