Provenance of the stones used in plinths of the Achaemenid palaces of Borazjan, South-Western of Iran

Abstract

Following the discovery of the Achaemenid palace of Charkhab of Borazjan in south-western of Iran, an extensive survey was conducted to identify and introduce the other possible Achaemenid palaces in this region, which then results to the discovery of two other palaces, called Bardak-Siah and Sangh-Siah. In order to determine the source of the peony white stones used in the plinths of these palaces, physical and chemical characterization techniques including Polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray florescence spectroscopy were used and then, the results obtained were compared to that of the samples of ancient quarries in the eastern mountains of Borazjan region. Among the ancient quarries of this region, the samples of Tangh-Ghir and Puzeh-Palangi quarries were selected and studied to match to the stones used at the historic palaces of the region. Based on the results of petrography analysis, peony white stone samples of Charkhab, Bardak-Siah and Sangh-Siah palaces, consisted of micrite groundmass along with sparitic and quartz inclusions, were identified as identical with the samples of Puzeh-Palangi quarry samples. However, samples of Tangh-Ghir ancient quarry, which had a micrite groundmass along with many microfossils, did not match to samples of the palaces. The palaces samples have a layered structure of sparitic groundmass along with the small amount of micrite. The results of XRD analysis showed that the peony white stones of the Achaemenid palaces are identical to those of Puzeh-Palangi quarry, where the main component is calcite with low contents of dolomite and quartz. Moreover, elemental analysis of the samples by XRF technique confirmed that the source of the peony white stones used at these palaces is Puzeh-Palangi quarry.