Rock Art Research
AZANDARYAN: NEWFOUND PETROGLYPHS IN HAMADAN, WESTERN IRAN
Abstract
The subject petroglyphs in this article have all been newly discovered near Azandaryan in Hamadan Provence, western Iran. They are in total 631 petroglyphs, located on the hillsides and valley floors of mountains in Qeshlagh Dali, Baghali Darasi, Ashaghi Kolangah and Ashaghi Nehanjah. These petroglyphs have been made using rubbing, hammering and less frequently engraving techniques. The themes of the studied compositions include images of ‘ibexes’, ‘dogs’, ‘vegetal’ motifs and anthropomorphous ones. The anthropomorphs are subjectively described as riding, hunting, shooting and fighting humans. All these petroglyphs are comparable with those of other regions in Iran or even some others beyond Iran’s current borders. In the end, it is to be stated that conducting direct dating studies is needed.