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Underwater Archeological investigation of Bushehr
coastlines in Persian Gulf
Hossien Tofighian
Iranian center for archaeological research (ICAR)
htofighian@yahoo.com
Ramin Adibi
Archaeological Maritime Landscape Online Magazine
Ramin.adibi2012@gmail.com
Abstract:
When the Research Department of the University of Medical Sciences of
Bushehr was studying marine biomedicine around the Bushehr peninsula
they inadvertently discovered some pottery fragments. They then reported
it to the Bushehr province Cultural Heritage organization. In the summer
of 2016, the underwater archaeology group of the Iranian Center for
Archaeological Research (ICAR) surveyed the Bushehr coastlines for a
month. During this field research, we identified and recorded the
distribution of Sassanid pottery over approximately one kilometer square
in the seabed around the Bushehr peninsula. Based on findings of pottery
assemblages consisting of fragments of food storage vessels, Torpedo
amphora, and turquoise ceramic glaze; it was assessed that this
archaeological site represents the cargo of a shipwreck which sank in
shallow water near the coastline. Over time, the cargo then spread across
the seabed. We can observe the shipwreck processing in this case. At the
first season of this field research, we could not identify the remains of the
shipwreck hull but lots of fragments of torpedo shaped ceramic vessels
were recored. Relative dating proved that all of the ceramic findings are
related to the Sassanid era (224 to 651 CE). The quantity of sherds found
proved that this is in fact a shipwreck site.
Identification of the archaeological sites with torpedo shaped ceramic
vessels distributed around the Persian Gulf indicate that regional
maritime trade was widespread, in particular the Sassanid wine trade,
and that seafaring practices were occurring in one of the ancient canals
of Indian ocean. In this article, we explain about underwater
archaeological investigations of Bushehr coastlines and outstanding
ceramic findings including torpedo shaped ceramic vessels and turquoise
�ceramic glaze wares that were used in maritime trade in the Persian Gulf
during the Sassanid and early Islamic periods..
Keywords: Persian Gulf, underwater archaeology, Bushehr port,
Sassanid era, torpedo – shaped ceramic and turquoise ceramic glaze.
1. Introduction
The Persian Gulf (also Persian Sea), is a crossroad connecting all
civilizations,which is also a place of shipwrecks. Over recent years and as
a consequence of underwater archaeological investigations in the
northern shores of the Persian Gulf, a number of historical areas and
wrecked ships have been identified (Tofighian, 2014, 2014a, 2014b, 2016,
2017). Bushehr Port is one of those underwater archaeological areas in
which historical ships have wrecked. This area has a special significance
for researchers. During the field study, a number of dragon-shaped jars,
pottery containers, glazed pottery parts, and a stone anchor were found.
This underwater area, which was first identified by researchers of the
Marine Medical Center affiliated to the Bushehr University of Medical
Sciences, is within 500 meters of the shoreline of Bushehr Port and from
the Customs wharf to the building of Bushehr City Council. The site covers
a spread of pottery containers at a depth between 3 to 6 meters. Before
starting underwater investigations, the objects found were documented by
the Marine Medical Center affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical
Sciences. Given that some part of the explored pottery containers had
been identified by researchers of the Marine Medical Center, no
information of exact location of the underwater objects was at hand, but
big jars for water and food storage informed the researchers that a ship
had wrecked on the seabed. Only does the diversity of the explored
containers and their abundance show the existence of a large and
important underwater archaeological site. In addition, big jars of water and
�food storage signify the existence of a shipwreck in the seabed. The
efforts exerted by a group conducting underwater investigations and
explorations were successful in spite of difficult conditions caused by
insufficient underwater visibility and significant destruction having
imposed to the underwater area. As a result, underwater archaeologists
succeeded to explore a number of dragon-shaped jars and turquoise
glazed pottery in the seabed .
2. The research area
Bushehr Port is the capital of Bushehr Province, one of the Iranian
southern provinces. "Nadir Shah Afshar" re-boomed the current Bushehr
port in 1736. The name of this port was "Rishahr" in the ancient times.
The foundation and construction of this port date back to "Ardeshir" I of
the Sassanid. The resources referring to "Ardeshir" the Unifier mention a
port called "Bokht Ardeshir". Those resources, along with other
documents, show the significance of the Persian Gulf for the early
Sassanid kings. The significance of Bushehr Port was so great that "Bokht
Ardeshir" was connected by a road to Kazeroun and Shiraz through which
exported goods were transported to other areas. But the current Bushehr
Port with a history of 300 years was founded by Abu Mahiri, the son of
Shaikh Nasser Khan Al-Mazkur (the shipmaster of Nadir Shah and the
founder of Al-Mazkur dynasty) in 1735. The reason for the foundation of
this city was that Nadir Shah wanted to construct a port in the south of
Iran and establish navy. This port became so prosperous that was
considered as rival to Basra (Fig. 1 & 2) Traces and works dating back to
pre-history (such as "Tal sabz or Tal Pitel", the Elamite period (Lian), and
the Sassanid and Islamic periods can be observed in Bushehr Peninsula.
The Castle and Port of "Rishahr", the Sassanid Cemetery in "Shoghab",
and the Sassanid "Hezar Mardan" Port are some of the monuments in this
�area. The underwater ancient area studied in the present research is
located at a distance of 500 meters from the shoreline of Bushehr Port
and between the customs dock and the building of Bushehr City Council.
This area is located at a depth of three to six meters under the sea
covering an area about 700 meters along the shore and an approximate
width of two hundred and fifty meters on the sandy bed of shallow body of
water of Bushehr Peninsula. This area has been severely destroyed
because of its proximity to the shore and the expansion of customs docks
on the one hand and military maneuvers on the other hand .
Fig.1 Location of Bushehr and the surrounding archaeological site.
(Tofighian, 2016)
�Fig.2: Location of the Underwater Archaeological site (Tofighian, 2016)
3. Methodology
The explored underwater objects are the most important instruments for
underwater investigations (Maarleveld, 1987: 35). But in investigating
shores of Bushehr Port, lowest light and water clarity was available for
divers. The area for investigations identified by the research team of the
Marine Medical Center (Fig. 3) was drawn on a base map. This area with
seven hundred meters long and two hundred and fifty meters wide was
investigated. To begin underwater investigations, the team had to identify
the starting and ending points on the seabed. With regard to permanent
water movements, identification of the points were possible only via a few
floating watermarks attached to heavy weights. The starting point of the
investigation was recorded by GPS on a boat and the first buoy was fixed
�in the area. To start underwater investigations, the two following methods
were employed:
Fig.3: The underwater archaeological team. (Tofighian, 2016)
1 .The beginning and the end of the area was determined by two buoys
(watermarks). Then, the investigators started searching along the rope
and after finishing this search round, the two buoys were displaced in the
width direction of the area and the other part of the seabed as searched .
2 .Appropriate spots of the study area were recorded by buoys and GPS.
Then, a rope was fastened to a buoy and divers started searching around
this point in circularly. After completing each round, the radius of this circle
got opener and a larger area was investigated. With regard to severe
underwater streams, diving was impossible without the rope and buoys.
In the second method, the second part of the area was conducted and all
investigated spots were recorded via GPS and drawn on the basemap .
In modern methods, the seabed are scanned via devices and techniques
such as Sonar; then the obtained pictures are interpreted on a monitor via
which underwater topologies and cultural phenomena are identified.
�Nowadays, Iranian archaeologists have no access to efficient and
advanced underwater equipment .
For better understanding of the conditions of the shores of the study area
and the possibility of identifying the potential shipwreck with regard to the
shallow body of water, the investigators imaged the study area employing
a quadcopter. Imaging from a low height in the shallow shores of the area
and with regard to possible penumbras can be effective on identifying the
traces of docks and debris of historical harbors. Thus the investigators
tried to identify possible evidence and historical findings via the
quadcopter. However, the taken pictures were not effective on underwater
archaeological investigations in Bushehr shores. In addition, the study
area was investigated via the Sonar Scanner Finger Feeder installed on
a boat. But due to smoothness of sandy shallow seabed in Bushehr
shores, the pictures obtained from Sonar were not effective. Therefore,
the only possible method for investigating those shores was that
professional divers search the seabed with under the supervision of the
Marine Medical Center of Bushehr. This method was also conducted with
difficulties .
4. Findings
The results obtained from survey investigations of the dispersion of
broken and intact pottery as well as the stone anchor indicate the
existence of an area belonging to a shipwreck in the shallow part of
Bushehr Peninsula. The objects were obtained in different time intervals
and no unity was found among them. The dragon-shaped pottery
containers were in fact middle-sized jars with horizontal handles and a
number of turquoise glazed jars as well as a number of small deposited
containers made dating the site possible (Fig. 4-6 (
�Fig. 4 (left): The remains of
torpedo amphorae in shallow
water around the southern of
Bushehr Peninsula. (Tofighian,
2016)
Fig. 5 (below): The remains of second
torpedo amphorae in shallow water
around the southern of of Bushehr
Peninsula. (Tofighian, 2016)
Fig 6 (above): Glazed
pottery, recovered from
the southern coast of
busher. (Tofighian, 2016)
�Dragon-shaped pottery jars dated back to late Parthian period to Sassanid
period as well as the two first centuries of the Islamic period in maritime
trading of the Persian Gulf for shipping valuable liquids such as olive oil,
salty fish, wine, and seeds from Iranian ports to Arabian ports of the
Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, East Asian and East Africa with
bitumen-painted inside surfaces for making them water-resistant. In
addition, turquoise and green glazed pottery, as the most significant
pottery of the Sassanid period, were observed among the explored
objects which in addition to historical Iranian ports and areas of the
Persian Gulf, have been found Arabic shores, East Africa, Indian
subcontinent, and East Asia. It shows the expansion of the trading
network of the Sassanid era in the Persian Gulf .
One of the most important findings obtained from archaeological
investigations in the shallow bodies of water in Bushehr Peninsula was a
piece of oval rock with three holes (Fig.7). Unfortunately, no trace of a
shipwreck was observed. Thus only its severely destructed and sporadic
shipments were identified. Doing complementary investigations can
significantly contribute to better understanding of the real nature of this
underwater area .
�Fig .7: A stone anchor with three holes from Bushehr. (Tofighian, 2016)
Analysis and comparison of the pottery explored from the
underwater area in Bushehr Port
A large variety of pottery related to the Sassanid period were identified in
the areas around the shores of the Persian Gulf. The most important
explored pottery were the elegant orange painted pottery (Namard), grey
small pottery, kneading pottery, big ornate jars and jugs for water and food
storage, and more frequently, dragon-shaped and glazed pottery. Pottery
with honeycomb decorations are other types of the Sassanid
potteryobserved frequently in Siraf, but dating those potteryhas been
doubted by a number of archaeologists (Simpson, 1992: 296 .)
In archaeological investigations and identifications of the shores of
Bushehr Port, three intact dragon-shaped jars with bitumen glaze inside
them and a more number of broken pieces of dragon-shaped jars were
explored. In this investigation, a number of glazed pottery containers
dating back to the Sassanid era were explored as well. Dragon-shaped
�pottery explored in Bushehr Port are comparable with the instances
obtained from the Sassanid areas of the northern and southern shores of
the Persian Gulf. In addition, the number of Monochrome glazed pottery
containers can be observed among the underwater findings of shores of
Bushehr Port. This type of Sassanid pottery is comparable with a lot of
pottery obtained from Sassanid areas of the Persian Gulf as well as other
areas summarily discussed as follows.
4.1 Dragon-shaped pottery
One of the most important findings of the studies conducted on the pottery
is that all pottery obtained from northern and southern shores of the
Persian Gulf, the Indian subcontinent, and East Africa have been originally
Iranian. This pottery is mainly dragon-shaped (Simpson, 1992: 291). The
clay of those pottery in which bind materials such as abundant sand and
fine dense sand grains are used are yellow or fallow. The external surface
of containers are decorated and the inside surface is bitumen-glazed
(Connan et al. 1998). Another main characteristic of this pottery type is its
coils, cylindrical body without a neck, and a long and hollow insole
(Adamz, 1970: 100). This pottery type is also called Torpedo Fuse Point.
The bottom of this dish is called Spizfuss (Finster & Schmidt, 1976: 92)
All in all, dragon-shaped jars (Torpedo) refer to those jars that have sharp
bases and relatively open mouths. They were appropriate for carrying
liquids in maritime trading. Those jars were made in different dimensions.
