TEHRAN - A team of archaeologists, led by Dr. Morteza Hessari, has succeeded in discovering stone artifacts from the Paleolithic era on the Makran coast in Sistan-Baluchestan province.

According to the head of the archaeological research team, these findings include stone tools discovered at several points between the Kopal mountain range and the Makran coast. The stone artifacts consist of large pebbles with signs of flaking on one or more edges, as well as large flakes.

Hessari stated: “These discoveries are of great importance because, until now, our knowledge of Paleolithic settlements on the Makran coast was limited to only a few findings uncovered by Vita-Finzi in the 1970s in Konarak and Sadich, which belonged to the Middle and Late Paleolithic periods.

However, the new findings can provide important information about human occupations of Lower Paleolithic period in this significant region, which many archaeologists believe was along the dispersal route of Lower Paleolithic groups toward South and East Asia.”

It should be noted that these discoveries are part of ongoing research, including test excavations to determine boundaries and excavations at the Kopal site. These investigations are being carried out as part of research projects by the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute.

In conclusion, Hessari expressed gratitude for the comprehensive cooperation of the Dashtiari County Governor’s Office, particularly Abdolaziz Mayai, the honorable governor of the county, and the Chabahar Cultural Heritage Department. He expressed hope that, in the future, an exhibition of these recent discoveries could be held in the county in collaboration with the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism.

The Kopal site is located south of Mount Kopal, along the road from Chabahar to Bris, in Dashtiari county. Test excavations at this site have revealed artifacts from the Bronze Age, as well as the Parthian and Sasanian periods. Further details will be provided in subsequent reports.

Iran’s Makran coast, aka Savahel-e Makkoran in Persian, is a semi-desert coastal strip along the coast of the Sea of Oman.

AM