Shahdad (Persian: شهداد)[a] is a city in, and the capital of, Shahdad District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Iran.[4]
Shahdad
Persian: شهداد | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Haj Mohammad Taghi Ab Anbar | |
  Shahdad | |
| Coordinates: 30°25′02″N 57°42′23″E / 30.41722°N 57.70639°E[1] | |
| Country | Iran |
| Province | Kerman |
| County | Kerman |
| District | Shahdad |
| Population (2016)[2] | |
| • Total | 5,217 |
| Time zone | UTC+3:30 (IRST) |
Demographics
editPopulation
editAt the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 4,097 in 1,010 households.[5] The following census in 2011 counted 5,942 people in 1,612 households.[6] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 5,217 people in 1,621 households.[2]
Geography
editLocation
editShahdad is the center of Shahdad District, which includes smaller cities and villages such as Sirch, Anduhjerd, Ebrahimabad, and Deh-e Seyf.
The driving distance from the city of Kerman to Shahdad is 95 km. The local climate is hot and dry. The main agricultural produce is dates.
Climate
editShahdad has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). The city is located at the edge of the Lut desert, which is one of the hottest and driest places in the world. The summers are long and extremely hot, though not as hot as the center of the Lut desert, usually being a few degrees lower, while the winters are short and mild.
| Climate data for Shahdad 400m (2003–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.4 (84.9) |
33.6 (92.5) |
39.0 (102.2) |
42.6 (108.7) |
47.4 (117.3) |
51.8 (125.2) |
50.4 (122.7) |
50.0 (122.0) |
45.4 (113.7) |
41.4 (106.5) |
35.0 (95.0) |
29.0 (84.2) |
51.8 (125.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
22.4 (72.3) |
29.2 (84.6) |
34.5 (94.1) |
40.1 (104.2) |
44.4 (111.9) |
46.1 (115.0) |
44.1 (111.4) |
40.2 (104.4) |
34.7 (94.5) |
25.7 (78.3) |
18.8 (65.8) |
33.1 (91.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.4 (54.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
28.9 (84.0) |
34.5 (94.1) |
38.6 (101.5) |
40.1 (104.2) |
38.1 (100.6) |
33.9 (93.0) |
28.9 (84.0) |
20.6 (69.1) |
14.0 (57.2) |
27.5 (81.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
17.6 (63.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
29.0 (84.2) |
32.7 (90.9) |
34.1 (93.4) |
32.0 (89.6) |
27.6 (81.7) |
23.2 (73.8) |
15.4 (59.7) |
9.3 (48.7) |
22.0 (71.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.6 (27.3) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
3.8 (38.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
17.0 (62.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
28.2 (82.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
20.0 (68.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
7.4 (45.3) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 9.3 (0.37) |
8.3 (0.33) |
7.9 (0.31) |
0.5 (0.02) |
0.6 (0.02) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.01) |
3.9 (0.15) |
30.7 (1.21) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 7.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 38 | 29 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 25 | 33 | 20 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 204.6 | 203.3 | 241.2 | 250.1 | 297.1 | 329.0 | 348.6 | 343.1 | 313.3 | 297.2 | 248.3 | 221.0 | 3,296.8 |
| Source: Iran Meteorological Organization (temperatures),[7] (precipitation),[8] (humidity),[9] (days with precipitation),[10]
(sunshine)[11] | |||||||||||||
Historical monuments
editThere are many castles and caravanserais at Shahdad and the vicinity. Examples are the Shafee Abaad castle and the Godeez castle.
The shrine of Imamzadeh Zeyd, in the south of the town, is a respected religious site. There is also the main mosque Masjed-e-Rasool (Mosque of the Prophet) where people go to offer namaz.
Archaeology
editBackground
editShahdad was a major Bronze Age center discovered in 1968. Around 1970, Ali Hakemi of Archaeological Institute of Iran investigated the site. He conducted excavations for seven seasons.
"By the early third millennium B.C., Shahdad began to grow quickly as international trade with Mesopotamia expanded. Tomb excavations revealed spectacular artifacts amid stone blocks once painted in vibrant colors. These include several extraordinary, nearly life-size clay statues placed with the dead. The city's artisans worked lapis lazuli, silver, lead, turquoise, and other materials imported from as far away as eastern Afghanistan, as well as shells from the distant Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Evidence shows that ancient Shahdad had a large metalworking industry by this time."[12]
Environment
edit
Shahdad is located in Shahdad Plain of Kerman province. To the east is the Lut Desert, and to the west are the Kerman mountains. Due to proximity of the Shahdad Plain to the Lut Desert, its climate is hot and dry; often there are strong winds blowing densely mixed with dust.
The site of Shahdad was in antiquity located near the Shahdad River and some other streams flowing east.
Shahdad shares many parallels with Shahr-e Sukhteh. Many other ancient settlements are found in what is now empty desert. This is where the Jiroft Civilization flourished. The legendary Aratta of the Sumerian sources may have been located in this area.
Also, according to Iranian archaeologist Hassan Fazeli Nashli, some 900 Bronze Age sites have been documented in the Sistan Basin, which is located further to the east, mostly in Afghanistan.
According to recent research, Shahdad increased in size from the middle of third millennium BC (2500 BC), and was flourishing for more than 500 years. The ancient site is located north of modern town.[13]
The oldest known metal flag in human history was found in this city.
See also
edit
Media related to Shahdad at Wikimedia Commons
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ OpenStreetMap contributors (30 June 2023). "Shahdad, Kerman County" (Map). OpenStreetMap (in Persian). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 08. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ Shahdad can be found at GEOnet Names Server, at this link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3083959" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
- ^ Habibi, Hassan (21 June 1369). "Approval of the organization and chain of citizenship of the elements and units of the national divisions of Kerman province, centered in the city of Kerman". Lamtakam (in Persian). Ministry of Interior, Defense Political Commission of the Government Council. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006)". AMAR (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 08. Archived from the original (Excel) on 20 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ^ "Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011)". Syracuse University (in Persian). The Statistical Center of Iran. p. 08. Archived from the original (Excel) on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^
- "Average Maximum temperature in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "Average Mean Daily temperature in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "Average Minimum temperature in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Average Maximum temperature in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- ^
"Monthly Total Precipitation in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^
"Average relative humidity in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^
"No. Of days with precipitation equal to or greater than 1 mm in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Monthly total sunshine hours in Shahdad by Month 2003–2010". Iran Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- ^ Andrew Lawler, The World in Between Volume 64 Number 6, November/December 2011 archaeology.org
- ^ Eskandari, Nasir (1 March 2019). "A Reappraisal of Shahdad: Chronology, Seals, Metal and Clay Objects". Parseh Journal of Archaeological Studies (in Persian). 2 (6). Farname, Inc.: 53–68. doi:10.30699/pjas.2.6.53. ISSN 2645-5706.