An archaeological survey of Tasouj district, Kavar County in eastern Fars province was conducted by Parsa Ghasemi in March 2012. The survey resulted in the identification of 34 archaeological sites. Two sites – a cave and a rock shelter named Pir-Barreh – contained rock paintings. The two sites are located 10km north of Kavar, about 1km northeast of the village of Anjireh on the eastern flank of the Pir-Barreh gorge. The rock art is predominantly composed of paintings in ochre red, depicting designs that may be dendromorphs (tree forms), geometric/abstract patterns (square, fingertip decorations, cross-like motifs, a possible image of the sun, filled circular images and other unidentified forms), and positive hand prints. These works were probably created by dabbing fingers in a moistened red pigment which is likely to have been hematite. The style used in these paintings is similar to those discovered in eastern Fars. The existence of paintings of a similar style in eastern Fars province may indicate that a specific style of rock art culture was prevalent across a wide area of the southern Zagros Mountains region. This painting style bears a strong resemblance to the style of motifs on potsherds dated to the Chalcolithic era found in the region, including some from Tall-e Gap (5000-4200 BC), from Bakun A (4200-3800 BC) and potsherds of the Late Susiana 1 phase (4800-4300 B. C). This style and motif repertoire appears to have had remarkable continuity into the recent past in the tattoo art of some nomadic groups in the region.
| Published in |
International Journal of Archaeology (Volume 4, Issue 6-1)
This article belongs to the Special Issue Archeology of Iran |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12 |
| Page(s) | 8-21 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Rock Art, Painting, Cave, Rock Shelter, Pir-Barreh, Kavar, Iran
| [1] | Alizadeh, a. 2003, Some Observations Based on the Nomadic Character of Fars Prehistoric Cultural Development. Yeki Bud, Yeki Nabud: Essays on the Archaeology of Iran in Honor of William M. Sumner, ed. N. F. Miller and K. Abdi, Monograph of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA 48, Los Angeles. 83-97. |
| [2] | Alizadeh, A. 2006, Origin of states Organizations in Prehistoric Highland Fars, Southern Iran. Chicago, The Oriental Institute. |
| [3] | Andalibi, J, A. Yousefi, T. 2000, Geological Map of Kavar Quadrangle: 1:100,000 Series. Geological Survey of Iran Publications. (In Persian). |
| [4] | Atai, M, T. 2006, Report on the study of artefacts, stone rampart Persepolis. Bastanpazhuhi, 2 (4). 22–31. (in Persian). |
| [5] | Barfi, C. 2007, Preliminary survey of Epipalaeolithic sites around Parishan Lake, 2005. Bastanpazhuhi 2 (4). 132–133. (in Persian) |
| [6] | Bednarik, R, G. 1993, Paleolithic art in India. Man and Environment 18 (2). 33–40. |
| [7] | Bednarik, R, G. Fushun. 1991, Rock art dating in China: Past and future. Artefact, 14. 25–33. |
| [8] | Bednarik, R, G. Kumar, K. Tyagi, G, S. 1991, Petroglyphs from central India. Rock Art Research 8. 5-33 |
| [9] | Bednarik, R, G. Majid khan. 2005, Scientific studies of Saudi Arabian rock art. Rock Art Research 22. 49-81. |
| [10] | Bernbeck, R. Pollock, S. Fazeli Nashli, H. 2008, Rahmatabad, Dating the ceramic Neolithic in Fars Province”, Neo-Lithic 1/08, 76-78. |
| [11] | Biglari, F. 2007, Introduction”, In Stone tools from Arsanjan area, Fars Province, Iran, A. Tsuneki and M. Nishida (eds). 2–4. Tsukuba University. |
| [12] | Biglari, F. 2012, The development of the Paleolithic archaeology in Iran, In: Eighty Years of Research in Iranian Archaeology, Y. Hassanzadeh and S. Miri (eds.). 7-48. National Museum of Iran, Tehran. 7-48. |
| [13] | Charavarty, S. Kumar, K. Bednarik, R, G. 1997, Indian Rock Art in its Global Context. Dehli. Motila, Banarsiddass Publisher LTD |
| [14] | Charavarty, S. 2004, 130 Years of Rock Art Studies in India. The Future of Rock Art a World Review, Sweden. 23-39 |
| [15] | Clottes, J. 2008, Cave art, Phaidon Press, London; New York. |
| [16] | Dashtizadeh, A 2006 a, Paleolithic survey in the Kazeroun Plain, In S. Zare (ed), Proceedings of the Second Symposium of Iranian Young Archaeologists, Iranian Cultural and Tourism Organization. Tehran. (In Persian) |
| [17] | Dashtizadeh, A. 2006 b, Report of archaeological survey on Paleolithic sites at Marvdasht, Fars province, Iran, In A. K. Singh and R A. Sharma (eds), School of Studies in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, book of abstract, Jiwaji University, Gwalior. 28-29 |
| [18] | Dashtizadeh, A. 2006 c, Paleolithic survey of Sa-adat Shahr plain in NE of Fars province, Iran, In A. K. Singh and R. A. Sharma (eds). School of Studies in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, book of abstract, Jiwaji University, Gwalior. 29. |
| [19] | Durrand-Godiveau, H. La grotte Chauvet: un nouveau Lascaux. Archéologia. 310. 14-15. |
