Zanjan province is one of the historical regions of Iran and archaeological excavations and historical remains show its longevity and age. The historical background of this province can be studied in four periods as follows:
Prehistoric period (7th millennium to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC): The course of this civilization period is dark and ambiguous due to the lack of information and documents. The oldest prehistoric works found and studied in this area probably belong to the Bardostin period. These findings, which include small tools of the early human communities, are about thirty thousand years old. The most obvious habitat of these congregations in Zanjan is the historical cave (Galjik).
Historical period (early 3rd millennium to late 2nd millennium BC): The findings obtained from this period in Ejrud region have been studied. The distribution of human settlements in the Ejrud region in the third and second millennium BC, in eight archaeological centers and the continuity of their lives until the first millennium BC, indicates the prosperity and longevity of the civilization of the central plateau of Iran in this region. Artifacts of this era have been found in the villages of Ziyaabad, Agh Kand, Gol Tepe, Chairlo, Qoltun and Ughul Beg. The evaluation and study of the works of black drawings on the pea pottery discovered from these historical centers have shown the link between the civilizations of Hesar Damghan Hill, Silk Kashan Hill, Zagheh Hill of the Qazvin Plain and Ejrud.
Two works from this period have been identified in the southwest of Khodabande city: one in the historical hill "Yarimjah" (Takmeh Tepe) in Afshar Qashlaq, and the other in the historical hill "Aman Arqin Balaghi" in Bezinehroud region of Khodabande city, each of which is a part of They contain the rarest traces of human settlements of the third and second millennium BC.
New historical period (late 2nd millennium BC to early 7th century AD): Findings have been found in the Zanjan region from this period, the most obvious of which is a simple gray pottery that is a reminder of the migration of Aryans to this region.
One of the most remarkable vessels used in all the centers of human settlement of this period is a teapot-like clay vessel with a relatively long pipe, which is used in the burial ceremony of the dead and is found in all the graves. This period has been seen. The available historical evidence shows that until the beginning of the first half of the first millennium BC, there was no specific ruling system in the region and the "Urartian" government could not control these areas due to the distance. The tools and weapons obtained from the ancient graves show that unlike the civilizations of the central plateau of Iran, which were warrior tribes, the people of this region were mainly engaged in animal husbandry and agriculture due to the abundance of springs and surface water. Relative security has ruled the region.
From the 7th century BC to the end of the 1st millennium BC, i.e. during the whole period of the Achaemenid Empire, coins (Derek) and (Rhyton) in Khudabandeh and gold necklaces with the "lotus flower" (motif) motif, whose designs are The works of Takht Jamshid can be compared, and also the golden mask of the dead in the graves with the hair and hat of the Achaemenid era can be mentioned.
Ancient monuments such as the huge fire place of Takht Suleiman in the west, the Behestan shrine in the south and the Sassanid fire temples in Tarem show that during the Ashkan and Sasanian eras, the Zanjan River and Qezel Ozen valleys were more prosperous. The reports of geographers at the beginning of the Islamic period also confirm this issue.
Out of the 15 researched archaeological sites of this period, 9 sites are located in the valley of the Qezal Ozen River and in Upper Tarem, which speak of the splendor and prosperity of this part of the region in the 2nd to 5th centuries AD. Among the most important works of that period, we can mention the fire temple of Tasweer, which was built in the village of Tasweer in the middle of a historical cemetery, with stone and saroj, and with the design of four arches in the dimensions of 4 x 4 square meters with a dome-shaped cover.
Political tensions and military conflicts have hindered economic and cultural growth and improvement in this region until the 10th century. During the Safavid and Qajar rule, especially during the rule of Shah Tahmasb, Shah Abbas and Agha Mohammad Khan Qaqajar, relative economic and cultural prosperity has been established in the region. Most of the villages of the current districts and cities, according to the lord and serf system, were formed until the end of the 13th century AH and during the last decades, they have been growing and expanding rapidly. Below, in brief, the historical geography of the cities of the province is mentioned:
Zanjan:
The history of the building of Shahr Zanjan has been considered to be the same time as the reign of Ardeshir Babkan, and at that time, it was called Shahin, meaning associated with the king. It is said that this name changed to Zangan and then to Zanjan over the centuries. Zanjan was conquered by the Arabs during the Caliphate of Osman and by the Arab general Bara bin Azeb, and during this period, this city was a prosperous and blessed city.
In the 4th and 5th centuries of AH, Zanjan became the focus of Turkic tribes because of its vast pastures, and various Turkic tribes settled in Zanjan and its various areas, especially in Chaman Soltanieh. In the Mongol attack, the city of Zanjan and its surrounding settlements suffered a lot of damage. Then the Mughal ilkhans paid a lot of attention to this city, especially "Sultan Muhammad Khudabandeh", since he accepted the Shia religion, he tried to develop this area and laid the groundwork for its transformation into an Islamic center, and after that it became one of the become important centers of politics and trade.
The history of Zanjan in the following centuries is also a reporter of various political events. This city has witnessed political, social and religious events, such as Ali Muhammad Bab's rebellion, the struggles of Al-Tawaifi kings, the constitutional movement, the invasion of feudal lords, the conflict of Azerbaijan's democrats, etc. Although some of these events did not have anything other than cultural, economic and social misfortunes for the people of this city, colonial culture and civilization never penetrated this city and the majority of the people still maintain their religious and traditional rituals. The horses are left. This area has been the birthplace of great people such as Sheikh Shahabuddin Suhravardi and other famous scholars who are the pride of Iranian and Islamic culture.
Abhar:
The Abhar area and the surrounding areas of the Abhar River, which is called (Abharchai) in the local language, is one of the first human settlements in Iran and has a long history. The study of these areas shows that Abhar Rood valley enjoyed significant prosperity in the second millennium BC. In the 9th century BC, the Medes created a union of various tribes in this region, whose headquarters was in Abharchai. According to historical evidence, in 82 BC, a battle was fought between Medes and Assyrians in Abhar Chai valley.
God's servant:
Khodabande city is located in the southeast of Zanjan. In this region, Khodabandhlou and Afshar Eilat have mixed with indigenous peoples and created a race that is known as Zanjani in terms of typology (examination of external characteristics).
Khodabande city has two historical cities "Sehrvard" and "Sejas" and it has nurtured great men like Shahabuddin Sehrvardi. The placement of human communities and their cohabitation in these areas is related to the end of the fourth millennium and the beginning of the fifth millennium BC. Among the examples of the works of this period, there is the tomato colored pottery, which can be compared with the known pottery works of Qazvin.
