Study of Iron Age Burials Ceramics at Khanghah Gilvan Cemetery in Northwestern Iran

Chronology of northwestern Iran is principally based on archeological excavations of the area located around Urmia Lake. Although plain and filled with water, and the outcomes of these excavations are extended to the whole northwestern region. However, northwestern Iran despite having geographical diversities with mountainous plains and low stretches, systematic and comprehensive studies have been lacking until today. Khanghah cemetery in the province of Ardebil has been one of the important archeological enclosures in Iran from where graves of the Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, and the Parthian period have been unearthed. The excavated Iron Age graves in this cemetery are of pit grave with generally individual form of burial, but in some cases, double burials are also seen there. It seems that direction was not observed in the burials. The form of potteries are comparable with ceramics found from places such as Marlik, Lamehzamini, Ghalekuti, Hasanlu V, Kordlore Tepe, Yanik Tepe, Sialk V, Qeytariyeh, Geoy tepe B, Dinkha III, Shahiryeri, Sagzabad, Lasulkan, Mariyan, Chir Chir, Ghabrestan, Khurvin, Haftavan V, Agh evlar, Chilakhaneh and Uzbeki.