Chronology and Architecture of Chahartaqi ("Four Arches"): Landscape Dynamics of Persia in Late Antiquity

被称为chahartaqi的建筑是伊朗传统建筑中最突出的元素之一。这个名字在波斯语中的意思是“四个拱门”，是一个现代术语，指的是一个特定的古代晚期建筑实体，主要是在萨珊帝国（公元3 - 7世纪）期间发展起来的。这种建筑由四根柱子和四个拱门组成，支撑着一个中央圆顶。目前，在更广阔的伊朗世界（伊兰沙尔）的文化景观中，可以看到数百个保存完好的恰哈塔奇遗址。恰哈塔基可能是独立的建筑，但也可以作为更复杂的建筑的组成部分，如世界遗产地萨尔维斯塔纪念碑。查哈塔奇遗址长期以来一直在古代宗教景观和拜火教崇拜活动的火庙的背景下进行讨论。虽然学术界一直坚持将查哈塔奇作为琐罗亚斯德教火庙的标准建筑蓝图，但它也受到了一些学者的批评。关于恰哈塔基的功能的模糊性特别与我们对绝对年龄，详细建筑特征和它们所处的环境背景的不完整知识有关。这三个方面将是CHARTAQ的研究对象。我们假设：（一）目前在伊朗高原发现的大多数孤立的chahartaqi或chahartaqi复合体都是萨珊时期的，集中在大法尔斯;（二）目前的chahartaqi结构是多功能复合体的一部分，位于古代交通路线沿线的节点上，彼此相距一定距离;（三）根据一系列与自然要素（接近水资源、高地和可能的植被）和文化景观（住区和城市综合体）有关的标准，对查哈塔奇的地点进行了预先规划。为了验证这些假设，我们将根据不同的标准，包括档案资源的可用性，合适的测年材料和考古数据，研究一个chahartaqi的选择。这些遗址将通过三个工作包（WP 1：历史回顾; WP 2：考古学; WP 3：景观考古学）进行调查，采用跨学科的方法，将建筑史，考古学方法和景观考古学方法紧密结合起来。该项目将提供关于波斯古代晚期考古遗址作为人类重要文化遗产的宝贵新科学数据和知识。对于几个地方，评估也将证明它们有潜力被提名为世界遗产。研究结果将发表在科学期刊上，但也将根据人文和社会科学的教育使命和智力责任，以免费互动和开放获取的方式发表。

Buildings known as chahartaqi constitute one of the most prominent elements of the traditional Iranian architecture. The name meaning “four arches” in Persian language, is a modern term referring to a specific architectural entity of Late Antiquity mostly developed during the Sasanian Empire (3rd-7th century CE). Such buildings consist of four pillars with four arches supporting a central dome. Hundreds of well-preserved examples or ruins of chahartaqi are currently observed all over the cultural landscape of the wider Iranian world (Iranshahr). Chahartaqi may be individual buildings but can also be observed as integrated components of more complex buildings such as the World Heritage site of Sarvestan Monument. Chahartaqi sites have long been discussed in the context of the religious landscape of antiquity and the fire temples for Zoroastrian worship practices. Although the idea of chahartaqi being a standard architectural blueprint for a Zoroastrian fire temple has persisted in academia, it has also received criticism by several scholars. The ambiguity about the functioning of the chahartaqi is particularly related to our incomplete knowledge on the absolute ages, detailed architectural characteristics and the environmental context in which they are located. These three aspects will be the study objects of CHARTAQ. We hypothesize that: (i) most of the isolated chahartaqi or chahartaqi complexes currently found in the Iranian plateau are dated to the Sasanian period with a concentration in the Greater Fars; (ii) current chahartaqi structures were parts of multi-functional complexes located within a certain distance to each other on nodal points alongside communication routes in antiquity; (iii) chahartaqi locations were pre-planned according to a series of criteria related to natural elements (proximity to water resources, elevated places, and possibly vegetation) and cultural landscape (settlements and urban complexes). To test these hypotheses, we will study a selection of chahartaqi based on different criteria including the availability of archival resources, suitable dating materials, and archaeological data. These sites will be investigated through three work packages (WP1: Historical Review; WP2: Archaeometry; WP3: Landscape Archaeology) in an interdisciplinary approach closely integrating the history of architecture, archaeometrical methods and approaches to landscape archaeology. The project will provide invaluable new scientific data and knowledge on the Late Antique archaeological sites of Persia as a significant cultural heritage of the humanity. For several places the evaluation will also prove their potential to be nominated as World Heritage sites. The results will be presented in scientific journals, but also in free interactive and open access facilities in accordance to the educational mission and intellectual responsibility of humanities and social sciences.