Nazar Research Center Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient 2345-6612 7 26 2019 12 22 A geomatics of Landscape of Death in Iron Age; Central Qara Daq; East Azerbaijan A geomatics of Landscape of Death in Iron Age; Central Qara Daq; East Azerbaijan 31 40 103490 10.22034/jaco.2019.200933.1114 FA Vahid Askarpour 0000-0002-5027-0987 Arash Tirandaz Lalezari فارغ‌التحصیل دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی Journal Article 2019 09 11 The paper aims to study landscape of death of Iron age in Central Qaradaq region, East Azerbaijan. The region is one of severe and semiarid landmasses of northwestern Iranian Plateau, consisted of narrow valleys, sharp slopes and a steppe condition. During middle Holocene, the region was a natural track, connecting Urmia basin with south Caucasus. The initial archaeological survey of the region reveals a subsistence system which is mainly based on nomadic pastoralism during Iron age, most of material manifestations of which remained in the shape of burials of different kinds with some characteristic potsherds. Ecological situations as well as the poverty of fertile soils in the region has prevented any higher permanents settlement systems to rise. Landscape of death is an investigation of possible relationships between burial evidence and geographical attributes in social and ideological terms. The most important point in regard with such relationship is that their distribution across the environment was not accidental. Using GIS can make it possible to reveal the logic behind of distribution of Iron age burials over Central Qaradaq and its interpretations in social and ideological terms. To achieve this environmental and cultural information of both burials and fortified sites was analyzed. According to results, the main characteristics of Iron age graves distribution within central Qaradaq landscape is that different kinds of graves would be embarked different kinds of socio-ethnic groups. The paper aims to study landscape of death of Iron age in Central Qaradaq region, East Azerbaijan. The region is one of severe and semiarid landmasses of northwestern Iranian Plateau, consisted of narrow valleys, sharp slopes and a steppe condition. During middle Holocene, the region was a natural track, connecting Urmia basin with south Caucasus. The initial archaeological survey of the region reveals a subsistence system which is mainly based on nomadic pastoralism during Iron age, most of material manifestations of which remained in the shape of burials of different kinds with some characteristic potsherds. Ecological situations as well as the poverty of fertile soils in the region has prevented any higher permanents settlement systems to rise. Landscape of death is an investigation of possible relationships between burial evidence and geographical attributes in social and ideological terms. The most important point in regard with such relationship is that their distribution across the environment was not accidental. Using GIS can make it possible to reveal the logic behind of distribution of Iron age burials over Central Qaradaq and its interpretations in social and ideological terms. To achieve this environmental and cultural information of both burials and fortified sites was analyzed. According to results, the main characteristics of Iron age graves distribution within central Qaradaq landscape is that different kinds of graves would be embarked different kinds of socio-ethnic groups. http://www.jaco-sj.com/article_103490_078b973a95f28edb3a0bd5ce05b32655.pdf