Iranian Plateau: Difference between revisions
HeyElliott (talk | contribs) Changing short description from "Geological feature in Western Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia" to "Geological feature in Asia" |
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{{About|the physiographical region|the Persian cultural sphere|Greater Iran}} |
{{About|the physiographical region|the Persian cultural sphere|Greater Iran}} |
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{{Distinguish|Iranian Plate}} |
{{Distinguish|Iranian Plate}} |
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{{Infobox landform |
{{Infobox landform |
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| water = |
| water = |
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| name = Iranian |
| name = Iranian Plateau |
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| other_name = Persian |
| other_name = Persian Plateau |
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| type = [[Plateau]] |
| type = [[Plateau]] |
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| photo = |
| photo = |
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| photo_caption = |
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| map_image = D389- Carte des chaînes du plateau d’Iran. -L2-Ch 1.png |
| map_image = D389- Carte des chaînes du plateau d’Iran. -L2-Ch 1.png |
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| map_caption = Topographic map of the Iranian |
| map_caption = Topographic map of the Iranian Plateau, connected to the [[Armenian highlands]] and [[Anatolia]] in the west, and to the [[Hindu Kush]] and the [[Himalayas]] in the east |
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| map_alt = |
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| relief = |
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| mark = |
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| location = [[ |
| location = [[Central Asia]], [[South Asia]], [[West Asia]] (including the [[South Caucasus]]) |
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| grid_ref = |
| grid_ref = |
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| coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} --> |
| coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} --> |
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| coordinates_ref = |
| coordinates_ref = |
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| range = |
| range = |
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| part_of =[[ |
| part_of = [[Afghanistan]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]] ([[Iraqi Kurdistan]]), [[Pakistan]] ([[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]) ([[Baluchistan]]),{{refn|group=note|Geographically, the Iranian Plateau only covers western Pakistan ([[Balochistan]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]], as it is situated on the [[Eurasian Plate]]. It does not cover eastern Pakistan ([[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Sindh]], [[Azad Kashmir|Azad Jammu and Kashmir]], and [[Gilgit-Baltistan|Gilgit–Baltistan]]), which is situated on the [[Indian Plate]], thus bringing it under the [[Indian subcontinent]].}} and [[Turkmenistan]] |
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| water_bodies = |
| water_bodies = |
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| elevation_ft = <!-- or |elevation_m = --> |
| elevation_ft = <!-- or |elevation_m = --> |
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| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> |
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> |
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| embed = |
| embed = |
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|Languages=([[Persian]]), ([[Pashto]]), ([[Kurdish]]), ([[Ossetian]]), ([[Balochi]])}} |
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}} |
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The '''Iranian |
The '''Iranian Plateau'''<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34347/chapter-abstract/291397265?redirectedFrom=fulltext The Iranian Plateau from Paleolithic Times to the Rise of the Achaemenid Empire]</ref> or '''Persian Plateau'''<ref>{{cite book | url = https://openlibrary.org/b/OL5669514M | title = The archaeological evidence of the second millennium B.C. on the Persian plateau | author = Robert H. Dyson | isbn = 0-521-07098-8 | date = 2 June 1968 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=UhMHACB9iRwC&q=%22persian+plateau%22&pg=PA7 | title = A System of Geography, Popular and Scientific | author = James Bell | publisher = [[Archibald Fullarton]] | year = 1832 | pages = 7,284,287,288 | author-link = James Bell (geographical writer) }}</ref> is a [[geology|geological feature]] spanning parts of the [[Caucasus]], [[Central Asia]], [[South Asia]], and [[West Asia]]. It makes up part of the [[Eurasian Plate]], and is wedged between the [[Arabian Plate]] and the [[Indian Plate]]. The plateau is situated between the [[Zagros Mountains]] to the west, the [[Caspian Sea]] and the [[Kopet Dag|Köpet Dag]] to the north, the [[Armenian highlands|Armenian Highlands]] and the [[Caucasus Mountains]] to the northwest, the [[Strait of Hormuz]] and the [[Persian Gulf]] to the south, and the [[Indian subcontinent]] to the east. |
