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... at site MPS 5 MPS 5 is as mall round mound of about 60 metres in diameter (Fig. 18),l ocated about 700 mn orth- west of Kamiltepe. It was detected during systema- tic field walking survey in 2010,w hen it yielded a very rich surface collection of Neolithic pottery. Subsequent augering revealed ashy soil layers to ad epth of 2.5 mb elow the highest point of the mound (Fig. 19).Asmall 3 Â 3 ms ounding was therefore ...
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... of two separate houses were documented (Fig. 20),b ut none of these were contained fully in the excavated area; therefore, the overall layout of such ah ouse is still not known. Between the two houses is an open space (SU. 763/775), about 1 m Fig. 18 Site MPS 5.V iew from south 38´àðàçàłâŁºŁ´.38´àðàçàłâŁºŁ38´àðàçàłâŁºŁ´. 1992, 34-35 pl. II.; as hallow ditch was also noted surrounding the site S ¸ axtepe,a bout 9 km north of Kamil- tepe, and at as econd site without name, at the time of the Iessen expedition, but this observation was notc onfirmed by excavations, cp. ¨åaeaeåí 1965, ...
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... test site covers an area of ca. 3 ha and reveals as ettlement including two tells, elevated about 1- 2 ma bove the plain. The magnetogram is domi- nated by the strong and broad magnetic anomalies of the meandering old riverbeds, which show up by the enrichment of magnetic minerals (Fig. 28).Meas- urement of the magnetic susceptibility on augening- hole samples revealed values of ca. 2.5-3.5 Â 10 --3 SI units on these river sediments. Compared to the average kappa values of the archaeological sediments and mudbricks (ca. 1.5-2.2 Â 10 --3 SI), this value stands for the enrichment of magnetic minerals by the factor two (Fig. ...
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... rims of deep closed containers present a depression toward the interior of the pot's mouth. 100 Ac omplete jar with this peculiar opening was found on an exposed profile of site MPS 18 (Fig. 178),from where also ap ainted sherd 101 comparable to the Kamiltepe painted productions comes (Figs. 175; 177). 102 Closed vessels with ad istinguished neck or rim are rare. Among these are af ew collared jars with large and more or less globular body; 103 they may have ap ainted band that decorates the shoulders. 104 Very finely finished ...
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... 101 comparable to the Kamiltepe painted productions comes (Figs. 175; 177). 102 Closed vessels with ad istinguished neck or rim are rare. Among these are af ew collared jars with large and more or less globular body; 103 they may have ap ainted band that decorates the shoulders. 104 Very finely finished are af ew bottles, one almost complete (Fig. 48),w ith ar ound body and al ong neck: the exterior surface is burnished (and possibly also smoothed), white and then de- corated with dark paint. The internal surface was finished with ah ard tool, and it is dark in color, ranging from gray to purple, possibly because not enough oxygen reached this part of the pot during firing. It is ...
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... on the interior and rim of open bowls, 111 on the exterior of beakers (Fig. 49) or deep containers and closed shapes. Painting and applied knobs can occur on the same vessel ( decoration on the external surface. 112 On the long- necked bottle the decoration covers the neck and the upper part of the body, above the point of max- imum expansion ( Fig. 48),w hile on jars it seems limited to ab and on the shoulder. The most com- mon color is dark brown or black, while red paint is more unusual but nevertheless used, especially on coarser vessel. In some cases, the paint has very tiny bubbles and it may be bitumen, 113 while bowls are painted on the internal surface and, possibly, on the ...
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... 9 and 10 (close to MPS 2), 12 (close to MPS 3)a nd 16 (close to MPS 4), but more impressively (also bones) in 44, 45,a nd 46 (close to MPS 5)a nd additionally in 43.C harcoal was also obtained in drilling 54 in ad epth of 320 cm. The profiles of dril- lings 44-46 from the vicinity of MPS 5 are de- scribed as exemples in the following (cp. Fig. ...
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... in the 1980s. 122 At the in- ternational conference ''New Research on the Neo- lithic in the Circumcaspian Regions'', organised by the Aruchlo team together with the Georgian Na- tional Museum and held September 27-30, 2011, in Tiflis, the first results of our research work could be discussed with scientists and scholars from ten countries (Fig. 78).P arallel to the conference was an exhibition of finds from Aruchlo in the National Museum of Georgia, organised by Irina Gamba- schidze and Mindia Dschalabadze (Fig. 79,w ith Prof. Dschaparidse). ...
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... two rings were interjoined with one an- other, whereas walls added later in time could be easily recognized through their distinct joins. The necessary removal of the tall profiles, of course, aided further in clarifying the association of the cir- cular walls. Circular wall (L029)i nB uilding Complex III in trench Lw as already uncovered in 2007 (Fig. 81). 123 This structure was built of brown mudbricks and - differing from the assumption in 2007 -had an in- terior diameter of 3.90-4.00 m. 124 The outer diam- eter was ca. 4.30-4.40 m; the structure had been repaired several times. There was even an additio- nal support added to the wall in one place (Fig. ...
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... trench Lw as already uncovered in 2007 (Fig. 81). 123 This structure was built of brown mudbricks and - differing from the assumption in 2007 -had an in- terior diameter of 3.90-4.00 m. 124 The outer diam- eter was ca. 4.30-4.40 m; the structure had been repaired several times. There was even an additio- nal support added to the wall in one place (Fig. ...
