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HalilRud drainage basin is located South-East of Iran in Kerman province with an area of 8450 square kilometers. Multiplicity of sites, hills and ancient cemeteries along with numerous findings and cultural materials is a feature of this great cultural zone. A variety of factors and appropriate conditions together with favorable environmental situation have attracted human communities and groups from the oldest ages in this great cultural sphere. In 2001 and after accidental discovery of cultural materials obtained from very rich and ancient cemeteries in HalilRud River margin, it has been revealed that the HalilRud cultural zone has been one of the largest industrial and cultural centers of Ancient East in production and export of manufactured goods in the second half of the third millennium BC. Engraved chlorite vessels and other handicraft had been exported to other urban areas of Southwest Asia and Central Asia to Syria.In this study, based on study of 144 pieces of engraved chlorite vessels fromHalilRud River zone so far introduced, it has been attempted to present a preliminary analysis of their iconography. Also, they have been briefly compared with other findings of Southeastern Iran sites such as Tape Yahya, Shahdad and Shahr-I-Sokhta.

Introduction Nowadays, archaeologists and anthropologists have no doubt that human search for food and their settlement strategy in land is related to ecological function of landscape, which is understandable for expansion of energy and foodstuff in time and space dimension in all aspects of landscape (Butzer, 1982). Therefore, understanding the geological structure and environmental context of a landscape as well as environmental data reflecting these behaviors enable better perception of choice of various strategies in different ecosystems by man in the past (Niknami 2004, 52). Geoarchaeological survey has now become an explanatory tool in archaeological studies to elucidate ancient Quaternary environments. Different criteria have been presented for recognition of ancient environments, including survey of sediments, morphology of the environment and its relationship with environmental conditions of human settlements (Maghsoudi et al. 2012: 2). In general, geoarchaeological studies have not a long history in Iran and have been limited to archaeological excavations and research in previous years. Through survey of sediments in ancient site of Tepe Pardis in Qarchak County of Varamin in Tehran Plain, Gillmor et al. (2009 & 2011), as well as studying environmental conditions of the past, found vestiges of an artificial irrigation network, which indicated the efforts of chalcolithic man to acquire water harvesting technology. In another study, Gillmor et al. examined the ancient environmental conditions and their impact on settlement of prehistoric man in Tehran Plain (Gillmor et al. 2011). Schmidt et al. studied the sediments of ancient sites in Sagzabad cluster of Qazvin Plain to survey the rate and type of sedimentation in the studied area and attempted to express the relationship between environmental conditions and human settlement in this region (Schmidt et al. 2011). Moreover, during the excavations of Pishva city in Varamin County, Pedrami (1985) examined climatic changes using sedimentological data while reviewing the regional sediments. In his study, Maghsoudi surveyed the distribution of prehistoric settlements in alluvial plain of Jajrood (Maghsoudi, 2008). Quigley et al. studied the likelihood of the impact of tectonic movements due to active faults in Qazvin Plain on displacement or loss of prehistoric settlements (Quigley et al. 2011). In this context, Barberian and Yeats discussed the same phenomenon with a seismologic approach in two separate articles (Barberian and Yeats, 1999 & 2001). Sohbati et al. (2011) studied the Cheskin anticline in Bouin Zahra region and examined the possible influence of tectonic movements in abandonment of prehistoric settlements in Qazvin Plain. Furthermore, zooarchaeology and archeobotany studies were conducted in Qazvin Plain ancient by Mashkour et al. (1999), Mollasalehi et al. (2006) and Shirazi et al. (2006). Research Method, Geographic Area This article is based on compilation of library data, especially on the basis of field excavations results in Shahrake Firouze...

During excavations of the Shahrake Firouzeh site, much evidence of the Bactria Margiana Archaeological Complex or Amu Darya Civilization has been found. Such evidence is spread across northern Iran, northern Afghanistan, eastern Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, and western Tajikistan. In the present study, pottery samples from the Firoozeh town area were studied using XRD and XRF methods. Using the XRF method and Dplot Software, 15 samples were studied and the data evaluated by analyzing the ratio of various components. The results of the study show that the dominant clay source of the pottery samples existed in the same region, while two other clay subsources from adjoining regions were also identified.

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