AGRICULTURAL DECLINE IN THE SI RAF REGION, IRAN

T.J. WILKINSON

In the early Islamic period the important trading city of Siraf developed in the north coast of the Persian Gulf about 200 km south of Bushehr (fig. 1). The city grew in response to maritime trade between the Middle East and China, India and east Africa, and by about A.D. 850 Siraf was a flourishing entrepot boasting palaces, wealthy merchants' quarters, a citadel and numerous mosques. Intense trading was carried out for another hundred years but in A.D. 977 an earthquake damaged the city, the political climate changed and a period of rapid decline followed. Trade was subsequently diverted to Qais, over 200 km to the south and only a small residual population lived on in the ruins. Archaeological investigations carried out from 1966-1973 (1) demonstrated the existence of a Sasanian Siraf as well as a small settlement on the site around the fifteenth century. Much of the site is now deserted, but a village with a population of about 2000 lies in the eastern part of the city (fig. 5). Twentieth century descriptions of the site are given in Stein and Whitehouse (2).

This study forms part of the archaeological investigations conducted by the British Institute of Persian Studies under the direction of Dr. David Whitehouse over six seasons from 1966-1973. Most of the excavations were concentrated within the city walls, but in the sixth season (1972/73) an investigation into the econo-

mic geography of Siraf was initiated. Documentary sources emphasise the inhospitable local environment, and cursory examination suggests that agriculture is impracticable in the hinterland today. The tenth century writer Istakhri reinforces this impression by stating that water, fruit and vegetables were in short supply, the last named being fetched from the region of Jam. In order to clarify this impression of sparse resources within a landscape of limited agricultural potential we conducted intensive archaeological/geographical surveys in the hinterland. It is the object of this paper to examine firstly the geomor- phology and soils, in order to establish the physical constraints imposed upon the city region and its potential for agriculture, both past and present. Secondly the infrastructure developed within the region, namely route ways and watersupply systems; and finally evidence of early occupation and land-use outside the city walls. This would include traces of field patterns, buildings and potsherd scatters, and would indicate the extent of agricultural land-use during the city's heyday thus enabling the magnitude of the post-Siraf agricultural decline to be gauged.

Physical Environment.

The city site measures about 4 x 0.5 km and occupies a narrow section of coastal plain fringing the southern Zagros mountains. Figure 2 illustrates the salient features of the hinterland. The area is dominated by high ranges of Cretaceous - Pliocene sediments folded into

123

PALEO RIENT 2 x /1974