Gohar Tepe was a Center for Metal Melting: Archeologists - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural News of the Iranian World©

LONDON, (CAIS) -- Discovery of large furnaces used for melting metals as well as large ironstones in the eastern parts of Gohar Tepe in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran, convinced archeologists to conclude that this part of the country was the center for melting metals about 3000 years ago.

Announcing this news, Ali Mahforouzi, archeologist and head of the excavation team at Gohar Tepe said: “Remains of ironstones and melting furnaces had previously been found in the area. However, the discoveries were not taken seriously and we continued our excavations, believing that these were left from small local kilns. After the recent discoveries of larger numbers of furnaces and large number of ironstones, we realized that there must have been metal foundries in the eastern parts of Gohar Tepe.”

Iron melting was considered one of the most important industries during the Iron Age (first millennium BCE) which evolved greatly when it was spread to the rest of Mainland and Greater Iran.

According to Mahforouzi, so far remains of forges and clay baking kilns have been found in the eastern part of Gohar Tepe, indicating that this area was one of the centers for melting metals. He also said that since Gogar Tepe has always been subject to harsh winds blowing in a west-east direction, construction of the metal foundries in the eastern part shows that the inhabitants built the foundries in the east to prevent the flow of industrial wastes into the residential parts and rather away from the center of the city.

Located in a 50 hectare area, Gohar Tepe is one of the most important historical sites of Mazandaran, situated near the Caspian Sea, caring the secret of an ancient civilization. It is believed that Gohar Tepe once enjoyed a complicated urbanization with a history that goes back to some 5000 years ago. Discovery of architectural structures and graves in the region are evidence of continual life during the later centuries there.

Based on stratigraphical studies done over the past few decades on the site, Gohar Tepe was an active center in the middle Bronze Age which was still alive during the Iron Age. Evidence shows that the inhabitants of Gohar Tepe enjoyed permanent settlements during the Iron Age. However, the most ancient cultural layers found in the area belong to the Neolithic period, some 14,000 years ago, which are very similar to those found in Central Asia.

Extracted From/Source: Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN)

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