Prehistoric Neolithic and Chalcolithic site reveals early cultural transition in Iran

Archaeologists in Iran have uncovered a significant prehistoric settlement near the city of Mahallat in Markazi province, shedding new light on early human habitation and cultural development in the Iranian Plateau. This is reported by Tehran Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

According to Hossein Mahmoudi, Deputy Director of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of the province, the site dates back to the late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, roughly between 5200 and 4500 BC.

The discovery includes pottery linked to the Cheshmeh Ali cultural complex, a well-known archaeological tradition from southern Tehran. These ceramics serve as key evidence of the transitional phase between the Neolithic and Chalcolithic eras.

The Chalcolithic period (circa 4500–3000 BC) marked a major transformation in human society, notably the advent of copper metallurgy and the emergence of the potter’s wheel, developments that represent significant technological and cultural shifts from earlier Neolithic life, the source claims.

Mahmoudi noted that ongoing typological and comparative studies are being conducted as part of efforts to register the site on Iran’s National Heritage List.

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