Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
Department of Archaeology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, iran,
2
General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of South Khorasan
3
department of history and archaeology, Lorestan University
10.22034/ahdc.2024.21088.1779
Abstract
Qohestan has been the focus of the Ismailia sect due to its strategic location and location on the communication routes, mountainous geographical background, distance from the caliphate, and rich mineral resources. In this region, 48 castles are identified from this era, most of which were built on the heights and peaks of the mountains. The structure of such castles is based on the geographic scope and landscape of mountains and ridges, and geographical factors were influential in creating these castles. This article analyzes the hierarchical and the central Place of Ismailia castles according to environmental and geographical factors. In this analysis, environmental factors such as distance from water sources and roads, type of land use, altitude above sea level, the height of castles from the surface of the surrounding land, location of castles concerning the degree of slope and direction, type of soil, precipitation, and type of climate are used. According to the statistical analysis using the Arc Gis and Spss software and cluster method, it is determined that there is a three-ranked pattern with the centrality of the Kal Hassan Sabah Castle, the Kohan Dezh Castle of Nehbandan, and the Ferdous Castle Mount among the Ismailia castles in Qohestan, and the texts and historical sources also confirm it to some extent. Most of the Ismailia castles are in the second rank. The second group is castles, which are less critical regarding geographical features than the first group and are in second place regarding their location in the geographical and environmental landscape. Ismailia castles are much bigger and broader than other castles, and in addition to having purely defensive functions, they also have residential, welfare, and other functions. For this reason, they were built on top of a high peak in Khorasan and the Alborz Mountain range. The third group (lowest rank), which has only one castle named Zari Castle, is ranked third in the cluster analysis because of its small size, low altitude from the sea level, and low height from the surrounding lands. The importance of this castle is because it is located a short distance from the Zari copper mine, and it is one of the ancient mines from which copper and gold were extracte. Perhaps because of gold mining, it was called Zari Castle, and the duty of this castle was to protect the mining and smelting of copper or gold. The patterns of the central place and hierarchy of castles seem to be correctly expressed by statistical analysis because historical sources and texts also confirm a three-rank pattern among castles.
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