Jiroft: The 5,000-Year-Old Mythical City Buried in the Sand | Full Documentary [51:22]

YouTube ^ | February 25, 2026 | GEDEON DOC

[SunkenCiv]

In 2001, in southeastern Iran, the Halil Roud river shifted its course, revealing traces of an unknown civilization long buried beneath the sands of the Iranian plateau. 

The inhabitants of the Jiroft region were the first to clandestinely extract a vast number of ancient artifacts dated to the 3rd millennium BC: carved vases, symbolic figures, and ritual objects. This priceless treasure fueled international smuggling circuits before Iranian authorities launched a rescue operation. 

This documentary follows archaeologists in their investigation of this forgotten civilization and explores the fascinating hypothesis: could this city be Aratta, the mythical metropolis mentioned in the oldest Sumerian texts of Mesopotamia? 

Jiroft: The 5,000-Year-Old Mythical City Buried in the Sand 
Full Documentary | 51:22 
GEDEON DOC | 9.96K subscribers | 95,802 views | February 25, 2026

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: aratta; bronzeage; elamites; godsgravesglyphs; halilriver; halilroud; iran; jiroft; mesopotamia; sumeria; yusefmajidzadeh

[SunkenCiv]

YouTube transcript reformatted at textformatter.ai *may* follow.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

The rest of the Jiroft keyword, sorted:

• Jiroft: The Mysterious Rival of Mesopotamia and the Dawn of an Ancient Civilization [06/19/2025]
• Red lipstick dating back 3,600 years was discovered in Iran -the oldest ever found- [02/17/2024]
• Breakthrough in world's oldest undeciphered writing [10/22/2012]
• Jiroft Is Ancient City Of Marhashi: US Scholar [05/08/2008]
• Archaeologists Have Discovered The World's Oldest Inscription In Jiroft [11/05/2007]
• Iran loses fight over "Lost Paradise" relics [03/31/2007]
• Jiroft Is Lost Link Of Chain Of Civilization: Majidzadeh [01/13/2007]
• Shrouded 5000-Year-Old Child Unearthed In Southeastern Iran [12/19/2006]
• Ancient rock tombs discovered at Jiroft [11/14/2006]
• Ancient Metal Relics Discovered In Jiroft [07/20/2006]
• (Iranian) MP: Village with cavemen discovered at Jiroft heights [05/26/2006]
• New Discoveries in Jiroft May Change History of Civilization [01/26/2006]
• "Jiroft Inscription", Oldest Evidence of Written Language [01/13/2006]
• New Studies Show Jiroft Was An International Trade Center 5,000 Years Ago [12/23/2004]
• Ancient Iranian Site Shows Mesopotamia-Like Civilisation [11/16/2004]
• Clashes Erupt in Mahshahr (Iran) [and other unrest] [05/06/2004]

[chud]

"The Jiroft civilization, discovered in Iran's Kerman province in the early 2000s, is a 3rd millennium BCE Bronze Age culture that archeologist Yusef Majidzadeh proposed is the mythical, wealthy city of Aratta mentioned in Sumerian texts.
Located along the Halil River, this, say supporters, represents a major, sophisticated, and potentially rival urban center to Mesopotamia."

[Deaf Smith]

What are the chances that there is a Iranian military facility under Jiroft?

A archaeological dig with it’s heavy traffic would provide good cover for military traffic.

[SunkenCiv]

They wouldn’t allow archaeologists if it were.

[SunkenCiv]

Thx!