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... Complex Xi nt he southwest (red) has an interior diameter of 3.54 ma nd an outer diam- eter of 4.00 m (Fig. 84).I ti ss till constituted by sev- en layers of brown bricks that reach at otal height of 0.56 ...
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... Complex IV overlies wall IX, which has been revealed almost entirely in trench B (Fig. 85). The wall measures 3.36 mi nd iameter and consists of large yellow or 'checkered' mudbricks, which were joined by ad ark binding material (Fig. ...
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... adjacent building adjoining to the north (AR09B049)c ould be determined only partially in trench B (Fig. 81).T his structure stood on the na- tive soil. One sample taken from the floor area was measured by Dr. Bernd Kromer in the Mannheim laboratory (Hd-12879: 6919 AE 30BP), in the 2-sig- ma area, and resulted in a 14 C-dating between 5877 and 5731 cal. BCE. Ac ertain amount of time must have elapsed before Building IX was erected be- tween ...
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... be- tween this and the building in the south. The small circular wall/ring wall (AR05A108a), whose lower edge lies 52 cm above the aforemen- tioned building IX, also intersects this structure. One 14 Cd ating (6850 BP) stems from this wall and falls within the time span of 5770-5660 cal. BCE. The wall belongs to the younger settlement phase (Fig. 80),r epresented by the remains of buildings XI, IV, II and I. This becomes evident when viewing the lower edges of the buildings as well as by stratigraphic observations. Thus, Building Complex II (green), composed of as maller circular structure and al arger adjoining ring wall, overlies the older Building Complex III (yellow). It ...
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... eastern part of circular building XI with six preserved layers of bricks was revealed in trench N (Fig. 87).T he bricks, set longitudinally, were interrupted by two rows of laterally placed bricks. Presumably this manner of bricklaying was meant to stabilise the building. Indeed, the wall in the northern part of this circular structure had been renewed once (Fig. 88).I nside the structure was a large container made of unfired clay, and the ...
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... of circular building XI with six preserved layers of bricks was revealed in trench N (Fig. 87).T he bricks, set longitudinally, were interrupted by two rows of laterally placed bricks. Presumably this manner of bricklaying was meant to stabilise the building. Indeed, the wall in the northern part of this circular structure had been renewed once (Fig. 88).I nside the structure was a large container made of unfired clay, and the en- trance to the structure, formed with at hreshold of clay, was found to the ...
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... in 2010 included documenting ac ollapsed wall consisting of at least six layers of mudbricks (Fig. 89).T he wall belonged to ac ircular wall built of yellow bricks, only part of which could be uncov- ered, while part continued under the south profile of the trench (Fig. 90).I ts till must be clarified, why at least ten layers of bricks were set at as lant to- wards the west, where they join to as mall circular structure of ca. one metre ...
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... make ditches and then filling them up again played ar ole in the ritual sphere. 128 The cremation grave in Building Complex III Joachim Wahl and Svend Hansen A' walking horizon' could be identified at ah eight of 408.10 mi nt rench Li nB uilding Complex III. Further, am acehead was found in the northern part of the building, directly at the wall (Fig. 98).B elow the 'walking horizon' came ac ircular, light-gray ash pit (Fig. 99),f rom which stemmed ab ody sherd and burnt bones that were identified as cremated human remains. The cremation was that of a 30- 40-year-old late adult, whose gender, however, could not be determined due to the lack of compar- able ...
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... observed Ancient Kura 2010-2011:T he first two seasons of joint field work in the Southern Caucasus yet. Conversely, ware 4,w hich was first detected in 2010,d erives almost entirely from area B (Tab. 7). It was found there (AR10B069)u nder the floor (AR10B070/B071)o fo ne of the earliest circular houses in Aruchlo. 138 Circular structure no. IX (Fig. 81) has ad iameter of 3.36 ma nd is preserved to am aximal height of 1 m. It opens to the south- west, where possibly the entrance was located. It is constructed of large yellow and 'checkered' plano- convex mudbricks of uniform size (40 Â 22 Â 0.8 cm), which were set with brown binding materi- al. This structure is not founded directly ...
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... adius of 6 cm and severely burnt. Ware 5 was primarily documented in the adja- cent areas Ca nd D (Tab. 7).D iagnostic sherds in- clude af lat base of the type 4A( AR10C077.2)w ith mat impressions and ad iameter of 4 cm. Six further sherds (AR10C078.1-6)w ere recovered, which be- longed to one vessel with ac losed rim measuring 5 cm in diameter (Fig. 108,u pper left and lower centre). Nine diagnostic sherds are from area D (AR10D088.1-4,6;AR10D090.1-3), all of which also stem from the rim of avessel with aclosed mouth of ca. 5 cm in diameter. One single sherd (D100-7)b e- longs to av essel with as traight wall and am outh- diameter of 7 cm. The diagnostic sherds from areas O, Pa nd Ra re ...
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... during the seasons of 2009 and 2010 at otal of three sherds of ware 2 with anthro- pomorphic depictions were documented. Concerned are av essel lid (Fig. 117,A R 10I037.5-7)a nd two rim sherds of ab owl and cooking pot (Fig. 118, AR10P036.1; Fig. 119,A R 09G012.7), each of which displays af igural depiction. The lid sherds AR10I037.5-7 stem from a large concentration of animal bones and other Neolithic pottery sherds, which was in area Ia nd is interpreted as as o-called layer of debris. The cook- ing-pot sherds AR10P036.1 are from area P, found upon as urface ...
