Distribution map of sites in the Kashafrud area. A1 and A2 are the sites discovered in the original survey of 1975.
Introduction
The significance of eastern Iran as a migratory corridor during the Pleistocene period has been known since the early 1950s (Reference CoonCoon 1951; 1957). Palaeolithic sites in general are few, and even fewer are those reported from eastern Iran which can be assigned to the Lower Palaeolithic period: examples are Ladiz (Reference HumeHume 1976) and Makran (Vita-Finzi & Copeland 1980).
The first evidence of Pleistocene hominid occupation in north-eastern Iran was reported by Ariai and Thibault (1975): they claimed the discovery of artefacts belonging to industries similar to Oldowan industries from two localities close to the river Kashafrud, located 35 and 85km east of the modern city of Mashhad (sites A1 and A2 on Figure 1).
The new Kashafrud survey
The river Kashafrud is one of the most important rivers of the province of Khorasan Razavi. It originates in Binaloud in the Hezar-Masjed Mountains in the North West and flows eastwards to the river Harirrud. Due to its great ecological and geomorphological potential and considering the previous reports of Palaeolithic finds in this region, a project to reassess the Palaeolithic potentials of the river Kashafrud was set up.
A survey campaign was conducted during December 2007 and as a result 15 new Palaeolithic sites were recorded: 12 are located close to the banks of the river Kashafrud and three are in the vicinity of the river Jamrud (Figure 1). Based on a preliminary typological analysis of the artefacts collected, it seems that some of the sites discovered encompass the Lower to Middle Palaeolithic periods.
Among the fifteen sites recorded, Ghaleh-Gak (KHJ-01), located near the river Jamrud, has provided a heavy-duty scraper and a heavy bifacial chopper (Figures 2 and 3), along with other artefacts (flakes and scrapers) all made on sedimentary rocks with signs of severe weathering. Another bifacial chopper (Figure 4) was found at the Polgazi site (KHK-07) close to the river Kashafrud.
Bifacial chopper from the Ghaleh-Gak site.
Heavy duty scraper from the Ghaleh-Gak site.
Bifacial chopper from the Polgazi site.
This new assessment of the river Kashafrud, thirty years after the original survey was conducted, has revealed the great potential of north-eastern Iran in general and of the river Kashafrud in particular for Palaeolithic studies. Sporadic Palaeolithic finds in this region and neighbouring areas (Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) support the hypothesis that the region delimited today by the geographical boundaries of Iran has been used repeatedly in the Pleistocene period as a migratory pathway linking East with West.
Acknowledgements
We thank Amir Saed Mocheshi for helping us to conduct the actual survey. Special thanks go to Dr Laleh from the Department of Archaeology of the University of Tehran and to Dr Mokarramifar, Director of the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization office in province of Khorasan Razavi, for their help and support. We would also like to record our great appreciation to the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization office in Torbat Jam, especially to Mr Taj Mohammadi for logistical help.