Their inside surfaces were all bitumen-glazed in order that nothing can
penetrate into the containers and spoil liquids. The arrangement of
amphora were very easy because of sharpness of their bases, openness
of their mouths, and the lack of necks in such a way that they did not shake
by ships’ shaking. According to archaeological studies, dragon-shaped
jars in the Persian Gulf date backs the early Parthian period to the early
�Sassanid period and the two first Islamic period (about one thousand
years) (Simpson, 1992: 291)
This pottery of has been identified in most parts of northern and southern
ports in the Persian Gulf as well as trans-coastal areas such as areas in
"Bandar Rig", "Mahrouyan", "Siniz", "Hezar Mardan", "Gurestan
Shoghab", "Rishahr", and southern shores of Bushehr Peninsula such as
areas of "Jalali", "Siraf", historical shop of Siraf, and Nay "Band" Bay. In
addition, some samples in trans-coastal areas such as Shush, Mianab
Plain of Shushtar, Galalak of Shushtar, a sample in Museum of Ancient
Iran, two samples in the Museum of London, and other samples of dragonshaped jars are comparable to those explored from underwater areas of
Bushehr Peninsula (Tofighian, 2014). In southern shores of the Persian
Gulf such as areas of Maliha, Eddor, Sohar, Jazirat al-Ghanam, Qana in
Yemen, Kush and Al-Qosur in Kuwait, East Africa, and Indian subcontinent, dragon-shaped jars were explored (Tofighian, 2014).
4.2 Turquoise monochrome glazed pottery
Well-baked glazed pottery with pepper paste and cream color made of
binders of sand and better glaze is one of the main characteristics of the
Sassanid pottery mainly made in Mesopotamia and Khuzestan (Mason &
Keal 1991: 52). Glazed pottery of the Sassanid period, particularly
turquoise pottery, are mostly observed in the Persian Gulf ports of the
Sassanid and early Islamic periods. In "Mahrouyan" (Tofighian & Esmaeili,
2010: 275), the area of "Jaborj" near "Genaveh Port", "Rishahr", "Najiram
(Bataneh)" (Tofighian, 2009), Siraf and a number of areas in "Hormozgan"
such
as
"Ramchah",
"Rigo",
and
"Soza"
in
"Qeshm"
Island
(Khosrowzadeh, 2006), instances of the Sassanid turquoise pottery were
explored. In shores of the Persian Gulf, East Africa, and East Asia, some
instances of monochrome glazed pottery have been explored. They can
�be comparable with the glaze pottery explored in underwater areas of
Bushehr Port .
5. Conclusion
By doing underwater archaeological investigations and explorations of
shores of Bushehr Peninsula, the following results were obtained: in
shallow water in opposite Bushehr Port, an ancient site at a depth of 3 to
6 meters was identified. During investigations and with regard to
exploration of dragon-shaped jars used for carrying wine, it was identified
that the site is probably the place of an ancient shipwreck .
In addition, investigations conducted on the broken and intact pottery as
well as a stone anchor, the following results were obtained:
a .Three intact dragon-shaped jars in different sizes in which were
bitumen-glazed were explored. In addition, more numbers of broken
pieces of dragon-shaped jars indicate a large number of jars in the
explored area. In fact, the large number of dragon-shaped jars in those
shores have been explored by local fishers. This jars can belong to the
identified ancient area in Bushehr Peninsula .
b. A big glazed jar with turquoise green, some smaller jars mainly with
pale glaze, and some unglazed small to moderate jars with four handles
were explored .
c. A large number of broken and deposited pieces were also explored.
The diverse shapes of those broken jars show the abundance of pottery
containers in that historical wrecked ship.
d. A stone anchor with three holes on its body were explored as well. This
anchor remained in the seabed because of its high weight and big size .
�According to initial studies on the pieces of explored pottery, especially
turquoise green dragon-shaped ones rooted in the Sassanid period,
dating this area may refer to the Sassanid and early Islamic periods.
According to the evidence obtained from the stone anchor, small and
moderate containers for food and water storage, and identification of a
diverse number of dragon-shaped jars, the explored area may belong to
maritime a cargo ship having been wrecked in that site. A large number
of the jars were arranged in the cargo carrying valuable liquids such as
oils and wine from Iranian ports to other destinations. Better
understanding of this area and access to their real identity require more
field studies in future .
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Biography
Hossein Tofighian Ph.D.,
A member of faculty and assistant professor of Research Institute of
Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT). His field of study is about
Sassanid period around Persian Gulf. He has been working on maritime
archaeological studies in Iran particularly underwater cultural heritage of
Persian Gulf for 15 years.
Ramin Adibi M.A.,
M.A. in archaeology and a member of 'PADI', focused on Caspian Sea
as "maritime archaeological studies", especially about Maritime Cultural
Landscape of Caspian Sea. Runs a magazine called "Archaeology of
Maritime Landscape".
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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2017 Session 5: Iran's Maritime Cultural Landscape
Description
An account of the resource
The country of Iran benefits from having a long coastline. Sea spaces and coastlines were attractive settlements for humans throughout history. These extensive maritime landscapes have resulted in interactions between human and sea along the northern (Caspian Sea) and southern (Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman) coastlines of Iran. Iran’s rivers and lakes contain a great deal of evidence of human habitation and interaction. Due to the country’s long history of maritime culture, we can also observe sea effects on coastal communities in Iran. Maritime archaeological studies in Iran, however, are at a nascent stage.
In the 1990’s, a small group of archaeologists from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) investigated in the north of Persian Gulf to decode its unknown history. In 2000, the first coherent and planned activities of that group produced the "Underwater Surveys around the shores of Siraf Port in Bushehr Province". After that, the team surveyed "Bandar-e Rig"(Rig port), Portuguese castles in Siraf port, Southern Shores of the Bushehr Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The team has worked on sites from "Shushtar’s Band-e Mizan"(Shushtar barrier), "Takht-e Suleiman" Lake, and the Amir Abad and "Zaghmarz" shipwrecks; the "TammÄ«sheh and GorgÄn" Underwater Walls, and the "Ghorogh" and "Rudsar" shipwrecks. These projects were published in Persian by a domestic magazine. The team then prepared and distributed a booklet titled of "Iran, Underwater Cultural Heritage and It's Share in Maritime Archeological Studies" for the annual meeting of States Parties of The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2016. Next, UNESCO and ICHTO held "Training Workshop on Underwater Archaeology with a Focus on the UNESCO 2001 Convention" in Iran. These activities are continuing and we hope for some continued progress in maritime archaeological studies and international cooperation.
Creator
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Hossien Tofighian
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT), Iran
Ramin Adibi
Higher Institute of Marlik University, Iran
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Title
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Underwater Archeological investigation of Bushehr coastlines in Persian Gulf
Description
An account of the resource
When the Research Department of the University of Medical Sciences of Bushehr was studying marine biomedicine around the Bushehr peninsula they inadvertently discovered some pottery fragments. They then reported it to the Bushehr province Cultural Heritage organization. In the summer of 2016, the underwater archaeology group of the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) surveyed the Bushehr coastlines for a month. During this field research, we identified and recorded the distribution of Sassanid pottery over approximately one kilometer square in the seabed around the Bushehr peninsula. Based on findings of pottery assemblages consisting of fragments of food storage vessels, Torpedo amphora, and turquoise ceramic glaze; it was assessed that this archaeological site represents the cargo of a shipwreck which sank in shallow water near the coastline. Over time, the cargo then spread across the seabed. We can observe the shipwreck processing in this case. At the first season of this field research, we could not identify the remains of the shipwreck hull but lots of fragments of torpedo shaped ceramic vessels were recored. Relative dating proved that all of the ceramic findings are related to the Sassanid era (224 to 651 CE). The quantity of sherds found proved that this is in fact a shipwreck site. Identification of the archaeological sites with torpedo shaped ceramic vessels distributed around the Persian Gulf indicate that regional maritime trade was widespread, in particular the Sassanid wine trade, and that seafaring practices were occurring in one of the ancient canals of Indian ocean. In this article, we explain about underwater archaeological investigations of Bushehr coastlines and outstanding ceramic findings including torpedo shaped ceramic vessels and turquoise
ceramic glaze wares that were used in maritime trade in the Persian Gulf during the Sassanid and early Islamic periods.
Creator
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Hossien Tofighian
Ramin Adibi
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11/24/2017
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Hossien Tofighian
Ramin Adibi
Asia-Pac Session 5 2017
-
https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/c8e5c13965c4d991464e08c65b44d44a.pdf
26e99bc89039296bb4cd1fcfa2b07bac
PDF Text
Text
An Introduction to the Maritime Construct of Khashabat in
the Persian Gulf
Mostafa Karimi
University of Tehran
Email: karimi_282@yahoo.com
Abstract
The history of maritime routes and communications in Iran dates back to
a long time ago. In ancient times, to prevent dangers for their ships such
as water thinness and thawing near coasts, the shallow depths and
narrowness of rivers at the mouth of seas, Iranians installed a mechanical
device called khashabat or Khushab (lighthouse). This maritime device
has been made out of teak wood in the form of a catapult and imperfect
pyramid. The height of a khashabat was about 40 meters above the sea
level. Its materials were pottery and stones. The watches on a khashabat
were deployed in four-arched chambers on its top. The significance of the
khashabat was because of natural disasters, the invasion of pirates, and
expiration of their fuel. Historical resources indicate that khashabats or
lighthouses in the sea exited until the 13th century. The present study is
aimed at investigating functions and significance of khashabats in
traditional cruise and the reasons for their construction. In addition, places
where this Iranian technology and engineering were used are introduced.
Key words: Khashabat, the Persian Gulf, navigation, maritime hazards,
lighthouse.
Introduction
The history of technology is just a small part of the profile of the human
civilization in their temporal visions, but it is an important part of human
culture and civilization as well. Therefore, investigating the history of
Iranian technology is very significant. Iranian culture is very rich in terms
of maritime technology and shipbuilding. Waters of the Persian Gulf,
Oman Sea, Indian Ocean, and rivers in the southwest of Iran have been
scenes for people’s navigation since the ancient times.
�According to myths, Jamshid Jam, from the Pishdadian Dynasty, built the
first ship. He also established the first “maritime rituals” and other national
rituals for leading people toward seas and navigation. He then started
sailing and navigation in seas*** and sailed from one country to another.1
(Ferdowsi, 1966:27) According to Ferdowsi’s narration, after the transfer
of government from Pishdadian to Kianian dynasties, occurrences of
events changed from Sarandib to Hamavaran. During his travel to Iran,
Kay Kavus passed Zabol (Nimrouz) and reached Makran coasts and
decided to suddenly invade Hamavaran:
“Key Kavus ordered the army to play drums and proceeded
from Nimrouz*** Then he, the King of the world, became happy
He deployed his army toward Turan and China*** and then he
invaded Makran.2
Then the king ordered shipbuilders to build boats and ships.
The king and his army boarded and passed seas a thousand
miles until they reached a land.
Key Kavus ordered shipbuilders to build abundant ships and
boats***and then he deployed his army to invade
The people of Hamavaran were informed that*** Key Kavus
and his army were invading from the Makran Sea”.3
Sailing in Iranian waters was common in the Phoenician, Elamite,
Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid times, as well as during the Islamic
era. With a glance at the sailing tradition, shipbuilding and using maritime
devices have been common in Iran since the ancient times.
Many maritime and shipping instruments were created by Iranians, and
some other instruments were used by Iranian sailors who traveled to other
lands in the ancient era. Compasses, steerages, depth finders, distance
finders, measurement tools, flyers (drawings), electric pellets, and
khashabats (marine lights) were among instruments innovated by Iranians
�(Nourbakhsh,2003:75 and 81, Raein,1976:288-289). The present study
aims to investigate the functions and applications of khashabats, as one
of the most important innovations and instruments of Iranian sailing in the
shipping industry of those periods based on historical resources.
a. What is a Khashabat?
