Uremia Lake

North western Iran is one of the main focal points of Mannaean sites for reconstruction of this historical period. Discovery of the sites such as Tepe Qalaichi, Zendan-i soleiman, Tepe Rabat, Qal’e Bardineh and others in this region prove this claim. Tepe Bardeh-Konte, on the southern side of Uremia lake watershed, is located in Mahabad. This site with rock-cut structures including stairs, tunnel, pits and cut-walls is situated near the Fakhrigah rock-tomb. Studying and analyzing the pottery data from this region demonstrate that the site belongs to an Iron Age III settlement; the pottery collection from the site is similar to those from Mannaean sites such as Tepe Qalaychi, Tepe Rabat, Tepe Ziwiye, Qal’e Bardineh, Zendan-i Soliyman and Kul Tarike. This article is to report the first archaeological investigation results from the first season of survey and stratigraphy of Tepe Bardeh-Konte which yielded a Mannaean settlement period.