Journal of Iran's Pre Islamic Archaeological Essays

Journal of Iran's Pre Islamic Archaeological Essays

A Study of Settlement Patterns in the Central Highlands of Baluchistan, Bent, Nikshahr; Based on Ethnoarchaeological Surveys

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Manager of Sefidkuh Makran and Marshland projects
2 Archaeology, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran
3 M.Sc. in Prehistoric Archeology , Islamic Azad University, Tehran Branch, Member of Sefidkuh Makran and Marshland study projects.
Abstract
South-eastern Iran has been one of the important regions in cultural interactions with the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia, the Iranian Plateau and the coastal strip of southern Iran. Sefidkuh in Bent sector, Nikshahr County is a settlement place of communities with semi-settled settlement patterns along rivers or intermountain plains. The settlements follow the circular, oval and in a limited way rectangular architectural pattern. The livelihood strategy of these communities is very broad and it seems that this strategy follows unique cultural and economic patterns and political and social relations similar to prehistoric times. The present research is trying to better understand the human societies of Bent by examining, introducing and comparing the dynamic findings of ethnology with the static findings of archaeology. This research was conducted with a combination of field methods in three stages: In the first and second stages, the survey and identification of the ancient sites and the current living communities of the region were done and finally in the last stage, in order to identify differences and similarities with each other, a comparative comparison of the findings of both studies was done. Based on the obtained results, it should be acknowledged that the current architectural model of the region has its roots in the culture and traditions of the Baloch people, which have existed in a circular form for a long time. A pattern created by settling in flat areas between mountains or river terraces has been formed in the form of oval, circular, cluster, irregular, linear and similar plans with the past societies and based on the way of living of a wide economic spectrum. By examining the comparative results, it can be acknowledged that the common way in the region is completely consistent with the way of life of primitive sedentary societies in every aspect.
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