A joint Iranian and British archaeological team recently discovered 7000-year old artifacts and ruins dating back to the Chalcolithic era (7000 to 3500 BCE) in northern Bushehr (Iran).
     "The team began their work with the aim of discovering the social and economic status of the historical site during the Chalcolithic era in the fifth and sixth millennia BCE. So far, eight zones covering an area between Bushehr and Genaveh have been studied during the recent excavation, and artifacts of the Chalcolithic era were discovered on the hills and mounds, 20 kilometers from Genaveh,” the Iranian director of the team, Hossein Tofiqia, said. "The items include earthenware in a greenish-cream color with geometric patterns. Several shards were also discovered, indicating that the process of baking earthenware was also carried out at the site,' he added. In addition, several pieces of stone tools in different sizes were discovered, proving that the inhabitants of the region were farmers 7000 years ago, he noted.

Sources: Mehrnews.com (4 January 2005), Tehran Times (5 January 2005)