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... second depiction (Fig. 118,A R 10P036.1) is ac ompletely preserved, standing figure with slightly opened legs and with arms stretched at a slant from the body, as in the position of prayer or dance. The trunk is relatively short, and the whole figure is strongly stylized, but details are not ...
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... pendant of carnelian (AR09K054-771)w as found in 2009 while removing the baulk between trenches Ka nd I. This area is located south of wall K024 from building complex II (green), below the 'walking horizon' (AR09K050), to which as mall fireplace belongs (AR09K051)a nd a likely coeval, small pit (AR09I030)t hat was filled with ash and stones (Fig. 80).T he 'walking horizon' does not show any later disturbances. Although the sherd assemblage from this context is neolithic, without exception, basing on the stratigraphic asso- ciation the context itself is probably not Neolithic. Likewise found in this area was abarrel-shaped bead of organic material ...
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... imaginable that involved here is an atural polymetallic ore deposit. With regard to the recent emergence of the discussion about the oldest metal- lurgy in Southeast Europe, the copper bead found in Aruchlo represents an important piece of advice: not to overlook the importance of Anatolia and the Caucasus in the development of metallurgy. 155 (Fig. 128) show that presumably raw materials were sought for in the mountains along the Mas ˘avera River. The copper and gold district of Sakdrisi, where in recent years aG erman-Georgian team of archaeologists could re- search the oldest known gold mine, possibly aroused people's interest as early as the Neolithic period. 156 Three miniature ...
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... together with ap- plied round buttons (Fig. 147). 208 Kitchen Ware includes closed vessels, pans and mangals. Numerous large necked-pots with curved body and flat bottoms have been discov- ered. Their rims are generally decorated with inci- sions or comb-impressions (Fig. 148,3.5). 209 Similar pots of much smaller dimensions are also attested (Fig. 148,4.6).L arge circular pans in the shape of a thick disc, entirely polished and often covered with bitumen on the top but roughly finished on the bottom part, are also an important component of the kitchen ware of this period. Their thickened rim is generally decorated with incisions or comb- impressions (Fig. 148,1-2).B oth the pots and ...
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... dimensions are also attested (Fig. 148,4.6).L arge circular pans in the shape of a thick disc, entirely polished and often covered with bitumen on the top but roughly finished on the bottom part, are also an important component of the kitchen ware of this period. Their thickened rim is generally decorated with incisions or comb- impressions (Fig. 148,1-2).B oth the pots and the pans are mainly tempered with obsidian and/or grit. Ag reat number of hole-mouth pots are mostly red or black-burnt and sooted and can also be included with kitchen ware, although they have mainly av e- getal temper and, therefore, were probably not used directly with fire (Fig. 148,8-12).F inally, man- gals with ...
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... with incisions or comb- impressions (Fig. 148,1-2).B oth the pots and the pans are mainly tempered with obsidian and/or grit. Ag reat number of hole-mouth pots are mostly red or black-burnt and sooted and can also be included with kitchen ware, although they have mainly av e- getal temper and, therefore, were probably not used directly with fire (Fig. 148,8-12).F inally, man- gals with perforations under the rim are extremely frequent (Fig. 148,7).T he mangals of period III have only slightly raised and rounded lugs and are al- ways combed on the outside (Fig. 149,1-2).M an- gals obviously were not used for cooking directly over af ire, since their wide bottom, even though often tempered ...
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... tempered with obsidian and/or grit. Ag reat number of hole-mouth pots are mostly red or black-burnt and sooted and can also be included with kitchen ware, although they have mainly av e- getal temper and, therefore, were probably not used directly with fire (Fig. 148,8-12).F inally, man- gals with perforations under the rim are extremely frequent (Fig. 148,7).T he mangals of period III have only slightly raised and rounded lugs and are al- ways combed on the outside (Fig. 149,1-2).M an- gals obviously were not used for cooking directly over af ire, since their wide bottom, even though often tempered with obsidian, chamotte or grit, is extremely thin and fragile, but they are always sooted ...
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... color illustrate the areas that have been actually walked by surveyors, spaced every 15 to 20 m. Transects with 100 ml ong blocks of collection (less frequently 50 ml ong) were walked specifically within the 1 km radius around the site of Kamiltepe (see below: Intensive survey- ing around Kamiltepe; Fig. 170),a sw ell as on the Aruchlo Plain (Fig. 168).C oncentrations of artifacts, soil signature, morphology and remote-sensing sig- nal make the definition of as ite possible; field scatters of pottery and archaeological landscape features are documented ...
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... only the tell settlements have at least partially survived, while sites such as KKS 3,s itu- ated approx. 750 mt ot he northwest of Aruchlo 1, have been completely flattened by recent farming practices. Intensive transect-based collection docu- mented field scatters over the entire plain, echoing the intensive modern transformations of the area (Fig. ...
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... with Kamiltepe exam- ples and possible stylistical resemblances also with the Hajji Firuz assemblage. 312 In the southern (left in the picture) corner of the section aw all com- posed of four unbaked mudbricks placed on top of each other, reaching at otal height of 51 cm, were visible. To the right of this wall as till completely preserved jar (Fig. 178) was standing in vertical po- sition on af loor level, which appeared darker in color than the immediately overlying stratum. The vessel is irregular in shape and shows ac haff sur- face with af lat base and an uneven simple rim sharply folded inwards towards the inside on one side. Similar rims have been documented at Kamil- tepe. 313 ...