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As a historical region, it includes [[Parthia]], [[Media (region)|Media]], [[Persis]], and some of the previous territories of [[Greater Iran]].<ref name="U of T" >[http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/aveol-0-X.html "Old Iranian Online"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924023825/https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol/aveol/00 |date=24 September 2018 }}, University of Texas College of Liberal Arts (retrieved 10 February 2007)</ref> The Zagros form the plateau's western boundary, and its eastern slopes may also be included in the term. The ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' excludes "lowland [[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]" explicitly<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-32102/ancient-Iran |title=Ancient Iran |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> and characterizes [[Elam]] as spanning "the region from the [[Mesopotamia|Mesopotamian plain]] to the Iranian |
As a historical region, it includes [[Parthia]], [[Media (region)|Media]], [[Persis]], and some of the previous territories of [[Greater Iran]].<ref name="U of T" >[http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/aveol-0-X.html "Old Iranian Online"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924023825/https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol/aveol/00 |date=24 September 2018 }}, University of Texas College of Liberal Arts (retrieved 10 February 2007)</ref> The Zagros form the plateau's western boundary, and its eastern slopes may also be included in the term. The ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' excludes "lowland [[Khuzestan province|Khuzestan]]" explicitly<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-32102/ancient-Iran |title=Ancient Iran |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> and characterizes [[Elam]] as spanning "the region from the [[Mesopotamia|Mesopotamian plain]] to the Iranian Plateau".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9032223/Elamite-language |title=Elamite language |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> |
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From the Caspian in the northwest to [[Balochistan]] in the southeast |
From the Caspian in the northwest to [[Balochistan]] in the southeast and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Pakhtunkhwa]] in North East the Iranian Plateau extends for close to {{Convert|2000|km|mi}}. It encompasses a large part of [[Iran]], all of [[Afghanistan]], and the parts of [[Pakistan]] that are situated to the west of the [[Indus River]],{{refn|group=note|[[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]].}} [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] (in North Western Pakistan) and [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] (in South Western Pakistan) covering an area of some {{convert|3700000|km2|sqmi}}.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} In spite of being called a [[plateau]], it is far from flat, and contains several mountain ranges; its highest point is [[Noshaq]] in the [[Hindu Kush]] at {{Convert|7492|m|ft}}, and its lowest point is the [[Dasht-e Lut|Lut Desert]] to the east of [[Kerman]], Iran, at below {{Convert|300|m|ft}}. |
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== Geology == |
== Geology == |
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In geology, the plateau region of [[Iran]] primarily formed from the [[Accretion (geology)|accretionary]] [[Gondwana]]n [[terrane]]s between the Turan [[Platform (geology)|platform]] to the north and the Main Zagros Thrust; the suture zone between the northward moving Arabian [[Plate tectonics|plate]] and the [[Eurasian continent]] is the Iranian |
In geology, the plateau region of [[Iran]] primarily formed from the [[Accretion (geology)|accretionary]] [[Gondwana]]n [[terrane]]s between the Turan [[Platform (geology)|platform]] to the north and the Main Zagros Thrust; the suture zone between the northward moving Arabian [[Plate tectonics|plate]] and the [[Eurasian continent]] is the Iranian Plateau. It is a geologically well-studied area because of general interest in continental collision zones, and because of Iran's long history of research in [[geology]], particularly in [[economic geology]]. |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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{{Iranian Plateau}} |
