15 August 2009
LONDON, (CAIS) -- A new season of excavations at the ancient citadel of Ultan Fortress has led to discoveries of architectural antiquities spanning from the Parthian dynasty (248 BCE-224 CE) to post-Sasanian (637-851 CE) eras.
A graveyard, ruins of a manor-house, a tandoor, a furnace, several rooms bearing plaster decorations, and other artefacts have been unearthed at the site located at the border city of Parsabad (pārsābād) in Ardebil Province, the Persian service of CHN reported on Saturday.
An archaeological team led by Abdorreza Mohajerinejad is currently conducting the season of excavations, which began in late July.
“The team has unearthed ruins of a coherent architectural complex in the south portion of the citadel, and is likely a manor house,” Mohajerinejad said.
They have also identified the lavatory and the bathhouse of the edifice, he added.
The lavatory seat is remarkably similar to modern examples common in western countries, he explained.
The team has also stumbled on a cemetery dating back to post-Sasanian era.
The graves had been dug in ground, under which a number of more ancient architectural structures still remain, Mohajerinejad said.
The evidence suggests that people were unaware of the existence of ancient architectural structures beneath the graves that they were digging, he stated.
A column base has also been discovered near one the graves.
Studies on strata show that the citadel was constructed during the Parthian dynasty but it was further developed during the Sasanian dynastic and post-Sasanian eras.
The citadel covers an area of 50 hectares, but only 400 square meters of that total have been excavated during the current season of excavations.
The industrial units such as workshops for metalworking, glassblowing and pottery had been located outside of the citadel.
A moat, which was filled by the Aras River, had been dug around the citadel to defend it against enemies.
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