The Landscape Archaeology in
Lanja ¯n Plain of Is
˙
faha ¯n, Iran,
During the Islamic Period (650–
1722 A.D.) (Preliminary Report)
Jaleh Kamalizad, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of
Humanities, University of Tehran, Enqelab Sq.,
Tehran 14155-6158, Iran
E-mail: Jalehkamalizad@Gmail.com
ABSTRACT
________________________________________________________________
Lanja ¯n is an ancient and fertile plain along the Za ¯yandeh Ru ¯ d river in south-
west of Is
˙
faha ¯n. Due to favorable environmental conditions, such as direct
access to the Za ¯yandeh Ru ¯ d river, fertile agricultural lands and also ancient
highways, the region has long been worthwhile and a key area of Is
˙
faha ¯n.
Moreover, due to the existence of prestigious and thriving town, Kha ¯n
Lanja ¯n and its mountainous castle, there are numerous mentions about
Lanja ¯n region in written sources of the early and medieval centuries of
Islam. In this study, according to archaeological survey and written sources,
the author is going to consider dynamic changes of Lanja ¯n by cultural
landscape archaeology approach. This project investigates different aspects
of settlements, agricultural lands, water, and their relationship in the cultural
and administrative geography of Lanja ¯n during the Islamic period.
________________________________________________________________
Re ´sume ´: Lanjan est une plaine ancienne et fertile le long de la rivie `re
Zayandeh Rud dans le sud-ouest d’Ispahan. En raison de conditions
environnementales favorables, telles que l’acce `s direct a ` la rivie `re Zayandeh
Rud, les terres agricoles fertiles mais aussi les routes antiques, la re ´gion a
longtemps me ´rite ´ le de ´tour et e ´te ´ une zone ge ´ographique ne ´ vralgique
d’Ispahan. En outre, avec l’existence de la ville prestigieuse et prospe `re, de
Khan Lanjan et de son cha ˆteau en montagne, il existe de nombreuses
mentions sur la re ´gion de Lanjan dans les sources e ´crites des premiers
sie `cles de l’Islam et de l’Islam me ´die ´val. Dans cette e ´tude, en fonction des
fouilles arche ´ologiques et des sources e ´crites, l’auteur va tenir compte des
changements dynamiques de Lanjan en utilisant la me ´thode arche ´ ologique
du paysage culturel. Ce projet e ´tudie les diffe ´rents aspects de
l’e ´tablissement des populations, des terres agricoles, de l’eau et de leur
RESEARCH
ARCHAEOLOGIES
© 2016 World Archaeological Congress
Archaeologies: Journal of the World Archaeological Congress (© 2016)
DOI 10.1007/s11759-016-9287-1