In their excavations, archeologists discovered a city built 5,000 years ago. Burnt City was a vibrant place from an economic and industrial point of view, and many workshops outside the city were engaged in producing tools, some of which were exported. They had trade links with the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia cities and civilizations and exported their handicrafts there.
Many examples of pottery, mat weaving, metalwork, carpentry, masonry and most important, weaving industry, have been found in this city. Those who worked in these workshops were known to be master’s with high skill in their art and craft, and they made tools whose value in beauty and efficiency was such that the cities around and even further away from the burnt city were buyers and wanted them.
Rather than doing animal husbandry, the people of Shahre Sukhteh were more industrialists and farmers who produced various products. Based on Dr. Seyedsjadi’s assessment, only ten percent of the people of Shahre Sukhteh were engaged in animal husbandry, and others were involved in productive work.
What was considered very profitable in the burnt city was the export of lapis lazuli. Shahre Sukhteh got lapis lazuli stones from areas close by and traded them to distant places. In particular, the people of Mesopotamia were among the buyers of lapis lazuli from Shahre Sukhteh. In this way, we find out that the business of lapis lazuli had brought the people of Shahre Sukhteh a lot of property and financial wealth and had brought for the people of Shahre Sukhteh a lot of wealth, which enabled them to enjoy a comfortable and prosperous life.
Mosaic artists of Shahre Sukhteh
Archaeologists have found tools in the burnt city that show the craftsmanship of the people of that city. For example, the world’s oldest mosaic was found in this city. This mosaic is two wooden combs. Dr Seyedsajadi writes about this craft: “Two broken and incomplete combs were found near some monuments. Burnt city wooden combs are very delicate with a crescent handle. On the handles of these combs, the the artist with woodwork first created a space by turning and then filled that space with geometric shapes and different woods and, as a result of different colors, created significant decorations on the combs.”
The inhabitants of Shahre Sukhteh were also very diligent in pottery. They produced a lot of pottery. These potteries were made in workshops outside the city. From this point, we learn that the social organization of Shahre Sukhteh was advanced, and they set up their production and industrial workshops not inside the city but outside, or in the villages close to the city. Pottery also had carvings on them to make them look more beautiful. Fahimeh Saravani, a researcher who has written a scientific essay about the findings of Shahre Sukhteh, has the following opinion about the pottery of this city: “The number of potteries of Shahre Sukhteh, as well as the many shapes and designs that are repeated regularly, indicate that the production of pottery was on mass basis and in an industrial manner. Pottery on which drawings and carving was done with extra care are very few. It is assumed that for the potters of Shahre sukhteh, the quantity of pottery was more important than the quality and decorations of pottery. There are many examples of pottery painted hastily and carelessly. However, the animal motifs were among the images that were carved more carefully.
He added about the pottery painting: “Snakes are given wavy shapes and jagged lines. Thus, we are facing a city that was full of vigor and activity and handling a traffic of merchants, industrialist’s ad artists; a city belonging to 5,000 years ago!”
