The Sharifan City settlement is located near the Sharifan village in the Zangilan district, along the bank of the Hakari River. The settlement covers an area of 8-9 hectares. Its northern side is bounded by the Hakari River valley, while its southern side is bordered by the newly constructed railway line. A ravine, formed by floodwaters coming from the mountains, runs through the center of the settlement from south to north, perpendicular to the Hakari River, dividing the monument into two parts. The ravine, with a depth of 4-5 meters, has caused considerable damage to the northern section of the monument. Excavations began in a 50 square meter area on the northern side of the ravine, where the damage was most severe. To study the discovered construction remains, this area was extended eastward, covering more than 65 square meters. During the reporting period, a cultural layer of 1.8-2.2 meters thick was studied. archaeological excavations revealed construction remains made of river stones, wells, a protective wall built along the ravine to prevent floods, waste related to production, and various artifacts.

 

                                                                                 View of the excavation area from the north.

 

The construction remains discovered in square 1 consist of a foundation made of river stones 50 cm wide, walls, and a floor made of stamped clay. The northern wall of the construction remains, measuring 4.55 meters in length, was relatively well-preserved, with a height exceeding 50 cm in some places. To the east, it is adjacent to a wall running northward. On the west side, the wall turns south, and its remains can only be traced for 1 meter.

                                                                                                Flood Protection Wall

 

The extension of the excavation area to the east allowed for the examination of a flood protection wall measuring 5.75 meters in length. This wall, running along the ravine, has been affected by the impact of floodwaters from the east and has partially collapsed, losing its original appearance.

From a depth of 40-50 cm, layers of ash and charcoal are frequently encountered. Sometimes the thickness of these layers reaches 30-35 cm. The discovery of metal slag among these ash and charcoal layers indicates their association with production activities and suggests the presence of metalworking at the investigated settlement.

                                                                        Metal slag, a fragment of an unglazed pottery vessel

 

Among the finds, although the majority are fragments of glazed pottery, they are distinguished by their typological diversity. One of its local features is the extensive use of cobalt blue patterns on a white background in artistic decoration, influenced by Chinese porcelain and Teymuri tiles. Notably, there is also great interest in a porcelain bowl believed to have been produced in Ardabil. Stratigraphic observations and the analysis of artifacts suggest that the Sharifan city settlement dates back to the XIII-XVII centuries.

                                                                                              Porcelain vessel fragment

 

Tarikh Dostiyev

Tarix Dostiyev