New finds reveal continuous human presence in North Khorasan
Archaeological research in Iran’s North Khorasan Province has led to the discovery of 24 Paleolithic sites, shedding new light on the presence, movement, and long-term settlement of early human communities in the region.
The findings highlight North Khorasan’s long-standing role as a geographical gateway between the Iranian Plateau and the plains of Central Asia. Thousands of years ago, this natural corridor functioned both as a passageway and a habitat for hunter-gatherer groups who moved across the region in search of water, food, and shelter, leaving behind enduring traces of their lives on these plains, IRNA wrote.
After centuries of silence, the soils of Esfarayen and Safi’abad have begun to reveal evidence of these early societies. Among the identified sites, five contain remains from the Lower Paleolithic period, including cleaver-like stone tools dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. In terms of their technical characteristics, these tools are comparable to the well-known Kashafrud assemblages, suggesting that early humans in this region developed hunting and survival tools similar to those found elsewhere in northeastern Iran.
The research also indicates a significant expansion of human activity during the Middle Paleolithic period, with 13 sites identified. The presence of Levallois industries at these locations points to clear cultural and technological connections between Esfarayen and other known Paleolithic sites across the central Iranian Plateau and northeastern Iran, reflecting a broad and interconnected network of human interaction, mobility, and coexistence.
The discoveries are not limited to earlier periods alone. Archaeologists have also identified one Upper Paleolithic site and five Epipaleolithic sites across the plains. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a continuous human presence from the Middle Pleistocene to the beginning of the Holocene, confirming that the Esfarayen–Safi’abad plain was not merely a transit route but a long-term habitat and refuge for human populations over thousands of years.
The discoveries underline an important conclusion: the previous lack of evidence for hunter-gatherer communities in North Khorasan Province did not indicate an absence of human occupation, but rather reflected a shortage of specialized and systematic Paleolithic research in the area.
Commenting on the findings, the head of North Khorasan Province’s Organization of Cultural Heritage said that despite valuable evidence from sites such as Qal’eh Khan Hill and Pahlavan Hill, questions had long remained about the earliest human presence in the province. “These questions went unanswered due to the lack of targeted Paleolithic studies,” he said.
Ahmad Dinari added that the research began last summer, with the Esfarayen and Safi’abad plains selected as the first target areas. He said the surveys resulted in the identification of 24 Paleolithic sites, pointing to extensive and sustained activity by hunter-gatherer groups in this part of northeastern Iran.
According to Dinari, preliminary assessments show that five sites contain Lower Paleolithic evidence and Middle Pleistocene cleaver-tool industries comparable to the Kashafrud collections. He added that during the Middle Paleolithic period, the number of sites rises to 13, with distinctive Levallois industries linking them to well-documented sites in northeastern and central Iran. One Upper Paleolithic site and five Epipaleolithic sites were also identified, further confirming the continuity of human settlement in the Esfarayen–Safiabad plain from the Middle Pleistocene to the early Holocene.
With their newly identified sites, the Esfarayen and Safi’abad plains now stand before researchers like an open book. Each stone tool, each sediment layer, and each archaeological trace represents a page in the long story of human history. Archaeologists hope that continued research will eventually allow them to map early human migration routes, settlement patterns, and lifeways in this region — enriching not only the history of North Khorasan, but also that of the entire Iranian Plateau.
The Paleolithic period is the oldest era of human prehistory and material culture, marked by the first known use of handmade stone tools.
The town of Bam and Safi’abad have a population of around 22,000, while Esfarayen, with a population of about 120,000, is located 60 kilometers southeast of Bojnurd, the provincial capital. North Khorasan Province, with a population of about one million, comprises 10 cities in northeastern Iran.