{{Iranian Plateau}} |
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The Iranian |
The Iranian Plateau in geology refers to a geographical area north of the great folded mountain belts resulting from the collision of the [[Arabian Plate]] with the [[Eurasian Plate]]. In this definition, the Iranian Plateau does not cover southwestern Iran. |
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The plateau extends from [[East Azerbaijan Province]] in northwest of [[Iran]] (Persia) all the way to [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]] west of the [[Indus River]]. It also includes smaller parts of the [[Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]], [[Iraqi Kurdistan]], and [[Turkmenistan]]. |
The plateau extends from [[East Azerbaijan Province]] in northwest of [[Iran]] (Persia) all the way to [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]] west of the [[Indus River]]. It also includes smaller parts of the [[Azerbaijan|Republic of Azerbaijan]], [[Iraqi Kurdistan]], and [[Turkmenistan]]. |
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The Northwestern Iranian |
The Northwestern Iranian Plateau, where the [[Pontic Mountains|Pontic]] and [[Taurus Mountains]] converge, is rugged country with higher elevations, a more severe climate, and greater precipitation than are found on the [[Anatolian Plateau]]. The region is known as the [[Anti-Taurus]], and the average elevation of its peaks exceeds {{convert|3000|m|ft|abbr=on}}. [[Mount Ararat]], at 5,137 meters (16,854 ft) the highest point in [[Turkey]], is located in the Anti-Taurus. [[Lake Van]] is situated in the mountains at an elevation of 1,546 meters (5,072 ft). |
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The headwaters of major rivers arise in the Anti-Taurus: the east-flowing [[Aras River]] flows into the [[Caspian Sea]], and the south-flowing [[Euphrates]] and [[Tigris]] join in [[Iraq]] before flowing into the [[Persian Gulf]]. Several small streams that flow into the [[Black Sea]] or landlocked Lake Van also originate in these mountains. The [[Indus River]] begins in the highlands of [[Tibet]] and flows the length of Pakistan almost tracing the eastern edge of the Iranian |
The headwaters of major rivers arise in the Anti-Taurus: the east-flowing [[Aras River]] flows into the [[Caspian Sea]], and the south-flowing [[Euphrates]] and [[Tigris]] join in [[Iraq]] before flowing into the [[Persian Gulf]]. Several small streams that flow into the [[Black Sea]] or landlocked Lake Van also originate in these mountains. The [[Indus River]] begins in the highlands of [[Tibet]] and flows the length of Pakistan almost tracing the eastern edge of the Iranian Plateau. |
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Southeast Anatolia lies south of the Anti-Taurus Mountains. It is a region of rolling hills and a broad plateau surface that extends into Syria. Elevations decrease gradually, from about 800 meters (2,600 ft) in the north to about 500 meters (1,600 ft) in the south. Traditionally, [[wheat]] and [[barley]] are the main crops of the region. |
Southeast Anatolia lies south of the Anti-Taurus Mountains. It is a region of rolling hills and a broad plateau surface that extends into Syria. Elevations decrease gradually, from about 800 meters (2,600 ft) in the north to about 500 meters (1,600 ft) in the south. Traditionally, [[wheat]] and [[barley]] are the main crops of the region. |
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The plateau's mountain ranges can be divided into five major [[subregion]]s:<ref>{{cite peakbagger |rid=43 |name=Iranian Plateau}}</ref> |
The plateau's mountain ranges can be divided into five major [[subregion]]s:<ref>{{cite peakbagger |rid=43 |name=Iranian Plateau}}</ref> |
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====Northwest Iranian |
====Northwest Iranian Ranges==== |
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* [[Alborz]] |
* [[Alborz]] |
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** [[Damavand]] {{convert|5610|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
** [[Damavand]] {{convert|5610|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
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==== |
====Southwest Iranian Ranges==== |
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* [[Zagros Mountains|Zagros]] |
* [[Zagros Mountains|Zagros]] |
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** [[Dena]] {{convert|4409|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
** [[Dena]] {{convert|4409|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
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====Central Iranian |
====Central Iranian Plateau==== |
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** [[Kūh-e Hazār]] {{convert|4500|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
