Ganj Dareh Archaeological Site

Ganj Dareh is an early Neolithic archaeological tell in western Iran’s Zagros foothills, located in Kermanshah province. The site dates to the early Neolithic period, roughly 10,000 years ago, and is important for evidence of early animal management and settled village life.

Archaeological work at the site uncovered mud-brick features, burials and faunal remains that have been interpreted as early evidence for goat domestication and a shift to food-producing lifeways. The excavations were carried out in the 20th century and produced stratified sequences used by researchers studying the transition to agriculture in the Near East.

Ganj Dareh sits within the Zagros mountain zone of western Iran and is part of a group of early Neolithic sites in that region which together have informed understanding of early domesticates and village architecture.

• Neolithic findings: Excavations at the site produced evidence for early goat management and one of the earliest settled Neolithic levels in the Zagros region.

Ganj Dareh is located in Kermanshah province in the Zagros foothills. The nearest major city is Kermanshah; from there, field trips are organized by universities or archaeological teams. Independent travel to remote archaeological mounds requires permission from local authorities and coordination with regional guides and the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organisation.

• Respect archaeological protections: the site is fragile and many finds are in museums, not on-site.
• Acclimatize to the Zagros foothills; evenings can be much colder than daytime.
• Visit a museum in Kermanshah (e.g., the National Museum of Iran's Kermanshah branch) to see artifacts excavated from the site.