Tepe Sagzabad
Sagzabad · Tepe Sagzabad Qazvin
Late Bronze to Iron II (c.1400–800 BCE)·Central Plateau Iron Age (grey ware → red ware) → Median precursor·🇮🇷 Qazvin Plain, North-Central Iran, Iran
About
About Tepe Sagzabad
Iron Age I–II fortified town (12 ha, 12 m high) on the Qazvin plain, excavated by E.O. Negahban. Early Iron (c.1400–900 BCE) grey-ware levels with diagonal-cremation cemetery, succeeded by Iron II red-ware town with fortification wall and metallurgical quarter. Key to Central Plateau Iron Age chronology.
Why it mattersKey Qazvin Plain, North-Central Iran sequence for Late Bronze to Iron II (c.1400–800 BCE); qazvin plain fortified centre controlling tehran–hamadan route.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Tepe Sagzabad relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Qazvin Plain
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- LB c.1400 BCE fortified
- Period
- Late Bronze to Iron II (c.1400–800 BCE)
- Culture
- Central Plateau Iron Age (grey ware → red ware) → Median precursor
- Builders
- Central Plateau Iron Age (grey ware communities
- Purpose
- Qazvin plain fortified centre controlling Tehran–Hamadan route
- Abandoned
- c. 600 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
35.7800° N · 49.9300° E · 1250 m · 2 mapped features
Iron fortification
fortificationBastioned mudbrick town wall with gate
35.7802° N · 49.9303° EMetallurgical quarter
workshopCopper workshop with slag and crucibles
35.7798° N · 49.9297° E
Gallery