Mist of time briefly recedes in Bolaghi Valley

The mist of time has briefly receded in the Bolaghi Valley of southern Iran, revealing secrets of unknown peoples from ancient times, but soon the mysteries may be buried again under the waters of a reservoir of a dam currently under construction.

The Bolaghi Valley is located in Fars Province. It begins at Tang-e Bolaghi (Bolaghi Pass), about four kilometers from the village of Pasargad, which is beside the ruins of the ancient Persian capital of Pasargadae.

Many ancient sites are located along the 15 kilometers of the Bolaghi Valley from the Bolaghi Pass to the Sivand Dam.

The area was previously called Tang-e Bolaghi, but since most of the ancient sites are in the valley that opens up after the mountain pass, it is now called the Bolaghi Valley or Darreh Bolaghi in Persian.

A project called the Archaeological Rescue Excavations of the Bolaghi Valley was implemented from 2004 to 2007 to study over 130 archaeological sites since the filling of the reservoir of the Sivand Dam would flood a large section of the valley. 

The joint French-Iranian archaeological team discovered the columns of an Achaemenid era palace that are similar to columns of the Palace of Darius the Great in Persepolis. Thus, some experts have speculated that these ruins are the base of a palace built by Darius I.      

The team also unearthed a post-Achaemenid era skeleton with an iron bracelet beside it. 

The Polish-Iranian team found a number of coins from the Sassanid era.

The Italian-Iranian team discovered a wall, some jugs, and several arrowheads from the Achaemenid era.

This team also excavated a post-Achaemenid era graveyard which only contained the bones of a few individuals.   

Some of the most significant discoveries were made by the joint German-Iranian archaeological team. This team discovered over ten skeletons from the Bakun period (late 5th to early 4th millennium BC).