New archaeointensity constraints on Holocene geomagnetic field variability in the Middle East from Iranian Ceramics

Understanding past geomagnetic field variations is fundamental for constraining the long-term behavior of the geodynamo. However, the Holocene archaeointensity record remains geographically uneven, and the Iranian Plateau is still underrepresented compared with better-studied parts of the Near East. Here, we present nine new archaeointensity estimates from archaeological ceramics from Iran, grouped into two discrete chronological windows around 5000 BCE and the 13th–14th centuries CE. The new results yield Virtual Axial Dipole Moment (VADM) values between 53.2 and 84.3 ZAm² and are supported by rock magnetic characterization, Thellier-type archaeointensity experiments, TRM anisotropy correction, cooling-rate correction, and specimen- and group-level quality-control procedures. To evaluate the regional significance of the new data, we compare them with a filtered Near Eastern archaeointensity compilation, global geomagnetic field models, and regional archaeomagnetic reference curves. The Iranian data around 5000 BCE fall within a low-to-moderate intensity phase shown by the regional compilation and global models, providing new constraints for a poorly represented interval in the eastern Middle East. The 13th–14th century CE data from Jahan-Nama indicate moderate field intensity in central Iran. Comparisons with Central Asian and Indian regional curves show that the late medieval Iranian values are broadly compatible with neighboring regional variability, but they do not establish a spatially continuous low-intensity anomaly across these regions. Overall, the new dataset improves the spatial coverage of Holocene archaeointensity records in the Middle East, provides empirical constraints for future regional and global geomagnetic field reconstructions, and highlights the need for additional high-quality archaeointensity data from underrepresented regions to resolve the temporal and spatial structure of Holocene field variability.