Godin Tepe — Oval Compound High Mound
Early Bronze (III) to Iron III/Median, c.2600–500 BCE·Elamite / Median / Achaemenid·🇮🇷 Kermanshah Province, Kangavar Valley, Iran
About
About Godin Tepe — Oval Compound High Mound
Oval Compound high mound at Godin Tepe (Period VI:1, c.500–330 BCE plus earlier Period III, c.2600 BCE high terrace). 120 × 80 m oval compound with bastions on natural mound 32 m high. T. Cuyler Young Jr. 1965-73 excavated Median-Achaemenid manor and underlying Early Bronze high temple terrace. Mudbrick on stone socle with columned hall.
Why it mattersKurdistan high terrace continuity Ubaid→Median; drinking-service ceramics link to Uruk.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Median vs Achaemenid attribution of oval
Theories
- 01Garrison-manor on Royal Road
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.2600 BCE terrace, rebuilt c.750–550 BCE
- Period
- Early Bronze (III) to Iron III/Median, c.2600–500 BCE
- Culture
- Elamite / Median / Achaemenid
- Builders
- Median / earlier Elamite
- Purpose
- High terrace — temple then elite compound overlooking Kangavar valley
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.2600 BCE terrace, rebuilt c.750–550 BCE
Initial construction / foundation
c.500 CE
Major refurbishment / enlargement phase
c.1100 CE
Abandonment or conversion
1890–1930
Modern rediscovery and first scientific survey
On the ground
Structures & features
34.5177° N · 48.0701° E · 1480 m · 2 mapped features
Oval Compound western bastion
bastionSemicircular bastion on west face of oval enclosure
34.5178° N · 48.0700° EColumned hall (Period II) on summit
hallHypostyle hall with six bases on summit terrace
34.5176° N · 48.0702° E