prehistoric Iranian site located near Persepolis in south-central Iran. The site, continuously inhabited from c. 4200 to c. 3000 BC, is the oldest yet discovered in that area of Iran. Excavations in 1928 by the University of Berlin and in 1932 by the University of Chicago uncovered several building levels, numerous flint implements, stamp and button seals, and many animal and human figurines. The painted pottery found at Tall-e Bakun displays a seemingly inexhaustible variety of geometric patterns and animal motifs and is especially important for the study of early Iranian art.