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Papers by Iona Kat McRae
World Archaeology, 2018
In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid – a 'persistent temporary place' locate... more In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid – a 'persistent temporary place' located in the mobile dune fields of the north eastern edge of the Rub' al-Khali desert – as a lens to focus discussion on the variable nature of temporary sites and mobile adaptations within the archaeology of southeastern Arabia, the relationships between temporary sites and permanent settlements, and the evidence for collective events and gatherings from later prehistory into the Islamic period. They discuss evolving arguments regarding sedentary and mobile sites and groups in Arabia from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age, and summarize the material record of human activity at Saruq al-Hadid. This research emphasizes the site's changing significance as a temporary place and its emergence, in the early Iron Age, as a locus for periodic interaction between multiple community groups.
![Research paper thumbnail of Potts et al 2007 - The Mamasani Archaeological Project, Stage Two: Excavations at Qaleh Kali (Tappeh Servan/Jinjun [MS46])](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/28932460/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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A second season of excavations was undertaken at Qaleh Kali during the winter of 2007/8. Initiall... more A second season of excavations was undertaken at Qaleh Kali during the winter of 2007/8. Initially, work was concentrated around one of the trenches opened in 2007 (E0978/N1055) in order to ascertain the extent of the Achaemenid pavement and portico exposed there. Later work focused on identifying mudbrick structures on stone foundations to the north of the portico. It is not yet certain whether these date to the Achaemenid or post-Achaemenid period.
In early 2007, surface survey, geophysical analysis and excavations were carried out at the site ... more In early 2007, surface survey, geophysical analysis and excavations were carried out at the site of Qaleh Kali (Tappeh Servan/Jinjun), in the Mamasani District of Fars. The excavations revealed that multiple phases of occupation are preserved at the site, the earliest of which appears to have been a sizeable élite structure that may in fact have had a royal clientele, as suggested by the presence of monumental Persepolis-style column bases and the quality of the fragments of fine glass and polished stone vessels discovered in the excavations. Although it has not yet been identified with any certainty, it is likely that Qaleh Kali is mentioned in the Persepolis Fortification Texts.
Conference Presentations by Iona Kat McRae
In addition to a moderate corpus of utilitarian pottery, a small collection of finely polished st... more In addition to a moderate corpus of utilitarian pottery, a small collection of finely polished stone vessels (seven) were recovered from the ICAR-University of Sydney excavations (2007 – 2009) at the Achaemenid/Post-Achaemenid settlement of Qaleh Kali in Fars province, Iran. Taken with the demonstrably élite architecture of the Qaleh Kali stone portico, as well as a number of associated finds (notably a portion of powdered Egyptian blue, and fragments of an Achaemenid glass beaker and ‘tulip bowl’) these vessels lend support to the identification of the site as a royal way-station, storehouse, or pavilion situated along the royal road.
This paper will consider what the Qaleh Kali assemblage (and their ‘Post-Achaemenid’ depositional context) may reveal about the movement of such objects along the royal road, and their possible function in the Post-Achaemenid era. Published parallel material from within the Persian heartland (the large corpus of “royal tableware” from the Persepolis Treasury, as well as small numbers from the excavations at Pasargadae, Susa and Tang-e Bulaghi Site 73), and throughout the Empire (notably the excavated sites of Qasr-i Abu Nasr and Tepe Yahya in Iran; as well from Tsaghkahovit, Armenia and Ikiztepe, in western Turkey), will be used to compliment this analysis.
It is generally well accepted that a remarkable degree of continuity exists between the pottery o... more It is generally well accepted that a remarkable degree of continuity exists between the pottery of the Achaemenid and Post-Achaemenid periods in the Persian heartland. Nonetheless, in the absence of a well-stratified (and well-published) sequence of Achaemenid/Post-Achaemenid ceramics, this continuity has remained impossible to accurately scrutinise.
The following review will present the evidence for Post-Achaemenid/Hellenistic occupation in southwestern Iran, drawing primarily on the known published assemblages of the Achaemenid ‘capitals’ (i.e. Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Susa), with a specific focus on the excavations at Qaleh Kali, Tol-e Spid and Tol-e Nurabad in the Mamasani District of western Fars. This analysis, while confirming the absence of any dramatic change between these historically discrete periods, highlights a number of subtle variances in the Achaemenid and Post-Achaemenid assemblages of these sites.
The introduction of “Late Plain Ware” c. 550/520 B.C (or later), marks a sharp break in the prece... more The introduction of “Late Plain Ware” c. 550/520 B.C (or later), marks a sharp break in the preceding Iron II (c. 1000 – 800/700 B.C) painted traditions of the Achaemenid heartland. This chronological gap, and the apparent continuity of “Late Plain Ware” well into the post Achaemenid remains one of the crucial concerns in our understanding of the archaeology of Iran in the first millennium B.C.
