Rock Art Research
THE PICTOGRAMS OF AGH DASH, ZANJAN, NORTH-WESTERN IRAN
Abstract
The western part of the Zanjan province in the north-west of Iran is a mountainous region. The wall surfaces of rockshelters in a limestone outcrop called Agh Dash bear painted designs. The Agh Dash pictograms are the only identified rock paintings in the north-west of Iran, and from the view point of variety of subject matter are somewhat different from other rock paintings of Iran. Most designs are geometric motifs which are painted in a variety of shapes. Presumed human, animal and botanical designs are also found in the Agh Dash complex. Because of the similarity between geometric paintings of Agh Dash and geometric patterns of the Chalcolithic period potteries in central, western and northern Iran it is likely that the paintings of Agh Dash also date back to Chalcolithic times.