The Ubaid of greater Mesopotamia had been building monumental mud brick stepped platforms as early as c. 5,000BC which it is said these structures were the inspiration for later ziggurats. The oldest ziggurats are believed to have been built c. 3000BC in Sialk, Elam (Iran):
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And Uruk, Mesopotamia (Iraq):
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And yet despite this long tradition it is often claimed ziggurats did not become common place until after the ziggurat of Ur c. 2100BC:
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The Jiroft culture of Iran's cultural peak usually dated from 2500-2200BC though artifacts have been found at Jiroft sites dating back to 4000BC. In general the Jiroft appear to date back to c. 3000BC. We have spoken of the Jiroft culture here before as they are most well known for their prolific curious stone "handbags":
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More photos HERE.
Depicted on some of these handbags and objects, however, are clearly stepped pyramid/ziggurats:
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In the Jiroft areas, 2 massive mounds were identified as archeological sites, Konar Sandal A and Konar Sandal B, with A being a ziggurat and B a large fortress of some kind. RCD gave a date range of 2880 to 2200BC.
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The Jiroft culture is a relatively recent discovery (2000) in which mass looting of the sites occurred before the authorities were tipped off and archaeological excavations began. Read HERE.
Dating of these sites has been contentious, but again by and large it appears the Jiroft culture dates back to c. 3000BC with a peak of 2500-2200BC. Jiroft pottery in context with some of the stone objects found in situ, however, has been found identical to other sites dated to c. 2800BC. It would seem the Iranians want this site to be a old as possible and Western scholars want it to be younger. My sense is the most reliable dating is c.2500BC.
More interesting reading: Jiroft and the Aratta Kingdom. The Jiroft as Arrata theory is also hotly debated, but personally it seems like a leading candidate at the very least.
And Uruk, Mesopotamia (Iraq):
And yet despite this long tradition it is often claimed ziggurats did not become common place until after the ziggurat of Ur c. 2100BC:
The Jiroft culture of Iran's cultural peak usually dated from 2500-2200BC though artifacts have been found at Jiroft sites dating back to 4000BC. In general the Jiroft appear to date back to c. 3000BC. We have spoken of the Jiroft culture here before as they are most well known for their prolific curious stone "handbags":
More photos HERE.
Depicted on some of these handbags and objects, however, are clearly stepped pyramid/ziggurats:
In the Jiroft areas, 2 massive mounds were identified as archeological sites, Konar Sandal A and Konar Sandal B, with A being a ziggurat and B a large fortress of some kind. RCD gave a date range of 2880 to 2200BC.
The Jiroft culture is a relatively recent discovery (2000) in which mass looting of the sites occurred before the authorities were tipped off and archaeological excavations began. Read HERE.
Dating of these sites has been contentious, but again by and large it appears the Jiroft culture dates back to c. 3000BC with a peak of 2500-2200BC. Jiroft pottery in context with some of the stone objects found in situ, however, has been found identical to other sites dated to c. 2800BC. It would seem the Iranians want this site to be a old as possible and Western scholars want it to be younger. My sense is the most reliable dating is c.2500BC.
More interesting reading: Jiroft and the Aratta Kingdom. The Jiroft as Arrata theory is also hotly debated, but personally it seems like a leading candidate at the very least.