The recent archaeological investigations in the Mamasani District (2003 – 2009), specifically the excavations at Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali, have begun to address this issue. This paper will examine the seeming continuity of Achaemenid traditions into the post Achaemenid/Hellenistic ‘dark ages’, with a specific focus on Achaemenid, and post Achaemenid ceramics. Using the results of recent petrographic and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) performed on a collection of samples from Qaleh Kali, as well as a renewed examination of the Achaemenid and post Achaemenid levels at Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali, it is possible to analyse this crucial juncture in Iranian archaeology. This study allows a more comprehensive analysis than has previously been possible, offering an opportunity to examine the nature of this cultural continuity.
"More than 600 finely polished stone vessel fragments, 300 ‘ritual vessels’, and a small proporti... more "More than 600 finely polished stone vessel fragments, 300 ‘ritual vessels’, and a small proportion of rare glass was recovered from the ruins of the Treasury at Persepolis. These vessels, ascribed by Schmidt as “royal tableware”, were found scattered throughout the northern halls of the Treasury (halls 38 and 41), shattered presumably during the Macedonian destruction of the Treasury. The sheer number of vessels implies they performed an important role in royal banqueting, although the precise function of the ‘ritual vessels’ remains elusive.
The recent excavations (2007 – 2009) at Qaleh Kali in the Fars province, Iran, have provided a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and post Achaemenid occupation spanning a period of c. 500 to 50 BC. In addition to the large corpus of domestic pottery, a small number of fine glass and polished stone bowl fragments (reminiscent of the large corpus from Persepolis) were recovered. Few comparable stone vessels have been found outside of Persepolis, and their presence at Qaleh Kali is undoubtedly significant. This paper will consider what these vessels may reveal about the function of the site as a royal way-station, or pavilion, and whether it is appropriate to use such a modest collection of finds to infer such an interpretation. "
"Until quite recently the archaeology of Achaemenid Iran has been dominated by the excavations of... more "Until quite recently the archaeology of Achaemenid Iran has been dominated by the excavations of the Royal capitals; Susa, Persepolis and Pasargadae. These sites have provided invaluable information regarding aspects of monumental (palatial) architecture and sculpture. Comparatively, there are few studies concerning non-palatial archaeology, particularly the chronology and technology of Achaemenid ceramics as documented by these, or other, sites. Achaemenid era pottery is poorly represented, not only in the heartland of the Persian Empire, but throughout Iran. Inherently, this is a direct reflection of the lack of any well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid ceramics. Identifying and characterising Achaemenid ceramics is further compounded by the seemingly long-lived types, found in both late Achaemenid and early Hellenistic/post Achaemenid deposits.
This paper will present the ceramic data from the Achaemenid levels at three sites excavated as part of the recent joint Iranian-Australian Mamasani Archaeological Project; Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali. Each site provides a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and post Achaemenid occupation, offering a unique opportunity to analyse the nature of these settlements within the Persian heartland (that is, the modern province of Fars). Using the ceramic evidence from these sites it is possible to examine the apparent continuity between Achaemenid and post Achaemenid ceramic assemblages, which would appear to reflect the current view of Achaemenid-Hellenistic continuity, in that Achaemenid institutions and cultural assemblages were not abandoned under Greco-Macedonian dominion."
The tendency for Iranian Achaemenid archaeology to focus on palatial sites (i.e. Susa, Persepolis... more The tendency for Iranian Achaemenid archaeology to focus on palatial sites (i.e. Susa, Persepolis, Pasargadae) has resulted in a poor understanding of Achaemenid ceramic technology and chronology. This is particularly apparent when examining the transition between the late Achaemenid (c. 539 – 330 BCE) and subsequent Post Achaemenid (c. 330 BCE – 240 CE) phases. The recent excavations (2007 – 2009) at Qaleh Kali (also known as Tappeh Servan, Jinjun, MS [Mamasani Survey] 46), in Fars province, Iran, have provided a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and Post Achaemenid occupation, providing a unique opportunity to study the ceramics of these periods.
This paper will address the notion that, despite the obvious historical change, marked by the arrival of Alexander the Great, and Hellenistic rule, little observable change in the ceramics is discernable between these periods. Using the ceramic evidence from Qaleh Kali it is possible to examine this transition in the local Fars district, and assess how this political upheaval affects the socio-economic landscape of Achaemenid and Post Achaemenid Iran.
Talks by Iona Kat McRae
A brief introduction to some of the artefacts collected during the joint Iranian-Australian excav... more A brief introduction to some of the artefacts collected during the joint Iranian-Australian excavations at Qaleh Kali, Fars province (2007-2009). These include a small cylinder seal, a zoomorphic figurine, the modest collection of glass and finely polished stone bowl fragments, and a portion of crushed pigment (Egyptian blue).