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... in date (Fig. 179).I tw as impossible to determine the exact extent of the site, which has been partly but deeply damaged by modern installations. These have also exposed an approximately 120 cm and 550 cm long section. Here, some 35 cm below the modern sur- face, anthropogenic deposits composed of as eries of burnt and ashy layers were visible (Fig. 180).N o built structure appears in this section, suggesting a possible, rather ephemeral occupation of at least this part of the ...
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... two other sites (MPS 23 and MPS 46) yielded an abundance of Neolithic material. They are located in the river basin to the North (the Xanasen- c ¸ ay), where only the first, very preliminary general re- connaissance by car was conducted. Both sites are distinct mounds round in form, and they do not ex- ceed 2 metres in height ( Figs. 181; 182).M ore de- tailed investigations will be conducted in this area during the next field season (summer 2012). This newly acquired data hints at a 6 th mill. BCE landscape dotted with small camps or ephem- eral occupations with only af ew more stable sites, which were possibly inhabited and in use for longer periods of time, such as ...
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... e was lar- gely investigated during the 1960sb yt he A. A. Ies- sen expedition. 315 The site was once am ajor city among as eries of citadels located along am ajor irrigation scheme, between Qalatepe and the Araxes River. Two linear features, possible hollows, are visible on the CORONAs (Fig. 183) and partly still in the present-day landscape (Fig. 184).T hey both di- vert from O ¨ renqal e and lead towards the Qaraçay/ Qarasu basin. The northern one turns southwards around site MPS 7,and might be related to afurther linear feature that runs intermittently along the eastern bank of the Qarasu, some 50 to 100 mE ast to the series of small sites located in that area. For the next ...
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... 316 Three mound sites (KKS 5,K KS 6,K KS 8)a re situ- ated along the Mas ˘avera's alluvial terrace at the southern margin of the Aruchlo Plain; af ourth small tell (MPS 4)i sl ocated in am ore inland position. These three archaeological sites range between 0.2 to 0.5 ha in size, and are located approximately 550-750 ma part from each other. KKS 8 (Fig. 186) might yield some early material, whereas the re- maining sites can be dated to al ater date, from the Iron Age to the late Medieval ...
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... sites were discovered in the S ˘ ulaveri Plain (Fig. 187).K KS 9 is thought to be as mall kur- gan, and it has been bulldozed in the central part. Unfortunately, only af ew pottery fragments were collected; large squarish limestone slabs could be observed in their original in situ context. Located in al arge corn field, KKS 11 shows typical Kura-Araxes Ancient Kura 2010-2011:T he first two ...
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... clayey slates and tuff sandstones. 317 Several small rivers drain the mountain area and run in an orth- eastern direction as tributaries to the River Kura. At the beginning fo the 6 th mill. BCE the Caspian Sea level was nearly 7 mhigher than today. Consequently, extensive areas of the present day floodplain of the Kura River lay below sea level (Fig. 188). 318 The lo- cal climate in the forelands of the Qarabag ˘ Moun- tains corresponds to ah umid subtropical climate (Cfa-climate according to the Köppen-Geiger classifi- cation) and shifts in the floodplain of the Kura River to as emi-arid climate (BSk, Köppen-Geiger). 319 At Agdam weather station (252 ma sl), 35 km north- 317 Caucasus ...
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... is located at an undercut bank of the River Qaraçay, approximately 900 ms outheast of Kamil- tepe (Fig. 189) The sediment units consisting of yellowish to brownish silt (units I, II, IV and IX) are interpreted as reworked loess, which was eroded in the upper catchment of the Qaraçay River and transported and deposited by the river. Also sediment units III and Va re composed of reworked loess, but the content of clay within the grain-size ...
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... the area of the natural reserve at the Lake Ag Göl (Fig. 188) two surface samples were analyzed. Sample OP 127 taken in ad ry bed of an ephemeral river af ew hundred meters away from the lake was dominated by Chenopodiaceae, possi- bly due to the salty character of the site, while Arte- misia and Poaceae were less common. With saws of Chironomids, shells of Arcella (Testaceae) and the remains of ...
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... profile MPSA1 (Fig. 189) from the River Qara- c ¸ ay was sampled about every 25 cm during the field campaign. As mentioned above, pollen (Che- nopodiaceae, Artemisia,L iguliflorae, Aster-type) and spores (Ustilago-, Glomus-, Riccia-type) were rare in the upper part of the profile and disap- peared totally below 250 ...
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... the botanical remains, cereals constitute the second most important group with barley and naked wheat (Fig. 198).A mong the pulses, lentil and grass pea are attested (Fig. 199).F lax, also identified, could have been used as at extile plant -au se well known in the Near East since the Neolithic 348 - or for the extraction of ...
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... The Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) construction took three years. It was in 2005 and was preceded by an archaeological program that began in 2001 and ended in 2009 with a series of reports (Lyonnet et al., 2008(Lyonnet et al., , 2012(Lyonnet et al., , 2016Lyonnet & Guliyev, 2010;Herrscher et al., 2018;Palumbi et al., 2018;Maynard et al., 2022) analyzing excavation (Taylor & Maynard, 2011). The project "Ancient Kura" was established in 2010 as a joint research group between colleagues from Azerbaijani and Georgian research institutions, funded by ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) in France and DFG (Deutsche Forschungs gemeinschaft) in Germany. ...
