Remnants of Safavid-era bathhouse (Hammam) discovered in Qazvin

Archaeologists have discovered remnants of a Safavid era (1501–1736) public bathhouse within a former royal ensemble in the Iranian city of Qazvin.

A new archaeology season in Qazvin’s Safavid Garden Ensemble, locally known as “Dowlatkhaneh Safavi”, has yielded relics and remains of a historic bathhouse, which dates from the Safavid era, Qazvin tourism chief A. Khazaeli said on Wednesday.

“Fortunately, the main parts of this structure have been unearthed flawlessly, some of which reaching a depth of three meters below the surface,” the official said.

The archaeologists have also recovered piles of simple and glazed pottery, fragments of simple and glazed tiles, glazed bricks, bones of consumed and meat and poultry, flawless earthenware jars and remains of a human skull amongst other objects that date from Safavid era onwards, Khazaeli added.

Qazvin used to be the capital of the Persian Empire under Safavids from 1548-98. The city sits in a wide, fertile plain at the southern foot of the Alborz Mountains.