Officials in eastern Afghanistan have announced the discovery of an ancient Iron Age site dating back more than 2,500 years, offering new insight into the region’s early history.
The discovery was reported by the Taliban-controlled Department of Information and Culture in Laghman province. The site is situated in the Alingar district, near the Saw Valley, in the village of Situn, an area renowned for its mountainous landscape and historic trade routes.
Site dates to the start of the Iron Age
Officials said Tuesday, Dec. 16, that the earliest remains at the site date from about 1000 to 500 BCE. That period marks the beginning of the Iron Age in eastern Afghanistan, a time of major social and technological change. Researchers say the dating places the site among the earliest known Iron Age locations in the region.
Stone structures point to a planned settlement
Preliminary surveys show that the site includes carefully planned stone structures. Archaeologists have identified a well-built stone staircase and as many as 12 rock-cut chambers carved into the hillside.
The layout suggests deliberate design and skilled stonework, indicating an organized settlement or a site of ceremonial importance.
Ceramic find offers glimpse of daily life
Researchers also recovered a ceramic vessel believed to have been used for drinking liquids. The object provides a rare glimpse into daily life during the Iron Age and may help explain how people lived and interacted more than two millennia ago.
Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,500-year-old Iron Age site in eastern Afghanistan. Stone staircases, rock-cut chambers, and a ceramic vessel point to early settlement life along ancient trade routes. pic.twitter.com/jBn7cPR6Rc
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) December 17, 2025
Region linked to early trade and empires
Laghman province lies along the Kabul Valley corridor, a route that played a key role in trade and cultural exchange during the first millennium BCE.
Scholars say the area was likely home to early Persian-speaking communities and later became part of larger political systems, including the Achaemenid Empire.
Further research is planned at the site
Archaeologists say the site’s location and features suggest it held strategic or economic importance in antiquity. With further research, the site could provide valuable evidence about architecture, social organization, and everyday life in eastern Afghanistan during the Iron Age.
Local authorities said additional documentation and fieldwork are planned. They also stressed the importance of protecting the site from damage and looting as research continues.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
