7,000-year-old village discovered in Iran

TABNAK, Dec. 06 - Archaeologists have discovered a 7,000-year-old prehistoric village beneath the historic city of Dehdasht, shedding new light on the region’s Neolithic past and early urban development.

News ID: 7008

Date: 06 December 2025 - 16:36

The head of archaeological excavations in Dehdasht announced the discovery of a 7,000-year-old village within the historic city of Beladshapur.

Zabihollah Masoudinia said on Saturday morning that evidence of a prehistoric village dating back to the 5th and 6th millennia BCE had been uncovered in the heart of historic Dehdasht region.

He noted that until now, no archaeological research had been conducted in the historic city of Dehdasht. These excavations represent the first research activity in this area, where several test trenches were dug after obtaining official permits.

Masoudinia explained that while upper layers contained evidence from the medieval and late Islamic periods, removing these layers revealed astonishing prehistoric layers. Initial studies indicate that these layers belong to the 5th millennium BCE.

Masoudinia continued, noting that this discovery could be highly significant and greatly enhance the historical importance of Dehdasht, according to Mehr.

He added that architectural remains from the final centuries of the Islamic period are visible on the surface. Archaeologists set up a small workshop to carefully examine lower layers of potential Seljuk and Safavid structures. Excavations revealed pottery fragments and cultural materials dating back to the 6th and 5th millennia BCE.

The archaeologist highlighted an intriguing find: pieces of heated stones, indicating a specific technology used by people of that era to warm liquids, such as milk or water, by placing heated stones into containers.

Referring to aerial images from 1956, Masoudinia noted that a historic mound near the Dehdasht Caravanserai had been visible, but subsequent urban development had largely destroyed it. Nonetheless, evidence of the Neolithic village has now been recovered.

He added that the excavations have helped better identify the main layout of the historic site, revealing that present-day streets, houses, and alleys largely sit atop this ancient mound. During the research, remnants of qanat water transfer systems were also discovered in the northern part of the city.