** [[Kūh-e Hazār]] {{convert|4500|m|ft|abbr=on}} |
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** [[Kuh-e Jebal Barez]] |
** [[Kuh-e Jebal Barez]] |
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====Eastern Iranian |
====Eastern Iranian Ranges==== |
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** [[Kopet Dag]] |
** [[Kopet Dag]] |
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*** Kuh-e Siah Khvani {{convert|3314|m|ft|abbr=on}} {{coord|36|17|N|59|3|E}} |
*** Kuh-e Siah Khvani {{convert|3314|m|ft|abbr=on}} {{coord|36|17|N|59|3|E}} |
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{{further|Airyanem Vaejah}} |
{{further|Airyanem Vaejah}} |
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The Iranian plateau may have played a major role in the expansion of [[modern humans]] after the [[Out of Africa migration]], serving as 'population hub' for 'Common Eurasians', where they subsequently diverged into '[[Ancient East Eurasians]]' and 'Ancient West Eurasians' at c. 50,000 years ago, and from where they expanded in two waves during the [[Initial Upper Paleolithic]] (c. 45kya) and [[Upper Paleolithic]] (c. 38kya) periods respectively. Ancient and modern populations in the Iranian plateau have a similar genetic component to the Ancient West Eurasian lineage which stayed in the 'population hub' (WEC2), but also display some ancestry from [[Basal Eurasian|Basal Eurasians]] and [[Ancient East Eurasians]] via contact events starting in the [[Paleolithic]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Vallini |first=Leonardo |last2=Zampieri |first2=Carlo |last3=Shoaee |first3=Mohamed Javad |last4=Bortolini |first4=Eugenio |last5=Marciani |first5=Giulia |last6=Aneli |first6=Serena |last7=Pievani |first7=Telmo |last8=Benazzi |first8=Stefano |last9=Barausse |first9=Alberto |last10=Mezzavilla |first10=Massimo |last11=Petraglia |first11=Michael D. |last12=Pagani |first12=Luca |date=25 March 2024 |title=The Persian plateau served as hub for Homo sapiens after the main out of Africa dispersal |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46161-7 |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=1882 |doi=10.1038/s41467-024-46161-7 |issn=2041-1723|pmc=10963722 }}</ref> |
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⚫ | In the Bronze Age, [[Elam]] stretched across the Zagros mountains, connecting [[Mesopotamia]] and the Iranian |
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⚫ | In the Bronze Age, [[Elam]] stretched across the Zagros mountains, connecting [[Mesopotamia]] and the Iranian Plateau. The kingdoms of [[Aratta]], known from [[cuneiform]] sources, may have been located in the Central Iranian Plateau. In classical antiquity the region was known as [[Persia]], due to the Persian [[Achaemenid dynasty]] originating in [[Fars Province|Fars]]. The Middle Persian ''Erān'' (whence Modern Persian ''[[Iran|Irān]]'') began to be used in reference to the state (rather than as an ethnic designator) from the [[Sassanid]] period (see [[Etymology of Iran]]). |
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==Archaeology== |
==Archaeology== |
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{{further|Prehistoric archaeological sites in Iran}} |
{{further|Prehistoric archaeological sites in Iran}} |
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Archaeological sites and cultures of the Iranian |
Archaeological sites and cultures of the Iranian Plateau include: |
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* [[Mehrgarh]], predecessor of [[Indus Valley civilization]] |
* [[Mehrgarh]], predecessor of [[Indus Valley civilization]] |
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* Central Iranian |
* Central Iranian Plateau ("[[Jiroft culture]]") |
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** [[Shahr-i Sokhta]] |
** [[Shahr-i Sokhta]] |
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** [[Konar Sandal]] |
** [[Konar Sandal]] |
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==Economy== |
==Economy== |
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The Iranian |
The Iranian Plateau harvests trees for making doors, ploughs, and baskets. [[Fruit]] is grown also. [[Pear]]s, [[apple]]s, [[apricot]]s, [[quince]], [[plum]]s, [[nectarine]]s, [[Cherry|cherries]], [[mulberries]], and [[peach]]es were commonly seen in the 20th century. [[Almond]]s and [[pistachio]]s are common in warmer areas. [[Date (fruit)|Dates]], [[orange (fruit)|oranges]], [[grape]]s, [[melon]], and [[lime (fruit)|limes]] are also grown. Other edibles include [[potatoes]] and [[cauliflower]], which were hard to grow until European settlement brought irrigation improvements. Other vegetables include [[cabbage]], [[tomato]]es, [[artichoke]]s, [[cucumber]]s, [[spinach]], [[radish]]es, [[lettuce]], and [[eggplant]]s.<ref name=Sykes/> |
