Background

Figure 1.

Map showing ancient routes from Bishapur to Borazjan.

Ancient Fars, the capital of great dynasties from the pre-Islamic to the Islamic periods, occupies a large part of southern Iran and contains numerous and significant roads to different destinations. The present survey tries to trace part of a road in western Fars, the ancient road from Bishapur to Borazjan, built during the Sassanid period (AD 224-651). The remains of the city of Bishapur, founded by Shahpur I, are located to the north-west of Kazerun. The city of Borazjan is located 63km to the north of the port of Bushehr and 110km south-west of Bishapur (Figures1 and 2). Both cities grew in importance in ancient Persia, thanks to their position close to the Persian Gulf and on a network of different routes.

Figure 2.

Satellite image with ancient routes from Bishapur to Borazjan indicated.

Most of our data consist of reports known as Masalek written at the end of the third century AH (ninth century AD) by Arab and Iranian geographers and travellers including Ibn-e Balkhi (1995), Ibn-e Khordadbeh (1992), Estakhri (1994), Mostofi (2002) and Moghadasi (2006). Amongst these, Ibn-e Balkhi (1995: 232) recorded the roads more accurately than the others. More recently Sir Aurel Reference SteinStein (1940) and B. Karimi (1950) studied Iranian routes, including this particular route, but without survey. This was the impetus for the present study.

The survey

Fieldwork was conducted between February and April 2007 and complemented by research in the library. Work in the field was carried out on foot, by car and motorcycle and also gathered information from local people. After identifying each location and measuring its approximate size and features, maps and plans were drawn and the scattered cultural material, such as pottery, found on each site was picked up randomly. The sites were dated according to the archaeological and documentary data, the architectural evidence and pottery categories. GPS devices enabled us to map the position of each work and building accurately and GIS software was used in an analysis which is presented here as the ancient road from Bishapur to Borazjan.

Findings

Figure 3.

Examples of water reservoirs along the ancient road.

The remains of the route comprise numerous structures including caravanserais, bridges, castles, cisterns, remains of stone pavements and evidence of road construction from the Sassanid period. Among the roads identified and shown on aerial photographs, the road ending at Sar Mashhad (Figure 4) appears to be the better preserved. Its remaining length is approximately 4km and its width 5m but this width varies in places. The method of construction consists of large stones with cobblestones covering the middle of the road (Figure 5). Numerous circular, rectangular or elliptical cisterns (Figure 3) are found at some distance from this road.

In addition, many urban and rural sites from the Sassanid period have been identified, the most important being Sar Mashad, Tuz, Tang-e Eram, Nirugah, Bidzard, Mahur-dar-e-Balut and Dar-e-Balut. The remains of these sites can be seen as small and large mounds (tepes) located close to the ancient roads. It is perhaps possible to link the construction of such cities and stopping points along this road with Ardashir and his successors in the Persian Gulf hinterland that both Esfahani and Tabari mention (Esfahani 1967: 44-50; Payande 1973: 584).

Figure 4.

Aerial photograph of part of the site of Sar Mashhad, an important urban site between Bishapur and Borazjan.

Figure 5.

Part of the ancient road unearthed in the vicinity of Sar Mashhad.

Conclusion

Archaeological evidence in the plains of Kazerun and Borazjan and an examination of natural barriers and passages suggests that there were two ancient routes from Bishapur to Borazjan. A first route started at Bishapur then went on to Joreh, Sar Mashhad, Bozpar, Tang-e Eram, Dalaki and Borazjan. A second route from Bishapur to Borazjan crossed the farthest end of the western Kazerun Plain and then went to Tang-e Torkan Komaraj, Konar-Takhteh, Khesht and Moshir bridge (Figure 6).

The first route is older, and its use dates back to the Achaemenid period. It was of great economic and commercial importance in the Sassanid period, as shown by the presence of large urban and rural sites established along this route (Figures 4 and 7) which connected the north of Fars with the Persian Gulf hinterlands.

Figure 6.

Moshir bridge, built on Sassanid foundations, on the Bishapur to Borazjan route.

Figure 7.

The northern face of the site of Tang-e Eram along the route.