EXCAVATIONS AT THE BRONZE AGE PASTORAL SITE OF HANZAF, S.E. IRAN: STRATEGY OF PASTORALISM IN THE HALIL RUD BASIN BASED ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNO-ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

Abstract

Southeastern Iran consists of several different geographical zones. Archaeologically, Halil Rud Basin is one of

the most important parts of the region. This little known basin includes two different geological parts, highlands

and lowlands. This dichotomy was to cause interactions between the two areas. The evidence for interactions

between the highland mobile pastoralists and lowland urban centers in the urban phase of the 3 rd Millennium

BCE in Southeastern Iran has been elusive. However, it is supposed that scattered highland settlements have

played a very subservient role in developing the cultural landscape of the region during this period. In May

June 2012, an archaeological project was carried out by one of the authors (NE) at the area of Hanzaf Dam in the

highlands of Halil Rud Basin. This paper deals with the results of the project that includes excavations at two

Bronze Age pastoral sites, and destroyed cemetery dating back to the Bronze Age. Furthermore, it attempts to

present the strategy of pastoralism in the Halil Rud basin based on the ethno-archaeological studies. Finally, we

suggest that the pastoral societies had a main role in the prehistoric economic landscape of the Halil River Valley

by exploiting the natural resources (instance; copper).