Transform Prevailing Hypotheses on Iran's Central Plateau Prior to the Formation of the Median Empire

TEHRAN– The results of five years of continuous collaborative research between the Department of Archaeology at the University of Tehran and the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, Poland, have been published in three peer-reviewed international journals. The studies, conducted on human skeletal remains from the Iron Age II and III cemetery (c. 1100–750 BCE) at the site of Qareh Tepe in Sagzabad, leverage state-of-the-art archaeometric laboratory methods. These findings fundamentally challenge traditional narratives and prior assumptions regarding the social structure, dietary patterns, and mobility of communities inhabiting Iran's central plateau on the eve of the Median Empire's formation.

According to the University of Tehran's Public Relations Office, this international project has been jointly directed by Dr. Mostafa Dehpahlavan, faculty member of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Tehran and head of the Qareh Tepe excavation mission, and Professor Arkadiusz Sołtysiak from the University of Warsaw. The research team comprises an international cohort of Iranian and foreign scholars, including Joanna Trębicka, Rafał Fetner, Elham Farnam, Marjan Mollabeirami, and Zahra Alinezhad.

Revising the Nomadism Hypothesis for the Qazvin Plain

For decades, the prevailing hypothesis—largely based on the predominance of cemetery finds and a scarcity of clear settlement evidence—held that Iran's central plateau during the Iron Age was primarily inhabited by pastoral nomads. However, isotopic and osteological analyses conducted by this joint team reveal that the inhabitants of Qareh Tepe during the late second and early first millennia BCE were, in fact, a sedentary agricultural-pastoral community deeply integrated with their local ecosystem.

Three Principal Scientific Findings of the Project:

1. Health, Nutrition, and Bone Pathology (Bioanthropological Study)

Osteological examinations carried out on a minimum of 52 individuals—comprising 18 adult males, 9 adult females, 4 adults of undetermined sex, and 21 infants and children—assessed indicators of skeletal stress and ancient disease:

• Oral and Dental Health: A dental caries prevalence of approximately 21% was recorded, indicating consistent access to carbohydrates and starchy foods derived from agricultural produce.
• Physiological Stress: Evidence of iron deficiency and physiological anemia was observed in the cranial vault and orbital roofs (porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia), with a higher frequency among adults than subadults.
• Trauma and Conflict Evidence: Notably, signs of trauma resulting from blunt and sharp-force injuries were documented on the crania of two adult males and one adult female, suggesting the presence of social tensions or physical confrontations within these communities.

2. Dietary Reconstruction via Stable Isotope Analysis (Carbon and Nitrogen)

Through the analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes on 53 human dental dentin samples and 30 faunal specimens, the researchers achieved unprecedented results. The nitrogen values in the tooth collagen of Qareh Tepe's inhabitants were exceptionally elevated—significantly higher than those recorded at contemporaneous sites across the Iranian plateau. The authors argue, based on the available evidence, that these elevated levels are not solely attributable to high meat consumption. Rather, they reflect intensive agricultural practices and the extensive use of animal manure for soil fertilization within a confined, densely populated alluvial fan territory in the Qazvin Plain. This phenomenon provides robust evidence for sedentary settlement and advanced land-management strategies. Furthermore, a significant divergence in carbon values between males and females points to nuanced differences in cereal sources or consumption patterns between the sexes.

3. Assessing Migration and Geographic Origin (Radiogenic Strontium Isotope Analysis)

One of the most advanced components of this project entailed the analysis of radiogenic strontium isotope ratios in the tooth enamel of 60 individuals from the cemetery, with the aim of determining the proportion of locally born versus non-local individuals within the population.

Researchers and interested scholars can access the comprehensive statistical details and laboratory data in the following three published articles:

1.  Human remains from Qareh Tepe, Iran, 2019

Trębicka, J., Dehpahlavan, M., Farnam, E., Alinezhad, Z., Mollabeirami, M., & Sołtysiak, A. (2019). Human remains from Qareh Tepe, Iran. Journal of Short Reports / University of Warsaw Publications.

2. Isotopic Insight Into the Human Diet at Qareh Tepe, Iran, During the Iron Age (c. 1200–750 BCE)

Trębicka, J., Dehpahlavan, M., Fetner, R., Alinezhad, Z., Farnam, E., Mollabeirami, M., & Sołtysiak, A. (2025). Isotopic insight into the human diet at Qareh Tepe, Iran, during the Iron Age (c. 1200–750 BCE). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

3. Human Mobility at Qareh Tepe, Iran, During the Iron Age (c. 1200–750 BCE)

Trębicka, J., Dehpahlavan, M., Alinezhad, Z., Farnam, E., & Sołtysiak, A. (2025). Human mobility at Qareh Tepe, Iran, during the Iron Age (c. 1200–750 BCE). Archaeometry.