Dalma in Detail: a Techno-Social Characterization of Dalma Pottery in NW Iran
SALAMAT, Soheil
The site of Dalma Tepe is considered the origin of a prehistoric tradition in northwest Iran, dating to the 5th millennium BC. Although the site was briefly investigated in the 1960s, only a few additional sites attributed to the "Dalma tradition" have been identified since, and a comprehensive regional chronology for northwest Iran remains lacking. The most distinctive feature of the Dalma tradition is the wide chronological and geographical distribution of its pottery. However, no detailed internal classification—either temporal or regional—has been provided to explain its distribution across the Central Zagros region, northern Mesopotamia, and the South Caucasus. This research aims to revisit Dalma Tepe, a key site, to re-examine archaeological data. The study seeks to establish a valid typo-chronological pottery sequence, providing foundational research that will offer new insights into the Dalma tradition. By building on newly acquired archaeological data from recent excavations at Dalma Tepe, this work will re-evaluate the pottery materials and stratigraphy, leading to a deeper understanding of the Dalma tradition and socio-cultural processes in northwest Iran during the 6th to 5th millennium BC.
Keywords: Dalma tradition, pottery classification, technological attributes, social organization, Dalma Tepe NW Iran
Session 4. Crafting Identity and Clusters through Material Culture, Iconography and Texts [info]