The word “khashabat” ( )خشباتwhich is the plural form of “khashaba” ()خشبه
means sea minarets. They are in a place behind Abbadan (Dehkhoda,
1998:9802). A khashaba literally refers to a piece of wood. It also refers
to a ship metaphorically. But generally in resources such as Murravej ulZahab of Masoudi and other geographical resources, the term khashabat
refers to a minarets of wood established as a wooden scaffold in the sea,
and the fire was lit on the top of it in a small chamber. As a result, it led
ships toward safe passages. It in fact was equivalent to a lighthouse in the
modern shipping era. Nowadays there are some maritime guides-being lit
at night by wires and power- which are called “Bayeh”, but they are floating
in the sea (Hadi, 1992:180).
b. Navigating and trading in the Persian Gulf
The maritime routes of the Persian Gulf is the most ancient connecting
maritime routes in the world. They have been connecting Central Asia to
the Middle East since several thousand years. Since the very ancient
times, Chinese, Indonesian, and Malayan, and Indian, and African, goods
have been shipped with the efforts exerted by Iranian sailors to ports in
the Persian Gulf such as Bayan (Lian), Oboleh, Riv Ardeshir, and Forat
Mishan ports and were unloaded there from where those goods were
transferred to Palmira and Syria. Sometimes windships headed toward
their destination through the bay in the west of Iraq and stretched out to
�Al-Hirah and unloaded their goods near that city which was the dock of
caravans from Badia –al-Arab.
Since that time, the Persian Gulf, as currently known for its oil reservoirs
all over the world, has been famous for connecting trade routes in the east
to the west of the ancient and modern world (Rasaei, 1972:42).
c. Reasons for the advent and construction of khashabats
To build a light to guide ships in dangerous and difficult passages, human
beings thought of fire and light; therefore, lighting and igniting wood were
some strategies for guiding ships and fleets. Then, human beings
succeeded to use viscous black liquid, also called petroleum (from Greek:
petra: "rock" + oleum: "oil".) for igniting fires in seas. However, since this
liquid was flammable, it was poured in special containers or holes were
delved in heights and it was poured into those holes and ignited (Rasaei,
1972:40)
Indeed the geographical situation of soils in the head of the Persian Gulf
was not like the present time. In the ancient time, downstreams of the
Euphrates, Tigris, and Karun rivers were separately poured into the
Persian Gulf; as a result, salty water of the sea spread out the surrounding
lands through bays stretched out near Basra even in the Sassanid era
(Rasaei, 1972:42). In addition, the Persian Gulf is more roaring than other
seas because of its shallow depth and its rugged submarine topology. The
Persian Gulf joins the Indian Ocean (Eghtedari, 1966:10).
Thus the ancient Iranians thought of finding safer routes for facilitating
navigation, preventing damages to ships, and guiding ships toward
northern parts of the Persian Gulf. As a result, they constructed a type of
maritime guide board called “khashabat” in historical resources.
In addition, in the guidebook of Rani Kia Tan, written between 785 to 805
AD, it is mentioned that Iranians constructed special towers in the Persian
Gulf and ignited them at night for guiding ships and boats. The flammable
�materials used for igniting those towers were unknown but they could be
wood or petroleum (Hadi, 1992:170).
Professor Hadi Hassan quoted from Hiret Veracqui, the author of the book
the Chinese and Arab Trade in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries that
a ship is made out of wood and a shipmaster is a human, as there are
land mice, there are water mice as well, and there are bandits as there
are pirates. In addition, there are other hazards such as typhoons and
rocks. Therefore, there were some decorated columns in the Persian Gulf
which were ignited in order to guide ships toward true destinations” (Hadi,
1992:171).
According to Muqaddasi, in 985 AD around Basra, people constructed
chambers on palm trees and ignited fire in them in order to prevent the
crash of ships with rocks. But since it was difficult to navigate in that area,
ships sailed mostly in days in such a way that shipmasters climbed decks
and watched the horizon. Then, they transferred their commands to
helmsmen to steer ships. However, when their ships got away from coasts
and reached the sea, they had to steer their ships via the sun, the moon,
and stars (Muqaddasi, 1897:17).Those khashabats were established and
worked until the thirteenth century.
The most important reasons of constructing khashabats can be as follows:
1. Specific geographic features of the north of the Persian Gulf;
2. The sea level rise in the Persian Gulf in the bay stretching out Basra
and the shallow depth of water;
3. Prevention from big ships’ grounding in muds which the Tigris,
Euphrates, and Karun rivers carried from mountains and embedded
at the mouth of the head of the Persian Gulf;
4. Determination of the shipping routes in shallow areas of the Persian
Gulf at night; and
5. Protection of commercial goods exported from or imported to the
area.
�d. Geographic range of khashabats in the Persian Gulf
In this section, the study is to investigate in which areas of the Persian
Gulf khashabats were employed.
Distribution of khashabats in the Persian Gulf until the 13th century
Darius the Great ordered that the first lighthouse be installed at the mouth
of Indus River under the supervision of Scylax. When Nearchus,
Alexander’s Admiral, sailed into the Persian Gulf in 326 BC, he was
astonished by great lighthouses. As a result, he praised the miracles he
had observed in the area in his travelogue. According to Nearchus,
Iranians’ lighthouses were installed in different parts of the Persian Gulf
(Nourbakhsh, 2003:77). The Persian Gulf was considered as a part of the
fourth gulf of the Bahr ul-Azam Sea. In the book Hudud al-Alam, The
Persian Gulf is described as “a gulf with narrow width which stretches out
Indus River” (Sotoudeh Ed, 1960:12).
Muqaddasi writes in the book Ahsan al-Taqasim that khashabats’ origin is
thought to be from Basra. They are very shallow and dangerous. Wood
columns were installed and chambers were built on top of them. At night,
the fireplaces were lit to warn them not to approach. Muqaddasi writes
also that a captain once said that there were a lot of calamities there; his
ship grounded several times. Only one ship out of 40 ones can return from
there (Muqaddasi, 1982:18).
Nasir Khusraw who voyaged to Mahrouban Harbor via Basra in a ship in
1051 observed khashabats and attributed their constructions to ancient
kings. He narrated that when they voyaged from Basra in May 1051, firstly
they boarded a boat and voyaged for four miles to reach Abbadan
(Abadan). Abbadan was close to the sea as an island with two branches.
As they approached and anchored, they saw some towers and asked
�natives what were they? They answered them that those towers are
khasbabats (Ghobadiani, 1976:161).
Soleiman Sirafi writes in the book Sequence of Histories (Silsilat ulTwarikh) that the beginning of the Persian Gulf was the area of
khashabats of Basra. That area covered Basra, Oboleh, and Bahrain.
Then, there was Laravi Sea beside which there were khashabats of
Saymur, Subareh, Taneh, Sandan, and Konbayeh regions which were
parts of India and Indus River. The beginning of the Perisan Gulf there
was maritime rugged topologies around Basra where khashabats or
konkalas had been installed. Those khashabats were constructed out of
wood in order to be guides for sailors and helmsmen. The distance from
the beginning of the Persian Gulf to the Oman Sea is about 300 miles. In
addition, the distance from Persian coasts to Bahrain is about 300 miles
(Sirafi, 2002:160).
In his observations of the Persian Gulf from 947-956, Masoudi describes
its range as follows: “the beginning of this sea starts from Basra, Oboleh,
and Bahrian where areas of khashabats of Basra are located. Therefore,
the beginning of the Persian Gulf is from khashabats of Basra, also called
Konkala, that are signs made out of wood and installed in the sea. The
distance form this area to Oman Sea is about 300 miles” (Masoudi,
1864:147).
According to the above discussions, it can be concluded that marine lights
were mostly employed at the head of the Persian Gulf. In most historical
and geographical resources, the area of using khashabats were Basra,
Oboleh, Abbadan (Abadan), Mesopotamia4 (Hamavi,1987:239), Bahrain,
Mahrouban, Siraf, and even Masqat, and Sohar5 in Oman and at the
mouth of Indus River. All in all, it can be claimed that khashabats were
constructed and established at the mouth of big rivers ending in Persian
Gulf from where muds and sediments entered the sea and resulted in
�creating bays. In the Persian Gulf where the Tigris, Euphrates and Karun
rivers reaches each other, a relatively big bay is emerged. As a result, the
sea becomes shallow. This issue results in problems for ships. Iranians
solved this problem in the Persian Gulf using khashabats. [Fig. 1]
Fig.1: Geographic range of khashabats in the Persian Gulf.
e. The structure and features of khashabats
Nasir Khusraw who visited khashabats, describes their structures:
“[t]heir columns are four big teaks like catapults with wide bases.
Their heads are narrow. Their heights above sea level are about
four feet. On their tops, there are stones and pottery containers
fastened to each other with wood. They are called khashabats6.
Some people say that they were constructed by a merchant and
some others say they were constructed by a king. Nevertheless,
they both had intentions: to save ships from getting stuck in
sediments of that area, and secondly to warn them of pirates.
When we passed by khashabats, we saw a Nabeh without any
dome. After that, were reached Mahrouban” (Ghobadiani,
1976:163).
�Hafiz-i Abru describes khashabats as follows:
“khashabats exist near Abbadan- around Basra- where marshes
and drainage of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers poured into the
sea. The distance from Abbadan to that place is about six miles.
The depth of the body of water in that area is shallow; thus ships
may be in danger. In those locations, timbers have been raised
up as catapults. The bases of those khashabats are reinforced
with a lot of pieces of wood. There are domes of pieces of wood
for watches to ignite fires on the top of those khashabats. Those
khashabats cannot be seen in days because their distances is
very far from the coast. The mouth of the Tigris River is the border
where ships must not trespass” (Hafiz i-Abru, 1996:239).
As discussed, the structural features of khashabats can be explained as
follows:
- Each khashabat (lighthouse) had four bases made of wood7. Wood
has been used as one of the materials in Iranian buildings since the
ancient time. Wood was used in chambers of royal emirates in
Shush and Persepolis in the Achaemenid era (Farsahd, 1987:730).
- In the design of khashabats, the quadrangular bases were
underwater. As they went up, the quadrangular got smaller, that is
to say their heads were smaller than the bases. This design was
adopted for the increase in the strength and resistance against
typhoons8.
- Their heights were 40 meters above the sea level.
- On the top of them, there were dome shaped and pottery-roofed
cubicles for watches.
- In their cubicles, there were places for igniting fire.
- The distance of one khashabat with another was in such a way that
when one of them was out of sight, another appeared.
f. The function and significance of khashabats in navigation
With regard to descriptions and explanations of Muqaddasi, Nasir
Khusraw, Soleiman, and Sirafi, Hafiz i-Abru, and other historians and
geographers, it can be inferred that khashabats and lighthouses were of
two types which in spite of commonalities in goals and duties, they had
�different functions. Apparently, one type of khashabats were merely used
for watches; therefore, ignition in them seems unlikely because the fire for
guiding ships must have been very big to be seen by captains. On the top
of that type of khashabats, there were some tombs and chambers as
shelters for watches. The significance of khashabats type one is in their
determination of shallow places of a body of water and the existence of
underwater big rocks. In addition, sailors and watches in those
khashabats were responsible for transferring news about the coming of
ships to officials in ports or in case of observing pirates, they informed
military bases to fight them. Therefore, khashabats had military functions
as well. [Fig. 2]
Fig. 2: The khahsbats type one. (Artwork: Nahid koohi)
�But the khahsbats type two were lacking in chambers and tombs because
fire was ignited on the top of them. However, there were some officers
responsible for igniting fire at night. The significance of this type of
khashabats was for nights because the ignited fires were for guiding ships
in order to find their ways at night and in mists, while khashabats type I
were used in days. Nevertheless, these two types both had common
function of indicating shallow places of a body of water and guiding ships.
[Fig. 3]
Fig.3: The khahsbats type two. (Artwork: Nahid koohi)
As a result, in can be concluded from the above discussions that
khashabats were considered significant in the ancient navigation.
Ferdowsi describes khashabats in Shahnama that:
�“Come to explain you what are khashabats***a wise man has
established them in waters…
When a ship observe them from a distance***and see fires
blazing out of them...
It follows the right direction as fires show***and the shipmaster
thinks so.”
Therefore, khashabats have been very significant for maritime
transportations and the development of business and trades in the
Persian Gulf in that the economic life of people living in ports and harbors
of the Persian Gulf ranging from the eastern coasts of the Tigris River to
Makran plains and Baluchistan, and from the western bank of the Tigris
River to southern coasts of the Persian Gulf and around Arab Peninsula
as well as those who were known as Babylonian, Sumerian, Arabic, Zangi
and Yemeni having lived in other parts of the region all needed the sea
and maritime business. As a consequence, residents in the coasts of the
Persian Gulf have always intended to find routes, instruments, and
technologies for ships to navigate as rapidly and safely as possible, and
one of those technologies was khashabats.
