Kharg Island - Archaeology

Archaeology

The first archaeological evidence of human occupation on Kharg island was reported by Captain A. W. Stiffe in 1898, with studies published about his discoveries by F. Sarre and E. Herzfeld in 1910. They discovered two rock-cut chambered tombs featuring arched entranceways to a main chamber with vestibule from which spawned around twenty smaller chambers. The southern tomb is 13 metres (43 ft) deep and features a relief of a reclining man drinking in the Selucid and Parthian styles of Palmyra along with a damaged relief suggested to feature Nike on the face of a sphere-topped column. Mary-Joseph Steve has argued that the architecture of the tombs is more reminiscent of Nabataean architecture at Petra than anything Palmyrene.

Another Eighty three rock cut tombs and sixty two megalithic tombs have been studied on Kharg. The rock-cut tombs fall into four categories; single chambered, shallow tombs of varying shape, pit burials and excavated multi-chambered complexes. Steve also noticed the presence of several Nestorian style crosses at some of the tombs.

There are also ruins of a coarse stone temple on the island measuring around 7.5 metres (25 ft) square with a plastered altar for fire in the centre.

A Christian church complex or ancient monastery of some 96 metres (315 ft) by 85 metres (279 ft) is also located on the island featuring a chapel, nineteen monks cells, library and courtyard.