This paper reports the results of a recent geological and archaeological survey conducted in the Sarab district (Sabalan area) in Northwestern Iran. This survey aimed to identify potential obsidian outcrops in the region and to investigate archaeological sites in the vicinity to assess their obsidian exploitation patterns. We located a new obsidian source, Ideloo, and surveyed the previously known archaeological sites of Tepe Qalehjoogh, Kultepe Asbfrooshan, Tepe Emam Chay and Qaleh Tepe Abarghan. Here, we describe the methods and results of our surveys, along with the geochemical characterisation, using portable XRF and LA‐ICP‐MS, of both the new outcrop and the obsidian artefacts found on the sites. Our analyses have revealed the consumption of Ideloo obsidian on three of the four sites surveyed, confirming its exploitation by local communities. While validating previous assumptions regarding the existence of potential obsidian sources in Northwestern Iran, our study also highlights the consumption of raw materials originating from the Caucasus or Eastern Anatolia in complement to local resources. However, the diffusion of the Ideloo obsidian seems so far restricted to a small area, which suggests more complex consumption and trade patterns than previously expected.

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Understanding and investigation of the principles, fundamentals, and the actions during the last century; following the emergence of the concept of "archaeometry" or "archaeological science", that have encompassed the areas of cultural heritage, has have become a must for understanding the nature of scientific trends in archaeometry. Therefore, it is important to clarify the main definitions as the most important fundamental principles in conceptualization to create a common language. The purpose of this study was to investigate the origins of archaeometry by studying the approaches, areas, and boundaries of the related studies, to achieve the principles and basis of this scientific discipline. In Europe, archaeometric activities have been developed over the last century, with a focus on the topics and issues raised in the form of various interdisciplinary research approaches, and today, much of the research in this field of cultural heritage science is being conducted in an interdisciplinary approach, due to the variety of topics. According to a historical study of this interdisciplinary area of science, it can be said that archaeometry in the West has an archaeological origin and is related to the natural sciences. But in Iran, archaeometry was officially initiated under the domain of restoration of historical objects at the universities, began with the establishment of laboratories dedicated for archaeometrical studies in museums and research centers, and continued recently as an independent university discipline. Today, the most important axis of this scientific discipline includes: Characterization, Dating, Provenance, Authentication, Identification the objects application, Reconstruction of the ancient technologies, Science of conservation and restoration, Prospection & Remote sensing methods in archaeometry, Bioarchaeology, Geoarchaeology & Paleoclimatology, and Cyber-archaeology. The results of the investigations and studies realized in this research showed that due to the interdisciplinary nature of archaeometry in a discourse and research approach, it could not have a theoretical foundation. Meanwhile, understanding and adhering to the principles and foundations of the methodology of this interdisciplinary research approach in relation to the other sciences must be admitted. As if some rules and principles, such as the ethics in archaeometry, as a basic concern, have shaped the limitations and developed the archaeological methodological approach.

Temple of Verjuy or Mehr Temple is one of the particular monuments in the type of regional architecture, in the slope of Sahand volcano; has been located in Verjuy village in the suburbs of the Maragheh city, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. The Verjuy researchers believe that this building belongs to the Mithraism religion which is an Iranian ancient religion (248 BCE-224 CE). But, new excavation around the temple demonstrated that this building is a part of underground rocky architecture with an unclear date and history. Underground Verjuy temple has seven spaces with a number of holes which are connected to each other. According to the literature, the temple was a worshiping place before Islam, but since then, the evidence show that it was used as a mosque. The architectural decorations of the temple have not been taken into consideration and in general, a lot of references, repeat the first information related to the history, usage and stone carving of this temple. As the specific architectural decorations of this monument have not yet been scientifically studied, the exploring variety of architectural decorations as well as the characterization of materials used for making the decorations of this building would be one of the main objectives of this research. Based on the results obtained, the main decorations of temple are including: carving of Islamic Arabesque and Quranic inscriptions as well as Moqarnas decoration inside the dome of the main space of the building. The results also showed the application of mortar on architectural decoration as a plaster inside the building and also on the surface of Moqarnas as a very thin layer in Islamic era. Moreover, the field work (redrawing the plan of temple and describe of architectural spaces as a documentation of architectural decorations with photography) and sampling of plaster along with XRPD, XRF and thin section petrography analysis were done. The results of this research show that, except for stone decoration, there is another decoration with lime base mortar in cover of Muqarnas work and some other places of the building, that this new finding is reported for the first time. This finding showed the application of the building during different periods and it is possible to attribute the earliest works and shreds of evidence of the use of the original dome in its new use in the Islamic era, to the Ilkhanid period.