Conclusion
According to information obtained from writings and observations of
historians and geographers, navigation has been a dangerous profession
when ships are approaching coasts of the Persian Gulf. Therefore, in the
ancient times (the Achaemenid and specially Darius the Great), Iranians
constructed constructions made of wood and ignited fires for signing the
ships and warning them of dangerous and shallow parts of the body of
water in coasts. In navigation of the previous centuries, this type of
construction has been called khashabat. Those khashabats played a
significant role in navigation of the ancient sailors in that their structure
acted as lighthouses for the current sailors and helmsmen. The distance
�of those khashabats from each other was as far as when one got out of
sight, the other appeared. The most reasons and goals of constructing
those towers were as follows:
1. To guide ships at night by igniting fires on the top of them because
when the sea level went up in shallow lands, there was a danger
that ships got stuck in sediments of that area;
2. When sailors saw lights in darkness, they could find their ways
among mists and darkness;
3. They were used for watching and determining routes for ships in
days.
As observed, lighthouses and maritime signs have been one of the
innovations of ancient Iranians; therefore it can be assured that current
advanced
lighthouses
and
maritime
sings
mixed
with
modern
technologies and completed with modern advances are rooted in Iranians’
intelligence used in the Persian Gulf.
EndNotes
1
گذر كرد از آن پس به كشتي بر آب *** ز كشور به كشور برآمد شتاب
2
- شاه گيتي فروز،بزد كوس و برداشت از نيمروز *** شده شاد دل
3
ز ايران بشد تا به توران و چين *** گذر كرد از آن پس به مكران زمين
بي اندازه كشتي و زورق بساخت *** بياراست لشكر بدو در شناخت
خبر شد بديشان كه كاوس شاه *** برآمد ز آب زره با سپاه
4
- An island where Abadan is in its west beside the Aravand River. It
was called Mesopotamia. “Mesopotamia means in between rivers and it
is a kind of island in lower parts of Basra of which Abadan is a part”.
5
- Iranians called it “Mazun” in the ancient times.
6
- Khashbab
7
- They were mostly made of palm trees.
8
- Its design were in the form of current towers.
Bibliography:
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S. J. Shahidi (Eds.). vol. 7. University of Tehran Press, Tehran.
Eghtedari, A, 1985. Form the Persian Gulf to the sea of china. Iran
Transportation Research and Publishing Company, Tehran.
�Eghtedari, A, 1966. The Persian Gulf. Franklin Publishing House, Tehran.
Farshad, M,1987. History of engineering in Iran. Amir Kabir,Tehran.
Ferdowsi, A,1966. Shahnama. J, Mohl (Ed.). vol. 1. Franklin Publication,
Tehran.
Ghobadiani, N,1976. Nasir Khusraw’ travelogue. M. Dabir Siaghi (Ed.).
University of Tehran, Tehran.
Hafiz i-Abru, Sh,1996. Geography of Hafiz i-Abru. Vol. 1. Miras Maktoub,
Tehran.
……….1960.The whole world from the east to the west. M. Sotoudeh
(Ed.). Tehran University Press,Tehran.
Hadi, H, 1992. The story of Iran's shipping from ancient times to the
sixteenth century. O. Eghtedari & A. Eghtedari (Ed.). Astan Quds Razavi
Publishing House, Tehran.
Hamavi, Y,1987. Dictionary of countries. Vol. 5. Dar al-Beirut
Publication,Beirut.
Masoudi, A, 1864. Murravaj ul-Zahab. Dominard (Ed.). vol. 1. Paris
Raein, E,1976. Iranians’ navigation Vol.1. Javidan,Tehran.
Rasaei, F,1972. 2500 years on the seas. Peik Darya, Tehran.
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Tehran.
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(Ahsan al-Taghasism fi Maretaf al-Aghalim). Vol. 1. Company of Authors
and Translators, Tehran.
Muqaddasi, A,1897. The best divisions in the knowledge of regions
(Ahsan al-Taghasism fi Maretaf al-Aghalim). Ranking. B. (Trans.).
Calcutta.
�Nourbakhsh, H,2003. Navigation in Iran. Institute for Cultural Research,
Tehran.
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(vol. 6). First edition House of Book, . Tehran.
Biography
Mostaf Karimi holds an M.A. in history, focussing on Persian Gulf Studies.
Graduating from the University of Tehran, his dissertation title is “The
historical process of maritime culture in the Persian Gulf". He is currently
a lecturer at the University of Tehran. He is the author of "Maritime Culture
of The Persian Gulf" and Co-author of the encyclopedia of the Persian
Gulf. He has written several articles about the Persian Gulf for
international and domestic magazines.
�
Dublin Core
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2017 Session 5: Iran's Maritime Cultural Landscape
Description
An account of the resource
The country of Iran benefits from having a long coastline. Sea spaces and coastlines were attractive settlements for humans throughout history. These extensive maritime landscapes have resulted in interactions between human and sea along the northern (Caspian Sea) and southern (Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman) coastlines of Iran. Iran’s rivers and lakes contain a great deal of evidence of human habitation and interaction. Due to the country’s long history of maritime culture, we can also observe sea effects on coastal communities in Iran. Maritime archaeological studies in Iran, however, are at a nascent stage.
In the 1990’s, a small group of archaeologists from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) investigated in the north of Persian Gulf to decode its unknown history. In 2000, the first coherent and planned activities of that group produced the "Underwater Surveys around the shores of Siraf Port in Bushehr Province". After that, the team surveyed "Bandar-e Rig"(Rig port), Portuguese castles in Siraf port, Southern Shores of the Bushehr Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The team has worked on sites from "Shushtar’s Band-e Mizan"(Shushtar barrier), "Takht-e Suleiman" Lake, and the Amir Abad and "Zaghmarz" shipwrecks; the "TammÄ«sheh and GorgÄn" Underwater Walls, and the "Ghorogh" and "Rudsar" shipwrecks. These projects were published in Persian by a domestic magazine. The team then prepared and distributed a booklet titled of "Iran, Underwater Cultural Heritage and It's Share in Maritime Archeological Studies" for the annual meeting of States Parties of The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2016. Next, UNESCO and ICHTO held "Training Workshop on Underwater Archaeology with a Focus on the UNESCO 2001 Convention" in Iran. These activities are continuing and we hope for some continued progress in maritime archaeological studies and international cooperation.
Creator
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Hossien Tofighian
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT), Iran
Ramin Adibi
Higher Institute of Marlik University, Iran
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Title
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An Introduction to the Maritime Construct of Khashabat in the Persian Gulf
Description
An account of the resource
The history of maritime routes and communications in Iran dates back to a long time ago. In ancient times, to prevent dangers for their ships such as water thinness and thawing near coasts, the shallow depths and narrowness of rivers at the mouth of seas, Iranians installed a mechanical device called khashabat or Khushab (lighthouse). This maritime device has been made out of teak wood in the form of a catapult and imperfect pyramid. The height of a khashabat was about 40 meters above the sea level. Its materials were pottery and stones. The watches on a khashabat were deployed in four-arched chambers on its top. The significance of the khashabat was because of natural disasters, the invasion of pirates, and expiration of their fuel. Historical resources indicate that khashabats or lighthouses in the sea exited until the 13th century. The present study is aimed at investigating functions and significance of khashabats in traditional cruise and the reasons for their construction. In addition, places where this Iranian technology and engineering were used are introduced.
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Mostafa Karimi
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The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
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11/24/2017
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Mostafa Karimi
Asia-Pac Session 5 2017
-
https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/20b6a705c96d1cd0d76c6ad13e98aaac.pdf
f694b4626b1d71023545a1c4b620f34c
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Text
A survey on a petroglyph illustrating a watercraft at the
hinterland site of Dehtal
Mina Safah
S iraz University
Shadi Kalantar
Tehran University
Abstract:
Dehtal is an important hinterland site, located 170 km away from the
shores of the Persian Gulf in Bastak County, Hormozgan province. Dehtal
is a petroglyph site possibly dating to the pre-Neolithic, according to
various sources of evidence such as stone tools found within the Bastak
area and the Dehtal plain. The petroglyphs themselves, however, more
likely date to the 3rd millennium BC. According to historical written
sources, the Bastak area was located on the road linking the so-called
Silk Road to the East Asia-Persian Gulf maritime trade routes.
One of these petroglyphs, which is located beside a seasonal river,
illustrates a watercraft. The image shows a round-hull, double-ended craft
with two masts and a long saturi (bowsprit). A long saturi is a characteristic
feature of a “boom” ship. Booms were used for long-distance voyages
within Indian Ocean and they are still in use today but now work with
engines.
Firstly, this article attempts to discern the shipbuilding details of the
watercraft depicted in comparison with other ship illustrations as those
found in the Maqamat al-Hariri and the vessel depiction uncovered by
Whitehouse at Siraf. Secondly, we will discuss Dehtal as a passage from
Persian Gulf to so-called Silk Road with a focus on archaeological reports
and historical written sources.
Introduction:
This article firstly, introduces a hinterland rock art site named Dehtal dated
back to a period from the Paleolithic Age to the Islamic era. This site took
its name from the nearby village with the same name. Secondly, a
petroglyph illustrating a watercraft that is situated within the Dehtal site
�will be introduced and a typology of the craft will be discussed by
comparing it with other similar watercraft illustrations. Regarding a long
Saturi (bowsprit) showed in the watercraft illustration and due to this fact
that such a long saturi is a characteristic of Boom ship, it is believed that
the namely illustration shows a Boom ship. There is no evidence for dating
the petroglyph, however, we will try to estimate it. Thirdly, the paper will
discuss the reason why a Boom ship has been drawn in an inland desert.
Rock Art site of Dehtal
Not far from the ancient village of Dehtal in Godeh area, a rock art site
of the same name has been located. Dehtal is in Bastak County at 170
kilometers north of the Persian Gulf and 110 kilometers south of Lar
(Movahhed, 1970). The pictures of this site include all the categories of
rock arts; human, animal, and plant motifs and symbols.
Most of the motifs in the Dehtal site have been carved on circle or oval
rocks made of limy sandstone with an average diameter of one meter and
a height of half meter from the ground level using Petroglyph technique in
an abstract style. Due to the climatic conditions of the area - high
temperature difference between day and night, and extreme heat during
spring and summer - some of the carved stones have been broken and
divided into two halves. There has been no research done as to the
makers of Dehtal petroglyphs. The measure of erosions and the repeat of
drawings on over each other can be a sign of the importance of this site
to the aboriginal inhabitants or being on the way of ancient roads for
centuries. So, the scattered stones of Dehtal probably were a suitable bed
for transferring the thoughts and rituals of inhabitants or recording
observations by passengers. According to archeological findings and
historical data derived from the Godeh area and Dehtal sites, the Dehtal
�petroglyphs can be dated to a period between the Paleolithic Age to the
Islamic era (Fig.1).
Fig.1: A Landscape of the Dehtal site. (Authors)
Bastak: History and historical Geography
Dehtal is located in Bastak province, regarding this, we will have a look
at the historical geography of Bastak in this part. It could help for
understanding the land and marine trade roads which connected this site
to the internal regions of Iran and shores of Persian Gulf as well as the
probable role of the commercial caravans in making the figures of Dehtal.
Bastak is one of the southern regions of Iran plateau placed between
Bandar Lengeh, Hormozgan and Larestan. In fact, Bastak, as the gate of
Fars to Persian Gulf, was on the way of commercial caravans from the
past. So, it has had the considerable economic position. Also, Bastak
always has involved in the trade and policy of the Persian Gulf. It has been
the center of governing the extensive district between Lar province and
Persian Gulf over the time, especially late three hundred years (Movahed,
1970).
�According to the historical sources, like Farsnameh Naseri, Bastak is a
new name for a bigger zone called Jahangireh (Fasaii, 1988). In fact, it
was a part of the ancient Irahistan. It is a name recorded for Larestan
within the sources of fourth to seventh H.D and encompassed the
hinterlands between Siraf and modern Bandar Abas (Vosoughi et al.,
2008). On the basis of the record of Farsnameh Ibn Balkhi, the rulers of
Irahistan had never been the subordinate of the central government,
unless there was a powerful governor in Fars (Ibn Balkhi, 1995).
