A Bronze Age Daughter of Khorasan

In the highlands of northeastern Iran, long overshadowed by the better-known kingdoms of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, archaeologists have uncovered¹ the resting place of a young woman who died before adulthood, yet was laid to rest as if she ruled a dynasty.

Chlorite container with snake and scorpion motifs. Top from Tepe Chalow, bottom from Bactria. Credit: Vahdati et al. 2025

Excavated at Tepe Chalow, a site situated in what was once a vital corridor of early trade, the burial—labeled Grave 12—was remarkably rich. Among the artifacts: gold rings, delicately carved cosmetic containers, and seals suggesting control over property or goods. All told, her grave contained 34 objects, the most lavish interment yet uncovered from the emerging archaeological complex known as the Greater Khorasan Civilization (GKC).