“The excavations have shed light on a number of great mysteries about the lifestyles and occupations in the ancient city,” said Mansur Sajjadi, the head of the archaeological team.
The discovery of some artifacts connected with games of skill indicates the high level of ingenuity of the people, he added.
Sajjadi went on to say that it has been concluded that the ancient residents of the Burnt City believed in an afterlife due to discoveries in graves and the style of burial, calling this finding another important result of the past year’s studies and excavations.
The archaeological team will be studying the artifacts discovered in the Burnt City in order to identify and classify them, Sajjadi said, adding that the documents and information are to be transferred to Tehran after the current stage of the excavation operation is completed.
A unique style of burial was common in the Burnt City. If the dead person was a woman, some cosmetics were buried along with the corpse in the grave, and if it was a man, some foodstuff was placed in the grave.
Archaeologists have found excellent specimens of seeds such as wheat, barley, grass pea, and a kind of lentil in the ruins. They say the seeds have remained undamaged because of the dry climate of the region.
Traces of some genetic illnesses as well as some other diseases of the spinal cord and skeletal system, jawbone, and dental infections have been observed in skeletons at the site. Experts also identified three cases of hydrocephaly and two of skin cancer through their studies.
“A total of 77 graves with 99 skeletons have been discovered during the seventh stage of the excavation, which was carried out in a 700-square-meter area of the city’s cemetery,” said the director of the Zabol Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department.
Archaeologists have also unearthed 320 artifacts from the graves, Alireza Khosravi added.
The artifacts are to be displayed in an open-air area near the Burnt City in the near future, he announced.
“Although the Burnt City has been excavated in seven stages, only one percent of the great ancient site has been dug out,” said Tahereh Shahraki, an expert of the Zabol Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department.
“It is estimated that there are over four billion cultural artifacts in the city, which will take a long time to excavate,” she added.
Archaeologists recently discovered an earthenware bowl at the Burnt City which has what they believe is the world’s oldest “animated” picture drawn around it. The “animation” shows five pictures of a goat which is jumping to eat the leaves of a tree.
Archaeologists had already discovered pictures which had been frequently repeated without any movement, but the newly discovered “animated” pictures have never been seen at such an ancient site.
Many archaeologists from foreign countries are interested in participating in the Burnt City project, Shahraki said.
Photos of the findings in the Burnt City were put on display in a ten-day exhibition in Rome last year which was visited by over 100,000 people.
MMS/HG
End
MNA
Your Comment