Iranian archaeologists have initiated genetic testing on human remains discovered in newly excavated royal tombs dating back to the Ilkhanid period near the Dome of Soltaniyeh in northwestern Iran. The site, located in Zanjan province and close to the Mausoleum of Oljaytu, has yielded two burial chambers presumed to contain members of the Ilkhanid ruling dynasty, officials said.

The recent excavation season revealed several skeletal remains within the Ilkhanid royal cemetery adjacent to this UNESCO World Heritage site. Hamed Zeyfar, deputy director of the Soltaniyeh excavation project, confirmed that the remains likely belong to a single royal family, based on initial archaeological assessments. Researchers are working to understand how these new tombs relate to previously identified sections of the cemetery. Bone samples collected from the site are now undergoing genetic analysis, which experts hope will unveil details about familial ties and ancestry within the dynasty.

“Advances in modern technology enable reconstruction of kinship and genetic origins even after more than seven centuries,” Zeyfar said. While laboratory testing continues, evidence from pottery fragments recovered in the burial layers firmly dates the tombs to the 13th and 14th centuries during the Ilkhanid era. Additional methods, including radiocarbon dating, are planned to refine the chronological framework.

Archaeologists noted that the burial chambers were found in a disturbed state, with skeletal remains of adults and children scattered, indicating the original interments were disrupted. Signs of extensive looting were evident, including removal of the stone flooring, suggesting that tomb robbers dismantled parts of the site in search of valuables. Researchers believe the royal graves once contained funerary items such as jewelry, metal vessels, and ritual artifacts, consistent with findings from earlier excavations at Soltaniyeh.

Zeyfar attributed much of the damage and looting to periods following the fall of the Ilkhanid dynasty, possibly during the Timurid reign. Historical records also document damage to the Soltaniyeh complex in subsequent centuries. Additionally, modifications made during the Qajar era contributed to the destruction of some remaining historical structures.

Despite the loss of many burial goods, archaeologists emphasized the ongoing value of the surviving material and context for understanding Ilkhanid burial practices and social structures. Every artifact, soil layer, and bone fragment offers insight into the lives and relationships of those interred.

These discoveries build upon years of archaeological work within the Ilkhanid royal cemetery. The Dome of Soltaniyeh itself, constructed between 1302 and 1312 under Sultan Muhammad Khodabandeh (known as Oljaytu), serves as the mausoleum for the dynasty’s ruler. The octagonal monument features a pioneering 50-meter double-shelled turquoise dome and is recognized as a seminal achievement in Persian and Islamic architecture. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, the mausoleum is credited with influencing subsequent architectural developments in Central and Western Asia, particularly during the Timurid period.