TEHRAN – Iranian archaeologists recently unearthed Persian glossy ceramics, historic coins and fragments of Islamic architecture during the second phase of excavations at the Kamal Zarin pass in Isfahan, local officials said Thursday.
Amir Kalamza, director of Isfahan’s Cultural Heritage Bureau, said the discovery took place on the opening day of the second excavation phase.
“In the early days of fieldwork, we encountered important architectural ruins from various Islamic times,” Karamzadeh told Mehr news agency. “These areas remaining throughout the site show the historical richness of the region.”
He added that in addition to architectural elements, mobility artifacts have been found, including shiny tiles, well-known ceramics and fragments of old coins. “These objects not only retain high artistic and archaeological values, but also highlight the unique role of Kamal Zarin in Isfahan’s history,” he said.
The excavation site is located near the UNESCO-listed Jamemesk buffer zone in Isfahan, one of the city’s most prominent monuments. Karamzadeh pointed out that this proximity could provide new insights into the historical strata surrounding the mosque, thus leading to discoveries being “increasing importance.”
The launch of the second phase continued what officials described as multiple challenges. Karamzadeh believes that the support of state officials, including Governor Isfahan, mayor and local prosecutors, has enabled the excavation to be reopened.
The first excavation at Comer Zarin, a team from Isfahan University last year, revealed traces of human activity across several historic periods. Ali Shohaye Esfahani, an archaeologist and faculty member at the university, said the findings remained in the Sassanian period (224-651 A.D.), confirming the long-standing role of the passage in the city’s development.
That phase also revealed evidence from pre-Fabid markets and artisan workshops. This suggests that the passage served as a commercial hub before Isfahan became prominent under the Safavid Empire in the 17th century.
Archaeologists may provide further information on the city’s early layers in anticipation of ongoing excavations and future geophysical research, and may reconstruct an academic understanding of Isfahan’s urban history.
Locally known as Zarinfem pottery, Persian shiny ceramics have a striking sheen that resembles gold. The pinnacle of Persian glossy pottery can be traced to the second half of the 12th century AD, when Persian poetry and epigraphy played an important role in potters from the era, when they adorned their works with poetry and inscriptions along with other decorative photographs.
Experts say that poetry and inscriptions that are closely related to the artist’s personal preferences, sense and culture, and literature of the time, play an important role in the design of Zarrin-Fam Pottery.
Isfahan once stood at a crossroads in Iran’s international trade and diplomacy, but now for good reason it is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations. It is filled with many architectural wonders, including unparalleled Islamic buildings, bazaars, museums, Persian gardens, tree-lined paths and more. It is a city where you walk, get lost in a bazaar, a city where you can doze off in beautiful gardens and meet people.
The Persian proverb “Isfahan, Nezuhuejahan” (Isfahan is half the world) reflects the city’s cultural and historical prominence.
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