Document Type : ..
Authors
1
Archaeology Department,-Faculty of Literature and Humanities, - Tehran University- Iran
2
Archaeology Department- Tehran University- Tehran
3
Department of Archaeology,- Razi University
10.30465/hcs.2024.47472.2882
Abstract
Place-names have a significant role in revealing the information about a region in terms of history, geography and linguistics. Due to its special geographical location, the Sar Pol-e Zahab region has long been considered as a buffer zone between the Mesopotamian plains and the Zagros highlands. Numerous archaeological finds, including inscriptions, kudurrus, seals, geographical maps and written sources, from the time of the early dynasties of Sumer to the early Islamic era, refer to this region by various names. Ḫalman, Chalonitis, Chala, Albania, Hulwan, Halah, Walashfarr, and Shadh Firuz are some of the names associated with this geographical area. The aim of this research is, firstly, to study the place names attributed to this area in different periods and, secondly, to record the information available in the various sources in order to draw up a typology of place names relating to this area. This will help us to better understand the political, cultural, and economic conditions and the type of settlements in this region. The result shows that, in addition to the variety of the place names used for this region, it has witnessed the diversity and dynamics of multiple religions in this geographical area, as well as many political and civil activities. The motivation and purpose behind the choice of most of the names attributed to this region cannot be discerned, but political governance and geographical environment can be considered as the main components in these attributions.
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