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The plateau also produces [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[millet]], [[bean]]s, [[opium]], [[cotton]], [[alfalfa|lucerne]], and [[tobacco]]. The barley is fed mainly to [[horse]]s. [[Sesame]] is grown and made into [[sesame oil]]. [[Mushrooms]] and [[Alhagi maurorum|manna]] were also seen in the plateau area as of 1920. [[Caraway]] is grown in the [[Kerman Province]].<ref name=Sykes/> |
The plateau also produces [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[millet]], [[bean]]s, [[opium]], [[cotton]], [[alfalfa|lucerne]], and [[tobacco]]. The barley is fed mainly to [[horse]]s. [[Sesame]] is grown and made into [[sesame oil]]. [[Mushrooms]] and [[Alhagi maurorum|manna]] were also seen in the plateau area as of 1920. [[Caraway]] is grown in the [[Kerman Province]].<ref name=Sykes/> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{commons category|Iranian |
{{commons category|Iranian Plateau}} |
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* {{ |
* {{Cite peakbagger |rid=43 |name=Iranian Plateau}} |
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* {{ |
* {{Cite peakbagger |rid=432 |name=Central Iranian Plateau}} |
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{{Ranges of Iranian |
{{Ranges of Iranian Plateau}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:Landforms of South Asia]] |
[[Category:Landforms of South Asia]] |
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[[Category:Landforms of West Asia]] |
[[Category:Landforms of West Asia]] |
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[[Category:Landforms of the Middle East]] |
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[[Category:Plateaus of Iran]] |
[[Category:Plateaus of Iran]] |
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[[Category:Geography of Kurdistan]] |
[[Category:Geography of Kurdistan]] |
Revision as of 10:40, 8 August 2024
Iranian Plateau
Persian Plateau | |
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Location | Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia (including the South Caucasus) |
Part of | Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan), Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (Baluchistan),[note 1] and Turkmenistan |
Geology | Eurasian Plate |
Area | |
• Total | 3,700,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi) |
Dimensions | |
• Length | 2,000 km (1,200 mi) |
Highest elevation | 7,492 m (24,580 ft) (Noshaq) |
The Iranian Plateau[1] or Persian Plateau[2][3] is a geological feature spanning parts of the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. It makes up part of the Eurasian Plate, and is wedged between the Arabian Plate and the Indian Plate. The plateau is situated between the Zagros Mountains to the west, the Caspian Sea and the Köpet Dag to the north, the Armenian Highlands and the Caucasus Mountains to the northwest, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf to the south, and the Indian subcontinent to the east.
As a historical region, it includes Parthia, Media, Persis, and some of the previous territories of Greater Iran.[4] The Zagros form the plateau's western boundary, and its eastern slopes may also be included in the term. The Encyclopædia Britannica excludes "lowland Khuzestan" explicitly[5] and characterizes Elam as spanning "the region from the Mesopotamian plain to the Iranian Plateau".[6]
From the Caspian in the northwest to Balochistan in the southeast and Pakhtunkhwa in North East the Iranian Plateau extends for close to 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi). It encompasses a large part of Iran, all of Afghanistan, and the parts of Pakistan that are situated to the west of the Indus River,[note 2] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (in North Western Pakistan) and Balochistan (in South Western Pakistan) covering an area of some 3,700,000 square kilometres (1,400,000 sq mi).[citation needed] In spite of being called a plateau, it is far from flat, and contains several mountain ranges; its highest point is Noshaq in the Hindu Kush at 7,492 metres (24,580 ft), and its lowest point is the Lut Desert to the east of Kerman, Iran, at below 300 metres (980 ft).
Geology
In geology, the plateau region of Iran primarily formed from the accretionary Gondwanan terranes between the Turan platform to the north and the Main Zagros Thrust; the suture zone between the northward moving Arabian plate and the Eurasian continent is the Iranian Plateau. It is a geologically well-studied area because of general interest in continental collision zones, and because of Iran's long history of research in geology, particularly in economic geology.
Geography
The Iranian Plateau in geology refers to a geographical area north of the great folded mountain belts resulting from the collision of the Arabian Plate with the Eurasian Plate. In this definition, the Iranian Plateau does not cover southwestern Iran.
