Jiroft

The local language of Jiroft is Jirofti, a dialect of Garmsiri, an Iranian language. Garmsiri is a continuum of closely related dialects extending from the Halilrud river valley in the north down to the Strait of Hormuz in the south.Habib Borjian, "Kerman xvi. Languages", Encyclopædia Iranica, XVI/3, pp. 301-315, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kerman-16-languages

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 95,031 in 19,926 households.{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1385 (2006): Kerman Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=amar.org.ir|url=http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/08.xls|access-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920093605/http://www.amar.org.ir/DesktopModules/FTPManager/upload/upload2360/newjkh/newjkh/08.xls|format=Excel|archive-date=20 September 2011}} The following census in 2011 counted 111,034 people in 25,589 households.{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1390 (2011): Kerman Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=irandataportal.syr.edu|via=Iran Data Portal, Syracuse University|url=https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Kerman.xls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329231518/https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/Kerman.xls|archive-date=29 March 2023|access-date=19 December 2022|format=Excel}} The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 130,429 people in 39,855 households.{{cite report|title=Census of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1395 (2016): Kerman Province|language=fa|publisher=The Statistical Center of Iran|website=amar.org.ir|url=https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_08.xlsx|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020091047/https://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/0/census/1395/results/abadi/CN95_HouseholdPopulationVillage_08.xlsx|format=Excel|archive-date=20 October 2020}}

Jiroft lies in an alluvial plain of the Halil River, on the southern outskirts of the Jebal Barez mountain chain. It sits in a tectonically active basin,{{Cite journal|last=Nezhadafzali |first=Keramat |year=2024 |title=Indiscriminate exploitation of the underground water resources of Jiroft Plain and its consequences |journal=Sustainable Earth Trends |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=66–73 |doi=10.48308/set.2024.235203.1045 |url=https://sustainearth.sbu.ac.ir/article_104636_82020276181bd7887e4c0a1af59dba85.pdf }} at the northern end of the Bandar Abbas-Jiroft fault zone, with both structural and anthropogenic subsidence occurring.{{Cite journal|last1=Naderianfar |first1=Mohammad |last2=Faryabi |first2=Arsalan |last3=Kouhestani |first3=Shapour |last4=Gardini |first4=Maryam Safavi |year=2021 |title=Investigating the Groundwater Fluctuations Level in Basin of Halil River, Jiroft |journal=Irrigation and Water Engineering |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=141–159 |doi=10.22125/iwe.2021.133694 }} Two intermittent streams join the Halil in Jiroft, the larger is the Melenti River. The mean elevation of the city is about {{convert|650|m|ft|-1}} above sea level. It has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate type: BWh). The weather in the city is sweltering in summer – it is one of the hottest places in Iran – but temperatures are moderate in winter.

There is a large dam (Jiroft Dam) upstream the city (40 km North-East of Jiroft) on the Halil River. It has been operational since 1992, With a reservoir of more than 410 million cubic meters of water it irrigates 14,200 hectares of land downstream and generates electricity.Abdolreza Bahremand, 1997, MSc thesis, Flood routing through the Jiroft Dam reservoir, Tehran University, Iran. However, uncontrolled groundwater pumping has lowered the water table and caused increased subsidence.{{Cite journal|last1=Mehrabi |first1=Ali |last2=Karimi |first2=Sadegh |last3=Khalesi |first3=Mehran |year=2023 |title=Spatial Analysis of Jiroft Plain Subsidence Using the Coherence Pixel Technique (CPT) |journal=Geography and Planning |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=99–116 |doi=10.22108/gep.2022.133667.1525 }}

