Bolaghi Gorge, Home to Many Potters

Tehran, 27 May 2006 (CHN) -- Discovery of several clay ovens at the Bolaghi Gorge in Fars province shows that art of pottery was much flourished in this historical site some 7000 years ago and that this place was the residential settlement of handicrafts artists in pottery making during the ancient times. This was announced in a one-day archaeology seminar which was held on 24th of May in Iran's National Museum with a special focus on Bolaghi Gorge historical site. During this seminar, heads of archaeology teams issued their reports on their accomplishments in this historical site.
Iranian-German joint archaeology team, represented in this seminar by Mojgan Seyedein and Barbara Helwing, declared the discovery of several numbers of kilns for baking clays and used it as a proof to claiming that a large number of potters lived in Bolaghi Gorge during the ancient times. "Archaeology excavation team in Bolaghi Gorge has succeeded in discovery of five clay bake ovens in the area so far. Just like the clays found from the Bacon era, these ovens enjoy a very high quality," said Mojgan Seyedein, Iranian head of the joint Iranian-German archaeology team in Bolaghi Gorge.
She also talked about some other accomplishments in this historical site during the archaeological excavations in areas no. 119, 73, and 131 of Bolaghi Gorge such as discovering some constructions belonging to the Achaemenid era, residential areas of the people during the Bacon era (5th millennium BC), and discovering the remains of some 7000-year-old skeletons such as a girl who was buried on her side.
Barbara Helwing, German head of the joint Iranian-German archaeology team in Bolaghi Gorge also talked about the discovery of a settlement area in this historic site which belonged to some tribes who lived there during the Bacon era. "There were several hypothesis about the exact location of a residential area which was believed to have belonged to the Bacon era; however, our excavations ultimately revealed that it actually existed in area no. 131 near the Sivand Dam," explained Helwing.
Among other achievements of this team of archaeologists were finding the remains of several skeletons and a mass grave containing 6 skeletons discovered by digging some deep trenches.
Iranian-German joint team has continued its excavations in Bolaghi Gorge historical site since winter 2006 under the supervision of Mojgan Seyedein from Iran and Barbara Helwing from Germany. This team of archaeologists is working alongside other Iranian and foreign experts to save the remaining evidence of Bolaghi Gorge before they are drowned by inundation of the nearby Sivand Dam.