Biggest Iranian Prehistoric Cemetery Discovered

Wednesday, 13 January 1999

TEHRAN After several research and excavation operations, the biggest Iranian prehistoric cemetery named Aq-Olar Cemetery was discovered in Talesh region, Gilan Province. According to the Public Relations Department of the Cultural Heritage Organization, the presence of huge megalithic tombs and graves distinguishes Aq-Olar cemetery from other ancient cemeteries across the country. The outcome of research conducted by the cultural heritage experts since 1996 indicate that people with a rich civilization lived in this region some 4,000 years ago from the beginning of the iron age till the time of Sasanid Dynasty. An expert group from the Cultural Heritage Organization headed by Mohammad-Reza Khalatbari recently discovered Asb-Sara Cemetery which is located near the Aq-Olar Cemetery in Talesh. The Asb-Sara Cemetery possesses the same characteristics of Aq-Olar Cemetery. Built of huge flat stones, the Asb-Sara Cemetery reveals the wide range of Aq-Olar civilization in this region.

It is worth noting that in the graves in Aq-Olar and Asb-Sara cemeteries more than one body have been buried. Talesh region covers a wide area west of Gilan Province and comprises three small regions including forests, mountains and plains. Due to lack of fundamental scientific studies on the region in the past, the exact date of the establishment of civilization and art in this region is not known.

However certain Greek historians have written about the presence of heavily populated tribes The results of archaeological studies in the region will be published in a book titled Talesh in the Mirror of Time in the near future.