The Melenti River bed was originally eighty to ninety meters wide, but due to construction of buildings and the dumping of waste it had constricted to under twenty meters.{{Cite web|last1=Kalji |first1=Latfaali Kozehgar |last2=Norouzi |first2=Ali |date=15 February 1999 |script-title=fa:ﻧﻘﺶ ﻓﻀﺎﻫﺎي ﺑیدﻓﺎع ﺷﻬﺮي در اﻣﻨﯿﺖ زﻧﺎن ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ ﻣﻮردي: ﺷﻬﺮ ﺟﯿﺮﻓﺖ، اﺳﺘﺎن کﺮﻣﺎن |trans-title=The Role of Urban Undefended Spaces in Women's Security: Case Study: Jiraft City, Kerman Province |url=https://sanad.iau.ir/fa/Journal/ebtp/DownloadFile/988057 }} In 2024 this resulted in extreme flooding in Jiroft and fifteen people lost their lives.{{Cite news|script-title=fa:پاسکاری مسئولان در ترمیم دیواره رودخانه ملنتی پای شورای تامین جیرفت را به میان کشید |trans-title=Officials' negligence in repairing the Melenti River wall has brought the Jiroft Security Council into the picture |publisher=IRNA-24 |date=17 October 2024 |url=https://www.irna.ir/news/85630868/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B3%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A6%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%85-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%BE%D9%84-%D8%AC%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%AA-%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%85%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86 }} Neither the City nor the Water Authority had undertaken any maintenance or regulatory authority even though the problems had been noted in a detailed 1999 report.

{{Weather box

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| metric first = yes

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| location = Mian Deh, Jiroft (elevation: {{Convert|601|m|ft|abbr=on}}, 1989-2009 normals)

| temperature colour =

| Jan mean C =12.7

| Feb mean C =15.7

| Mar mean C =19.5

| Apr mean C =25.3

| May mean C =30.7

| Jun mean C =34.4

| Jul mean C =35.7

| Aug mean C =34.6

| Sep mean C =31.4

| Oct mean C =26.1

| Nov mean C =19.9

| Dec mean C =14.9

| year mean C =

| humidity colour =

| time day =

| daily =

| Jan humidity =62

| Feb humidity =58

| Mar humidity =51

| Apr humidity =39

| May humidity =31

| Jun humidity =30

| Jul humidity =35

| Aug humidity =36

| Sep humidity =38

| Oct humidity =36

| Nov humidity =45

| Dec humidity =56

| year humidity =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm =42.6

| Feb precipitation mm =39.1

| Mar precipitation mm =41.3

| Apr precipitation mm =6.6

| May precipitation mm =3.0

| Jun precipitation mm =1.9

| Jul precipitation mm =1.1

| Aug precipitation mm =1.5

| Sep precipitation mm =1.4

| Oct precipitation mm =4.7

| Nov precipitation mm =5.3

| Dec precipitation mm =27.7

| year precipitation mm =

| source 1 = Iran Meteorological Organization{{cite web |title=AVERAGE OF MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE IN C. for Miandeh Jiroft, (40866) |url=http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/5.asp |website=chaharmahalmet |publisher=IRIMO |access-date=27 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420053743/http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/5.asp |archive-date=20 April 2016 |format=asp}}{{cite web |title=AVERAGE OFRELATIVE HUMIDITY IN PERCENT for Miandeh Jiroft, (40866) |url=http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/14.asp |website=chaharmahalmet |publisher=IRIMO |access-date=27 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907004341/http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/14.asp |archive-date=7 September 2014 |format=asp}}{{cite web |title=MONTHLY TOTAL OF PRECIPITATION IN MM. for Miandeh Jiroft, (40866) |url=http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/25.asp |website=chaharmahalmet |publisher=IRIMO |access-date=27 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118222123/http://www.chaharmahalmet.ir/stat/archive/iran/ken/MIANDEHJ/25.asp |archive-date=18 January 2015 |format=asp}}

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{{anchor|Archaeology}}

A Jiroft culture has been postulated as an early Bronze Age (third millennium BC) archaeological culture, located in the territory of present-day Sistan and Kermān Provinces of Iran. The hypothesis is based on a collection of artifacts that were confiscated in Iran and accepted by many to have derived from the Jiroft area in south central Iran, reported by online Iranian news services, beginning in 2001.

The proposed type site is Konar Sandal, near Jiroft in the Halil River area. Other significant sites associated with the culture include; Shahr-e Sukhteh (Burnt City), Tepe Bampur, Espiedej, Shahdad, Tal-i-Iblis and Tepe Yahya.