... Florida-based Beta Analytic provided all dates, and reports are available from the ADS archive (Beta Analytic 2005;2006a;2006b;2006c). The mineralogical analysis of the clay samples and pottery fragments (three fragments originating from Kamiltepe) revealed important information about the raw materials used and the firing process of the pottery (Lyonnet et al., 2012). The X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples revealed that calcite is present until a firing temperature of 700 °C, indicating the reaction of calcite with clay minerals to form aluminosilicates between 700 °C and 800 °C (Lyonnet et al., 2012). ...
... The mineralogical analysis of the clay samples and pottery fragments (three fragments originating from Kamiltepe) revealed important information about the raw materials used and the firing process of the pottery (Lyonnet et al., 2012). The X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples revealed that calcite is present until a firing temperature of 700 °C, indicating the reaction of calcite with clay minerals to form aluminosilicates between 700 °C and 800 °C (Lyonnet et al., 2012). The presence of wollastonite in some pottery fragments suggests the occurrence of this reaction during the firing process. ...
The intensive integration of Azerbaijan into the global economy, mainly through international gas and oil pipeline construction, has led to significant archaeological research in the past two decades. The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) and the Southern Caucasus Pipeline gas pipeline (SCP) prompted a four-year archaeological fieldwork program, followed by a six-year post-excavation program. The current work applied an interdisciplinary approach using various instrumental methods for studying ancient artifacts found during those projects. The thermogravimetric method and differential thermal analysis were employed to obtain insights into the production technology of the ancient pottery and information about the mineralogy of the ceramic sherds. The complex processes involved in firing the ceramic paste have been studied extensively, and patterns in mass loss ratios during different temperature ranges have been established. In total, 15 samples were investigated, and the thermogravimetric analysis of ceramic shards revealed that the firing temperature of the samples was in the range of 700 °C. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of quartz, feldspar, and clay minerals in the ceramic samples. The presence of calcite and other specific minerals is subject to the origin of the ceramic materials. The results obtained from this multidisciplinary approach provide insights into the firing technology and the origin of the ceramic samples.
... 6,000-5,300/ 5,250 cal. BC Baudouin, 2019, Fig. 1) and are commonly grouped under the name "Aratashen-Shulaveri-Shomutepe" culture (thereafter AShSh, Fig. 1) in the western part (Eastern Georgia, Armenia, Western Azerbaijan) (Badalyan et al., 2022, p.259) and under that of the Kültepe I and Mil and Mugan Steppes Neolithic in the eastern part (Abibullaev 1982;Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017;Marro et al., 2019). During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. ...
... During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. It is the case in the middle Kura Valley at Mentesh Tepe (Lyonnet et al., 2012, Göytepe , Hacı Elamxanlı (Nishiaki et al., 2021c), Kiçik Tepe (Palumbi et al., 2021), Gadachrili Gora Batiuk et al., 2019), Aruchlo (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Hansen et al., 2017), in the Ararat plain at Masis Blur (Martirosyan-Olshansky et al., 2013), Aknashen-Khatunarkh (Badalyan et al., 2007(Badalyan et al., , 2010(Badalyan et al., , 2022, in the Nakhichevan region at Kültepe I (Marro et al., 2019), and in the Mil plain at Kamiltepe and sites around (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017). While part of the "Neolithic Package" in the Southern Caucasus seems issued from the neighbouring regions of Northern Mesopotamia and the Taurus area, as seen on the earliest pottery (Badalyan et al., 2010, p.194;Nishiaki et al., 2015aNishiaki et al., , p.84, 2015bÖ zdogan, 2018) and on the fauna assemblage pointing out genetic similarity (Berthon, 2014, p.9;Kadowaki et al., 2017, p.257;Hirose et al., 2021, p.12), other elements points towards more autochthonous developments, as is the case for architecture. ...
... During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. It is the case in the middle Kura Valley at Mentesh Tepe (Lyonnet et al., 2012, Göytepe , Hacı Elamxanlı (Nishiaki et al., 2021c), Kiçik Tepe (Palumbi et al., 2021), Gadachrili Gora Batiuk et al., 2019), Aruchlo (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Hansen et al., 2017), in the Ararat plain at Masis Blur (Martirosyan-Olshansky et al., 2013), Aknashen-Khatunarkh (Badalyan et al., 2007(Badalyan et al., , 2010(Badalyan et al., , 2022, in the Nakhichevan region at Kültepe I (Marro et al., 2019), and in the Mil plain at Kamiltepe and sites around (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017). While part of the "Neolithic Package" in the Southern Caucasus seems issued from the neighbouring regions of Northern Mesopotamia and the Taurus area, as seen on the earliest pottery (Badalyan et al., 2010, p.194;Nishiaki et al., 2015aNishiaki et al., , p.84, 2015bÖ zdogan, 2018) and on the fauna assemblage pointing out genetic similarity (Berthon, 2014, p.9;Kadowaki et al., 2017, p.257;Hirose et al., 2021, p.12), other elements points towards more autochthonous developments, as is the case for architecture. ...