Bastak as a Carrefour:
The ancient roads in Bastak and Irahistan region can be summarized as
following: 1- A caravan road started from the nearby ports of Persian Gulf
and after passing Kachouyeh, Kemshak, Tarakameh and Lamerd
reached Jahrom and continued to Shiraz. This way has been used in
flourishing of Kish Island. 2- The second road also started from the close
ports of Kish Island and get to the Larestan with passing Jenah and
Kouhaj. There are traces of caravanserais and reservoirs along this way.
3- The third road came from Lar to Tadrouyeh and finally ended to Ilud.
Also the roads of Bastak to Bandar Lengeh, Lar, Faramarzan, Godeh,
Rouydarat, Lamzan and Dezhgan are documented in 1970. All of these
routes from Bandar Lengeh to Bastak and Lar, the similar caravanserais
with a distance of three Farsang (6 myl) can be seen are mostly named
Shah A'basi (Movahed, 1970). (Fig.2)
�Fig.2: Three main ancient roads in Bastak and Irahistan region.
(Authors)
But Bastak is located on the most important route of the ancient world;
the Southern route of the Silk Road and the Sea Route of the Spice Road
(Adviyeh Sea Route). This south way separated from the east-west main
route of Silk Road passing Rey and Isfahan, reached to Shiraz and finally
after passing Irahistaan and Bastak regions ended at the port of Kish.
Then, it joined the Sea Road of Spice, connected the east and the south
of Asia through the Persian Gulf to the Europe and the Mediterranean's
shores. During this route traded different goods such as silk, spice, pearl
and so on (Reza, 1997). (Fig.3)
�Fig.3: Route 1. Part of the South way of Silk Road. Route 2.
Continuance of the Silk Road to the Persian Gulf. Route 3. Part of the
Sea Road of Spice (Adviyeh Sea Route). (Authors)
The important rivers of Bastak region are Shoor Galedar and Mehran.
These rivers originates from around the Galedar desert and finally flows
into the Persian Gulf (Movahhed, 1970; Vosoughi et al., 2008). The Shoor
River streams into Godeh region, where the Dehtal site located in. This is
a rich area in archaeological terms, containing prehistoric, historic and
Islamic sites.
Larestan and Bastak's regions are pointed during the Achaemenid
period under the names of Yaoutiya, Tāravā and Praga/Forag in
Daryush's manuscript at Biston (paragraph 5, 7, column 3) (Sharp, 2005).
Yaoutiya was probably in the south-east of Fars, i.e. contemporary
Larestaan (Fry, 2003). It is the territory that Vahizdata rioted and named
himself Bardia. Finally, he defeated against the arm of Daryush in Tāravā
and beside Praga, a town and mountain in Yaoutiya respectively (Sharp,
ibid). Tāravā located at the east of Larestan on the commercial route of
�Hormoz toward Kerman and Darab, and Praga is a region in the north of
Taram, East of Larestan and North-east of Bastak most probably
(Vosoughi et al., 2008). After the invasion of Arabs to this region, the name
of Praga changed to Farag or Forag, while it has been recorded Praga in
the geographical books of the initial times of Islam like Farsnameh Ibn
Balkhi (Ibn Balkhi, 1995)
Another historical name which could be adopted with the sphere of
Bastak is Apostana. This name has been mentioned in the book of Aryan,
as the anchorage of the navy of Nearchus, the admiral of Alexander at
325 B.C (Arrian, VIII, p. 38). We have to notice that the first part of the
word "Apostana" can be "Ab" which means water and the second part is
"stan" that means the place. So, Apostana can be "Abestan" which means
the “land of water” with its native accent Bostaneh or Bostano. One of the
features of this place mentioned in history of Aryan is being a center for
hunting pearls (pearl diving). This indication directs us to two ports with
the name of Bostano. One near the Asalouyeh port and another one close
to Bandar Lengeh (Zarinkoob, 2008). The last one located at the east of
Bastak, exactly beside the place of entrance of Shoor River to Persian
Gulf. After this time, there is no exact data from the history of Bastak
region until 656 H.D. But undoubtedly, the existent ports and roads in the
sphere of this area have had an important role in the economy of
governments over this gap. After the invasions of Mongols to Baghdad,
some of Arabs emigrates to Bastak and its environs from Basreh and
some Persian Gulf ports (Salami Bastaki, 1991).
The rulers of Irahistan and Bastak didn't totally accept the obedient of the
central government. Unless a powerful governor appeared in Fars, like
getting power of A'zad dowlah Deylami and its campaign to Irahistan for
�subduing the people of this region in the second half of fourth century (Ibn
Balkhi, 1995).
Also, the independent power of Larestan and Bastak have been
overthrown by Shah A'bas Safavi at 1009 H.D, due to kicking out
Portuguese from Gheshm and Hormuz Islands (Movahed, 1970). The
tribe of Ghavasem or Al Ghasem converted to a power at Jolphar,
contemporary Ras al-Khaimah, and started robbery of the ships on
Persian Gulf at the end of Safavid period. For a while they suppressed by
Nadershah Afshar. After his death Bani Moen, Mashayekh (ruler) of
Gheshm and Hormouz, resisted against them, but finally they had to get
help of the ruler of Bastak (Bani A'basiyan Bastaki, 1339: 125-127).
Along 1161 and 1162 H.D, in the time of the reign of Shahrokhshah in
Khorasan, the south part of Iran got into the invasion of robbers and revolt
of nomads like other regions. In this condition, Mohamd Khan Bastaki, the
ruler of Bastak, stood up against these attacks. Finally these conditions
due to supervision of the governors of Bastak and Laar on the ports like
Kong, Lengeh and Abasi, and even surveillance on far islands like
Gheshm and Kish (Bani A'basiyan Bastaki, 1960).
In the time of Karim Khan Zand (18th century) and with his sentence, a
large area from the North shores of Persian Gulf, Bandar A'bas and Minab
to Lar with some south islands ruled by governors of Bastak (Salami
Bastaki, 1991). In the time of Qajar (18th -20th century), Bandar Lengeh
became the most important port of Persian Gulf against the commercial
stagnation of Bandar A'bas and Boshehr. So Bastak raised up and
developed with locating on the way of the caravan road from Bandar
Lengeh to Shiraz (Movahed, 1970). In the reign of Pahlavies (20th
century), Bastak and its subsidiaries were still part of Larestan province
�(Vosoughi et al., 2008, vol.1, p. 106). Gradually, Bastak separated from
Larestan and changed its ranges in divisions of 1981 and 2004 (Ibid).
The Petroglyph:
The petroglyph depicts a starboard side of a double ended, almost belly
shaped watercraft (Fig.4). Double-enders are the most primarily hull
shape of the Western Indian Ocean crafts (Agius, 2008; McGrail, 2001).
Early pre-historic watercrafts depicted on Mesopotamian and Elamite
seals and seal impressions are double-ended as well.1 Also, dhows are
still in use in the Persian Gulf, except Ghanja and Baghla, which are
mostly double-ended (Al Bastaki; Paris, 1886). It can be said that prior to
the 16th -17th century A.D, the transom stern was non- existent within
Persian Gulf (Agius, 2008, Hourani, 1951).
Fig.4: The petroglyph in situ on the right (Hamzeh Qobadian) and its
drawing on the left. (Authors)
The craft illustration shows two horizontal parallel curved lines on its hull,
the three lines between the curved lines could be consider as planks, so,
the craft is obviously timber-made not reef-bundled (Fig.4). Furthermore,
the curved lines caused a perspective in the illustration of hull and makes
it more tangible. Plus to the horizontal lines, there are two vertical lines on
the outside of the hull that perpendicularly cut the horizontal lines which
�probably showing that joint planks were used to make the craft. Since
antiquity, Persian Gulf`s ship builders` ideal timber has being Saj (Tectona
grandis), it can be bent and joined to the frames, following the curves of
the ship`s sides and it is also long- lasting (Agius, 2008).
The depicted craft, has two masts. According to Bozorg, 10th century AD,
(Nakhoda Bozorg- Ibn-Shahriyar-e- Ramhormozi, 1969) 50 span of a
hand of timber was needed to build a mast.2 Each hand span is about 23
cm. (Agius, 2008), so, we can estimate that a mast was more than 100 m.
heighted. As it is mentioned above, this vessel is double- masted, if each
mast be more than 100 m, then relative to the height of the masts, its hull
– from bow to stern- must be approximately 100-150 m. so, she must be
a seagoing ship not a boat! Undoubtedly, Bozorg exaggerates in
recounting the stories but he is often honest in giving technical
information. It is said that a medieval double-masted craft required crews
of 200 (might be exaggerated) and modern ones draw about 240 kg with
crews of thirty (Whitehouse, 2009).
It can be noticed from the masts and jack- yards that the craft has lateen
sails and it is believed that lateen sail is a characteristic feature of
medieval watercrafts of the Western Indian Ocean (Hourani, 1951).
Lateen rigs are triangular and set along the craft. It permits to sail fore and
aft (parsa, 2012).
The most characteristic feature of this craft is its long Saturi (bowsprit)
which typically represents a Boom ship; the only water craft of Persian
Gulf that has such a long saturi (about 4-5 m.) is the Boom (Agius, 2008;
Eghtedari, 1966; Parsa, 2012). (Fig.5)
The boom distinguishes to two different types: for voyage, or for fishing
and pearl diving (Parsa, 2012). The voyage one is bigger with two or three
�masts (Eghtedari, 1966). The hull of a Boom, just similar to namely
petroglyph, is belly shaped and double ended which makes the craft safer
against the waves of seas and oceans. Also, its long saturi and masts
obviously show that a boom has giant rigs which makes the craft highspeeded (Parsa, 2012). (Fig.5)
Fig.5: a modern double-masted Boom ship on the right (Ethnological
Museum of Kong, Iran) and a Saturi of a modern Boom in Abadan, Iran.
(Authors)
Unfortunately, no more technical detail, such as being swan or nailed,
rudder, deck, anchor and etc., could be obtained from the petroglyph. But,
according to the characteristics discussed above (the long saturi, belly
shaped and double ended hull, being timber- made and double- masted),
it can be understood that the illustration represents a for- voyage Boom
ship. The most famous and certain illustration of Boom ship is the ones in
Maqamat-al-Hariri (13th century) which will be discussed subsequently.
(Fig.6)
�Fig.6: Two Boom ships in two different versions of Maqamat of Al-Hariri,
the one on the left is archived in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France,
Paris (Al-Hariri, 1237). The middle one archived in the Library of the
Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg (Agius, 2008) and the right one is a
graffito engraved in Siraf, Iran. (Whitehouse, 2009).
On the left side of the scene, there is a man / woman depicted riding a
horse (?). On the right, just under the hull of the ship, a fish can be seen.
The depiction of horseman is not obvious because of the erosion, neither
the fish (fig.4). The scratched lines of all described illustrations, ship,
horseman and the fish are in a same color and it shows their concurrency
(scratched lines of the petroglyphs in Dehtal turns darker over time). It
seems that this scene aims to recount a story of voyaging on the seas to
a port in South of Iran and then riding to a central city of Iran.
Comparative Consideration:
Maqamat Al-Hariri:
There are two miniatures of two different versions of Maqamat which are
believed to illustrate Boom ship (Fig.6), one at the National Library of
France, Paris (Hourani, 1959) and one at the Library of the Academy of
Sciences, Saint Petersburg (Agius, 2008). They both are obviously double
�ended with a long saturi and they both are evidently timber-made just like
what we see in the namely petroglyph. There is no doubt that the
Maqamat`s miniatures are more detailed rather than Dehtal`s petroglyph,
and the rudder, crews and even paddles can be seen but, the mutual
features between Dehtal`s petroglyph depicting ship and Maqamat`s
miniatures illustrating ships are firstly, the long saturi, secondly, being
double- ended.
Unfortunately, there are only a few pictorial evidences of medieval ships
within Iran and archaeological evidences of Perso- Arabian ships are even
less than pictorial evidences. One might say there are lots of illustrated
ships between Iranian miniatures but we should keep this fact in our mind
that these miniatures generally recount Iranian myths which are believed
to have been happened in the past, so, the artists just tried to copy the
antiquity depictions of watercrafts and rarely useful information of Iranian
medieval ships could be driven from these miniatures; In fact, it is highly
recommended to Iranian medieval artists to copy their ancestors (Beig-eAfshar, 1969). Furthermore, these miniatures were mostly done by royal
artists who were inhabitants of inland Iran and so far away from seas and
ships.