The plateau extends from East Azerbaijan Province in northwest of Iran (Persia) all the way to Afghanistan and Pakistan west of the Indus River. It also includes smaller parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Turkmenistan.
The Northwestern Iranian Plateau, where the Pontic and Taurus Mountains converge, is rugged country with higher elevations, a more severe climate, and greater precipitation than are found on the Anatolian Plateau. The region is known as the Anti-Taurus, and the average elevation of its peaks exceeds 3,000 m (9,800 ft). Mount Ararat, at 5,137 meters (16,854 ft) the highest point in Turkey, is located in the Anti-Taurus. Lake Van is situated in the mountains at an elevation of 1,546 meters (5,072 ft).
The headwaters of major rivers arise in the Anti-Taurus: the east-flowing Aras River flows into the Caspian Sea, and the south-flowing Euphrates and Tigris join in Iraq before flowing into the Persian Gulf. Several small streams that flow into the Black Sea or landlocked Lake Van also originate in these mountains. The Indus River begins in the highlands of Tibet and flows the length of Pakistan almost tracing the eastern edge of the Iranian Plateau.
Southeast Anatolia lies south of the Anti-Taurus Mountains. It is a region of rolling hills and a broad plateau surface that extends into Syria. Elevations decrease gradually, from about 800 meters (2,600 ft) in the north to about 500 meters (1,600 ft) in the south. Traditionally, wheat and barley are the main crops of the region.
Mountain ranges
The plateau's mountain ranges can be divided into five major subregions:[7]
Northwest Iranian Ranges
Southwest Iranian Ranges
Central Iranian Plateau
- Kūh-e Hazār 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
- Kuh-e Jebal Barez
Eastern Iranian Ranges
- Kopet Dag
- Kuh-e Siah Khvani 3,314 m (10,873 ft) 36°17′N 59°3′E / 36.283°N 59.050°E
- Eshdeger Range
- 2,920 m (9,580 ft) 33°32′N 57°14′E / 33.533°N 57.233°E
- Kopet Dag
- Balochistan
- Sikaram 4,755 m (15,600 ft) 34°2′N 69°54′E / 34.033°N 69.900°E
- Kuh-e Taftan 3,941 m (12,930 ft) 28°36′N 61°8′E / 28.600°N 61.133°E
- Zargun 3,578 m (11,739 ft) 30°16′N 67°18′E / 30.267°N 67.300°E
Rivers and plains
History
The Iranian plateau may have played a major role in the expansion of modern humans after the Out of Africa migration, serving as 'population hub' for 'Common Eurasians', where they subsequently diverged into 'Ancient East Eurasians' and 'Ancient West Eurasians' at c. 50,000 years ago, and from where they expanded in two waves during the Initial Upper Paleolithic (c. 45kya) and Upper Paleolithic (c. 38kya) periods respectively. Ancient and modern populations in the Iranian plateau have a similar genetic component to the Ancient West Eurasian lineage which stayed in the 'population hub' (WEC2), but also display some ancestry from Basal Eurasians and Ancient East Eurasians via contact events starting in the Paleolithic.[8]
In the Bronze Age, Elam stretched across the Zagros mountains, connecting Mesopotamia and the Iranian Plateau. The kingdoms of Aratta, known from cuneiform sources, may have been located in the Central Iranian Plateau. In classical antiquity the region was known as Persia, due to the Persian Achaemenid dynasty originating in Fars. The Middle Persian Erān (whence Modern Persian Irān) began to be used in reference to the state (rather than as an ethnic designator) from the Sassanid period (see Etymology of Iran).
