Archaeologists in the port of Siraf have excavated unique types of dragon-shaped pottery that have been used to transport liquids from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world.
According to ISNA, Seyed Mehdi Azarian, director of the National Cultural Heritage Site of Siraf Port, referring to the beginning of a new chapter of archaeological excavations in this ancient port and the latest results, said: “This chapter of excavations with the support of Bushehr Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Provincial distinctions were carried out with the participation of the University of Tehran and with the permission of the archeological research institute and research center, under the supervision of Mohammad Esmail Esmaili Jelodar.”
He pointed out that the excavation was carried out near the Sassanid fortress and the public mosque, with research on its other relics, adding: “Based on the current findings from archeological excavations which were carried out previously, Siraf public mosque is directly built on parts of the fortress belonging to the Sassanid period. Therefore, excavation in the ancient port of Siraf started with the aim of studying the eastern part of the Siraf public mosque of early Islam and the Sassanid fortress buried under it, and creating a 5×5 m trench along the northeast corner tower of Sassanid fortress and next to the public mosque. Next, for better study, due to limitation of space, a catheter was dug measuring 4×2.5 m. Next, a borehole with a dimension of 1.5×2 m was excavated in order to study the foundation wall and its possible previous periods. The preliminary results showed the precise engineering of the Sassanid period regarding construction methods and geology of the land where the fortress was built. Excavation of the final stages continued until it reached intact soil.
Access to one of the most ancient types of pottery in the Persian Gulf
Head of the Bandar Siraf excavation site, gave some details about the excavation process, and said: “Preliminary results from excavation of the main trench show industrial and house settlements belonging to the Islamic period upto the 5th century (Islamic calendar) together with ruins from the Sassanid period, for example, part of the main wall of Sassanid fortress along the eastern tower.”
According to him, gaining evidence of production of pottery, includes pats of a furnace and deformed blue/green pottery, is one of the notable results of this chapter. The archaeologist added: “Although Western archaeologists, such as Derek Kent, have attributed the origin of this pottery to Iraq, the abundance of such pottery in the Seraphim port and the remains of a furnace found in this season of excavations, as well as previous evidence obtained from the ancient port of Bibi Khatun or the same Najirom indicates that the origin of this type of pottery was the shores of the Persian Gulf.”
Esmail Jelodar said: “This type of pottery is one of the most ancient types of pottery in the Persian Gulf, which seems to have been exported by Persian sailors, especially Seraphin port sailors, to the ports of Oman, East Africa, china and even Japan. Examples of this type of pottery are kept in the museums of these countries.
The head of the Siraf port excavation continued: “Other types of pottery obtained in this chapter from the Siraf excavation include examples of dragon-shaped pottery that was used to transport liquids from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world, especially in the ports of India, Sri Lanka, and one with an inscription in the Sassanid Pahlavi language was found in Thailand, and the sunken ship excavated in Suriname as well as other ancient ports of the world.”
He also referred to the discovery of Chinese-style Changsha pottery, saying, “all of this shows the great commercial position of the seraphim in its interaction with the Far East, India, and Africa.”
Esmaili Jelodar reminded: “Obtaining cultural materials with glassware, metal, stone, as well as materials such as ash, coal, and human and animal bones from this excavation and planning for interdisciplinary research of these works promises a new look into the bio-analysis of the Iranians living in this port.
For 15 years, Siraf’s excavations had been stopped.
Nasrollah Ebrahimi, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage of Bushehr Province, also said: “Siraf archeological excavations have started after a 15-year break, and these excavations are scheduled to be held regularly with the participation of Bushehr Cultural Heritage Office, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute, and archeological research of Tehran University.
According to him extensive urbanization of siraf along this ancient port is the most serious problem of this ancient and international port in the Persian Gulf. If the city authorities do not pay attention, its destruction is not unexpected.
Ebrahimi said: “From the archeological point of view, this port is on the same level as the ancient cities of the world, such as Pompeii, Italy, with the difference that, unfortunately, its entire area has been violated, and its condition, such that immediate protection and archeological research is necessary. Its tourism infrastructure, especially in terms of culture, maritime and natural tourism, is of double importance.
According to the Public Relations of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute, the research program of archeological excavations in the ancient port of siraf with a 5-year vision and organization and clarification of the unclear partso f this old Persian international port is under consideration by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Bushehr Province.
