Deh Kheyr (; also known as Dakhi) is a village in Kharqan Rural District,

Bastam District Bastam District () is in Shahrud County, Semnan province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia ...

Shahrud County Shahrud County () is in Semnan Province, Iran. Its capital is the city of Shahrud. History After the 2011 National Census, the village of Ruyan was elevated to city status as Rudiyan, and was renamed Ruyan again in 2021. After the 2016 ...

, Semnan province,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. At the 2006 census, its population was 182, in 39 families. It is located in Shahrud Plain, about north of Bastam, and from the city of

Shahrud The Shahrud (, from , DMG ''šāh-rūd'' or ''šāh-i-rūd'') was a short-necked lute, illustrated in the '' Surname-i Hümayun'', resembling an oud or barbat, but being much larger. The larger size gave the instrument added resonance and a de ...

Archaeology

In 2006, traces of a prehistoric, 8,000-year-old settlements were found here. The discoveries included ovens, craft workshops, and other evidence of settlements. Archeological excavations in different parts of Shahrud Plain indicate the existence of villages in this area during 7-5 millennium BC.

Sang-i Chakmak

Sang-i Chakmak (Tappeh Sang-e Chakhmaq, Sange Chaxmaq, Chakhmagh) is the most famous Neolithic site of Shahrud plain. It is located only from Deh Kheyr, and was excavated by Japanese archaeologist, Masuda, in 1972–1973. The Sang-e Chakhmaq West Mound is believed to be the earliest known settlement of the Neolithic in the north-east region of Iran, dating to the late eighth to early seventh millennium BC. Levels 2-5 represent the

aceramic Aceramic is defined as "not producing pottery". In archaeology, the term means "without pottery". Aceramic societies usually used bark, basketry, gourds and leather for containers. "Aceramic" is used to describe a culture at any time prior to its ...

Neolithic phase. Large mud-brick houses with plastered floors were built. There's also some imported obsidian. There are many zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines.Christopher P. Thornton (2010)
SANG-E CHAKHMAQ
iranicaonline.org In the uppermost levels, a handful of sherds indicate the beginning of the Early Ceramic Neolithic. The date is about 6000 BC. There are many parallels with

Jeitun Jeitun (Djeitun) is an archaeological site of the Neolithic period in southern Turkmenistan, about 30 kilometers north of Ashgabat in the Kopet-Dag mountain range. The settlement was occupied from about 7200 to 4500 BC possibly with short interr ...

culture sites. Also, in Semnan Province, there is an important site of Tepe Hissar.

References

{{Portal, Iran Populated places in Shahrud County Prehistoric Iran