Below the Salt: A Study of the Human Remains and Associated Material from the Salt Mine at Chehrabad, Zanjan, Iran

位于伊朗德黑兰以西赞詹附近的切尔阿巴德盐矿提供了一些独特的证据，证明盐的开采至少始于公元前300年。公元前400年最引人注目的是，自1993年以来，至少发现了5具尸体。第一个被发现的是一个保存完好的头颅，有完整的头发和胡须，还有一只保留了部分下肢的靴子、一条纺织短裤、三把刀、一把银耳镐、一条吊索、一段绳子、一块磨石、一颗核桃、一些陶器和纺织品碎片，以及一些骨头。这具尸体是在露天机械采石场发现的2004年11月，由于发现了第二具尸体，采矿活动再次停止，这一次主要是骨头碎片，但仍有一些软组织、头发和胡须的痕迹。随后进行的有控制的挖掘又发现了三具尸体，其中一具保存完好，衣着完整，携带个人设备。还发现了大量的纺织品、木材和其他材料，但与尸体没有直接关系。400 BC，而两个归因于后期萨珊时期（c。公元400 - 600年）。然而，人体组织和毛发的同位素数据表明，这些人中至少有两人可能不是来自矿井周围的地区，这就提出了一个有趣的问题，即矿井在古代是如何运作的。我们建议对人类遗骸进行更全面的分析，了解他们死亡时的健康和营养状况（记住这些遗骸的独特性质-毫无疑问是被意外压碎而死的-意味着它们是非常罕见的，保存得相当完好的史前人类在完全健康和活跃的情况下被杀害的例子），而且进一步调查他们可能从一段距离外旅行来收集盐的可能性。没有考古学证据表明矿区周围有人居住，因此开采似乎是偶尔的访问或季节性活动，而不是永久的矿工。在当代希腊世界，我们知道采矿往往是奴隶的任务。因此，这对我们如何看待伊朗阿契美尼德王朝晚期和萨珊王朝时期的社会组织有着重要的意义。有大量的证据表明，在墙壁上有采矿活动的痕迹，但也有木钉的遗迹，甚至有完整的木柄工具和金属镐。还有食物残骸和粪化石。出色的有机保护为重建矿井中的活动提供了独特的机会。我们还保存了相当数量的纺织品，需要对其进行检查以确定纤维类型，编织技术和染色技术，因为这个时代的这种材料显然是罕见的。从这些纺织品的技术和设计来看，我们希望能够获得更多关于在矿井工作的人的地理和社会经济来源的信息。我们还知道，至少还有一具人体有待从矿井中打捞出来，这将由波鸿团队完成（他们正在为此寻求DFG和/或ICHTO的资助，并对史前采矿活动进行完整记录）。我们将协调我们的活动，以便PDRA骨科医生可以在此恢复期间在场，并随后进行完整的检查和采样的遗骸。

The salt mine at Chehr Abad, near Zanjan to the west of Tehran in Iran has provided some unique evidence for the mining of salt from at least c. 400 BC. Most strikingly, at least five human bodies have been recovered since 1993. The first one found was a well-preserved head, complete with hair and beard, associated with a boot which preserves part of the lower limb, a pair of textile shorts, three knives, a silver ear pick, a sling, a length of rope, a grindstone, a walnut, some pottery and textiles fragments, and some further bone. This body was recovered during open cast mechanical quarrying. In November 2004, mining activities were again brought to a halt by the discovery of a second body, this time largely consisting of fragmentary bones, but with some traces of soft tissue, hair and beard remaining. Subsequent controlled excavation resulted in the recovery of three further bodies, one of which was very well preserved, being fully clothed and carrying items of personal equipment. Large quantities of textile, wood and other material was also recovered, but not directly associated with the bodies.Preliminary examination and dating showed that three bodies were dated to c. 400 BC, whilst two were attributed to the Late Sassanian period (c. 400 - 600 AD). Isotopic data on body tissue and hair, however, suggested that two at least of these individuals may not have come from the region around the mine, posing an interesting question about how the mine was operated in antiquity.We propose to carry out a much fuller analysis of the human remains, to understand their state of health and nutrition at death (remembering that the unique character of these remains - undoubtedly killed by accidental crushing - means that they are very rare and reasonably well-preserved prehistoric examples of humans killed whilst fully fit and active), but also to investigate further the possibility that they may have travelled from some distance away to collect the salt. There is no archaeological evidence of habitation around the mine, and so it seems likely that exploitation was by occasional visit or seasonal activity rather than by permanent miners. In the contemporary Greek world, we know that mining was often the task of slaves. This therefore has important implications for how we view the social organization of the late Achaemenid and Sassanian period in Iran.There is ample evidence for mining activity in the form of pick marks on the walls, but also from the remains of wooden pegs, and even complete tools with wooden handles and metal picks. There are also food remains and coprolites. The excellent organic preservation provides a unique opportunity to reconstruct the activities which went on in the mine. We also have considerable amounts of textile preserved, which need to be examined to determine fibre type, weaving technology and dying technology, since such material of this age is obviously rare. From the technology and design of the textiles, we expect to obtain additional information about the origins, both geographically and socio-economically, of those who worked in the mine.We also know that there is at least one more human body to be recovered from the mine, which will be done by the Bochum team (who are seeking DFG and/or ICHTO funding for this, as well as to make a complete record of the prehistoric mining activity). We will coordinate our activities iso that the PDRA osteologist can be present during this recovery, and subsequently carry out a complete examination and sampling of the remains.