µþ´¡²Ñ±ÊŪ¸é
The position of Bampūr near a river and major routes explains the presence there of prehistoric and later settlements at the foot of a fortress on a high mound. While the mound has not been excavated, Sir Aurel Stein carried out sondages nearby during reconnaissance in the Bampūr valley in 1932 (1937, pp. 104-31). In 1966 Beatrice de Cardi initiated further excavations to establish a ceramic sequence for the region, trenches Y and Z producing consistent results within six successive occupational phases designated Periods I-VI (de Cardi, 1967; 1968; 1970).
The earliest occupation contained no material like that known farther west at ÄŒÄh-ḤosaynÄ« or YaḥyÄ V a-c (Lamberg-Karlovsky, 1970, p. 95). While its absence does not preclude such deposits elsewhere on the site, no firm date was assigned to Period I, though links with YaḥyÄ IVC suggest a settlement existed by the late 4th millennium (Lamberg-Karlovsky, 1972, p. 97). The range of gray and cream-slipped wheel-made wares and associated objects from the mud-brick building comprising BampÅ«r I-IV reflected strong ties with the Helmand culture as exemplified at Shahr-i Sokhta (Šahr-e Sūḵta) from late II-III and in Mundigak IV 1-2 (Tosi, 1970, p. 13; 1974, p. 32) and is of relevance to the concept of interaction spheres in and around the Indo-Iranian borderlands (Lamberg-Karlovsky, 1972, p. 99).
New ceramics appeared at the end of BampÅ«r IV, suggesting contact with FÄrs, MakrÄn, and Oman. Buff and red-slipped wares became dominant in Periods V-VI, when streak-burnished, black-on-gray and incised gray wares like those in Shahr-i Sokhta IV (ca. 2200-1800 b.c.) were introduced. Both gray wares occur also in collective burials of the Umm an-Nar (Omm al-NÄr) culture of Oman (cf. de Cardi, 1970, figs. 38 and 42; During Caspers, 1970, figs. 45-46, pp. 319-25; de Cardi et al., 1976, figs. 15 and 17, pp. 118-23), and though few of them can be closely dated Hili North Tomb A is ascribed to the last quarter of the 3rd millennium (Cleuziou and Vogt, 1983, p. 43).
While the evidence from SÄ«stÄn and Oman points to a terminal date for BampÅ«r VI in the late 3rd millennium, radiocarbon determinations for YaḥyÄ IVB (Lamberg-Karlovsky, 1971, p. 94) suggest an earlier dating and the matter remains unresolved.
Bibliography:
R. Biscione, “The Burnt Building of Period Shahr-i Sokhta IV. An Attempt of Functional Analysis from the Distribution of Pottery Types,” in G. Gnoli and A. V. Rossi, eds., Iranica, Naples, 1979, pp. 291-306.
S. Cleuziou and B. Vogt, “Umm an Nar Burial Customs. New Evidence from Tomb A at Hili North ”, Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 13, London, 1983, pp. 37-52.
B. de Cardi, “The Bampur Sequence in the Third Millennium B.C.,” Antiquity 41, 1967, pp. 33-41.
Idem, “Excavations at Bampur, South-East Iran: A Brief Report,” Iran 6, 1968, pp. 135-55.
Idem, “Excavations at Bampur, a Third Millennium Settlement in Persian Baluchistan, 1966,” Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, New York 51/3, 1970, pp. 233-355.
B. de Cardi, S. Collier, and D. B. Doe, “Excavations and Survey in Oman,” Journal of Oman Studies 2, Oman, 1976, pp. 101-75.
E. C. L. During Caspers, “A Note on the Carved Stone Vases and Incised Grey-ware,” apud de Cardi, 1970, pp. 319-25.
C. C. Lamberg-Karlovsky, “Excavations at Tepe Yahya, Iran, 1967-1969, Progress Report 1,” Bulletin of the American School of Prehistoric Research 27, Peabody Museum, Harvard University, 1970, pp. 1-134.
Idem, “Tepe Yahya 1971 Mesopotamia and the Indo-Iranian Borderlands,” Iran 10, 1972, pp. 89-100.
C. C. Lamberg-Karlovsky and D. Schmandt-Besserat, “An Evaluation of the Bampur, Khurab and Chah Husseini Collections in the Peabody Museum and Relations with Tepe Yahya,” Bibliotheca Mesopotamica 7, Malibu, 1977, pp. 113-34.
C. C. Lamberg-Karlovsky and M. Tosi, “Shahr-i Sokhta and Tepe Yahya: Tracks on the Earliest History of the Iranian Plateau,” East and West, N.S. 23/1-2, 1973, pp. 21-53.
Sir Aurel Stein, Archaeological Reconnaissances in North-Western India and South-Eastern Iran, London, 1937.
M. Tosi, “Excavations at Shahr-i Sokhta, a Chalcolithic Settlement in the Iranian Sistan: Preliminary Report on the First Campaign, October-December 1967,” East and West, N.S. 18/1-2, 1968, pp. 9-66.
