Archaeological Survey Report on Paleolithic Sites of Harsin County in the Central Zagros, Iran

Abstract

The valleys and margins of the intermountain plains between Harsin and Bisotun are some of the most important regions in the Central Zagros, where numerous sites from different prehistoric periods have been discovered. Archaeological evidence from the region indicates that scattered human groups were present in the foothills and intermountain areas during the late Pleistocene period. Most archaeological studies in the region have focused on Mount Bisotun. Therefore, an intensive and thorough study is required in order to find new Paleolithic sites in the intermountain valleys leading to the city of Harsin. Archaeological surveys in the region have led to the identification of twenty-one new sites from the Middle Paleolithic to the Epipaleolithic period. In this article, the results of the archaeological survey of the middle Paleolithic to Epipaleolithic sites in the region are discussed.