TEHRAN -- A new season of excavations at the ancient citadel of Ultan Qalasi has led to discoveries of architectural antiquities spanning from the Parthian period to early Islamic eras.

A graveyard, ruins of an aristocratic edifice, a tandoor, a furnace, several rooms bearing plaster decorations, and other artifacts have been unearthed at the site located at the border city of Parsabad in Ardebil Province, the Persian service of CHN reported on Saturday.
An archaeological team led by Abdorreza Mohajerinejad is currently conducting the season of excavations, which began in late July.
“The team has unearthed ruins of a coherent architectural complex in the south portion of the citadel, and is likely an aristocratic edifice,” Mohajerinejad said.
They have also identified the toilet and the bathhouse of the edifice, he added.
The toilet bowl is remarkably similar to modern examples common in western countries, he explained.
The team has also stumbled on a cemetery dating back to early Islamic eras.
The graves had been dug in ground, under which a number of more ancient architectural structures still remain, Mohajerinejad said.
The evidence suggests that people were unaware of the existence of ancient architectural structures beneath the graves that they were digging, he stated.
A column base has also been discovered near one the graves.
Studies on strata show that the citadel was constructed by the Parthians but it was further developed during the Sassanid period and early Islamic eras.
The citadel covers an area of 50 hectares, but only 400 square meters of that total have been excavated during the current season of excavations.
The industrial units such as workshops for metalworking, glassblowing and pottery had been located outside of the citadel.
A moat, which was filled by the Aras River, had been dug around the citadel to defend it against enemies.
Construction projects by an agro-industrial company have previously caused damage to the citadel.