Man and environment: the role of environmental factors in the development of techno-economic adaptations in the Sistan Plain of the 3rd millennium BC

The Sistan Plain is located in the SE part of the Iranian plateau. Characterized by harsh climatic conditions, the region suffers from low rainfall and unstable water resources. The skill of ancient handicraft production indicates that the ancient inhabitants of Sistan were engaged in industrial and handicraft activities including pottery production, metallurgical activities and stone working. Here in Sistan, stone workers specialised in the production of calcite/alabaster vessels, the manufacture of ornamental beads from semi-precious stones (lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise) and various stone tools. Sistan’s location in the middle of a region linking ancient western markets (Mesopotamia and Elam) to raw material resources was an important factor in converting an agrarian/rural subsistence economy into an industrial and market economy. During our recent archaeological survey in the S part of Iranian Sistan we were able to locate several sites that reveal evidence of craft and industry. This conference aims to present this new data in a broader perspective, combining the environmental factor with economic indicators.