TEHRAN – A project to study, document, and conduct laboratory research on ancient rock-carved structures in Kermanshah province has begun, an archaeologist who leads the project said on Monday.

The first phase of the project is being carried out by the Kermanshah Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, with approval from the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, archaeologist Azar Jannatimehr added.

Jannatimehr, head of the archaeology team, said this is the first comprehensive study in Iran to scientifically examine the rock-carved structures using advanced microscopic methods and microfossil analysis.

“These rock structures, previously known among illegal diggers as ‘Joughan’ and mistakenly believed to indicate hidden treasures, are now being examined with a scientific approach based on microscopic and microfossil analysis,” Jannatimehr said.

The archaeologist added that the structures vary in shape and size and, based on field evidence, served different purposes, including subsistence activities such as preparing and processing food, as well as ritual and symbolic functions.

Jannatimehr said the new approach opens “a new horizon” for understanding, protecting, and managing cultural heritage and helps prevent damage caused by unauthorized excavations.

She added that laboratory-based methods allow researchers to gain clearer insights into these cultural remains and the lives of past communities, while also offering new perspectives on the cultural and technical processes behind their creation.

Rock art in Iran includes archaeological petroglyphs, or carving in rock; pictographs, or painting on rock; and rock reliefs. Large numbers of prehistoric rock art, more than 50,000, have been discovered in Iran. The largest rock art panel in Iran, located near Golpayegan spans 12 meters and features more than 100 petroglyphs.

Kermanshah, situated in western Iran, is a region celebrated for its profound historical and cultural significance. Set against the backdrop of the Zagros Mountains, Kermanshah has been an important center of civilization since ancient times.

The province boasts remarkable archaeological treasures, including the monumental rock reliefs of Taq-e Bostan and the ancient inscriptions at Bisotun, which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

AM