Idem, “Excavations at Shahr-i Sokhta. Preliminary Report on the Second Campaign, September-December 1968,” East and West, N.S. 19/3-4, 1969, pp. 283-386.
Idem, “A Tomb from Damin and the Problem of the Bampur Sequence in the Third Millennium B.C.,” East and West, N.S. 20/1-2, 1970, pp. 9-50.
Idem, “Bampur: A Problem of Isolation,” East and West, N.S. 24/1-2, 1974, pp. 29-49.
Idem, “The Dating of the Umm an-Nar Culture and a Proposed Sequence for Oman in the Third Millennium B.C.,” Journal of Oman Studies 2, Oman, 1976, pp. 81-92.
(B. de Cardi)
BampÅ«r, a ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; and ±ç²¹á¹£a²ú²¹ (borough) in the &²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô;²¹³ó°ù±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô of ĪrÄnšahr in the province of µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô o SÄ«stÄn, bounded by the ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô;es of BazmÄn to the north, SarbÄz to the east, NÄ«kšahr and Qaá¹£r-e Qand to the south, and KahnÅ«j (&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô;²¹³ó°ù±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô of JÄ«roft) to the west. The plain of BampÅ«r is encircled by several high mountains: JebÄl-e BÄrez and KÅ«h-e BazmÄn to the north, the mountains of BašÄkerd, FannÅ«j, and ÄŒÄmp to the south, the mountains of Esfandeqa to the west, and ZardkÅ«h, EspÄ«dÄn, and SÄ«Ähband to the east. For this reason the spring floods flow through riverbeds that are dry or almost dry during the rest of the year (e.g., ŠahÄbrÅ«d, KÅ«skÄ«nrÅ«d, and the KahÅ«r and LÄšÄr rivers) onto the plain of BampÅ«r. The BampÅ«r river, originating in the northeastern mountains of ĪrÄnšahr, is fed by the KonÄrakÄ«, DÄmen, and KÄrvÄndar rivers and waters most of the arable land of BampÅ«r before flowing into the HÄmÅ«n-e JÄz-e MÅ«rÄ«Än 50 km to the west. The river is never dry and other streams that flow underground in sandy terrain also feed it. Earthen dams divide the BampÅ«r into eight branches, which permit irrigation of 12 villages (1,300 ha). Arable land that lies too far from the river is irrigated by ±ç²¹²ÔÄå³Ùs and, more recently, deep wells. Modern agricultural technology, like machinery and chemical fertilizers, has been little exploited in this district, and production is therefore lower than in comparable areas in central and southern Iran. Thanks, however, to plentiful and relatively good water and mild weather, the plain of BampÅ«r is one of the most productive agricultural regions of Baluchistan. The main products are wheat, barley, corn, and dates (which are not exported because packing facilities are lacking). The land is partly state-owned and partly belongs to small landowners. In the 1960s state land yielded about 1,500 tons of wheat and 600 tons of corn yearly, most of which was exported across the southeastern borders of Iran (NÄá¹£eḥ, p. 166). Owing to good pastureland in the valleys around BampÅ«r, dairy products are also important. In 1336 Š./1957, 2,000 cows, 6,000 sheep, 4,000 camels, and 400 donkeys were counted in the area (ibid., p. 162), in 1360 Š./1981, 1,180 cows and calves and 34,280 sheep, goats, and kids (Ä€mÄrgÄ«rÄ«-e RÅ«stÄʾī-e JehÄd-e SÄzandagÄ«, year 1360 Š./1981-82).
The ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; of BampÅ«r is divided into two sections: the mountainous area, including the »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô of ÄŒÄnf, which is situated in the valleys of the Ä€hÅ«rÄn range, and the plain including the »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ôs of Ḥūma and MaskÅ«tÄn. The lowest point in the plain lies 900 m above sea level; the highest mountain peak is the volcanic KÅ«h-e BazmÄn (2,500 m).
BampÅ«r, like other ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô;es of the province, has a mild and relatively humid climate. In June and July the temperature often rises to 48°C; in winter it falls to 2°C. Annual rainfall in the center of the ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; is about 120 mm (NašrÄ«ya-ye DÄʾera-ye JoḡrÄfÄ«Äʾī-e SetÄd-e Arteš-e JomhÅ«rÄ«-e EslÄmÄ«-e ĪrÄn. OstÄn-e SÄ«stÄn o µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô, Tehran, 1364 Š./1985, p. 12). Until a few years ago the entire population of BampÅ«r retreated to ḵÄrḵÄn²¹s (q.v.) in the hot season, and most inhabitants still do.
The ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; of BampÅ«r includes the following »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ôs: Ḥūma, MaskÅ«tÄn, LÄšÄr, ÄŒÄnf, FannÅ«j, Bent, and MalÅ«rÄn, comprising 160 villages and more than 500 settlements (AfšÄr SÄ«stÄnÄ«, pp. 293-340). The total population in 1335 Š./1956, was 40,041 (JahÄnbÄnÄ«, p. 74); in 1345 Š./1966 it was reported as 51,606 for the ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; and 15,686 for the »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô (AfšÄr, pp. 301-40). The population is mostly Baluch, belonging to the two tribes of MobÄrakÄ« and ŠÄ«rÄnÄ«, and follows the Hanafite school. It speaks Baluchi and its entire lifestyle is Baluchi (NÄá¹£eḥ, p. 165).
The administrative center of the ²ú²¹á¸µ&²õ³¦²¹°ù´Ç²Ô; is situated at 60°7’15" E, 27°11’35" N (AfšÄr, p. 294). It lies on the ÄŒÄhbahÄr highway 25 km west of ĪrÄnšahr, 363 km from ÄŒÄhbahÄr, and 392 km from ZÄhedÄn. A 350-km asphalt road connects NÅkjÅ«b 4 km east of BampÅ«r to the city of Bam (Ä€mÄrgÄ«rÄ«-e RÅ«stÄʾī, p. 13). The central »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô of BampÅ«r includes 29 villages and 7 farms and has a total population of 4,182, housed in 3,881 dwellings (mostly reed huts). Drinking water is supplied through pipelines from a deep well in the vicinity of the BampÅ«r dam. Electricity is supplied from IrÄnšahr. The »å±ð³ó±ð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô has eight public baths, six infirmaries, twenty-three elementary schools, seven intermediate schools (°ùÄå³ó²Ô²¹³¾Äåʾī), one high school, eighteen mosques and ḥo²õ²¹²â²ÔÄ«²â²¹s, five post offices, and a telegraph office. There are 2,500 ha of arable land, irrigated by the BampÅ«r river, three ±ç²¹²ÔÄå³Ù systems, and thirteen deep and medium wells (Ä€mÄrgÄ«rÄ«-e rÅ«stÄʾī, 1360).
Old BampÅ«r was situated 500 m from the main street of the modern town of BampÅ«r, on the top of a hill, where its remains are still visible. The hill rises about 80 m above the surrounding area; because of its strategic position, it was the site of the residence of the governor of Baluchistan until the end of the 13th/19th century. As the frontier army in this area was also garrisoned there, it was one of the most developed parts of the province. It was often demolished and rebuilt during the rebellion of the Baluch chieftains in the last century and also during the rise of Ä€qÄ Khan (1257/1841) and his brother Abu’l-Ḥasan Khan in 1260/1844 (FÄ«rÅ«z MÄ«rzÄ, p. 30, quoting NÄseḵ al-tawÄrīḵ; AfšÄr, p. 236). But the unfavorable climate, the unhealthy drinking water, which had to be carried from the river, and also the wind called ±ô²¹·ÉÄå°ù blowing from the LÅ«t desert caused a high death rate among the soldiers assigned to this post from other towns in KermÄn. This is quite apparent from the large numbers of soldiers’ tombs surrounding the fortress (FÄ«rÅ«z MÄ«rzÄ, pp. 29, 39). Finally, in 1297/1880, FÄ«rÅ«z MÄ«rzÄ Noá¹£rat-al-Dawla, the governor of KermÄn and MakrÄn, made a trip to Baluchistan and transferred the army garrison from the half-ruined fortress of BampÅ«r to the village of Fahraj (now ĪrÄnšahr) four parasangs away, where the climate was more favorable. Since then BampÅ«r has lost its former importance (FÄ«rÅ«z MÄ«rzÄ, pp. 32, 36, 38; AfšÄr, p. 295).
Bibliography:
I. AfšÄr SÄ«stÄnÄ«, NegÄh-Ä« be SÄ«stÄn o µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô, Tehran, 1363 Š./1984.
FÄ«rÅ«z MÄ«rzÄ FarmÄnfarmÄ Noá¹£rat-al-Dawla, Safar-nÄma-ye KermÄn o µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô, ed. M. NeẓÄm MÄfÄ«, Tehran, 1342 Š./1963.
A. JahÄnbÄnÄ«, Sargoá¸ašt-e µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô o marzhÄ-ye Än, Tehran, 1338 Š./1959.
Ḏ. NÄá¹£eḥ, µþ²¹±ôūıð²õ³ÙÄå²Ô, Tehran, 1345 Š./1966.
Search terms:
| &²Ô²ú²õ±è;بمپور | bampoor | bampor | bampour |
(B. de Cardi, Ê¿A.-A. SaÊ¿Ä«dÄ« SÄ«rjÄnÄ«)
Originally Published: December 15, 1988
Last Updated: December 15, 1988
This article is available in print.
Vol. III, Fasc. 6, pp. 662-663
B. de Cardi, Ê¿A.-A. SaÊ¿Ä«dÄ« SÄ«rjÄnÄ«, “µþ´¡²Ñ±ÊŪ¸é,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, III/6, pp. 662-663, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bampur (accessed on 30 December 2012).
