The Jiroft Kingdom or Jiroft Civilization (تمدن جيرفت) is a relatively recent and ongoing multinational archeological project that aims to uncover an unknown "civilization" in a series of newly discovered sites in Iran's Kerman Province, located at 28° 48' N latitude and 57° 46' E Longitude, known as Jiroft or Halilrud area. There are a multitude of related sites in the vicinity.

Sir Aurel Stein was the first archeologist to survey the area. At least twelve sites are now under excavation in the area, the oldest thought to be more than 5000 years of age. The recent accidental discoveries have led to a surge in illegal excavations and looting, mainly of ancient tombs. The number of smuggled artifacts discovered became so noticeable that police forces had to be dispatched to try stop the looting. Interpol has also been cooperating on stopping the trade sourcing from the area.

The most significant of these sites are Shahr-i Sokhta, Tepe Bampur, Espiedej, Shahdad, Iblis, and Tepe Yahya. Some are in the neighboring Sistan and Baluchistan province.

The recent archeological findings at Jiroft that have uncovered an "independent, bronze age, civilization with its own architecture and language" have led some archeologists to speculate it to be the remains of the lost Aratta Kingdom, though some others disagree. But what is for certain is that this kingdom had a large pottery industry, was a transit hub for trade merchants, and had active interactions with the Elamites.

References

• For a thorough investigation, see: Dossiers Archeologica's feature titled: Jiroft, Fabuleuse Decouverte en Iran, 287, Oct 2003.

See also

• Elamites
• History of Iran

External links

• Jiroft & Aratta Kingdom CAIS
• CHN Report (and another report)
• Saudi Aramco World report