This paper focuses on the first results of a micromorphological study on the Neolithic architecture from Mentesh Tepe (Azerbaijan), a settlement in the Southern Caucasus occupied during the first half of the 6th-millennium cal. BC. While earthen architecture has already been studied on a macroscopic scale, the use of micromorphology represents an original approach. This research highlights six different assemblages of Mentesh Tepe earthen material preparations, showing a diversity in the manufacturing processes (i.e. the way of preparing the earth, the building techniques, the way of using the earth during the construction) and in the care for the architecture. The well-prepared materials show intense mixing at a wet state with temper added to the composition, while less prepared elements are poorly mixed in a dry state with heterogeneous material. We have identified microscopic features of moulded mudbrick and a unique use of gypsum material for one specific building. From these results based upon the building techniques and material uses we discuss the possible function or status of the structures and the life-cycle of the buildings through time. These results question possible social differences within the Neolithic groups at a site scale. This corpus, while rather small, is the first in the area for Neolithic architecture, and our results only pretend to give a preliminary overview and some ongoing reflection on architectural questions about the first sedentary communities of the Southern Caucasus.
... Variants, such as the Aratashen/ Aknashen culture 9,12 (Ararat Plain) and other Neolithic contemporaneous cultures like the Kültepe 13 Culture (Nakhchivan region) are also found in the South Caucasus. The slightly later Kamiltepe culture (Mil steppe culture), which probably includes the site of Polutepe, differs by its architecture, the use of flint tools instead of obsidian, and pottery-painted patterns that are rather related to Northern Iran and the Zagros 14,15 . ...
Despite the localisation of the southern Caucasus at the outskirt of the Fertile Crescent, the Neolithisation process started there only at the beginning of the sixth millennium with the Shomutepe-Shulaveri culture of yet unclear origins. We present here genomic data for three new individuals from Mentesh Tepe in Azerbaijan, dating back to the beginnings of the Shomutepe-Shulaveri culture. We evidence that two juveniles, buried embracing each other, were brothers. We show that the Mentesh Tepe Neolithic population is the product of a recent gene flow between the Anatolian farmer-related population and the Caucasus/Iranian population, demonstrating that population admixture was at the core of the development of agriculture in the South Caucasus. By comparing Bronze Age individuals from the South Caucasus with Neolithic individuals from the same region, including Mentesh Tepe, we evidence that gene flows between Pontic Steppe populations and Mentesh Tepe-related groups contributed to the makeup of the Late Bronze Age and modern Caucasian populations. Our results show that the high cultural diversity during the Neolithic period of the South Caucasus deserves close genetic analysis.
... As a result, it has played a subordinate role to research of early agriculture to the Levant, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia. While recent research of the prehistoric periods in the Southern Caucasus has witnessed an upsurge (Wasylikowa et al. 1991;Gandilian 1998;Badalyan et al. 2007Badalyan et al. , 2008Badalyan et al. , 2010Connor and Sagona 2007;Hovsepyan and Willcox 2008;Hovsepyan and Hovsepyan 2009;Hovsepyan 2011aHovsepyan , b, 2013Hovsepyan , 2014Hovsepyan , 2015Ristvet et al. 2011;Areshian et al. 2012;Decaix 2012;Nishiaki 2012, 2014;Kalantaryan et al. 2012;Wilkinson et al. 2012;Kakhiani et al. 2013;Longford 2015;Messager et al. 2015;Decaix et al. 2016Decaix et al. , 2020aShumilovskikh and Poole 2020), archaeological studies of the Late Antique and Islamic period in Azerbaijan still operate using traditional approaches, with a clear focus on artefacts and architectural structures. In periods rich in Communicated by S. M. Valamoti. ...
This paper presents the results of an archaeobotanical analysis of plant macro-remains recovered during excavations of a rural tepe site at Qaratepe, Azerbaijan, occupied during the Sasanian and Islamic periods between the 2nd and 13th centuries ad. The material derives from a 4 year Oxford University expedition which occurred between 2015 and 2018, ‘The Archaeological Exploration of Barda Project (AEB)’, established to investigate the provincial structure of the eastern Caucasus region in the Late Antique and early Islamic periods. Traditionally, archaeological practice in Azerbaijan has not embraced environmental archaeological techniques and despite the region’s importance to the understanding of early agriculture and the diffusion of crop species during the Islamic period, little archaeobotanical research has been conducted there to date. This assemblage therefore forms a rare and unique contribution to the field of archaeobotany in the Late Antique and Islamic periods in Azerbaijan and provides the first archaeobotanical evidence of crop husbandry at a rural settlement during these periods. In total, 8,676 carbonised plant remains representing a minimum of 60 species were recorded from 80 samples analysed, providing important insights into plant utilisation in Azerbaijan (Full taxonomic list available in on-line supplementary material (ESM)). Archaeobotanical evidence has revealed the range of crops cultivated and consumed at the site between the 2nd and 13th centuries. Results demonstrate that naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) were the primarily cultivated crops between the 2nd and 6th centuries, key crops that have been present in the Southern Caucasus for several millennia. The study has also identified the cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), and melon (Melo sativa) in the 13th century, indicating a change in agricultural production in the Islamic period and the introduction of several new cultivars and agricultural adaptions.
