TEHRAN — Archaeological excavations at Malmoon, within the Cultural Landscape of Masuleh in northern Iran, have uncovered architectural and industrial remains associated with iron smelting and ore processing, offering new evidence for the development of iron production in the region.
The excavations, directed by archaeologist Ali Akbar Vahdati under a permit from Iran’s Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, opened three trenches to investigate architectural remains and evidence for metallurgical activity.
In the first trench, measuring 5 × 5 meters, archaeologists identified a stone-paved area interpreted as having an industrial function. A test sounding reaching about 2.3 meters below the surface indicated at least two phases of occupation. 
The earlier phase appears predominantly residential, while industrial activity became more prominent during the later phase, when iron smelting emerged as a major activity.
The trench produced substantial quantities of iron slag, fragments of crushed raw ore and small iron objects, including horseshoe nails. Preliminary examination indicates that some of the ore, including hematite and limonite, was crushed and prepared at the site before smelting.
A second trench, measuring 4 × 5 meters, exposed the remains of a substantial stone-built residential structure. 
Walls survive to approximately 1.6 meters in height. 
Associated finds included plain and glazed pottery attributed mainly to the Timurid, Safavid and Qajar periods, together with iron objects and a copper ornament, possibly a hairpin or kohl applicator.
A third trench, measuring 3 × 2 meters, revealed the remains of an iron-smelting furnace. The rectangular stone structure had heavily heat-altered internal walls, while the surrounding soil had also been intensely affected by firing. Large quantities of slag and iron-bearing mineral fragments were recovered around the furnace.
The variation in slag types may reflect different stages or operating conditions in the smelting process, potentially allowing researchers to reconstruct aspects of the site’s metallurgical technology.
The excavation followed earlier geophysical surveys by Shahid Beheshti University, led by archaeologist Kourosh Muhammadkhani, which identified several large magnetic anomalies interpreted as possible furnace-related structures. The excavation evidence has now confirmed metallurgical activity at the site.
Vahdati said the evidence suggests occupation at Malmoon began in the late Timurid or early Safavid period, initially with a predominantly residential character. 
Metallurgical activity subsequently increased, particularly during the late Safavid and Qajar periods, when the site appears to have become a concentrated centre of iron smelting.
The findings fit a wider pattern. Previous investigations around Masuleh have identified more than 30 locations associated with iron extraction, smelting and processing, suggesting an extensive regional production network. 
Recent research likewise identifies more than 30 metallurgical sites in the Masuleh valley and surrounding uplands.
The significance of Malmoon lies in the opportunity to examine settlement sequence, architecture, industrial organization, ore preparation, furnaces and production waste within a single archaeological context. 
Further analysis of furnaces, slag, ores and abandoned mines could clarify the technology, scale and organization of iron production in the Masuleh landscape.
The Cultural Landscape of Masuleh is currently on Iran’s UNESCO Tentative List; UNESCO and ICOMOS recognize ancient mining, smelting and blacksmithing as important components of the landscape’s historical development.