The Public Relations Office of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) quoted Alireza Sardari, a faculty member of the Archeology Research Center, as saying that he main settlement layers in the site date back to the cultural stages of the 4th, 3rd and 2nd millennium BC, adding that the site is considered to be one of the largest cities in the early Elamite period.

He stated that the area is 46 kilometers north of Shiraz and in the history of the Elamite, Melian had been the largest urban center in the high plateau of Iran the name of which has been mentioned in many written reference sources of that time.

Referring to previous studies conducted in the area, Sardari said Tall-e Melian had been identified as an archeological site at least since 19th century and ancient remains in a village with the same name were mentioned for the first time in 1275 (1896) in Farsnameh Nasseri which was followed by the field studies in 1342 (1963) in that area.

The archeologist further remarked that in addition to a number of exploration and probing operations conducted in that area, findings of the Elamite and cultural materials have specified structure of large buildings and urban texture.

According to him, on this basis, new archeological studies were defined within the framework of a long-term program the first season of which has been based on basic studies and operations in line with the research, protection and preparation of a management plan of the site.

Sardari noted that probing operations were launched in 1396 (2007) with two purposes of identifying the living condition in levelled and flat lands of the northern half of the city and within the fortifications of the site and different views on the existence of cultural and settlement layers in this part have been expressed.

He added that a more precise recognition of the limits of the site which had been approved in 1381 (2002) requires major reforms in its physical, protective, and structural limits.

“With regard to the mentioned goals, a total of 27 boreholes with different dimensions and depths were drilled inside and outside of the fortifications of which interesting results have been achieved.”

Sardari said the discovered materials and objects from the probing operations and surface studies in the recent season are mostly clay works dating back to the 4th and 3th millennium BC and a small bowl with the closed opening as well as a number of stone objects, stone tools, glass and mortar.

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