an interim report of the new excavations at the neolithic site of chogha golan, ilam province, western iran

Chogha golan has previously found a spectacular place in studies of the emergence of early agriculture and sedentary life in western asia. earlier brief work by the university of tübingen in 2009-2010 suggested that chogha golan was inhabited between ca. 9700-7600 bc and witnessed a long initial experimentation with food production. however, despite this significant archaeological position, the site was left without further fieldwork until a new stage of excavations was initiated in 2023, aimed at investigating the diverse nature of the long-term resilience of the inhabitants of the zagros foothills over the course of the transition to the neolithic. in this regard, the first season of the excavations was carried out in october-november 2023. accordingly, an 4×8 m area was excavated at the top of the site. as a result, 5 occupational phases were distinguished based on architectural remains within 285 cm of residential sequence yet excavated. however, the virgin soil was not reached, leaving investigation of remaining underlying levels to the next season. this article presents the preliminary results of the 2023 excavations and then contextualizes their significance for a better understanding of the neolithization process across the zagros region.

an interim report of the new excavations at the neolithic site of chogha golan, ilam province, western iran

chogha golan has previously found a spectacular place in studies of the emergence of early agriculture and sedentary life in western asia. earlier brief work by the university of tübingen in 2009-2010 suggested that chogha golan was inhabited between ca. 9700-7600 bc and witnessed a long initial experimentation with food production. however, despite this significant archaeological position, the site was left without further fieldwork until a new stage of excavations was initiated in 2023, aimed at investigating the diverse nature of the long-term resilience of the inhabitants of the zagros foothills over the course of the transition to the neolithic. in this regard, the first season of the excavations was carried out in october-november 2023. accordingly, an 4×8 m area was excavated at the top of the site. as a result, 5 occupational phases were distinguished based on architectural remains within 285 cm of residential sequence yet excavated. however, the virgin soil was not reached, leaving investigation of remaining underlying levels to the next season. this article presents the preliminary results of the 2023 excavations and then contextualizes their significance for a better understanding of the neolithization process across the zagros region.