... 6,000-5,300/ 5,250 cal. BC Baudouin, 2019, Fig. 1) and are commonly grouped under the name "Aratashen-Shulaveri-Shomutepe" culture (thereafter AShSh, Fig. 1) in the western part (Eastern Georgia, Armenia, Western Azerbaijan) (Badalyan et al., 2022, p.259) and under that of the Kültepe I and Mil and Mugan Steppes Neolithic in the eastern part (Abibullaev 1982;Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017;Marro et al., 2019). During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. ...
... During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. It is the case in the middle Kura Valley at Mentesh Tepe (Lyonnet et al., 2012, Göytepe , Hacı Elamxanlı (Nishiaki et al., 2021c), Kiçik Tepe (Palumbi et al., 2021), Gadachrili Gora Batiuk et al., 2019), Aruchlo (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Hansen et al., 2017), in the Ararat plain at Masis Blur (Martirosyan-Olshansky et al., 2013), Aknashen-Khatunarkh (Badalyan et al., 2007(Badalyan et al., , 2010(Badalyan et al., , 2022, in the Nakhichevan region at Kültepe I (Marro et al., 2019), and in the Mil plain at Kamiltepe and sites around (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017). While part of the "Neolithic Package" in the Southern Caucasus seems issued from the neighbouring regions of Northern Mesopotamia and the Taurus area, as seen on the earliest pottery (Badalyan et al., 2010, p.194;Nishiaki et al., 2015aNishiaki et al., , p.84, 2015bÖ zdogan, 2018) and on the fauna assemblage pointing out genetic similarity (Berthon, 2014, p.9;Kadowaki et al., 2017, p.257;Hirose et al., 2021, p.12), other elements points towards more autochthonous developments, as is the case for architecture. ...
... During the last two decades, research on the Neolithisation process has greatly intensified thanks to recent excavations. It is the case in the middle Kura Valley at Mentesh Tepe (Lyonnet et al., 2012, Göytepe , Hacı Elamxanlı (Nishiaki et al., 2021c), Kiçik Tepe (Palumbi et al., 2021), Gadachrili Gora Batiuk et al., 2019), Aruchlo (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Hansen et al., 2017), in the Ararat plain at Masis Blur (Martirosyan-Olshansky et al., 2013), Aknashen-Khatunarkh (Badalyan et al., 2007(Badalyan et al., , 2010(Badalyan et al., , 2022, in the Nakhichevan region at Kültepe I (Marro et al., 2019), and in the Mil plain at Kamiltepe and sites around (Lyonnet et al., 2012;Helwing and Aliyev, 2017). While part of the "Neolithic Package" in the Southern Caucasus seems issued from the neighbouring regions of Northern Mesopotamia and the Taurus area, as seen on the earliest pottery (Badalyan et al., 2010, p.194;Nishiaki et al., 2015aNishiaki et al., , p.84, 2015bÖ zdogan, 2018) and on the fauna assemblage pointing out genetic similarity (Berthon, 2014, p.9;Kadowaki et al., 2017, p.257;Hirose et al., 2021, p.12), other elements points towards more autochthonous developments, as is the case for architecture. ...
... Un réexamen de la stratigraphie permet de proposer une étude approfondie des techniques architecturales ( fig. 10, fig. 11), venant ainsi compléter les résultats préliminaires présentés par ailleurs (Baudouin 2017) et les conclusions apportées par les études céramiques (Lyonnet et al. 2012 ;Lyonnet 2017Lyonnet , 2019, en regard de l'expansion de la culture d'Obeid en Mésopotamie du Nord au cours du V e millénaire (Baudouin 2021). Le bâtiment orthogonal en briques crues de Mentesh Tepe ( fig. ...
Since the beginning of the 2000s, archaeological excavations in the Kura Valley have intensified with the resumption of interna- tional research programs. The objective of the fieldwork is to specify the mechanisms of neolithization process as well as, for the Chalcolithic, the modalities of reoccupying the plain during the Vth millennium.
In the Neolithic, architectural traditions were established ca. 6000 BC and have persisted almost a millennium, evidence of a self-sufficiency of the Kura Valley communities. However, ca. 5700/5500 BC, changes in the organization of the household and a shift of domestic activities testify a deep socio-economic change.
In the Chalcolithic, the sudden appearance of a right-angled architecture in moulded mudbricks at Mentesh Tepe, ca. 4300 BC, seems to establish itself as a hapax. A recent resumption of stratigraphy allows to detail the architecture of this period compared to the contemporary Ubaid expansion in Northern Mesopotamia.
... Interestingly, most of the Leila-Tepesi pottery have pottery signs and similar ones have been obtained from Daveh Goz in Khoy [Abedi, 2017]. Teapot / pot-like pottery and vats have been obtained with fine-grained temper with brocken obsidian, and kitchen pottery from Mentash Tepe [Lyonnet et al., 2012]. Vats are probably placed in the Bronze Age of construction model of copper cauldron. ...
... Similar to them has been also obtained from Kol Tepe of Jolfa [Abedi et al., 2014], Lavin Tepe [Hejabri Nobari et al., 2012] and etc. In the South Caucasus area, the skeletal tools of Leila Tepesi including stitching awl, needles, spindle tools, plate gad and pins , Mantesh Tepe [Lyonnet, Guliyev, 2012], Arne Cave have also been studied. Another cultural findings of Yataq-Tepesi is stone tools made of flint and obsidian, which were obtained in different sizes. ...