Ship Graffito of Site “K” in Siraf:
Another pictorial evidence of Iranian shipbuilding is the graffito that David
Whitehouse engraved at site “K” of Siraf3 (Fig.6). This is dated back to the
10th -11th century and it is tree-masted. As it is mentioned before, a
modern two-masted vessel of Persian Gulf draws 240 tonnes and requires
crews of thirty (Whitehouse, 2009), so, a tree-masted craft must be even
greater than a two- masted one! The ship shown in the graffito is doubleended as well as the other watercrafts that are so far introduced in this
article, but unlike the others, nor saturi neither timber planks can be
�recognized in this graffito because of the erosion. Furthermore, its hull
obviously is not belly shaped!
Belitung ship wrecked:
Archaeological evidences of Perso-Arab ships are really rare. But, in
1998, a wrecked ship has been found in Belitung, Indonesia by local
divers. The vessel was carrying the Changsha wares which were in
operation during the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D). Belitung ship is
believed to have a length overall of 18 meters. Flecker (2001) deduced
that Belitung ship was designed for carrying light cargo and she has not
being deep-drafted! Unfortunately, no bowsprit could be recognized in
Belitung wrecked, solely it is mentioned that its stern was vertical (ibid).
So, it seems not to be much similarities between Dehtal ship petroglyph
and Belitung ship wrecked.
Dating of Dehtal Ship Petroglyph:
Maritime trade since Neolithic era within Persian Gulf is proved but,
archaeological and pictorial evidences show that the watercrafts that were
used in pre-historic era have being reed-bundled not timber-made (Carter,
2006), so, pre-historical water crafts could not be comparable with
Dehtal`s ship petroglyph. Furthermore, the Achaemenids (550- 330 B.C)
adapted Phoenician ships which were totally different from the water craft
that we discuss in this article4 (Hassan, 1928).
According to Vosoughi (2016), the history of maritime trade between Iran,
under the name of An-Xi and Far East goes back to the Parthian empire
(247 B.C- 224 A.D). In that time, because of the unsecurity of the inland
Silk Road caused by Central Asian tribes, Parthians decided to sail to Far
East. During Sasanian period (224- 651 S.D), Iranians were named Possǔ
�by Chines and they have been sailing from Persian Gulf to China and back
(Whitehouse and Williamson, 1973). Archaeological evidences such as
Sassanian glass vessels found in ports of Japan evidently proves
maritime trade between Sassanians with Far East (Priestman, 2016). To
conclude, we can`t date this petroglyph as early as pre-history, because
it is obviously timber- made, on the other hand, while we have no pictorial
or archaeological evidence of Partho- Sasanian ships, we can`t deduce
that exactly since when Boom ships were used. The oldest evidences of
Boom are the miniatures of Maqamat (13th century AD) and Booms are
still in use but they work with engine! We can`t deduce that exactly since
when Boom ships were used in Persian Gulf; so, it looks impossible to
present a dating.
Conclusion:
As it is argued above in” The Petroglyph part”, namely illustration depicts
a double-ended, belly-shaped hall watercraft which is timber-made and
has two masts and jack-yard. But the most important feature of the
depicted craft is its long saturi (bowsprit) which is the characteristic of
Boom ships. So, it can be concluded that the petroglyph depicts a Boom
ship. The oldest depiction of Boom are two miniatures in Maqamat AlHariri (13th century AD) and she is still in use in Persian Gulf but works
with engine.
Dehtal is an inland rock art site situated in Bastak province and Bastak
was located 170 km. away from the sea on the passage that connected
so-called Eastern-Western Silk Road to the Persian Gulf- Far East
Maritime route. The petroglyph scene that is discussed in this article
(including a ship and a fish under it on the write and a horseman on the
�left), probably, recounts a story of a passenger who traveled from
somewhere in the East to a port in northern shores of Persian Gulf, then
maintained his/her way to the North by riding on back of a horse and on
his/her way, passed from Dehtal.
Unfortunately, there is no evidence that helps us with relative dating but
forthcoming studies of the authors of this article on absolute dating of the
lichens may be useful.
Endnotes
1
For more information about watercrafts depicted on Mesopotamian seals
and seal impression see: Qualls, C., 1981. Boats of Mesopotamia Befor
2000 B.C, PhD Thesis, Colombia University and Makela, t.t., 2002. Ships
and Shipbuilding in Mesopothamia (CA. 3000-2000 B.C), MA Thesis,
Texas A&M University, Texas
2
The height of the mainmast is a little bit less than the length of the craft
(Eghtedari, 1966).
3
For more information about the dhow`s graffitos around the Persian Gulf
see: Cooper et al., 2015. Boat and ship engravings at Al Zubareh, Qatar:
the dhow exposed? Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 45:
35-48.
4
For more information about iconography of ships of eastern
Mediterranean ships see: Wachsmann, 1998. Seagoing Ships and
Seamanship in the Bronze Age Levant, Texas A&M University Press,
London.
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Biography
Mina Safa graduated with B.A. degree in Archaeology and with M.A.
degree in History of Ancient Iran from University of Tehran. She received
a Ph.D. degree from Shiraz University in History of Iran after Islam. Her
initial interest in the field is around Art History of the Middle East,
particularly around three thousand B.C. She follows the cultural,
commercial, and political relations between neighboring civilizations and
their roles in making a final format of artistic objects and thoughts. Until
now, She worked on rock art of Homyan and Mirmelas (two ancient sites
�of west Iran) and the Deh-Tal rock art site, as well as studying the
artifacts of Jiroft (an old civilization of south Iran).
Shadi Kalantar is a MA student of archaeology at Tehran University and
at the moment working on a thesis titled “Identification, Classification and
Typology of the Water-Crafts Illustrated on the Proto-Elamite and Elamite
(3200 BC- 7th Century BC) Seals and Seal Impressions with a Focus on
their Functions” and I benefit supervising and advising of Dr. Shahrokh
Razmjou and Prof. Philip Castro.
She is also a former member of Iran national Canoe/Kayak team. Because
of this background, in her early undergraduate years, she was interested
in ancient boatbuilding and subsequently, nautical archaeology. Soon
after, Shadi started scuba diving and studying nautical archaeological
methods.
Her focus, currently is on pictorial evidences of watercrafts (rockreliefs,
seal impressions, petroglyphs and miniatures) around the Persian Gulf
and Western Indian Ocean as well as ethno-archaeological studies on
boat/ship building.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
2017 Session 5: Iran's Maritime Cultural Landscape
Description
An account of the resource
The country of Iran benefits from having a long coastline. Sea spaces and coastlines were attractive settlements for humans throughout history. These extensive maritime landscapes have resulted in interactions between human and sea along the northern (Caspian Sea) and southern (Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman) coastlines of Iran. Iran’s rivers and lakes contain a great deal of evidence of human habitation and interaction. Due to the country’s long history of maritime culture, we can also observe sea effects on coastal communities in Iran. Maritime archaeological studies in Iran, however, are at a nascent stage.
In the 1990’s, a small group of archaeologists from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) investigated in the north of Persian Gulf to decode its unknown history. In 2000, the first coherent and planned activities of that group produced the "Underwater Surveys around the shores of Siraf Port in Bushehr Province". After that, the team surveyed "Bandar-e Rig"(Rig port), Portuguese castles in Siraf port, Southern Shores of the Bushehr Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The team has worked on sites from "Shushtar’s Band-e Mizan"(Shushtar barrier), "Takht-e Suleiman" Lake, and the Amir Abad and "Zaghmarz" shipwrecks; the "TammÄ«sheh and GorgÄn" Underwater Walls, and the "Ghorogh" and "Rudsar" shipwrecks. These projects were published in Persian by a domestic magazine. The team then prepared and distributed a booklet titled of "Iran, Underwater Cultural Heritage and It's Share in Maritime Archeological Studies" for the annual meeting of States Parties of The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2016. Next, UNESCO and ICHTO held "Training Workshop on Underwater Archaeology with a Focus on the UNESCO 2001 Convention" in Iran. These activities are continuing and we hope for some continued progress in maritime archaeological studies and international cooperation.
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Hossien Tofighian
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT), Iran
Ramin Adibi
Higher Institute of Marlik University, Iran
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A survey on a petroglyph illustrating a watercraft at the hinterland site of Dehtal
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Dehtal is an important hinterland site, located 170 km away from the shores of the Persian Gulf in Bastak County, Hormozgan province. Dehtal is a petroglyph site possibly dating to the pre-Neolithic, according to various sources of evidence such as stone tools found within the Bastak area and the Dehtal plain. The petroglyphs themselves, however, more likely date to the 3rd millennium BC. According to historical written sources, the Bastak area was located on the road linking the so-called Silk Road to the East Asia-Persian Gulf maritime trade routes. One of these petroglyphs, which is located beside a seasonal river, illustrates a watercraft. The image shows a round-hull, double-ended craft with two masts and a long saturi (bowsprit). A long saturi is a characteristic feature of a “boom†ship. Booms were used for long-distance voyages within Indian Ocean and they are still in use today but now work with engines. Firstly, this article attempts to discern the shipbuilding details of the watercraft depicted in comparison with other ship illustrations as those found in the Maqamat al-Hariri and the vessel depiction uncovered by Whitehouse at Siraf. Secondly, we will discuss Dehtal as a passage from Persian Gulf to so-called Silk Road with a focus on archaeological reports and historical written sources.
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Mina Safah
Shadi Kalantar
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The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
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11/24/2017
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Mina Safah
Shadi Kalantar
Asia-Pac Session 5 2017
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https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/b4f701055fe57ab42712a2cfcae5f19a.pdf
4f75de46e0df9e700df7b591bb621353
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Text
Boat and ship Archaeology in Gilan Province (Iran)
Hossien Tofighian
Iranian center for archaeological research (ICAR)
htofighian@yahoo.com
Ramin Adibi
Archaeological Maritime Landscape Online Magazine
Ramin.adibi2012@gmail.com
Abstract
Gilan province is one the northern states of Iran which is located in south
west of Caspian Sea and has relatively long coastlines. According to
historical and geographical location of Gilan, in 2017, Maritime
archaeology group of Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR)
decided to do a project as "Archaeology of maritime landscapes of Gilan
Province". Main goal of perform this project was identifying immaterial and
material of maritime culture across of Gilan province maritime landscape.
Our Research area was from "Astara" county to "Rudsar" county in Gilan
province. We were surveying about navigation and Boatbuilding in rivers,
Lagoon and coastlines of Caspian Sea. For example: in "Estil" Lagoon in
Astra county we observed a kind of Simple Watercraft which is more look
like to a Dugout canoe. During this project, we observed and investigated
about wooden boats with simple construction in different sizes that locals
called "lutka/lodka" or "Nodonbal". Nowadays, fishermen use flatbottomed, double-ended vessel (in local dialect called "karaji") that linked
to past period. So we were investigating on remains of "Ghorogh" wooden
shipwreck in "Talesh" County and wooden shipwreck "Lalehrūd" in
"Rudsar" County. We visited Traditional Wooden Boat Factory and
interviewed with locals. This article based on desk and field research on
traditional and historical boat and ship in each city of Gilan province.
Key Words: Caspian Sea, Gilan province, boat and ship.
1. Introduction
According to Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization
(ICHTO) is responsible for Cultural heritage in Iran. Recently, in 2017
Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) issued a license titled
�as "Archaeological survey of maritime landscapes of "Gilan" Province
relying on pervious assessments and some Main principles of Convention
on Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage and identifying potentials in
order to do future protection measures. "Hossein Tofighian" is the director
of archaeological survey. The main goals of the Project were:
1. In Situ Preservation, as first option.
2. Obey legal protection of archaeological sites.
3. Organizational and archaeological monitoring in order to avoid of
material culture for further degradations.
4. Necessary measures about protection of sites.
5. Making Reports and documents of archaeological finds.
6. Support ratification and compliance with the UNESCO 2001 Convention
on the Protection of the UCH.
