The 'Zagros Mountains' (
Kurdish: زنجیره‌ چیاکانی زاگروس), make up
Iran's and
Iraq's largest
mountain range. They have a total length of 1 500 km from western Iran, specifically
South Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) region on the border with
Iraq to the southern parts of the
Persian Gulf. The mountain range ends at the
Straits of Hormuz. The highest points in the Zagros Mountains are
Zard Kuh (4 548 m) and Mt.
Dena (4 359 m).
The Zagros Mountains were formed by collision of two
tectonic plates — the
Eurasian and
Arabian Plates. Stresses induced in the Earth's crust by the collision caused extensive folding of the preexisting layered
sedimentary rocks. Subsequent erosion removed softer rocks, such as
mudstone (rock formed by consolidated mud) and
siltstone (a slightly coarser-grained mudstone) while leaving harder rocks, such as
limestone (calcium-rich rock consisting of the remains of marine organisms) and
dolomite (rocks similar to limestone containing
calcium and
magnesium). This differential
erosion formed the linear ridges of the Zagros Mountains.
The depositional environment and tectonic history of the rocks were conducive to the formation and trapping of
petroleum, and the Zagros region is an important part of Persian Gulf oil production.
Salt domes and
salt glaciers are a common feature of the Zagros Mountains. Salt domes are an important target for oil exploration, as the impermeable salt frequently traps petroleum beneath other rock layers.
Etymology
The name ''Zagros'' is derived from the Zagarthians/Sagarthians--and Indo-European, Iranic immigrants from Europe who once inhabited the mountains, from the shores of
Lake Van to the coasts of
Makran. The
Zangana and
Chigini tribes of the
Kurds are the remnants of these ancient
Sagarthians. Other explanations deriving the name from Greek ''Zagreus'', meaning stormy, or the name Za-G'R' means 'great mountain' in the
Avestan language, are invalid.
Type and age of rock
The mountains are divided into many parallel sub-ranges (up to 10, or 250 km wide), and have the same age as the
Alps. Iran's main
oilfields lie in the western central foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The southern ranges of the
Fars Province have somewhat lower summits, reaching 4000 metres. They contain some limestone rocks showing abundant marine
fossils.
The Zagros Mountains from space, September 1992
[1]
The
Kuhrud Mountains form one of the parallel ranges at a distance of approx. 300 km to the east. The area between these two impressive mountain chains is home to a dense human population that lives in the intermediate valleys which are quite high in altitude with a temperate climate. Their rivers, which eventually reach
salt lakes, create fertile environments for agriculture and commerce.
Zagros in history
Signs of early agriculture date back as far as 9000 BCE to the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, in cities later named
Anshan and
Susa.
Jarmo is one archaelogical site in this area.
Shanidar , where the skeletal remains of
Neanderthals have been found, is another.
Some of the earliest evidence of
wine production has been discovered in the Zagros Mountains; both the settlements of
Hajji Firuz and
Godin Tepe have given evidence of wine storage dating between 3500 and 5400 BC.
[2]
During early ancient times, the Zagros was the home of "barbarian" peoples such as the
Kassites,
Guti, and
Mitanni, who periodically invaded the
Sumerian and/or
Akkadian cities of
Mesopotamia. The mountains form a geographic barrier between the flatlands of Mesopotamia (Iraq) and the Iranian plateau.
References
1. Salt Dome in the Zagros Mountains, Iran
2. Phillips, Rod. A Short History of Wine. New York: Harper Collins. 2000.
See also
★
Taurus Mountains
★
Alborz Mountains
External links
★
Iran, Timeline of Art History
★
Mesopotamia 9000 - 500 B.C.
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