{"id":9781,"date":"2016-12-24T16:49:50","date_gmt":"2016-12-24T16:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/?p=9781"},"modified":"2026-10-05T15:33:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:33:07","slug":"iran-saltman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/iran-saltman\/","title":{"rendered":"Saltmen of Iran: Chehrabad Mummies and Ancient Mining"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Saltmen of Chehrabad are among Iran&#8217;s most remarkable archaeological finds. Their naturally preserved remains, clothing and tools offer an unusually detailed view of ancient mining in Zanjan Province. The bodies were preserved by the dry, salty environment rather than by deliberate mummification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/iran-saltman\/#the-chehrabad-salt-mine\" >The Chehrabad Salt Mine<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/iran-saltman\/#discovery-of-the-saltmen\" >Discovery of the Saltmen<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/iran-saltman\/#what-the-finds-reveal\" >What the Finds Reveal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/iran-saltman\/#research-and-conservation\" >Research and Conservation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-chehrabad-salt-mine\"><\/span>The Chehrabad Salt Mine<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chehrabad, also known as the Douzlakh salt mine, lies in Zanjan Province in northwestern Iran. Archaeological research has identified major phases of mining during the Achaemenid period, from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, and the Sasanian period, from the 4th to 6th centuries CE. The site preserves evidence not only of salt extraction, but also of the people who worked underground.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9810 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"504\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh.jpg\" alt=\"Chehrabad salt mine site in Zanjan Province\" class=\"wp-image-9810\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh-780x393.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh-768x387.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh-300x151.jpg 300w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh-705x355.jpg 705w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/The-site-of-Douzlakh-450x227.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Chehrabad salt mine site in Zanjan Province, Iran.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"discovery-of-the-saltmen\"><\/span>Discovery of the Saltmen<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first mummified remains were discovered during commercial salt extraction in 1994. Further finds prompted an emergency excavation in 2004, followed by additional archaeological work. Researchers from Iranian institutions and the Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum have since studied the mine and its human remains through mining archaeology, radiocarbon dating, isotope analysis, archaeobotany and other methods.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9799 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1.jpg\" alt=\"Preserved head of Saltman 1 from Chehrabad\" class=\"wp-image-9799\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-627x470.jpg 627w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-705x529.jpg 705w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Zanjan-Iran-1-450x338.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Preserved remains of Saltman 1 from the Chehrabad salt mine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-the-finds-reveal\"><\/span>What the Finds Reveal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The salt preserved far more than human remains. Clothing, leather, tools and other organic materials survived in exceptional condition, allowing researchers to reconstruct aspects of mining technology, working life and material culture that rarely survive at archaeological sites.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9804 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"547\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4.jpg\" alt=\"Saltman 4 from the Chehrabad mine\" class=\"wp-image-9804\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4-780x427.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4-768x420.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4-300x164.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Saltman 4, Archaeological Museum Zanjan. Photograph: Deutsches Bergbau-Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saltman 4 is particularly important to researchers. Evidence indicates that he was a young miner who died roughly 2,400 years ago. His clothing and equipment provide rare evidence of everyday working life in Achaemenid-era Iran.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9806 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan.jpg\" alt=\"Ancient textile fragment from Chehrabad\" class=\"wp-image-9806\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-780x242.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-768x238.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-300x93.jpg 300w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-705x219.jpg 705w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Textile-fragment-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-450x140.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Textile fragment from Chehrabad, Archaeological Museum Zanjan. Photograph: Miras Farhangi\/Deutsches Bergbau-Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9808 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"517\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan.jpg\" alt=\"Ancient iron mining pick from Chehrabad\" class=\"wp-image-9808\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan.jpg 517w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-304x470.jpg 304w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-456x705.jpg 456w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Saltman-Archaeological-Museum-Zanjan-450x696.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Iron pick with wooden handle from Chehrabad, Archaeological Museum Zanjan. Photograph: Deutsches Bergbau-Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"research-and-conservation\"><\/span>Research and Conservation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The International Chehrabad Saltmummy &amp; Saltmine Exploration Project has brought together Iranian and German researchers to investigate the mine and conserve its finds. The project continues to refine understanding of the site&#8217;s chronology, ancient mining methods and the lives of the miners. For detailed research information, see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bergbaumuseum.de\/en\/research\/research-projects\/die-salzmaenner-von-zanjan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum project page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-9812 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"852\" height=\"1626\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran.jpg\" alt=\"Reconstruction of Saltman 1 from Chehrabad\" class=\"wp-image-9812\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran.jpg 852w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-524x1000.jpg 524w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-768x1466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-537x1024.jpg 537w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-805x1536.jpg 805w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-246x470.jpg 246w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-157x300.jpg 157w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-369x705.jpg 369w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-Man-Iran-450x859.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 852px) 100vw, 852px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction of Saltman 1. Artwork by M. Aflak, Hamshahri Magazine, 2009.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Travelers interested in the wider region can also consult our <a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zanjan-travel-guide\/\">Zanjan travel guide<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/tehran-travel-guide\/\">Tehran travel guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join the search for Iran&#8217;s ancient secrets and discover whether mummies form part of the nation&#8217;s historical narrative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16084,308,305,1],"tags":[16093,16092,1683],"class_list":["post-9781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-zanjan","category-destinations","category-how-to","category-tourism-iran","tag-mummy","tag-saltman","tag-zanjan"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Salt-mummy-no.-4.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}