Determination of Talle Sefidak limits led to Sassanid building saving

The Public Relations Office of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) quoted Seyedeh Samira Jaafari, head of the archeology team in that area as saying on Saturday that Talle Sefidak was brought under operations for the determination of its limits and privacy due to the risk of further destruction by the human factors.

She further remarked that due to agricultural activities in the summer 1355 (1976) in the city of Hajiabad which was a village of Darab city at that time, parts of the northern lands of the village were bulldozed to the ground.

The archaeologist added that with the unearthing of numerous pieces of plaster works it was revealed that the area was of great importance from the archaeological point of view. Then the Iranian Archaeological Center conducted the first scientific explorations in that area under the supervision of late Masoud Azarnoush.

Jaafari noted that the explorations of the archeology team in a building which was later named “Khaneh Arbabi” (Lord’s Mansion) of Hajiabad, resulted in the salvage of a valuable architectural and artistic complex of the Sassanid era which was on the verge of complete destruction.

She said that the significance of Hajiabad Talle Sefidak and the findings achieved in the course of the explorations by the late Dr. Azarnoush resulted in acquiring international reputation for the site and its inclusion in the list of significant areas in the recognition of the Sassanid period.

Describing the plan for determination of the limits and privacy of the ancient site, the archeologist said in order to conduct the plan initially a topographic map with a radius of approximately 300 meters was prepared from the area and then the location of the bore holes were determined.

Jaafari stated that in this project some 22 bore holes measuring 1 × 1 meter were excavated with an aim of reaching the real area of ​​the site.

According to the archaeologist, the remnants left in Talle Sefidak are in fact a building dating back to the Sassanid era which, for certain reasons, including the structure and the decorations, most likely belonged to the aristocrats or as it is said to the lords of that time.

She said although only remains of the walls, the niches and the bottom of a pillar of the entrance porch could be unearthed, however the discovered remains are highly important in the recognition of the history of art and architecture as well as the religion of the Sassanid period.

Saying that the building is divided into three sections with separate rooms and yards, Jaafari added that in part of the building (room 114) presence of unique wall paintings and plaster works, including the images of broken cross alongside the statues of Anahita which were located on the niche of a room, suggests that in that residential building there has probably been a place for worship.

The archaeologist further remarked that the presence of Shapur II bust who ruled from 309 to 379 AD shows that solidarity existed between the religion and the state in the Sassanid period, and that the ancient Persians attached special importance to the religious matters and observing religious ceremonies and prayers.

According to the archaeologist, The Hajiabad Khane Arbabi was probably built or re-decorated in 363 AD or around it.

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