TEHRAN -- A systematic archaeological survey conducted in the Nir and Garizat districts of Taft County, Yazd Province, has led to the identification and documentation of 172 historical and cultural sites across an extensive area of approximately 2,350 square kilometers. 
The findings reveal new dimensions of the region’s archaeological potential and significantly contribute to the development of a more comprehensive archaeological atlas of southern and south-western Yazd.
The survey project, supported by the Provincial Office of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Yazd, has brought to light a wide range of cultural remains, including fortresses and defensive structures, ancient mounds and habitation sites, water-management installations, historic buildings, cemeteries, and other settlement-related features. 
Together, these remains reflect a long and continuous history of human occupation in the region.
According to Sahar Tafakkori, the project director and a graduate in archaeology from the University of Tehran, one of the most significant outcomes of the current field season has been the identification and documentation of numerous historical fortifications across Taft County. 
These structures point to the strategic importance of the region within historical networks of defense, administration, and territorial control.
Among the recorded monuments, the historic Fakhrabad Castle stands out as one of the largest and most prominent fortifications in Yazd Province.
 The structure is considered of particular importance for studies concerning spatial organization of settlements, defensive architecture, and historical patterns of land management across different periods.
The survey has also documented a number of archaeological mounds in the Kharaft-Khaneh area of Garizat, which are regarded as among the most significant discoveries of the project. 
The sites are expected to provide valuable insights into the formation processes of human settlements, cultural transformations, and interactions among past communities in this part of the Iranian Central Plateau.
Further analysis of the sites is anticipated to yield critical data on patterns of habitation, subsistence strategies, and cultural evolution, thereby contributing to the reconstruction of lesser-known chapters in the region’s historical narrative.
In addition, the discovery of stone tools in the vicinity of the Gariz water basin represents another important finding of this season’s fieldwork. While preliminary observations suggest their scientific significance, their precise chronology, function, and cultural attribution remain subject to further specialized study.
Researchers hope that continued field investigations will eventually identify the primary context of these artefacts and the associated settlement site. Such discoveries could open new perspectives on prehistoric occupation in Garizat and Taft, further enhancing the region’s importance within Iranian archaeological research.
According to the preliminary report of the survey team, fieldwork in the Nir district has been completed, while investigations in the eastern part of Garizat have also been successfully concluded. 
All identified sites have been accurately recorded and mapped using geospatial positioning systems, and their conservation status has been assessed as part of the documentation process.