| [20] | Farhafi, M. 1996, Museum in the Wind: report of new findings from the Taimareh Region. Teheran: Allameh Tabatabaei University Press. (In Persian). |
| [21] | Farzin, A. 2008, Lurestan Province, Iran, (Nature, History & Culture) Publisher: Lurestan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts & Tourism Organization, Khoramābād. |
| [22] | Fazel, L. 2011, Tang-e Tihouei Cave and Tang-e Tadavan Rock Shelter: two new rock art sites in the province of Fars, southern Iran". Tarbiat Modares University, Journal of Archaeological Research, Vol. 2 & 3 (4 & 5). (In Persian). |
| [23] | Fazel, L. Alibeigi, S. 2012, Discovery of Cave Art in the Province of Fars, Southern Iran". Rock Art Research, 29 (2). |
| [24] | Field, H. 1939, Contributions to the Anthropology of Iran, Field Museum of Natural History, Anthropological Series, 29 (2) (2vols.). Chicago. |
| [25] | Frankfort, H. P. 1998, Central Asian Petroglyphs: between Indo Iranian and shamanistic interpretations, in C. Chippindale & P. S. C. Tacon (ed.) The Archaeology of Rock Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
| [26] | Fukay, S. er al. 1973, Marv-Dasht III the Excavation at Tall-i Mushki, 1965. Tokyo: university of Tokyo. |
| [27] | Fushun, L. 1992, A survey on the methods of dating rock art in China. International Newsletter on Rock Art 2. 15-20. |
| [28] | Ghasemi, P. 2012, Archaeological Survey of the Tasouj District, Kavar County, Fars Province. Tehran: Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, (unpublished). |
| [29] | Ghasimi, T. Mohammadi Ghasrian, S. 2011, History of Rock Art Research in Iran", in Eighty Years of Research in Iranian Archaeology, Y. Hassanzadeh and S. Miri (eds.), 115-126. |
| [30] | Ghasimi, T. Barfi, C. Nouruzi, R. 2014, Newly Discovered Pictographs from Abdozou Rock Shelter, Firouz Abād, Southern Zagros", Rock Art Research, 31 (2). 199- 204. |
| [31] | Gazetteer of the Mountains of the I. R of Iran: Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman, Yazd, Fars, Hormozgan and Bushehr. 2005, Department of Remote Sensing and Physical Geography of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran. (In Persian). |
| [32] | Gazetteer of the Rivers of the I. R. of Iran, 2005, Department of Remote Sensing and Physical Geography of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran. (In Persian). |
| [33] | Gray, M. P. 2010, Cave art and the evolution of the human mind A thesis submitted to Victoria University of Wellington in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Philosophy. |
| [34] | Ikeda, J. 2006, Preliminary Report of an Archaeological Survey in Arsanjan Area, Fars Province, Iran, 1977, Kyoto University, Kyoto. |
| [35] | Jaubert. J. n. d, "l'art parietal paléolithique", PACEA, UMR 5199 CNRS, Université Bordeaux 1. |
| [36] | Kohgilouyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts & Tourism Organization. 2008, The Land of Unknown Beauties: Kohgilouyeh & Boyer-Ahmad, Publisher: Pejhan, Shiraz. |
| [37] | Langsdorf, A. McCown, D. 1942, Tall-i-Bakun, Chicago, The Oriental Institute. |
| [38] | Mokhtarian, b. Shokri, S. 2010, The Ram in Rituals Associated with the Great Goddess in Lorestan. Iranian Journal of Anthropology Research, 1 (1). 135-151. (in Persian). |
| [39] | Norouzi, R. 2005, Archeological Survey of Firouzabad County, Fars Cultural Handicrafts & Tourism Organization Press, Shiraz. |
| [40] | Piperno, M, 1974, Upper Paleolithic Caves in Southern Iran. Preliminary Report. East and West, n. s. 24. 9-13. |
| [41] | Pullar, J. 1975, The Neolithic of the Iranian Zagros, PhD thesis, University of London |
| [42] | Rosenberg, M. 1998, Paleolithic settlement patterns in the Marvdasht, Fars Province, Iran, Ph. D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia |
| [43] | Rozwadowski, A. 2004, Symbols through time: interpreting the rock art of Central Asia. Poznań: Institute of Eastern Studies, University of Adam Mickiewicz |
| [44] | Rozwadowski, A. Kośko, M. M. 2002, Spirits and stones: shamanism and rock art in Central Asia and Siberia. Poznań: Instytut Wschodni UAM |
| [45] | Sajirati Pour, S. 2009, Stemming Arab Tattoo Designs", Arts Book of the Month, 132. 66-71. |
| [46] | Sedaghat Kish, J. 2012, Kavar Zomrod Fars, Shiraz: Fars foundation research. |
| [47] | Shidrang, S. 2004, Survey Report of a Cave and Two Rock Shelters near Persepolis, Archaeological, and Reports 3. Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, Tehran. 31-36 (In Persian, with an English abstract) |
| [48] | Steif, A. 2010, Endless resurrection: art and ritual in the upper Paleolithic, This honors thesis presented to the department of the history of art in partial fulfillment of the requirements for A B. A. with honors in the subject of the history of art, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| [49] | Sumner, W. 1994, Evolution of Tribal society in Southern Zagros Mountains, Iran, in chiefdoms and Early States in near East: Organizational Dynamics of complexity, Gil stain and Michael Rothman, Monographs in World Archaeology, Madison: Prehistoric Press. 18. 47-66. |