World Archaeology, 2018
In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid – a 'persistent temporary place' locate... more In this paper, the authors use the site of Saruq al-Hadid – a 'persistent temporary place' located in the mobile dune fields of the north eastern edge of the Rub' al-Khali desert – as a lens to focus discussion on the variable nature of temporary sites and mobile adaptations within the archaeology of southeastern Arabia, the relationships between temporary sites and permanent settlements, and the evidence for collective events and gatherings from later prehistory into the Islamic period. They discuss evolving arguments regarding sedentary and mobile sites and groups in Arabia from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age, and summarize the material record of human activity at Saruq al-Hadid. This research emphasizes the site's changing significance as a temporary place and its emergence, in the early Iron Age, as a locus for periodic interaction between multiple community groups.
A second season of excavations was undertaken at Qaleh Kali during the winter of 2007/8. Initiall... more A second season of excavations was undertaken at Qaleh Kali during the winter of 2007/8. Initially, work was concentrated around one of the trenches opened in 2007 (E0978/N1055) in order to ascertain the extent of the Achaemenid pavement and portico exposed there. Later work focused on identifying mudbrick structures on stone foundations to the north of the portico. It is not yet certain whether these date to the Achaemenid or post-Achaemenid period.
In early 2007, surface survey, geophysical analysis and excavations were carried out at the site ... more In early 2007, surface survey, geophysical analysis and excavations were carried out at the site of Qaleh Kali (Tappeh Servan/Jinjun), in the Mamasani District of Fars. The excavations revealed that multiple phases of occupation are preserved at the site, the earliest of which appears to have been a sizeable élite structure that may in fact have had a royal clientele, as suggested by the presence of monumental Persepolis-style column bases and the quality of the fragments of fine glass and polished stone vessels discovered in the excavations. Although it has not yet been identified with any certainty, it is likely that Qaleh Kali is mentioned in the Persepolis Fortification Texts.
In addition to a moderate corpus of utilitarian pottery, a small collection of finely polished st... more In addition to a moderate corpus of utilitarian pottery, a small collection of finely polished stone vessels (seven) were recovered from the ICAR-University of Sydney excavations (2007 – 2009) at the Achaemenid/Post-Achaemenid settlement of Qaleh Kali in Fars province, Iran. Taken with the demonstrably élite architecture of the Qaleh Kali stone portico, as well as a number of associated finds (notably a portion of powdered Egyptian blue, and fragments of an Achaemenid glass beaker and ‘tulip bowl’) these vessels lend support to the identification of the site as a royal way-station, storehouse, or pavilion situated along the royal road.
This paper will consider what the Qaleh Kali assemblage (and their ‘Post-Achaemenid’ depositional context) may reveal about the movement of such objects along the royal road, and their possible function in the Post-Achaemenid era. Published parallel material from within the Persian heartland (the large corpus of “royal tableware” from the Persepolis Treasury, as well as small numbers from the excavations at Pasargadae, Susa and Tang-e Bulaghi Site 73), and throughout the Empire (notably the excavated sites of Qasr-i Abu Nasr and Tepe Yahya in Iran; as well from Tsaghkahovit, Armenia and Ikiztepe, in western Turkey), will be used to compliment this analysis.
It is generally well accepted that a remarkable degree of continuity exists between the pottery o... more It is generally well accepted that a remarkable degree of continuity exists between the pottery of the Achaemenid and Post-Achaemenid periods in the Persian heartland. Nonetheless, in the absence of a well-stratified (and well-published) sequence of Achaemenid/Post-Achaemenid ceramics, this continuity has remained impossible to accurately scrutinise.
The following review will present the evidence for Post-Achaemenid/Hellenistic occupation in southwestern Iran, drawing primarily on the known published assemblages of the Achaemenid ‘capitals’ (i.e. Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Susa), with a specific focus on the excavations at Qaleh Kali, Tol-e Spid and Tol-e Nurabad in the Mamasani District of western Fars. This analysis, while confirming the absence of any dramatic change between these historically discrete periods, highlights a number of subtle variances in the Achaemenid and Post-Achaemenid assemblages of these sites.
The introduction of “Late Plain Ware” c. 550/520 B.C (or later), marks a sharp break in the prece... more The introduction of “Late Plain Ware” c. 550/520 B.C (or later), marks a sharp break in the preceding Iron II (c. 1000 – 800/700 B.C) painted traditions of the Achaemenid heartland. This chronological gap, and the apparent continuity of “Late Plain Ware” well into the post Achaemenid remains one of the crucial concerns in our understanding of the archaeology of Iran in the first millennium B.C.