7. Protect underwater cultural heritage for future generations.
We used "Christer Westerdahl's approach" - the Maritime cultural
Landscape - that published in international journal of nautical archaeology
in 1992 for Maritime archaeological surveys in Gilan province. Because
his approach, we can get to our holistic understanding about this subject.
Our Research area was from "Astara" county to "Rudsar" county in Gilan
province. We were surveying about shipwrecks, local maritime culture,
navigation and Boatbuilding in rivers, Lagoon and coastlines of Caspian
Sea. This article derived from this project and shipwreck as a time capsule
and dating instrument mixed with historical report.
2. Maritime Archaeological studies in Caspian Sea
Based on Encyclopedia of Lakes and reservoirs: "The Caspian Sea is the
largest closed water body in the world. Five states are situated on its
banks: Russia, Azerbaijan, Islamic republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, and
Turkmenistan. The area of the sea at present equals to 0.4 million km
�making 18% of the total area of lakes of the Earth. The volume of water
equals to 79,000 km. The maximal extension of the sea from north to
south equals to 1,200 km, its width varies from 200 up to 450 km, and the
greatest depth equals to 1,025 m. The Caspian Sea accepts water of 130
rivers from the catchment area which is approximately ten times greater
than its own one (3.5 million km2) ( Fig. 1). The main feature of the
hydrological regime of the Caspian Sea is significant fluctuation of its level
which is the reason of significant damages and ecological accidents"
(Bolgov, 2012) and This is why various archaeological monuments were
inundated by the Caspian Sea water (Okorokov, 1993). Caspian Sea and
its coasts have many important aspects such as Strategic, Environmental,
social and economic (fisheries, transportation and tourism) factors. In
these days, we should have added maritime archaeological significance
to the Caspian Sea.
Fig. 1: Caspian Sea; (Rucevska and Simonett, 2006)
�There are some of historical and considerable reports that mentioned to
the Caspian Sea, include: Herodotus (5th cen. BC), Ptolemy (AD 2 cen.),
Estakhri (AD 10th cen.), Masʿudi (AD 10th cen.), Al-Idrisi (AD 12th cen.) ,
Abu Zeyd al-Balkhi (AD 9th cen.), Adam Olearius (1599-167), Jan
Janszoon Struys (1630-1694), Captain John Elton(1751), Jonas Hanway
(1712-1786), Guillaume-Antoine Olivier (1756-1814), Pierre Amédée
Jaubert (1779–1847), James Baillie Fraser (1783-1856), charles ferancis
Mackenzie
(1788–1862),
bohler(1853-?),
Grigoriy
Valerianovich
Melgunov (his travel to southern coast of Caspian sea:1858-1860), Jakob
Eduard Polak (1818-1891), Madame Carla Serena (1824-1884), Ernest
Orsolle (1858-?), Henry Binder (1886-?), Frederick Charles Richards
(1878–1932), Wipert von Blücher (1883- 1963) and etc. (Zonn and et
al.,2010; Nikouyeh, 2007). Also, we have many reports from Medieval
Islamic travel writers about Relations between "RUS" and Iran on that time
when Volga maritime route was open. Some of these writers include: "AlMas‘udi, Ya'qubi, Yaqut al-Hamawi, Gardezi, Al-Muqaddasi, Ibn Rustah,
Ibn Khordadbeh, ibn athir al jazari", particularity "Ahmad ibn Fadlan" and
current western scientists' researches such as Thorir Jonsson Hraundal
are very important for our maritime archaeological researches.
Also, in 1870, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar in "Ruznameh-ye safar-e Gilan"
mentioned a list of many different types of watercrafts which are located
in southern of Caspian sea called: "karaji"(a kind of barge), "Navid"(kind
of watercraft),"ka(e)šti ātaši"(a kind of Steamboat), "Nāv"(a kind of
cruiser), "ka(e)šti bozorg tojjāri"(a kind of Merchant vessel), "ka(e)šti
muzik"(Musical watercraft), "ka(e)šti boxār bozorg v kuča(e)k" (Big and
small Steamboat ), "Qāyeq lotke/Lodka"(a kind of Russian boat), "ka(e)šti
dudi"(a kind of Steamboat) and so on.
�Maritime Archaeological researches on coastal and marine regions of the
southern part of the Caspian Sea do not date back to long ago. For
example, a couple of them are as follow:
In the early eighteenth century, several Russian scholars wrote their
observations of stone structures in the coast of Baku. In 1840, an attempt
to locate the submerged town was undertaken. It did not succeed,
although two Russian naval brigs took part. In 1933, the Azerbaijan
Academy of Sciences conducted underwater investigations in the area by
"I. M. Djiafar-Zade" and "E. A. Pakhomov". Totally, 636 frieze fragments
with tile decorations were raised and their inscriptions deciphered. In
1961, the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of Archaeology headed by L.
N. Gumilyov started exploration of the underwater part of "Derbent"
Fortress. The expedition examined about 300 m of the fortress wall
underwater. These investigations confirmed the abrupt variations of the
Caspian Sea-level (Okorokov,1993). According to "Viktor Kvachidze"
says: "in 1968, I had the idea to create an underwater archaeological
expedition in conjunction with the Azerbaijani History Museum and the first
dive was organized in 1969" (Kvachidze, 2006). The expedition lifted a lot
of very valuable material culture from the seabed some of them included:
The remains of settlements of "Bandovan I" and "Bandovan II", swallowed
by the Caspian Sea. They were found in ancient channels and on the bank
of the Kura River. Bandovan I, is ruins of "Gushtaspi" city, which existed
in the 11th-13th centuries, and "Bandovan II" is ruins of "Mugan" city (9th12th centuries), too (Ibrahimov, 2016). In 1982, underwater specialists
examined a ship which sank with the Russian Army treasury in the Bay of
Baku at the beginning of the 19th century (Okorokov, 1993). In 2000, a
fishing company observed the wrecked body of an old ship and some
objects such as samovars, porcelains and some hardware artifacts
obtained from there. Objects obtained from the shipwreck of "Amir Abad
�of Lahijan" confirmed the issue that the vessel had been a “cargo ship”.
These retrieved artifacts from the vessel were made in Russia include
porcelains made in "Kuznetsov Factory" (Mirsalehi, 2001). In 2003, it was
reported a shipwreck appeared in the north of "Zaghmarz" Village in 17
Km away from the north of "Neka" Town (Sourtchi, 2004). In
2006,"Zhenya Anichenko" published a report of her short research trip to
Azerbaijan. She wrote reasons of this short scientific trip: collecting
additional data about "Sababyil" submerged Castle based on writings of
middle-age historians, investigating submerged lands, Caspian Sea
archeological potentials and the history of this region (Anichenko, 2006).
Between 2007 and 2009, Julian Jansen Van Rensburg et al, investigated
"Tammīsheh" and "Gorgān" Underwater Walls (Rensburg and et al,
2013). In 2013, the recording form of "Ghorogh" shipwreck on Talesh
coastlines prepared and submitted to Cultural Heritage Administration of
Gilan Province. In 2016, remains of wooden ship appeared to seem that
belong to the Afsharid Era, has recently explored on "Rudsar" coasts in
"Gilan" Province (Alizadeh, 2015) (Fig 2). In 2016, the divers of the
Russian Geographical Society’s (RGS) expedition found an object, which
looked like an anchor in the Caspian Sea near the coast of Derbent.
Presumably, it belongs to one of the ships flotilla of the Peter the Great, the press-secretary of the Tatarstan branch of the Russian Geographical
Society "Irina Sadykova" says (RIA Dagestan, 2016).
�Fig. 2 (left): Maritime archaeological researches around the Caspian Sea
(Authors,2017)
3. Study area
Gilan is one of the Circum-Caspian Iranian provinces (Ostan). This
province is situated on north of Iran and located in southwestern shore of
the Caspian Sea. Gilan has about 14044 kilometers extent area and
population – 2.4 million people with 16 Counties (in Persian: Shahrestan).
Gilan connects to the Caspian Sea in north, to the Mazandaran Province
in east, to the Ardabil Province in west, to the Zanjan and Qazvin
Provinces in south. It also has borders with the Republic of Azerbaijan in
the north as well as Russia via the Caspian Sea. The main city is Rasht
and The main river is the "Sefid Rud" (Zonn and et al.,2010) (Fig 3). It has
the best type of weather and climate in Iran with a moderate and humid
climate that is known as the moderate Caspian climate. The effective
�factors on such climate include the Alborz mountain range, direction of the
mountains, the height of the area, and the Caspian Sea, vegetation
surface, local winds, as well as the altitude and weather fronts (Kazemi
Rad and Mohammadi, 2015). Our Research area was from "Astara"
county to "Rudsar" county in "Gilan" province. We were surveying about
local maritime culture, navigation and Boatbuilding in rivers, Lagoon and
coastlines of Caspian Sea.
Fig. 3: Location of "Gilan" Province.
A: "ASTARA"; H: "HAŠTPAR" (Ṭāleš ); BA: "BANDAR-E ANZALĪ"; Lh:
"LĀHIJĀN"; Lr: "LANGARUD"; Rs: "RUDSAR" (Authors,2017)
3.1 ASTARA
In 1843, "Keith Edward Abbott" mentioned: "Astara" as "dehkade dahne
kenār" which is situated in the mouth of the "Astara River". Also, Astara
hasn't any harbor and cargo of ships were unloaded via boat nearby
Astara water (Sotuda, 1995). There are many subjects about maritime
archaeological and ethnographical studies in Astara. One of them is "Estil
Lagoon". We observed a kind of Simple Watercraft which is more look like
�to a Dugout canoe (Logboat) around the Lagoon (in local dialect called
"Lodka"), Also, traces of axe observed on hull's Dugout canoe (Fig4).
Undoubtedly, dugout canoe is one of the oldest vessels (Okorokov, 1995).
According to Sean McGrail (2004): “Dugout canoe are shell-built". The
technique of Dugout canoe building as: "The trunk of a heavy tree was
carved out with a crude stone knife or axe: the men would then plug up
both ends of the hollow trunk with some form of boarding" (Agius,
2008:123). The use of this boat building technique, dated back to
Mesolithic (McGrail, 2001:11). It should be noted that boats are first known
among settled peoples-farmers and fishermen. Hunters seem to have
confined their water transport to occasional ‘vessels’, such as tree trunks,
and primitive rafts. To have confined their water transport to occasional
‘vessels’, such as tree trunks, and primitive rafts. Many such these Dugout
canoe observed and recorded in Russia, Ukraine and Latvia (See,
Okorokov, 1995; Burov, 1996). During our investigation in study area, we
observed and recorded plank boats with simple construction in different
sizes that locals called "lutka/lodka" or "Nodonbal" or "Karaji".
�Fig. 4: A. Esteel lagoon Map. (Gharibkhany,2009); B. Estil Lagoon
Dugout canoe. (Authours); C. Small Canoe. ( Holmes, 1845)
3.2
HAŠTPAR (or Šahr-e Ṭāleš “Ṭāleš City”)
A city in the western part of "Gilān" Province, center of the "šahrestān"
(sub-provincial district) of "Ṭāleš" (or Tāleš). The city is located at lat
37°48′ N, long 48°55′ E, at the head of the delta of the "Kargānrud" River
(Bazin, n.d.). Natural dynamic of "Talesh" coast area has caused
“unstable conditions” in this region during different periods. Hence,
“several water level fluctuations” in the Caspian Sea has led to “emerging
or submerging of the neighbor lands."Kargan-Rud" constitutes the biggest
Caspian Sea water basin in Western Gilan. It should be noted that there
is considerable wooden shipwreck in Ghorugh Village of Talesh County.
Here is the exact location of this vessel, according to geographic
coordinate system. It is located on the latitude of 37°51´20.88"N and
longitude of 48°57´27.77" E with the elevation of -28 below the sea
surface. The shipwreck is accessible through "Anzali-Talesh-Astara"
road. In this area, the forest is closer to the shoreline, as if the sea and
�the forest are intertwined. At the present, only some parts of the vessel’s
keel and hull are remained. it is more than 28 meters long and about 6
meters wide. It is not clear yet what method used for construction of
Ghorogh's hull. However, according to observations, a complex method,
strong timbers and wooden pieces used to construct this vessel. Also,
long and robust metal nails were used to fasten the wooden elements.
