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Kazemi Y, Kiani-DehKiania G, Safaei I. (2024). Chronological Dating of Ancient Cities Using Astronomical Dating: A Case Study on the Dating of the Construction of the Sasanian City of Gūr. JRA. 10(1), 69-99. doi:10.61186/jra.10.1.391
URL: http://jra-tabriziau.ir/article-1-391-en.html

In some archaeological studies of ancient cities, sufficient materials and data are not available for accurate dating, leading to uncertainties and estimates in the chronology or foundation time of these cities. The current article aims to determine the exact construction date of the ancient city of Gūr for the first time using the astronomical dating method. Gūr is one of the cities of the Sasanian period in Fars province of Iran, whose exact construction date has remained unknown to this day. This city had a circular wall and four gates named after Mihr (sun), Bahram (mars), and Hormuz (Jupiter).The research question is how to determine the construction date of Gūr by assuming a correlation between the orientation of the gates and the positions of their namesake sun and planets.To this end, the positions of the city's four gates were first determined according to archaeological reports and based on field measurements. Subsequently, within a historical timeframe, the orientation of the axis of the gates with the direction of the sun and planets was quantitatively measured using a sky simulator astronomical software and subjected to causal analysis.The results of this research indicate that the design of the city of Gūr was carried out on December 21, 224 AD, coinciding with the winter solstice. Astrological studies also confirm the observational data for the mentioned year of construction and confirm that the location of the city’s four gates was determined based on a unique planetary configuration at the end of the autumn of that year and based on the azimuth angles of Sun, Mars and Jupiter; and also based on their ecliptic longitudes in zodiac.