The recent archaeological investigations in the Mamasani District (2003 – 2009), specifically the excavations at Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali, have begun to address this issue. This paper will examine the seeming continuity of Achaemenid traditions into the post Achaemenid/Hellenistic ‘dark ages’, with a specific focus on Achaemenid, and post Achaemenid ceramics. Using the results of recent petrographic and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) performed on a collection of samples from Qaleh Kali, as well as a renewed examination of the Achaemenid and post Achaemenid levels at Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali, it is possible to analyse this crucial juncture in Iranian archaeology. This study allows a more comprehensive analysis than has previously been possible, offering an opportunity to examine the nature of this cultural continuity.
"More than 600 finely polished stone vessel fragments, 300 ‘ritual vessels’, and a small proporti... more "More than 600 finely polished stone vessel fragments, 300 ‘ritual vessels’, and a small proportion of rare glass was recovered from the ruins of the Treasury at Persepolis. These vessels, ascribed by Schmidt as “royal tableware”, were found scattered throughout the northern halls of the Treasury (halls 38 and 41), shattered presumably during the Macedonian destruction of the Treasury. The sheer number of vessels implies they performed an important role in royal banqueting, although the precise function of the ‘ritual vessels’ remains elusive.
The recent excavations (2007 – 2009) at Qaleh Kali in the Fars province, Iran, have provided a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and post Achaemenid occupation spanning a period of c. 500 to 50 BC. In addition to the large corpus of domestic pottery, a small number of fine glass and polished stone bowl fragments (reminiscent of the large corpus from Persepolis) were recovered. Few comparable stone vessels have been found outside of Persepolis, and their presence at Qaleh Kali is undoubtedly significant. This paper will consider what these vessels may reveal about the function of the site as a royal way-station, or pavilion, and whether it is appropriate to use such a modest collection of finds to infer such an interpretation. "
"Until quite recently the archaeology of Achaemenid Iran has been dominated by the excavations of... more "Until quite recently the archaeology of Achaemenid Iran has been dominated by the excavations of the Royal capitals; Susa, Persepolis and Pasargadae. These sites have provided invaluable information regarding aspects of monumental (palatial) architecture and sculpture. Comparatively, there are few studies concerning non-palatial archaeology, particularly the chronology and technology of Achaemenid ceramics as documented by these, or other, sites. Achaemenid era pottery is poorly represented, not only in the heartland of the Persian Empire, but throughout Iran. Inherently, this is a direct reflection of the lack of any well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid ceramics. Identifying and characterising Achaemenid ceramics is further compounded by the seemingly long-lived types, found in both late Achaemenid and early Hellenistic/post Achaemenid deposits.
This paper will present the ceramic data from the Achaemenid levels at three sites excavated as part of the recent joint Iranian-Australian Mamasani Archaeological Project; Tol-e Spid, Tol-e Nurabad and Qaleh Kali. Each site provides a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and post Achaemenid occupation, offering a unique opportunity to analyse the nature of these settlements within the Persian heartland (that is, the modern province of Fars). Using the ceramic evidence from these sites it is possible to examine the apparent continuity between Achaemenid and post Achaemenid ceramic assemblages, which would appear to reflect the current view of Achaemenid-Hellenistic continuity, in that Achaemenid institutions and cultural assemblages were not abandoned under Greco-Macedonian dominion."
The tendency for Iranian Achaemenid archaeology to focus on palatial sites (i.e. Susa, Persepolis... more The tendency for Iranian Achaemenid archaeology to focus on palatial sites (i.e. Susa, Persepolis, Pasargadae) has resulted in a poor understanding of Achaemenid ceramic technology and chronology. This is particularly apparent when examining the transition between the late Achaemenid (c. 539 – 330 BCE) and subsequent Post Achaemenid (c. 330 BCE – 240 CE) phases. The recent excavations (2007 – 2009) at Qaleh Kali (also known as Tappeh Servan, Jinjun, MS [Mamasani Survey] 46), in Fars province, Iran, have provided a well-stratified sequence of Achaemenid and Post Achaemenid occupation, providing a unique opportunity to study the ceramics of these periods.
This paper will address the notion that, despite the obvious historical change, marked by the arrival of Alexander the Great, and Hellenistic rule, little observable change in the ceramics is discernable between these periods. Using the ceramic evidence from Qaleh Kali it is possible to examine this transition in the local Fars district, and assess how this political upheaval affects the socio-economic landscape of Achaemenid and Post Achaemenid Iran.
A brief introduction to some of the artefacts collected during the joint Iranian-Australian excav... more A brief introduction to some of the artefacts collected during the joint Iranian-Australian excavations at Qaleh Kali, Fars province (2007-2009). These include a small cylinder seal, a zoomorphic figurine, the modest collection of glass and finely polished stone bowl fragments, and a portion of crushed pigment (Egyptian blue).