Zagros Archaeological Researches

Zagros Archaeological Researches

The architecture of the crypt tombs of the Elymayid period in Khuzestan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Moslem Jafarizadeh 1 ΒΆ
Esmail Hemati 2
Mehdi Rahbar 3
1 PhD in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor in Archaeology, University of Bu-Ali Sina, Hamadan
3 Former faculty member of the Archaeological Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/z.a.r.2024.716181
Abstract
The Elymaites were one of the autonomous and local governments that were present in southwestern Iran during the Parthian period, especially in the Khuzestan plain, and they had a rich culture and civilization. Several works including; Magnificent stone temples, expensive crypt tombs, a lot of paintings, coins, plaster casts, figures and metal statues of the Elymaites are left, which all show their ability in economic, political and governance fields. According to the results of investigations and researches carried out in the Elymaites period of Khuzestan, like in other regions of Parthian territory, there were many burial traditions. A special type of burials of this period can be mentioned the crypt tombs that were obtained from different areas of Khuzestan, such as Saleh Dawood, the area of artisans of Shush and Gulalak of Shushtar. In this research, a special type of works of the Elymaites period, that is, crypt tombs, is discussed, and the most important questions are: What are the common features of the architecture of the Elymaites crypt tombs? And what are the most important reasons for the creation of Elymaites crypt tombs in Khuzestan? The nature of the current research is fundamental and its approach is descriptive-analytical; The method of collecting information is also through library studies, including the use of books, reports and some articles. The results of the research show that these tombs have common features in terms of architecture, such as access to underground spaces with staircase-shaped entrances, and the main materials used in their construction are mainly brick and plaster mortar, and its main space It has an arc-shaped cover. Also, the evidence shows that probably the crypt tombs of the Elymaites period were influenced by the burial tradition of the underground tombs of the Middle Elam period.
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  • Receive Date 30 September 2024