Arsacid Vats Containing Skeletons Are Found

Two vats containing skeletons dating back to the Arsacid Dynasty (250 BC - 226 AD) were found during the excavations in the public cemetery of Dastova ancient city in Shoushtar, southwestern Iran.

Archaeological excavations in Dastova ancient site officially began a month ago under Dr. Mehdi Rahbar, and are coming to a close in the next few days with the aid of Shoushtar archeology students.

“In the last few days, we have unearthed 2 very large vats that contain skeletons in a fetal form and put on their sides. A hand of one skeleton is on its chest”, Mehdi Rahbar told CHN.

The interesting point about these skeletons, according to Rahbar, is that 2 large vats are attached together so that they can contain an entire corpse. This kind of burial and the vats are known to belong to the people living in the Arsacid era.

As the vats have been found in a public cemetery in which the poor were also buried, it seems they have belonged to the rich people, due to the intricacy of their burial.

Dastova ancient site, at a distance of 1 km. from Shoushtar city in Khouzistan province, is probably one of the most valuable sites even in Iran that has been neglected by archaeologists and destroyed by farmers to a large extent. This site has not yet witnessed extensive research and excavation.