Tehran, Oct 8 : Iranian archaeologists have discovered the remains of a Parthian Fort at the site of the Kalan Dam in Malayer, Hamedan province in northwest Iran.

Hassan Rezvani, head of the excavation team involved in saving Patapeh Mound, which will be submerged by the dam’s reservoir, said they have completed their six month long research of the site and come to the conclusion that the knoll is made up of different ancient layers from the pre-historic times up to the post-Sasanian period (637-850 E).

“Following the completion of studies on the post-Sasanian ruins, we came across architectural remains at the site date back to the Parthian dynastic era (248 BCE-224 CE),“ said Rezvani.

Earlier discovery of a post-Sasanian fort at Kalan Dam in Malayer had paved the way for archaeologists to study 1,000 years of architectural developments in the area.

Rezvani told the Persian service of Cultural Heritage News (CHN) Agency that archaeological studies on the fort has revealed that it was in use from the Saljuq (1037-1187 CE) to Qajar (1781-1925 CE) periods.

After various renovations, especially during the Ilkhanid era, it was transformed into glassworks in the period and an industrial centre in the Zandieh era, he said.

He said a three-metre wide wall made of bricks measuring 37 cm X 37 cm and mortar was also unearthed, demonstrating the strength of the fort in the Parthian period.

Patapeh, which is 25 meters high, is the highest mound, which has so far been studied, the Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS) quoted the CHN report, as saying. (ANI)