TEHRAN – The discovery of a large prehistoric settlement in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province rewrites the history of early human migration to the Iranian plateau, pushing back evidence of human presence in the region by hundreds of thousands of years.
Archaeological excavations in the “Dekhtar” area of Bastak have uncovered one of the most important and large-scale early human settlements ever discovered in southern Iran. The discovery provides a deep new window into the distant past and sheds light on the early human dispersal from Africa to Asia.
The ruins date back hundreds of thousands of years and cover an astonishing 400 hectares, three times the area of the ancient capital Persepolis. Located in Bastak County, this settlement is approximately 80 kilometers from the northern coast of the Persian Gulf.
The first stone tools were discovered at the site in 2010 by archaeologist Fereydun Biglari and his team, but recent excavations have revealed their true scale and significance. During the summer and fall of 2025, a team led by archaeologist Seper Zarei, Hormozgan’s deputy for cultural heritage, collected hundreds of stone tools, cores, and manufacturing debris.
These discoveries confirm that Paleolithic humans lived on the slopes of Pere Laval for vast periods of time and continued to make tools from locally available rough stones.
The research team discovered a rich assemblage of large stone tools, including hatchets, kitchen knives, and large scrapers. These artifacts are characteristic of the Aschulean culture associated with early human species such as Homo erectus and Homo heidelbergensis.
Commenting on the uniqueness of the site, Mr. Biglari of the National Museum of Iran said, “This is one of the rare Achur sites in Iran, containing a large number of huge cores. These were used to produce very large flakes, over 20 cm in length, which were then formed into the shape of large cutting tools.”
Zaray said the discovery underscores the region’s role as an important hub for early human settlement, not just a corridor. “This discovery fundamentally changes our understanding,” Zarei said. “This shows that southern Iran was not just a passageway for migration from Africa to the Iranian plateau and beyond, but was an important and long-term homeland for our ancestors.”
He attributed the site’s enduring appeal to its strategic geographical location, access to fresh water, and abundant raw materials for tool manufacturing, calling it “one of the most important sites for Paleolithic research in southern Iran.”
The final conclusion of this ground-breaking discovery will be published after detailed laboratory analysis and comparative studies with other Paleolithic sites in the region. Meanwhile, in view of its important role in illuminating a poorly understood chapter of Iranian prehistory, efforts to inscribe the Dekhtar ruins on the national heritage list have been prioritized by the Hormozgan Cultural Heritage Department and are currently underway.
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