A five-thousand-year-old clay cup, dating back to the late third millennium BC, has been discovered in the Asadabad plain of Hamadan.
According to a report by Ariya Heritage, Kamran Akbari Shayegan, head of the Asadabad Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, stated: “A five-thousand-year-old clay cup was identified by Dr. Arman Vafayi, an archaeologist who has collaborated with our department on various archaeological projects.”
Akbari Shayegan added: “Based on typological comparisons and initial findings, it appears that this cup belongs to a period known as ‘Godin III’ in the established chronology of the region.”
He also mentioned that the cup will be transferred from Asadabad to the provincial capital for further research and dating after completing the necessary administrative procedures. Following these investigations, the cup will be displayed at the Museum of History and Culture in Asadabad for public viewing.
Shayegan commented on the period known as Godin III, stating: “This periodization is based on research by the late Canadian archaeologist Kyler Young, whose work in the Kangavar plain forms the foundation for the chronology of the eastern central Zagros region. This period is marked by archaeological finds, such as pottery, that show significant similarities across Bakhtar, South Bakhtar, and Fars provinces.”
He continued: “This era corresponds to what is known as Shush D in southwestern Iran. In the common chronology of Fars province, developed by archaeologists like William Sumner, there are periods that align with the Godin III period in the eastern central Zagros and Shush D in Khuzestan and southwestern Iran.”
Shayegan added: “Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, since this discovery was not part of a scientific excavation, we lack information about its context. The question that arises regarding this clay vessel relates to its current condition. The pottery is nearly intact, with only minor damage visible on its edge, having emerged from an underground structure that remained largely undisturbed. While it’s not possible to be certain, this find might have been carefully buried, potentially as a funerary artifact. Without understanding the precise archaeological context, everything remains speculative. A definitive conclusion will require further research and investigation by the Deputy of Cultural Heritage and the Archaeology Unit of the General Administration of Hamadan Province.”
