One of the largest and richest Bronze Age sites
in Iran and the Middle East is located in the southwestern Iranian province of
Sistan-Baluchestan.
Located near the city of Zabol the Burnt City (Shahr-e Sukhteh) spans an area of more than 300,000
hectares. The ancient site has been attracting Iranian and international
archeologists for nearly a century.
Founded in 3200 BCE, the city fell into ruins in 2100 BCE after being burnt down
three times and not being rebuilt after the last fire.
Four civilizations have lived in the city and its ruins show that it was once
composed of residential districts in the northeastern part, an industrial area,
and a large cemetery along with memorial buildings.
The city is believed by some to have been the capital of an ancient civilization
that flourished on the banks of the Helmand River for more than 1,000 years and
had extensive commercial, political, and social relations with other important
cities in the region’s northeastern and western areas.
The first generation to live in the Burnt City had established relations with
the inhabitants of the eastern and northeastern parts of ancient Persia, Central
Asia and Quetta which is now the largest city and the provincial capital of
Pakistan’s Baluchistan Province.
Seals, discovered in the Burnt City, t…
