Shoghali Tepe work resumes: 04-09-2008
Travellers heading to Iran may be interested to hear that archaeologists have resumed excavations at the 7,000-year-old Shoghali Tepe site, near Tehran, following an unexplained delay to the August start date.
The site, believed to contain sections dating back to 5,000 BC, was discovered in 1983 during a building project.
It has been subject to excavations since the early 80s, although was left abandoned for a number of years until 2006 when a team led by Moteza Hesari carried out a second set of excavations.
The same team is to excavate the site once more, with scientists expecting to find ashes, coals and pottery.
Tehran Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department research section director Ali Farhani explained that the latest excavations have already begun.
"The team, which has begun working over the past few days, plans to carry out an in-depth study on the site’s strata," he told the Tehran Times.
The capital city is famed for its museums, palaces and ski slopes.