Archaeological Investigations in Izeh and Pion
Henry T. Wright led the first survey in Izeh in January 1976 and went back to field again in April.
Wright and Richard Redding made a brief return visit to Izeh in October the same year. They found only an isolated déjeté scraper of Mousterian type.
According to Wright’s report, six rock shelters had the larger blade tools that, in his opinion, made earlier UP
occupation probable but majority of the rock shelter sites produced an EP assemblage with typical tools (except
geometric microliths). Also several other possible UP and EP assemblages were reported by the same team in Dasht-e Gol
and Iveh in northwest of Izeh as a result of the salvation project of Karun Dam 1 Basin. Only 30% of the Valley slopes of Izeh Plain were surveyed intensively during the field mission.
Mozhgan Jayez has surveyed the plain again and the regions in the vicinity of Izeh in the recent years and presented a preliminary analyses of the chipped stone assemblages recovered from the caves and rock shelters, found in the intensive archaeological surveys that led to discovery of Late Paleolithic to Early Neolithic sites. The lithic artifacts reveal evidence of repeated occupation spanning the Upper Paleolithic, Epipalaeolithic, and Early Neolithic periods. While distinguishing between the Upper Paleolithic and Epipalaeolithic assemblages is challenging due to shared tool types, the presence of pressure microblade cores and sickle elements clearly indicates Early Neolithic activity. The study highlights the long-term use of these cave sites and suggests that the apparent scarcity of Early Neolithic village settlements in the Izeh Plain may reflect preservation issues or distinct settlement patterns of the region's early farming communities.
During the most recent survey season, in addition to caves and rock shelters, 39 rock cut installations were recorded, specifically bedrock mortars and basins. These were mostly found in the outer areas of the sites. At this point, it is not possible to determine an exact date for these findings. They were discovered in open areas outside of the caves and rock shelters, so it is difficult to confirm if they are from the same time period as the prehistoric cultural remains.
