* Astronomy

Archaeologists have discovered a goat statuette and a bas relief of a lizard buried along a skeleton of a woman in a cemetery in Narges Tappeh, an ancient site near Gorgan in Golestan province, reported Tehran Times on Monday.

"The goat statuette was located under the left arm of the woman, who was buried in a squatting position. The bas relief of the lizard has been carved on the handle of a stick-like artefact, the likes of which have never been seen at any ancient Iranian site. The skeleton dates back to the first millennium BC" - Qorban-Ali Abbasi, archaeological team's director.

A bird has been depicted on the curved horns of the goat and a number of other artefacts such as a necklace, earrings, a hairpin, and several bracelets connected to a ring worn by the woman have been found in her grave.
The archaeologists also discovered a six-pronged relic made of tar and a stone spindle beside the skeleton.
The excavations are being carried out to save Narges Tappeh, which is located near the runway of an airport currently under construction in Gorgan.
Archaeologists have recently discovered fragments of pottery containing corn and lentils, which provides important information on the diet of inhabitants of Narges Tappeh in ancient times.
Covering an area of about 17,000 square meters, Narges Tappeh contains traces of architecture, pottery and a dozen other monuments and artefacts, some dating back to about 5000 BC.
Archaeologists have also discovered a cemetery, a brick castle, and many skeletons dating back to the early years of the Islamic era.


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Latitude 36°54'30.28"N Longitude 54°24'11.34"E

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