Positioning of Qal’eh Kohan and Qal’eh Kuh in Kerman based on historical sources and architectural evidence of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir

Introduction

Some of Iran's castles are called Qal’eh Dokhtar and some others are called Qal’eh Ardeshir. Regarding the reasons for choosing the name Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir, a lot of research has been done and various theories have been proposed for its name. In some historical texts, the castles of Kerman are mentioned in general terms and the examination of other historical sources also shows a number of contradictions about the previous names of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir. These contradictions have not been resolved until now due to the lack of detailed investigation of these two castles and the lack of attention paid to them in scientific research. In other words, no research has been done about matching the names of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir with ancient names in historical texts. Therefore, the goals of this article are to locate the Qal’eh Kuh and the Qal’eh Kohan mentioned in historical sources and to explain the historical background of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir as two prominent buildings in the city of Kerman.
In this research, these questions will be answered: Which names in historical sources correspond to Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir? And what is the reason for naming these two castles?

Research Method

The method of data collection is field and documentary, and the research method is analytical. Information obtained from field surveys has been matched with documentary data. The analysis of historical and geographical sources has been done with the content analysis method. The ups and downs of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir in the historical-Islamic era have been investigated based on historical sources.

Discussion

Qal’eh Dokhtar has been built on a high rock overlooking the Kerman plain. This high rock is stretched lengthwise from east to west and its length is more than 720 meters. The architecture of Qal’eh Dokhtar follows the topography of this rock. Some of the architectural spaces of Qal’eh Dokhtar were formed on many large stone slabs, and in some others, space was provided for construction by carving the mountain bed, and buildings were formed with clay, rubble stone, Saruj, plaster, and lime materials. Qal’eh Ardeshir also includes structures that are completely destroyed in some areas, and the buildings that have remained standing are all filled with sediments. The castle consists of various parts such as four rows of fences, a moat, an entrance gate, a ruler's seat, and a number of rooms. Around this castle, there are remains of an old moat, which has been filled by the accumulation of sediments and windblown sand over time.
Mud brick is the dominant material in Qal’eh Dokhtar. Mud bricks of various sizes were used in different parts of Qal’eh Dokhtar. The largest mud bricks of Qal’eh Dokhtar have dimensions that were not common during the Islamic era and clearly belong to the pre-Islamic era. Based on field surveys in Qal’eh Dokhtar, in addition to mud bricks, bricks have also been used in the construction of buildings. The architectural materials of Qal’eh Ardeshir are mud brick along with mud mortar, bricks, and in parts such as the watchtowers of the southwest and southeast fronts, the walls of the center of the castle, the ruling part of the castle, and the southeast fences, stones have been used behind the walls. The multiple layers of mud bricks and bricks and their different dimensions indicate the reconstruction of the castle in different periods.
In the archaeological survey of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir, various finds such as ceramic sherds, tiles, plaster pieces, and glass were also identified and recorded. The most significant of which are the ceramics obtained from these two castles. The ceramic pieces of these two castles are very similar with little difference.

Conclusion

Due to the lack of historical sources, the history of Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir is mixed with many stories, and we are faced with different names for these two castles in historical books. The reason for naming Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir can be seen as mixing with Haftvad's story. A story that has been heard for years after these two castles were abandoned. A story that connects Qal’eh Dokhtar with Haftvad, the ruler of Kerman, and his daughter. The construction of Qal’eh Ardeshir is related to Ardeshir, who built it after the defeat of Haftvad and the capture of the city of Kerman. It is clear that Qal’eh Dokhtar and Qal’eh Ardeshir were named in recent centuries, and this issue is related to the abandonment of castles in recent periods. Also, according to the authors' archaeological field surveys, the time of construction of both castles is before the Islamic period and at least to the Sassanid period, and the basic reconstruction of both castles can be considered as belonging to Ibn Elias in the Samanid period. Considering that in the description of various events in historical texts, the outer castle of the city is often introduced as the Qal’eh Kuh, and the inner castle is described as the Qal’eh Kohan or the Qal’eh Kohneh. Considering that the present-day Qal’eh Dokhtar is located within the boundaries of the old city of Kerman and Qal’eh Ardeshir is located on the edge of the old city, the Qal’eh Kuh can be considered as Qal’eh Ardeshir and the Qal’eh Kohan as Qal’eh Dokhtar.