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Known as one of the many neolithic sites in the fertile crescent. In the lower eastern corner. The Ganj Dareh archaeological site is located in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. (2) It is known for its historical significance in the study of early agriculture and human civilization.

It was discovered in 1965
Canadian Phill Smith excavated 4 seasons. (1)(2)

The oldest settlement dates back to 10,000 years here. (3)
It included the earliest evidence for goat domestication in the world. (4)(5)(6) And, the domesticated crop two-row barley has been found here (7)

The site is also important for the study of Luristan and Kurdistan ceramics.
Many neolithic ceramic pottery was found from the late 8th millenium, to the middle of the 6th millennium. There were 5 levels excavated A to E (at top). (8)

Two early ceramic traditions are evident
One is based on the use of clay for figurines and small geometric pieces like cones and disks. Possibly for bin, container, plug and porthole covers.

Did you know? Portholes are circular or oval openings in the walls of alcoves or rooms. Plugs are disc-like or conical objects of clay, often with finger-holes, that were used to seal or block the portholes. They stopped bacteria; rodents and bugs; and, pest And, kept a closed secure area for residents things.

The other ceramic tradition. Is mud-walled buildings
This tradition is shared with many sites in the region.

One of the levels (D). Provides a very detailed view of neolithic architecture
Because of damages from a fire. The brick and clay structures were baked. Preserving some of the architecture here.

They had 30-40cm thin walls (12-16″), or the width of a singlebrick. It was a little thin compared to other neolithic sites in comparison
But many walls seemed to be still standing reinforced against each other for strength. With buttresses, and pilasters And, had roofs as well.

Bricks
Walls themselves, display a surprisingly wide range of construction methods. Including several kinds of sun dried bricks
At least one unusual variant of chineh (packed mud, or pise); and,
Walls made of coarse rubble plastered on both faces.

The most elegant of the several kinds of bricks made and used here are

‘Plano(flat)-convex’
These are boat-shaped in profile with curved, tapering ends, convex bases and flat upper surfaces. They were set with the convex side down, and mud plaster laid as mortar between them.

They were then coated with one or more layers of mud plaster on each side (picture above).

These type of bricks were also found a little earlier at different sites. Like Jericho and Tell Aswad . But slightly different. They were thicker and more ‘hog back’. They were also laid with the flat side below, not above.

They are made by placing the clay on a flat surface, and shaping the convex face by hand
The size range had long ones measuring about 0.95m and the shortest about 0.50m, or possibly less.

There are many different shaped bricks here
Cigar, and sausage shapes are common. Though some have rough convex plano sections.

Some of the structures were multiple vertical levels
Sharing similarities with other fertile crescent sites: Hacilar, Çatalhöyük, Çayönü Tepesi, Abu Hureyra and, others.

Ganj Dareh, along with other neolithic sites in the near east, has contributed to our understanding of the early development of agriculture and the transition to more complex, settled societies. These changes were pivotal in human history and laid the foundation for the rise of civilization in the region.

Cite: 1 ) Smith, Philip E.L. Architectural Innovation and Experimentation at Ganj Dareh, Iran (https://www.jstor.org/pss/124833), World Archaeology, Vol. 21, No. 3 (February, 1990), pp. 323-335

2) Smith, Philip E.L., Ganj Dareh Tepe (http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/pal
eo_0153-9345_1974_num_2_1_4186), Paléorient, Vol. 2, Issue 2-1, pp.207-09 (1974)

3) Zeder, Melinda A.; Hesse, Brian (2000). “The Initial Domestication of Goats (Capra hircus) in
the Zagros Mountains 10,000 Years Ago” (https://web.archive.org/web/20110717000701/http://
anthropology.si.edu/archaeobio/Zeder%26Hesse.2000.Science.pdf) (PDF). Science. 287
(5461): 2254–7. doi:10.1126/science.287.5461.2254 (https://doi.org/10.1126%2Fscience.287.5
461.2254). PMID 10731145 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10731145). Archived from the
original (http://anthropology.si.edu/archaeobio/Zeder&Hesse.2000.Science.pdf) (PDF)

4) What’s Bred in the Bone (http://discovermagazine.com/2000/jul/breakbone), Discover (magazine), July 2000 (“After investigating bone collections from ancient sites across the Middle East, she found a dearth of adult male goat bones—and an abundance of female and young male remains—from a 10,000-year-old settlement called Ganj Dareh, in Iran’s Zagros Mountains. This provides the earliest evidence of domesticated livestock, Zeder says.”)

5) Harris, David R. (ed.) The origins and spread of agriculture and pastoralism in Eurasia (https://books.google.com/books?id=zkteuesBwpQC&pg=PA251), pp. 208, 249-52 (UCL Press 1996)
(Reprint ISBN 978-1-85728-538-3)

6) Natural History Highlight: Old Goats In Transition (http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/goats/)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20151220200810/http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/goats/)2015-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, National Museum of Natural History (July 2000)

7) Gallego-Llorente, M.; et al. (2016). “The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the
Zagros, Iran” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4977546). Scientific Reports. 6:31326 doi:10.1038/srep31326 (https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fsrep31326). PMC 4977546 (https://
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4977546). PMID 27502179 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.ni
h.gov/27502179).

8) Yelon, A., et al. Thermal Analysis of Early Neolithic Pottery From Tepe Ganj Dareh, Iran (http://
http://www.mrs.org/s_mrs/bin.asp?CID=12064&DID=315556&DOC=FILE.PDF) Archived (https://web
.archive.org/web/20161022220722/http://www.mrs.org/s_mrs/bin.asp?CID=12064&DID=31555
6&DOC=FILE.PDF) 2016-10-22 at the Wayback Machine, in Materials issues in art and
archaeology III (1992)

Bibliography: Natural History Highlight: Old Goats In Transition (http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/goats/) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20151220200810/http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/goats/) 2015-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, National Museum of Natural History (July 2000)
Gallego-Llorente, M.; et al. (2016). “The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the Zagros, Iran” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4977546). Scientific Reports. 6:31326. doi:10.1038/srep31326 (https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fsrep31326). PMC 4977546 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4977546). PMID 27502179 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27502179).