Transition from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age in the Northern Part of Iran

An Analysis of Pottery Excavated from the Deep Layer of Noruz Mahale

Abstract

Materials excavated from the deep layer of Noruz Mahale are from the Bronze Age. Arimatsu No other Bronze Age materials have been excavated on the Southwest Caspian coast. Moreover, it is important that among them is pottery similar to the LBGW (Late Bronze Age Gray Ware) from Gorgan on the southeast Caspian coast. This is farther west they have been excavated. It means the LBGW culture flowed into this region as early as the Bronze Age and that LBGW or LBGW-like pottery extended to a far wider area than was thought before.
Generally, it is said that LBGW is the ancestor of the Early Iron Age pottery in the northern part of Iran. However, there is no direct relationship between the characteristics of pottery from Noruz Mahale and those of pottery of the Early Iron Age in this region. On the other hand the funerary practices and bronze materials of the Early Iron Age in this region use many elements which owe their origin to the Caucasus. So, it is probably best if we accept that in the change from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in Iran there were influences from various areas and assume that there were diverse aspects of this change in each region.