Beautiful Iran (6) – Photos of Burnt City (Shahr-e Sookhteh)

Iran's 'Burnt City', a Bronze Age archaeological treasure trove, was once one of the world's largest communities at the dawn of urban settlement. The city, called Shahr-e Sookhteh, sits on the banks of the Helmand River along the Zahedan-Zabol Road in the Southeast Province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Covering an area of 151 hectares, the city was built around 3200 BC and abandoned over a millennium later in 2100 BC. The city experienced four stages of civilization and was burnt down three times. It took its eventual named because it was never rebuilt after the last fire. The site was discovered in 1967 and has been continually excavated since the 1970s by Iranian and Italian archaeological teams.

ME