Where is the burnt city of Iran?

themuseumoftime
Oct 28
3 min read

Updated: Nov 15

The burnt city of Iran, Sistan and Baluchistan province.

Over 5,200 years ago, an extraordinary civilization flourished in eastern Iran, one that pioneered astonishing advancements such as early brain surgery and even the creation of artificial eyes.

Today, this ancient city stands proudly among Iran’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Let’s dive into the story of Shahr-e Sukhteh (The Burnt City ), a place where innovation once burned as brightly as the desert sun.

Content table:

Geography and Location
The Story Behind the Name
Continue Your Journey

The map that shows where shahr-e sukhteh is located.

Geography and location of the burnt city

How did the Burnt City rise between two rivers that no longer exist?

Shahr-e Sukhteh (شهر سوخته) is located in the Sistan and Baluchistan Province, in southeastern Iran, about 56 kilometers southwest of the city of Zabol, near Hamun County. It lies close to the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But that’s its modern location. You might be wondering, where did the people of Shahr-e Sukhteh get their water from?

There’s barely any water around today, and the Helmand River (رودخانه هیرمند) seems so far away.

Back in its golden age, though, things were completely different.

In ancient times, Shahr-e Sukhteh was located right between Hamun Lake and the Helmand River, perfectly placed between two great water sources.

And here’s something incredible: the Burnt City sits almost exactly in the middle of the world, roughly equidistant between the eastern and western edges of the globe, a truly fascinating spot for an ancient civilization to rise. The site itself covers about 200 hectares (490 acres), making it a remarkably large settlement for its time.

The story behind the name

Have you ever wondered why this ancient city is called Shahr-e Sukhteh?

The exact meaning of Shahr-e Sukhteh (شهر سوخته) is “The Burnt City.” However, this wasn’t the city’s original name.

In fact, we still don’t know what it was truly called. Local people had long known about the site before it drew international attention, yet no inscriptions or written records have ever been found to reveal its ancient name.

In recent research, a Sumerian inscription was discovered about the cities from which they imported goods. Among these names was one that aligns closely with what we know about Shahr-e Sukhteh, the city called “Arteh.” Some archaeologists believe that this name refers to the Burnt City itself, while others argue that it does not.

The site was first introduced to the Western world by Aurel Stein during his travels in Iran in 1935–1936. While exploring the area, he noticed that much of the ground was covered with ashes, leading him to believe that the ancient settlement had been destroyed by fire. The locals also referred to it as a “burnt city.” In his report, Stein famously wrote:

“Today, I saw a burnt city.”

At this point, you might wonder, Was Shahr-e Sukhteh really destroyed by a massive wildfire?

The answer is, partly, yes. Archaeological evidence shows that the city suffered three major fires around 2700 BCE, 2200 BCE, and 2100 or 1900 BCE, each causing significant destruction. By the time of the last fire, only about sixty families remained, and the final inhabitants eventually abandoned the city.

But fire alone wasn’t the main reason for Shahr-e Sukhteh’s downfall. According to Dr. Seyyed Mansour Seyyed Sajjadi and other archaeologists, the primary cause of its abandonment was severe climate change that swept across eastern Iran (from Central Asia to present-day Turkmenistan) and even affected major Afghan cities like Mundigak.

These environmental shifts devastated agriculture, forcing the people of Shahr-e Sukhteh to turn to animal husbandry, a lifestyle more suited to nomadic life. Many families migrated to nearby smaller settlements, but even those couldn’t sustain them for more than a few decades before food resources ran out.

Today, the Burnt City stands as a silent witness to a civilization that once thrived between rivers that have long vanished. Its ashes tell stories of innovation, resilience, and change, echoes of a people who adapted to the harsh rhythms of time and nature.

Yet, the rediscovery of Shahr-e Sukhteh is a story of its own, a tale of archaeologists, persistence, and the unearthing of forgotten worlds...