On the road that connects the cities of Zabol and Zahedan, in the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, you can see expansive and connected hills that were called Shahre soukhteh (burnt city). Here is the settlement of one of the most ancient and advanced human civilizations, which suddenly and without any reflection in the ancient writings, disappeared and became devoid of any inhabitants. It took a few millennia for archaeologists to find out about the existence of that ancient city and to find amazing artifacts.
Shahre soukhteh covers slightly more than 150 hectares, and it is a short distance from Hamon Lake. In those distant millennia, Hamoon was full and roaring. Because of this, it was possible to build a civilization near it; a city built by hardworking and industrial people who made a profitable trade with far and near places.
Archeologists know about the connection of people of Shahre sukhteh with their neighboring lands, from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf and the current Oman Sea. They were not only connected with the land that is now called Afghanistan, but they also traded with the people of Mesopotamia and sent their products and handicrafts there.
In ancient times, contrary to this past decades, the place now called Shahre sukhteh, had rich and fertile land, and elm, poplar, nettle and pistachio trees were abundant there. Archeologists have found remains of plant species and believe that maple and ash trees and grape vines would grow there. It is easy to assume that where there is water and trees, there will also be animals. In the burnt city, the bones of animals such as cows, sheep, goats, mountain deer, and others have been found. They lived together with the people of that place.
Ardeskan River (or Harut River) originates from the south of Herat in Afghanistan and reaches the Sistan water basin; The Farah River (now between the two countries of Iran and Afghanistan) and the Khash River (which comes from Lake Sistan) were also flowing and full of water. These rivers made life possible where now nothing can be seen except desert. Indeed, the burnt city was so prosperous that few cities in the ancient world could be named that could be compared to the burnt city and its civilization. It is not without reason that the burnt city was called “the largest city of the third millennium BC”; a beautiful name that proves its prosperity and craftsmanship. This is what many archaeologists have found about that forgotten city.
The history of human life in Shahre Soukhteh
Developments in Shahre Soukhteh began in the 3rd millennia BC, nearly five thousand years ago. This period goes back to the Bronze Age. The bronze age covers the period between 3500 and 1200 BC. In that period of time man could work with metal and smelt copper and tin. The period before is called the Stone Age, and the period after the Bronze Age is called the Iron Age.
From 3200 years to 2100 years BC, the burnt city was more prosperous than ever and was considered a center for connecting with the surrounding towns and civilizations. In other words, the burnt city has been more robust and stable than any city in the ancient world for a thousand years. That city housed artistic, advanced, culture oriented and settled, who were known as master builders and industrialists of their time. An example of the mastery of the people of the burnt city is the architecture of this city, which we will know more about later.
No one knows what that city was called 5,000 years ago. So far, no document, sign, or writing has been found that records its ancient name. Burnt City is a new name that archaeologists have given to it; because there were fires in this city, archaeologists found traces of burnt ashes in their excavations, and for this reason, they gave it the name “burnt city.” We will talk about burning of the city and its cause, later on.
