Rich Bronze Age grave from Iran hints ancient woman's power status

Archaeologists have uncovered the richest Bronze Age tomb to date at Tepe Chalow in eastern Iran, part of the recently identified Greater Khorasan Civilization (GKC). This necropolis, first excavated in 2011, revealed Grave 12, belonging to a young woman under 18, filled with 24 exquisitely crafted grave goods such as pottery, gold jewelry, bronze objects, and stone artifacts made from materials like lapis lazuli and chlorite. The presence of multiple seals among her belongings strongly suggests she held a significant social and economic role, indicating that women in the GKC may have enjoyed prominent status within this progressive society. The GKC was a major Bronze Age urban culture spanning northeastern Iran into parts of modern Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan, with extensive trade networks linking it to Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and the Persian Gulf. Archaeological evidence points to the civilization’s wealth and sophistication, with Grave 12 providing unprecedented insights into its