The rivers, including Aras, in the Mughan region played an important role in the formation of the prehistoric sites. The Mughan Plain has not received particular attention in terms of the archaeological investigations, as the extensive scientific activities concentrated on the Lake Urmia basin. Yataq-Tepesi is a prehistoric site in the city of Germi (Mughan Region) that became the subject of the scientific research. The main aim of this paper is to discuss the pottery traditions at the site and to determine the chronological sequence of the studied region. In view of further detailed studies on the cultural relations of Mughan population with other territories, and to establish its chronological sequence, two main questions are posed: how do we date Yataq-Tepesi on the basis of cultural information, including pottery traditions? The main hypothesis suggested here is that the site development took place during the Middle Chalcolithic and Late Chalcolithic periods, somewhere between 4500 and 3700 / 3600 BC. The second question relates to the geographical regions that Yataq-Tepesi was in contact with through cultural relations and trade with other regions of northwestern Iran, especially with the region of Qaradagh and the Lake Urmia basin, as well as with the Southern Caucasus.
... Belə ki, 1985-ci ilin iyul ayında İran Məclisinin spikeri Haşemi Rəfsəncaninin Pekinə səfərinin iki ölkəyə digər sahələrlə yanaşı, nüvə sahəsində də əməkdaşlıqla bağlı protokol imzalamaq imkanı verdiyi güman edilir. Baxmayaraq ki, bu sahədə əməkdaşlıq rəsmi elan edilmədi [9,44]. Haqqında şayiələr yayılan həmin 1985-ci il İran-Çin razılaşması gizli qaldı və Çin indiyədək rəsmi olaraq, onu tanımır. ...
НАСКАЛЬНЫЕ РИСУНКИ ЭПОХИ БРОНЗЫ В АСТАРЕ
Резюме
В статье сообщается о наскальных изображениях в селе Сым Астаринского района, расположенного в Талышских горах, на юго-востоке Азербайджана. Главной целью проведенных здесь археологическо-разведочных работ является определение ареала распространения наскальных рисунков и выявление новых.
Во время исследований были выявлены композиционные рисунки на нескольких скальных камнях. Проведенные первичные изыскания позволяют предположить наличие большого количества наскальных рисунков на территории села Сым. На основе памятников искусства Сыма можно заключить, что первобытные художники эпохи бронзы, используя мотивы реализма в древнем искусстве, смогли точно отразить фауну той эпохи, религиозную идеологию, трудовые процессы. Памятники изобразительного искусства, созданные жившими здесь древними насельниками, несмотря на прошедшие тысячелетия, сохранили свои эстетические особенности и научное значение.
THE BRONZE AGE ROCK PAINTINGS OF ASTARA
Summary
The article deals with rock paintings in the village of Sim, Astara region, located in the south-eastern region of Azerbaijan, on the Talish Mountains. The main purpose of the archaeological excavations here was to determine the area of distribution of rock paintings or to discover new rock paintings. During the explorations on some rocks paintings with composition were found. Preliminary explorations suggest that there are more rock paintings in the area of Sim village. Based on Sim art monuments, it can be concluded that primitive artists of the Bronze Age were able to depict accurately the fauna, religious ideology and labor processes of the time using realistic motifs of ancient art. Despite the fact that thousands of years have passed, the monuments of fine art created by the ancient people who lived here, could have preserve their aesthetic features and scientific significance.
... Research on the Neolithization in the southern Caucasus has increased in the past fifteen years (e.g. Lyonnet 2007;Lyonnet et al. 2012Lyonnet et al. , 2016Chataigner et al. 2014; Gasparyan and Arimura 2014;Nishiaki et al. 2015aNishiaki et al. , 2015cHelwing et al. 2017;Marro et al. 2019). Numerous radiocarbon dates clarified chronological contexts of early agricultural settlements, and rich architectural remains were examined to reveal building techniques, settlement structures, and storage practices. ...
Recent studies on the Neolithization in the southern Caucasus indicate the sudden emergence of agropastoral communities in the early 6th millennium cal. BCE. To explore a new line of cultural evidence, this paper examines refuse disposal behavior by presenting spatial distributions of chipped and ground stone refuse at Hacı Elamxanlı Tepe, one of the earliest agricultural settlements in the southern Caucasus. The spatial analysis aims to clarify refuse distributions in the excavated area (10 × 10 m) by characterizing the spatial units with three kinds of data, including 1) architectural contexts, 2) associations with conspicuous refuse (e.g. large obsidian cores and clusters of complete ground stones), and 3) densities of lithic refuse by categories related to production technology, tool functions, and preservation states. The results indicate various discard patterns, including de facto refuse, caches/storages, provisional discard, and multiple scales of secondary dumps. We will then discuss how such intra-site variability in refuse management is potentially linked to the residential mobility of the inhabitants at Hacı Elamxanlı Tepe. Lastly, we review residential mobility and refuse discard behaviors in the Late Neolithic in the Upper Mesopotamia as possible exogenous cultural links.
... Mentesh Tepe, in the middle Kura Valley (Azerbaijan) ( fig. 1), stands as an exceptional proto-historic settlement with several successive occupations, from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age interrupted by two main hiatus (Lyonnet et al. 2012(Lyonnet et al. , 2016. 1 ...
The article dates back to 2017 and gives the results of analyses on different kinds of materials (metals including gold, stones and obsidian) found at Mentesh Tepe (Azerbaijan) and dated between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age with the aim to find their sources.
