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.CAIS NEWS© ARCHAEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL NEWS OF THE IRANIAN WORLD |
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Discovery of Historical Relics in Nushabad Underground City
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06 February 2007 |
LONDON,
(CAIS) -- Second season of archaeological excavations in Nushabad (nūšābād)
inderground city in Esfahan province resulted in discovery of large numbers of
historic evidence including earthenware vessels and stone instruments ranging in
date to Sassanid (224-651 CE), Ilkhanid (1256-1336), and Safavid (1501-1736)
dynastic periods.
Announcing
this news, Zahra Sarookhani, head of the excavation team in the underground city
of Nushabad, explained: “During this phase of excavations, we have also
succeeded in discovering some architectural structures such as intricate canals,
a number of chambers with different plans constructed in different stories,
staircases, wells, and the path of aqueducts inside the city. During these
excavations, we came realized that the different levels of this city were
connected to each other through vertical and horizontal canals. There are also
some big stones similar to millstones next to every canal which were closed down
while people were hiding in the lower stories.”
Pointing
to the unique architectural style of this underground city, Sarookhani said:
“An extraordinary and intricate structure is used in constructing the
staircases and corridors that makes them look like blind corners in darkness.”
According
to Sarookhani, some 500-square-meter of this city has been unearthed in three
stories during two seasons of archaeological excavations. “The ventilation system
used in the underground city through devising canals made it possible for the
refugees to breathe even at a depth of 20 meters below the ground,” said
Sarookhani.
She
further explained that the special usage of this underground city as a place
where people could take shelter defined its architectural plan. “Except for
the main entrance, all the other parts of the city were about 170-180
centimetres in height to let people pass without any problem and some raised
platforms were created in some walls for the people to sit,” added Sarookhani.
Locating
8 kilometres north of Kāshān in Esfahan province, Nushabad is one of the most
famous underground cities of the world. Historical evidence indicates that
Nushabad was mainly used as a shelter by people during the Mongol invasion in
Iran in the 13th century and remained in use in emergency cases until
late Qajar dynastic period (1787-1921).
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Extracted From/Source: Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN) Please
note
the above-news is NOT a "copy & paste" version from
the mentioned-source. The news/article above has been modified with
the following interventions by CAIS:
Spelling corrections; -Rectification and correction of
the historical facts and data; - Providing additional historical
information within the text; -Removing
any unnecessary, irrelevant & repetitive information. All these measures have been taken in order to ensure that the published news provided by CAIS is coherent, transparent, accurate and suitable for academics and cultural enthusiasts who visit the CAIS website.
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"History is the Light on the Path to Future" |
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Encyclopaedia Iranica
The British Institute of Persian Studies "Persepolis Reconstructed"
The British Museum
The Royal Asiatic Society
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