Archaeology
Archaeological sites and cultures of the Iranian Plateau include:
- Mehrgarh, predecessor of Indus Valley civilization
- Central Iranian Plateau ("Jiroft culture")
- Zayandeh River Civilization
- Tappeh Sialk
- Paleolithic sites
Flora
The plateau has historical oak and poplar forests. Oak forests are found around Shiraz. Aspen, elm, ash, willow, walnut, pine, and cypress are also found, though the latter two are rare. As of 1920, poplar was harvested for making doors. Elm was used for ploughs. Other trees like acacia, cypress, and Turkestan elm were used for decorative purposes. Flower wise, the plateau can grow lilac, jasmine, and roses. Hawthorn and Cercis siliquastrum are common, which are both used for basket weaving.[9]
Fauna
The plateau is abundant with wildlife including leopards, bears, hyenas, wild boars, ibex, gazelles, and mouflons. These animals are mostly found in the wooded mountains of the plateau. The shores of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf house aquatic birds such as seagulls, ducks, and geese. Deer, hedgehogs, foxes, and 22 species of rodents are found in semidesert, and palm squirrels and Asiatic black bears live in Baluchistan.
Wide variety of amphibians and reptiles such as toads, frogs, tortoises, lizards, salamanders, racers, rat snakes (Ptyas), cat snakes (Tarbophis fallax), and vipers live the Baluchistan region and along the slopes of the Elburz and Zagros mountains. 200 varieties of fish live in the Persian Gulf. Thirty species of the most important commercial fish Sturgeon is found in the Caspian Sea.[10][11][12]
Economy
The Iranian Plateau harvests trees for making doors, ploughs, and baskets. Fruit is grown also. Pears, apples, apricots, quince, plums, nectarines, cherries, mulberries, and peaches were commonly seen in the 20th century. Almonds and pistachios are common in warmer areas. Dates, oranges, grapes, melon, and limes are also grown. Other edibles include potatoes and cauliflower, which were hard to grow until European settlement brought irrigation improvements. Other vegetables include cabbage, tomatoes, artichokes, cucumbers, spinach, radishes, lettuce, and eggplants.[9]
The plateau also produces wheat, barley, millet, beans, opium, cotton, lucerne, and tobacco. The barley is fed mainly to horses. Sesame is grown and made into sesame oil. Mushrooms and manna were also seen in the plateau area as of 1920. Caraway is grown in the Kerman Province.[9]
See also
Notes
- ^ Geographically, the Iranian Plateau only covers western Pakistan (Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as it is situated on the Eurasian Plate. It does not cover eastern Pakistan (Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit–Baltistan), which is situated on the Indian Plate, thus bringing it under the Indian subcontinent.
- ^ Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
References
- ^ The Iranian Plateau from Paleolithic Times to the Rise of the Achaemenid Empire
- ^ Robert H. Dyson (2 June 1968). The archaeological evidence of the second millennium B.C. on the Persian plateau. ISBN 0-521-07098-8.
- ^ James Bell (1832). A System of Geography, Popular and Scientific. Archibald Fullarton. pp. 7, 284, 287, 288.
- ^ "Old Iranian Online" Archived 24 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, University of Texas College of Liberal Arts (retrieved 10 February 2007)
- ^ "Ancient Iran". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Elamite language". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Iranian Plateau". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ Vallini, Leonardo; Zampieri, Carlo; Shoaee, Mohamed Javad; Bortolini, Eugenio; Marciani, Giulia; Aneli, Serena; Pievani, Telmo; Benazzi, Stefano; Barausse, Alberto; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Petraglia, Michael D.; Pagani, Luca (25 March 2024). "The Persian plateau served as hub for Homo sapiens after the main out of Africa dispersal". Nature Communications. 15 (1): 1882. doi:10.1038/s41467-024-46161-7. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 10963722.
- ^ a b c Sykes, Percy (1921). A History of Persia. London: Macmillan and Company. pp. 75–76.
- ^ "Iran - Plant and animal life". britannica.com.
- ^ Zarubezhnaia Aziia: Fizicheskaia geografiia. Moscow, 1956.
- ^ Petrov, M. P. Iran: Fiziko-geograficheskii ocherk. Moscow, 1955.
- Y. Majidzadeh, Sialk III and the Pottery Sequence at Tepe Ghabristan. The Coherence of the Cultures of the Central Iranian Plateau, Iran 19, 1981, 141–46.
External links
- "Iranian Plateau". Peakbagger.com.
- "Central Iranian Plateau". Peakbagger.com.