Yanik Tepe

Yanik Tepe is a Chalcolithic and Bronze Age archaeological site in East Azerbaijan province, Iran.

Site description

The site is located in Tabriz, Iran, east of Lake Urmia and about 30 kilometers southwest of the city of Tabriz.
Yanik Tepe is a relatively large tell that rises 16.6 meters above the surrounding plain. It is one of the main protohistoric sites excavated in the region after the Second World War, along with Geoy Tepe and Haftavan Tepe. Excavations at Yanik Tepe were conducted by Charles A. Burney from 1960 to 1962. His excavations revealed a sequence spanning the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze Age.
The Early Transcaucasian II–III culture flourished around the northern half of the Lake Urmia basin during the 3rd millennium BC. Yanik Tepe is one of the sites that yield clear evidence for this culture.

Bone object

A bone object found in the Bronze Age layers of the site was originally interpreted by Burney as an amulet. In 2011, ophthalmologist Sahihi Oskooei claimed that it was instead the world's oldest eyewear, made to correct optical problems. Similar objects have been found in excavations at Çatalhöyük, where they may have been used as belt hooks.