Lowland Susiana in the Fourth Millennium BCE
Excavations at KS-04, KS-59, and KS-108
By (author) Abbas Alizadeh
Hardback (Published)
(June 2026)
ISBN: 9781614911517
9.02 x 11.54 inches
Price: $139.95
In stock
This is the final report on ISAC’s 2004-2006 excavations at three major prehistoric population centers in northern Susiana: KS-04 (Chogha Do Sar), KS-59 (Abu Fanduweh), and KS-108 (Beladieh). ISAC’s stratified excavations at these three sites have revealed important contextual evidence for the processes underlying sociopolitical and economic complexity in prehistoric lowland Susiana.
During two seasons in 2004-2006, the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures excavated three major prehistoric population centers in northern Susiana, in the modern-day province of Khuzestan, Iran: KS-04 (Chogha Do Sar), KS-59 (Abu Fanduweh), and KS-108 (Beladieh). The three sites were chosen because of their large size and the prominent role they have played in analyses of the pottery typology, chronology, and politics of fourth-millennium BCE Susiana. Most researchers consider the fourth millennium to be a pivotal period in the development of state-level organization in southwestern Iran. During this time, KS-04, KS-59, and KS-108, along with Chogha Mish and Susa, constituted the region’s major polities. Whereas much of the theoretical framework concerning the local origins of sociopolitical complexity has been based on excavated materials from Susa and Chogha Mish, interpretations of KS-04, KS-59, and KS-108 have largely been derived from surface surveys. ISAC’s stratified excavations at these three population centers have now provided important contextual evidence for the processes underlying sociopolitical and economic complexity in prehistoric lowland Susiana.
Foreword
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Plates
Abbreviations
Bibliography
Introduction
1. Khuzestan’s Environment
2. Lowland Susiana in the Fourth and Early Third Millennia BCE
3. Surveys and Excavations
4. Pottery
5. Administrative Technology
6. Small Objects
Appendix A. Robert McCormick Adams’s 1960–61 Survey of Khuzestan
Appendix B. Faunal Remains of KS-59 (Abu Fanduweh)
Appendix C. Existing Fauna of Northern Khuzestan
Appendix D. Existing Flora of Northern Khuzestan
Plates
Abbas Alizadeh is a research associate professor of Iranian archaeology and director of the Iranian Prehistoric Project at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures. A leading specialist in the archaeology of prehistoric and ancient Iran, he has conducted extensive archaeological excavations and surveys across Iran, Iraq, Anatolia, and the Levant, with a particular focus on the development of early complex societies, settlement systems, craft production, and the long-term history of human communities in southwestern Iran. Alizadeh’s work has made major contributions to the study of Iranian prehistory, including research at Chogha Bonut, Chogha Mish, Tall-e Bakun, and other important sites. Through fieldwork, publication, teaching, and collaboration with Iranian colleagues and institutions, he has helped document and preserve archaeological evidence central to understanding the emergence of village life, social complexity, and early state formation in the ancient Middle East. Across his career, Alizadeh has also played an important role in fostering international scholarly collaboration and training new generations of archaeologists. His work reflects ISAC’s long-standing commitment to rigorous field research, cultural heritage preservation, and the study of ancient societies through sustained collaboration across regions, disciplines, and institutions.
- By (author) Abbas Alizadeh
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