First Paleoparasitological Report on the Animal Feces of Bronze Age Excavated from Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran

A paleoparasitological study of Bronze Age coprolites from Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran, reveals the presence of helminth eggs, including Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Capillaria sp., and Taenia sp. This is the first such report for eastern Iran during this period, providing evidence of zoonotic helminthiasis and supporting the site's role as a trade hub linked to economic activities, human settlement, and communication networks. Researchers analyzed rehydrated sheep and carnivore feces using TSP solution to identify eggs, though some objects resembled Anoplocephalidae or Toxocara spp., their measurements did not match known species.

Makki, M., Dupouy-Camet, J., Sajjadi, S. M. S., Naddaf, S. R., Mobedi, I., Rezaeian, M., Mohebali, M., & Mowlavi, G. (2017). First Paleoparasitological Report on the Animal Feces of Bronze Age Excavated from Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran. The Korean Journal of Parasitology, 55(2), 197–201. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2017.55.2.197