TEHRAN — Numerous prehistoric, ancient and historical sites are currently being submerged in the reservoirs made by the Seimareh Dam in Ilam Province, western Iran.
The Energy Ministry recently began filling the reservoirs of the dam, the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency Reported on Tuesday. However, no exact dated was mentioned for the start of the operation.
Experts from the Energy Ministry estimated that it takes two years for the filling of the reservoirs to be completed.
The Seimareh Dam is constructed over the river Seimareh, which is located 30 kilometers northwest of the town of Darehshahr.
Over 100 sites dating back to the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Copper Age, Stone Age, Parthian, Sassanid, and early Islamic periods, have previously been identified at the dam’s reservoir in 2007.
Forty archaeological teams from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) were assigned to carry out Iran’s largest rescue excavation operation on the 40 ancient sites at the reservoirs of the dam.
Signs of the Mesopotamians’ influence in the region were identified by studies carried out on the ancient strata at the reservoirs.
