Archaeologists in Iran working on the remains of a developed city have found that ancient Iranians loved jewellery and ornaments made by highly-skilled craftsmen.
    The site of Shahdad in Kerman Province has produced countless pieces of precious jewellery, dating from 4300 years ago, from industrial and residential areas and a graveyard.
    Mir-Abedin Kaboli, head of the archaeological team, said "Many artifacts including rare stones, jewelry, engraved stones, and jeweler’s tools were found at the site, proving that ancient Iranians were major producers of jewelry in ancient times. The ancient residents of Shahdad used silver, lead, turquoise, lapis lazuli, and ruby to make jewellery. The local residents used to bring in turquoise from Afghanistan, lapis lazuli from Neishabur, and shells from the southern coast of Iran, make the jewellery, and later export it to different regions such as Central Asia, Pakistan, India, and countries on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf."
    The graveyard in particular yielded many items, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. The excavations showed that the population of ancient Shahdad were buried with their jewellery on their wrists, necks, and ears.
    Shahdad is situated in the western part of the Lut Desert in Kerman Province, covering an area of 60 square kilometers. The oldest awl ever found in Iran and several unique statues were uncovered at the ancient site.

Source: Tehran Times (6 December 2004)