Holocene Alluvial Sediments of the Tehran Plain: Sedimentation and Archaeological Site Visibility

Iran has long been the focus of archaeological studies which have examined the early development and spread of the Neolithic culture (Coningham et al., 2004). Though Early Neolithic sites have been found in western Iran, few early sites have been discovered on the Central Plateau. This may be a direct result of the development pattern of farming communities, but the effects of archaeological visibility within arid landscapes have often been ignored. In order to test this visibility, a collaborative team from the Universities of Tehran, Bradford and Leicester started an intensive settlement survey and excavation programme in the Tehran Plain, which forms part of the Central Plateau, in 2003. Initial results from two seasons of survey and excavation suggest that Late Neolithic levels are present, but covered by 4-5 m of alluvial sediment from adjacent alluvial fans. This suggests that Early Neolithic levels may be even deeper (Coningham et al., 2004: in press). This paper will discuss our findings, and assess the nature and rate of sedimentation and potential site visibility in the Tehran Plain.