The ship’s file is prepared for national registration. It is probable this
vessel played an important role in wood trade during the Qajar era
between Iran and Russia. In 1880, "Aḥmad Ibn-x̮udāwirdī Lankarānī" in
"Ax̮bārnāma"; tārix-i Tālišān az salṭanat-i Nādir Šāh tā salṭanat-i
Muḥammad Šāh Qāǧār" said: "There was a naval warfare between
Iranian Navy and Stepan Razin". Also he mentioned: "There were some
exchanges cargo such as Timbers and Cereals from Gilan to Russia".
Also, we were investigating on remains of "Ghorogh" wooden shipwreck
in Talesh County by helishot and Details of shipwreck were mapping (Fig
5.). In these days, Fishermen use flat-bottomed double-ended vessels (in
local dialect called "karaji") in this area linked to past period. Those
watercrafts look like flat-bottomed double-ended vessels were using in 18
and 19 centuries.
�Fig. 5 (left): Photo and
drawing of "Ghorogh"
shipwreck. (Authors, 2017)
3.3
Anazali
A city and sea port as well as an Iranian naval base on the Caspian Sea
in Gilan Province (Zonn and et al., 2010). After the 1979 Iranian revolution,
the name of the place reverted to its original name of "Anzali". In 1860,
"Grigoriy Valerianovich Melgunov" reports: "The Melgunov party aboard
the "Lankoran/ Lankara" arrived off Anzali at half past the hour of eleven
in the morning on October 7, 1860. The “famed tower” of Anzali was in
plain view. The breeze did not permit the ship to draw any closer and so
the ship dropped anchor at some distance from the shore. The local karaji
came out competing among themselves to reach the ship, hoping to sell
their goods to the passengers and crew and provide transportation back
to shore. As it turned out, on that day, only two passengers were due to
disembark at Anzali, and there was no cargo to land. Even though it was
called a “town,” Melgunov observed, Anzali consisted of two villages, one
at each side of the straits that separated the sea from the lagoon. Tiny
sea shells, reeds, and shifting sand bars marked the southern approaches
�to Anzali. On each side of the straits stood a tower set in about a mile from
the water’s edge. The tower on the west or northern part of Anzali stood
some 94 feet tall and the smoke from its signal could be seen as far east
as "Piri Bazar". Anzali itself consisted of some 200 houses and 160 shops,
2 bathhouses, 3 mosques, and 3 shrines. Each house boasted a garden
often bearing citrus trees. In the southern part of the lagoon lay
"Miyanposhteh" Island, mostly covered in reeds. The inhabitants wove
straw goods, grew silk and melons, and drove "karajis".
The ships from Baku and Astrakhan, chiefly carrying consignments of coal
and petroleum, would anchor offshore opposite the Russian trading
houses, as Anzali itself did not have much of an anchorage. Melgunov
observed that Anzali had the Caspian’s worst harbor; its bottom was rocky
and storms arose in its vicinity without much warning. Steamers were
prohibited from approaching the shore and were obliged to anchor some
three miles off. The trade of Gilan, including Rasht and Anzali, according
to Melgunov, consisted chiefly of silk and fisheries. The silk, in particular,
was exported to such destinations as Constantinople in Turkey, Marseilles
in France, and Russia. Among the foreign trading houses active in Gilan
at the time were Riley and Company, which dealt in silk; the House of
Diner, belonging to a Swiss entrepreneur; and the Kavkaz and Mercury
Steam Navigation Company (Mirfendereski, 2001). During archaeological
survey around the Anazli, we observed a few Shipbuilding factories where
they are still building wooden fishing vessels in different size for navigating
�in the sea and river (Fig 6). It should be noted that, today, a number of
such these factories were decreased than previous periods.
Fig. 6: Small Shipbuilding factory. (Authors, 2017)
3.4
Lahijan
A city in the province of Gilān, located at 37°12′ N, long 50°0′ E, to the
east of the lower reaches of Safidrud at an altitude of 4 m. (Bromberger,
2012). Around the coastline of Amirabad village in Lahijan that connect
to Caspian Sea found the remains of wooden shipwreck. According to
artifact recovered confirms the vessel has used as a cargo ship. The
objects recovered from the vessel are mainly made in Russia and
include some porcelain objects made by Kuznetsov Factory (Fig 7)
(Mirsalehi, 1380).
the porcelain factory took its name from the
merchant and founder Terenti Kuznetsov. He established the factory in
1832 in Dulyovo [present Likin-Dulyovo]. Soon after, the factory’s
�products became very popular and products exclusively produced
since that time, they were known as “Imperial Porcelain Factory” in
Russia. Kuznetsov porcelain designed and produced based on Eastern
and Western tastes; so it had many customers. The factory had a wide
range of products. For example, it produced 150 different types of
lunch, tea and coffee sets and about 370 types of cups and various
types of teaspoons, butter dishes, fruit dishes, sugar bowl, ashtrays,
candlesticks, money boxes and other products (Torchinsky, 2010). The
ship’s cargo recovered in 2001 and part of the cargo is currently
displayed on Lahijan Anthropology Museum.
Fig. 7: The cargo and hull of the Amirabad shipwreck. (Mirsalehi,2000)
3.5
Langarud
A city and sub-provincial district (šahrestān) in Gilān located at lat 37°11′
N, long 50°09′ E on the Langarud River, which cuts through the city. From
1611 to 1899, Anthony Jenkinson and other Englishmen report: “Langroe
(Langerud) is situate in low, swampy ground, and at the time of Gmelin's
�visit, was in a ruined state; nothing but a few reed hovels were to be seen,
and a half -ruined bridge and a masque. It was near here that the remains
of the ship built by John Elton for Nadir Shah were to be seen. — Holmes'
Sketches on the Shoi'es of the Caspian. (Jenkinson et al.,n.d ). "(t)he city
owes its fame to the commercial and administrative functions it has
performed throughout history.
Located in the heart of a region that
produces rice and silk, with the nearby quarter of Čamḵāla functioning as
its commercial port, Langarud witnessed strong growth late in the 19th
and early in 20th century when Iran’s trade with Russia and Europe was
flourishing (Fig 8)(Bazin and Bromberger n.d). Chaf and Chamkhaleh is a
city in the Central District of Langarud County, in Gilan Province northwest
of Iran. The city is located on the Caspian Sea. In this area, we visited a
Traditional Wooden Boatbuilding Factory, which they are building in
different sizes that locals called "lutka/lodka" or "Nodonbal"(Fig 9).
Fig. 8 (left): River landscape of Langarud. ( Holmes, 1845) and Fig 9.
Traditional Wooden Boat Factory in Chaf and
Chamkhaleh (Authours, 2017)
�3.6 Rudsar
A city and sub-provincial district (šahrestān) in eastern Gilān. The city is
located at lat 37°08′ N, long 50°18′ E, at the place where the Caspian
coastal highway crosses the small river Rudsar or Kiārud, 14 km
southwest of Langarud (Bazin, n.d.). River "Shalman Rud" passed
through Rudsar and flows into the Caspian Sea. Around the river where
"Lalehrūd or Allah Rūd" village is suited; there are remains of a grounded
wooden shipwreck. It is very significant for archaeological research. There
are some clues in historical accounts on this matter, for example: "Jonas
Hanway" reports as titled "an historical account of the British trade over
the Caspian Sea": "Elton with locals built many warships for Nader Shah
in a place that called "Langroud". It should be noted that the site of
shipwreck is near to this location. Maybe this shipwreck belongs to
Afsharid Era? Also, we were investigating on remains wooden shipwreck's
Lalehrūd Rud in Rudsar County. Group members were recording all
details' shipwreck in a special recording form (Fig. 10). We got some
wooden samples from shipwrecks for dendrochronological studies. In
relation to this matter, we are staying in touch with international scientists.
�Fig 10. Rudsar shipwreck. (Authours,2017)
4 Conclusion
Unfortunately, over several Decades of forming maritime archaeological
studies in the world in this area of Iran is intact and need more maritime
archaeological survey. In the nascent stage of maritime archaeological
survey in Gilan province, we tried to identify maritime archaeological
potentials and some historical accounts that mentioned to maritime
spaces of Gilan province. It should be noted that in this paper we tried to
mix historical accounts with archaeological records to clarify dating
maritime culture heritage, but there are many hypotheses about seafaring
in this area based on archaeological records. According to historical
accounts, it is clear to us, there were seafaring activities in the Caspian
Sea region since AD 9th century contemporary with Opening "Volga
maritime trade" route until today. Also, it is noticed that, different kinds of
watercrafts from shell-built to skeleton-built were used in this area.
�Unresolved hypotheses of this issue move forward us to use of
Multidisciplinary Studies and international contacts.
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Biographies
Hossein Tofighian Ph.D. is a member of faculty and assistant professor of
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT). His field of
study is about Sassanid period around Persian Gulf. He has been working
on maritime archaeological studies in Iran particularly underwater cultural
heritage of Persian Gulf for 15 years.
Ramin Adibi M.A. has a M.A. in archaeology and a member of 'PADI',
focused on Caspian Sea as "maritime archaeological studies", especially
about Maritime Cultural Landscape of Caspian Sea. Runs a magazine
called "Archaeology of Maritime Landscape".
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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2017 Session 5: Iran's Maritime Cultural Landscape
Description
An account of the resource
The country of Iran benefits from having a long coastline. Sea spaces and coastlines were attractive settlements for humans throughout history. These extensive maritime landscapes have resulted in interactions between human and sea along the northern (Caspian Sea) and southern (Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman) coastlines of Iran. Iran’s rivers and lakes contain a great deal of evidence of human habitation and interaction. Due to the country’s long history of maritime culture, we can also observe sea effects on coastal communities in Iran. Maritime archaeological studies in Iran, however, are at a nascent stage.
In the 1990’s, a small group of archaeologists from the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) investigated in the north of Persian Gulf to decode its unknown history. In 2000, the first coherent and planned activities of that group produced the "Underwater Surveys around the shores of Siraf Port in Bushehr Province". After that, the team surveyed "Bandar-e Rig"(Rig port), Portuguese castles in Siraf port, Southern Shores of the Bushehr Peninsula in the Persian Gulf. The team has worked on sites from "Shushtar’s Band-e Mizan"(Shushtar barrier), "Takht-e Suleiman" Lake, and the Amir Abad and "Zaghmarz" shipwrecks; the "TammÄ«sheh and GorgÄn" Underwater Walls, and the "Ghorogh" and "Rudsar" shipwrecks. These projects were published in Persian by a domestic magazine. The team then prepared and distributed a booklet titled of "Iran, Underwater Cultural Heritage and It's Share in Maritime Archeological Studies" for the annual meeting of States Parties of The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2016. Next, UNESCO and ICHTO held "Training Workshop on Underwater Archaeology with a Focus on the UNESCO 2001 Convention" in Iran. These activities are continuing and we hope for some continued progress in maritime archaeological studies and international cooperation.
Creator
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Hossien Tofighian
Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism (RICHT), Iran
Ramin Adibi
Higher Institute of Marlik University, Iran
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Boat and ship Archaeology in Gilan Province (Iran)
Description
An account of the resource
Gilan province is one the northern states of Iran which is located in south west of Caspian Sea and has relatively long coastlines. According to historical and geographical location of Gilan, in 2017, Maritime archaeology group of Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR) decided to do a project as "Archaeology of maritime landscapes of Gilan Province". Main goal of perform this project was identifying immaterial and material of maritime culture across of Gilan province maritime landscape. Our Research area was from "Astara" county to "Rudsar" county in Gilan province. We were surveying about navigation and Boatbuilding in rivers, Lagoon and coastlines of Caspian Sea. For example: in "Estil" Lagoon in Astra county we observed a kind of Simple Watercraft which is more look like to a Dugout canoe. During this project, we observed and investigated about wooden boats with simple construction in different sizes that locals called "lutka/lodka" or "Nodonbal". Nowadays, fishermen use flatbottomed, double-ended vessel (in local dialect called "karaji") that linked to past period. So we were investigating on remains of "Ghorogh" wooden shipwreck in "Talesh" County and wooden shipwreck "Lalehrūd" in "Rudsar" County. We visited Traditional Wooden Boat Factory and interviewed with locals. This article based on desk and field research on traditional and historical boat and ship in each city of Gilan province.
Creator
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Hossien Tofighian
Ramin Adibi
Publisher
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The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
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11/24/2017
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Hossien Tofighian
Ramin Adibi
Asia-Pac Session 5 2017