The End of the Kura-Araxes Phenomenon
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Book Series
ARAXES, vol. 4
Between Near East and Eurasian Nomads
Representation of Local Elites in the Lori Berd Necropolis during the First Half of the First Millennium BC
Ruben Davtyan
- Pages: xxv + 358 p.
- Size:216 x 280 mm
- Illustrations:333 b/w, 77 col., 3 tables b/w., 8 tables col., 6 maps color
- Language(s):English
- Publication Year:2024
- € 135,00 EXCL. VAT RETAIL PRICE
- ISBN: 978-2-503-60803-7
- Paperback
- Forthcoming (Nov/24)
- € 135,00 EXCL. VAT RETAIL PRICE
- ISBN: 978-2-503-60804-4
- E-book
- Forthcoming
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As one of the richest and the most important necropolises of the South Caucasus, the publication of Lori Berd tombs gives us new insights into a series of aspects of ancient life including the burial rites, architecture of tombs, local hierarchy, interregional relations during the Iron Age.
Subject(s)
BIO
Ruben Davtyan is a Near Eastern archaeologist. He studied History at Yerevan State University, Near Eastern Archaeology at Ludwig- Maximilian-University Munich and Architectural Conservation at The Technical University Berlin. The following book is based on his PhD thesis under Prof. Dr. F. Blocher and Prof. Dr. F. Bertemes’s supervision at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg.
Summary
The site of Lori Berd, located in northern Armenia, is home to an extraordinary necropolis that once housed the dead of the local elite during a period that spanned from 2200 to 400 BC. Influenced both by Urartian conquests from the south and by invasions from the Eurasian nomadic tribes from the north, the people of this region buried their dead with prestigious artefacts, complex customs, and a particular reverence shown during the later stages of the Early and Middle Iron Ages (1000–550 BC). This volume offers a detailed account of the archaeological signifi cance of the site, providing detailed accounts of thirty-one tombs, the majority of which have never before been comprehensively published, and seeking to set Lori Berd in its broader historical and material context. Through this approach, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of the Iron Age in the South Caucasus, unravelling the interconnected themes of wealth, power, and cultural expressions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Chapter 1. Introduction
The aims of this work
The contemporary research framework
The actuality of the question
Methods
Chapter 2. The Necropolis of Lori Berd
Research History
State of Research
Description of Early and Middle Iron Age tombs
Evaluation of the tombs
Chapter 3. Vessels
Types of pottery
Metal vessels
Chapter 4. Weaponry and Tools
Swords
Daggers
Scabbards
Knives
Spears
Axes
Maceheads
Arrowheads
Bidents
Flesh hook
Armguards
Ferrules
Chisels
Helmet
Phaleras
Quiver pin
Reflections on weapons
Chapter 5. Jewellery and Art Objects
Idols
Bone plaques
Seals
Beads
Pendants
Rings
Clothing and its fittings
Silver torc
Temple ornaments
Band diadems
Assessment of results of geochemical analysis of gold and silver samples
Chapter 6. Varia
Tripod fittings
Sceptres
Toiletry items
Chapter 7. Horse Sacrifices and Horse-related Objects
Historical sources
Zooarchaeological investigations on horses
Horse bits
Belts
Horse torcs
Horse bridle fasteners
Horse adornments
Foot bandages
Visualization of horse-related objects on selected horses
Horse warriors and the notion of gender
Chapter 8. Assessment of Results of Wet Chemistry Analysis of Samples from Copper Objects
Samples and analysis
Chemical composition and element ratios
Lead isotope analysis
Chapter 9. Social Change and the Representation of Elites at Lori Berd
Lori Berd tombs grouping
Evidence of social inequality among the tombs
Chronology of tombs
Main aspects of representation in Lori Berd tombs
Chapter 10. Lori Berd in its Regional Context
The nature of foreign influences in Lori Berd
Lori Berd and Urartu
South Caucasus as imperial periphery of the Urartian state
Chapter 11. Main Results
Works Cited
Media