| [50] | Tsuneki, A. Zeidi, M. Ohnuma. 2007, Proto-Neolithic caves In the Bolghi Valley, Southern Iran, Iran, London, 47 (1-22). |
| [51] | Zarei, F. Karami. M. 2005, The Survey of Middle Paleolithic Sites of Marghab, the Pasargadae Plain, Report submitted to the Parse-Pasargadae Research Foundation, Pasargadae, Fars |
APA Style
Taher Ghasimi, Parsa Ghasemi, Arman Vafaei, Ebrahim Ghezelbash. (2016). Recent Rock Art Finds from North of Kavar in Fars, Iran. International Journal of Archaeology, 4(6-1), 8-21. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12
ACS Style
Taher Ghasimi; Parsa Ghasemi; Arman Vafaei; Ebrahim Ghezelbash. Recent Rock Art Finds from North of Kavar in Fars, Iran. Int. J. Archaeol. 2016, 4(6-1), 8-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12,
author = {Taher Ghasimi and Parsa Ghasemi and Arman Vafaei and Ebrahim Ghezelbash},
title = {Recent Rock Art Finds from North of Kavar in Fars, Iran},
journal = {International Journal of Archaeology},
volume = {4},
number = {6-1},
pages = {8-21},
doi = {10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ija.s.2016040601.12},
abstract = {An archaeological survey of Tasouj district, Kavar County in eastern Fars province was conducted by Parsa Ghasemi in March 2012. The survey resulted in the identification of 34 archaeological sites. Two sites – a cave and a rock shelter named Pir-Barreh – contained rock paintings. The two sites are located 10km north of Kavar, about 1km northeast of the village of Anjireh on the eastern flank of the Pir-Barreh gorge. The rock art is predominantly composed of paintings in ochre red, depicting designs that may be dendromorphs (tree forms), geometric/abstract patterns (square, fingertip decorations, cross-like motifs, a possible image of the sun, filled circular images and other unidentified forms), and positive hand prints. These works were probably created by dabbing fingers in a moistened red pigment which is likely to have been hematite. The style used in these paintings is similar to those discovered in eastern Fars. The existence of paintings of a similar style in eastern Fars province may indicate that a specific style of rock art culture was prevalent across a wide area of the southern Zagros Mountains region. This painting style bears a strong resemblance to the style of motifs on potsherds dated to the Chalcolithic era found in the region, including some from Tall-e Gap (5000-4200 BC), from Bakun A (4200-3800 BC) and potsherds of the Late Susiana 1 phase (4800-4300 B. C). This style and motif repertoire appears to have had remarkable continuity into the recent past in the tattoo art of some nomadic groups in the region.},
year = {2016}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Recent Rock Art Finds from North of Kavar in Fars, Iran AU - Taher Ghasimi AU - Parsa Ghasemi AU - Arman Vafaei AU - Ebrahim Ghezelbash Y1 - 2016/09/03 PY - 2016 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12 DO - 10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12 T2 - International Journal of Archaeology JF - International Journal of Archaeology JO - International Journal of Archaeology SP - 8 EP - 21 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2330-7595 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.s.2016040601.12 AB - An archaeological survey of Tasouj district, Kavar County in eastern Fars province was conducted by Parsa Ghasemi in March 2012. The survey resulted in the identification of 34 archaeological sites. Two sites – a cave and a rock shelter named Pir-Barreh – contained rock paintings. The two sites are located 10km north of Kavar, about 1km northeast of the village of Anjireh on the eastern flank of the Pir-Barreh gorge. The rock art is predominantly composed of paintings in ochre red, depicting designs that may be dendromorphs (tree forms), geometric/abstract patterns (square, fingertip decorations, cross-like motifs, a possible image of the sun, filled circular images and other unidentified forms), and positive hand prints. These works were probably created by dabbing fingers in a moistened red pigment which is likely to have been hematite. The style used in these paintings is similar to those discovered in eastern Fars. The existence of paintings of a similar style in eastern Fars province may indicate that a specific style of rock art culture was prevalent across a wide area of the southern Zagros Mountains region. This painting style bears a strong resemblance to the style of motifs on potsherds dated to the Chalcolithic era found in the region, including some from Tall-e Gap (5000-4200 BC), from Bakun A (4200-3800 BC) and potsherds of the Late Susiana 1 phase (4800-4300 B. C). This style and motif repertoire appears to have had remarkable continuity into the recent past in the tattoo art of some nomadic groups in the region. VL - 4 IS - 6-1 ER -
Information
Email: