The Archaeological Sites of Tepe Yahya and Shahr-e Sukhteh

The archaeological sites of Tepe Yahya and Shahr-e Sukhteh, located in eastern Iran, offer insight into ancient civilizations that flourished there.

1. Tepe Yahya: a center of trade and production

Tepe Yahya, located in Kerman province, was an important center of trade and production in the 3rd millennium BCE. This site, established at the crossroads of several trade routes, played a key role in the trade of chlorite, a stone used for the manufacture of vessels and artistic objects. Excavations have revealed chlorite artifacts, metal, and ceramics, showing the importance of craft production at this site.

The houses and buildings discovered at Tepe Yahya were solid structures, with adobe brick walls and ingenious architectural elements. Traces of organized community life are also visible. Additionally, the importance of trade with Mesopotamia and the Seven Rivers Civilization is clear, thanks to the discovery of objects from these regions, illustrating cultural and economic exchanges.

2. Shahr-e Sukhteh: A prosperous city in the Helmand Valley

Shahr-e Sukhteh, or « the Burnt City, » is another major archaeological site, located near the Helmand River. Founded around 3200 BCE, this city covered approximately 150 hectares, making it one of the largest cities in the ancient world at the time. The site exhibits advanced urban features for its time, like a water management system, a well-organized street network, and specialized quarters for various craft activities.

The people of Shahr-e Sukhteh were known for their skill in several fields, like pottery, bronze work and semi-precious stones. Also, rich burials have been discovered, revealing jewelry, mirrors, and even a copper ocular prosthesis, proving great technical skill and a sense of innovation.

3. Interactions with other cultures

Both sites show clear connections with surrounding cultures. Tepe Yahya was linked to the Seven Rivers civilization, better known as the Indus civilization, and to the Mesopotamians through complex trade networks, while Shahr-e Sukhteh, although more geographically isolated, had relations with the cultures of Bactria, the Oxus Valley, and the Seven Rivers civilization.

The chlorite trade at Tepe Yahya and the varied artifacts at Shahr-e Sukhteh reveal intense exchanges and reciprocal influences between these civilizations, which shared ideas, objects and techniques.

Conclusion

The sites of Tepe Yahya and Shahr-e Sukhteh reveal well-organized societies, both autonomous and open to exchanges with other cultures. Their architecture, crafts and resource management show how these civilizations could adapt and prosper in often difficult environments.