A report from Iran states that the Halil Rud region near "Jiroft became famous between 2002/2003 [when news of] thousands of confiscated burial goods, especially elaborated carved chlorite vessels from the necropolises of Halil Rud" were released to public.{{cite web |url=https://hii.alzahra.ac.ir/article_5095_0.html?lang=en |title=Jiroft Civilization: Based on the Cuneiform Texts and Archaeological Evidences from Varamin and Konar Sandal |date=22 October 2020 |work=Alzahra |access-date=26 February 2021 |quote=}}

Since February 2003, archaeologists have recovered a wealth of artifacts from the necropolis which they had named Mahtoutabad. For example, one grave contained "animal bones and food offerings, ceramics, and stone and copper items ... [indicating] a coherent cultural and chronological framework, around 2400–2200 BC".{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330662164_A_GRAVE_OF_THE_HALIL_RUD_VALLEY_JIROFT_IRAN_CA_2400-2200_BC_STRATIGRAPHY_TAPHONOMY_FUNERARY_PRACTICES |title=A Grave of the Halil Rud Valley (Jiroft, Iran, ca. 2400–2200 BC): Stratigraphy, Taphonomy, Funerary Practices |date=1 January 2017 |work=Research Gate |access-date=26 February 2021 |quote=}}

Two nearby mounds were also excavated, named Konar Sandal South and North. A 2013 research paper about the South mound states that work during 2006 to 2009 "revealed the remains of three successive settlements dating to the fourth millennium BC".{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319242418_Mahtoutabad_I_Konar_Sandal_south_Jiroft_preliminary_evidence_of_occupation_of_a_Halil_Rud_site_in_the_early_fourth_millennium_BC |title=Mahtoutabad I (Konar Sandal south, Jiroft) : preliminary evidence of occupation of a Halil Rud site in the early fourth millennium BC |date=2 August 2013 |work=Research Gate |access-date=26 February 2021 |quote=}}

Excavation re-commenced in 2014 and revealed art works of "complexity and beauty" and artifacts that proved that the society had several writing systems. According to National Geographic, the content of the mounds is significant:{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/jiroft-culture-iran-lost-civilzation?loggedin=true |title=Buried for 4,000 years, this ancient culture could expand the 'Cradle of Civilization' |date=25 February 2021 |work=NGS |access-date=26 February 2021 |quote=}}{{dead link|date=November 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

They turned out to contain the remains of two major architectural complexes. The northern mound included a cult building, while in the southern one were the remains of a fortified citadel. At the foot of the mounds, buried under many feet of sediment, were the remains of smaller buildings. It’s believed that the two mounds had once formed part of a unified urban settlement that stretched many miles across the plateau ... [artifacts] "have been dated to between 2500 and 2200 B.C. [They are said to be evidence of] the "development of a complex civilization".

In 2024 extensive land fraud in the transfer of state lands was discovered. More than eighty parcels had been transferred or occupied without proper authority. Value of the properties eceeded 9,400 billion rials (US$220 million). {{Cite news|script-title=fa:کشف فساد گسترده و تبانی واگذاری اراضی دولتی در جیرفت |trans-title=Widespread corruption and collusion in the transfer of state lands in Jiroft |date=20 March 2024 |publisher=IRNA |url=https://www.irna.ir/news/85756235/%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%81-%D9%81%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF-%DA%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%87-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B0%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AC%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%AA }}

Jiroft is served by Jiroft Airport, located several kilometres to the northwest.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

File:شهر دقیانوس و تپه‌های کنار صندل.jpg|Ruins in Jiroft County.

File:Jiroft.Iran.jpg|Jiroft Map

File:Chlorite object Jiroft, Kerman ca. 2500 BCE, Bronze Age I, National Museum of Iran.jpg|Master of animals in chlorite, Jiroft, Kerman ca. 2500 BC, Bronze Age I, National Museum of Iran

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{{reflist}}

• [http://jiroft.ir jiroft city website اطلاعات در مورد جیرفت ]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNhKqkQH1zI&feature=player_embedded مستند تمدنی گم شده lost civilization documentary] with Roger Matthews (archaeologist) on YouTube
• [https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4493075,57.7782647,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipMerQVfV7J2kyjuBSl4B_bndWk0OUuvzwWvtbqq!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMerQVfV7J2kyjuBSl4B_bndWk0OUuvzwWvtbqq%3Dw152-h86-k-no!7i5312!8i2988?hl=de Konar Sandal archaeological site 3000 BC]

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{{Kerman Province|state=collapsed}}

{{Jiroft County|state=collapsed}}

Category:Populated places in Jiroft County

Category:Cities in Kerman province

Category:Archaeological sites in Iran

Category:Jiroft culture