Ushkiani-Project: Preliminary archaeological investigations in the Lake Sevan Region/Armenia

Bobokhyan, Arsen; Kunze, René

doi:10.1515/pz-2021-0012

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The eastern coast of Lake Sevan is famous for high density of archaeological sites (Biscione et al, 2002; Bobokhyan et al, 2017; Hmayakyan et al, 2008; Kunze et al, 2011, 2013; Mikaelyan, 1968). Alone on the small area of Artanish Peninsula, at the height of 1917–1945 m above mean sea level, more than 50 archaeological sites have been revealed by the Armenian–German archaeological expedition (Bobokhyan & Kunze, 2021), dating back from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period (fortresses, settlements, cemeteries and megaliths). From those sites, the burial grounds Artanish 23 and 29 have been selected for complex archaeogeological research.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geoarchaeological investigations in Artanish Peninsula, Armenia: Testing a new geochemical prospecting method for archaeology

Hovhannisyan,

Bobokhyan,

Kunze

et al. 2023

Archaeological Prospection

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Within the framework of an Armenian–German research project, taking place between 2019 and 2021 on the Artanish Peninsula at Lake Sevan (Armenia), in addition to numerous (geo‐) archaeological investigations, methods of geochemical prospection have been carried out. The ancient burial grounds of Artanish 23 and Artanish 29 have served as model sites to successfully test the well‐known method of geochemical prospection and evaluation of metal deposits in geology (mineral sector). As a result, a new experimental archaeo‐geochemical prospecting and evaluation method has been developed, which has been adapted for the exploration of archaeological monuments. It is planned to use this experimental method (which we consider new and important in archaeogeochemical investigation, but not a conclusive and comprehensive work per se), which has already proven its work capacity, in archaeological research, in the prospective areas of Armenia and other countries. In addition to these investigations, research on the transformations in the landscape of the ancient tombs related to Lake Sevan fluctuations has also been carried out. The anthropogenic impact of humans on the environment (geochemical halos formed in the soil on the surface of the tombs) has been studied, as well as the problem of the impact of geological environment on human life activities, that is, the relocation of the burial grounds to more elevated areas due to the rise in the lake level. Based on the results of geochemical sampling and high‐resolution magnetometer surveys, excavations have been performed at the site. Here, we present the results of an experimental study exploring the potential of combined magnetometer prospection and chemical soil analyses to locate and characterize the burial ground of Artanish on Lake Sevan, Armenia. The results have demonstrated the capability of these analyses to detect the sites, outline hotspots and interpret the features identified in the magnetometer results.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geoarchaeological investigations in Artanish Peninsula, Armenia: Testing a new geochemical prospecting method for archaeology

Hovhannisyan,

Bobokhyan,

Kunze

et al. 2023

Archaeological Prospection

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“…However, the presence of cultural deposits is characteristic only of the Bronze Age, while other periods of settlement have been identified only by scattered artifacts. In the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, the settlement occupied a central position inside the fortification walls [19].…”

Section: Description Of the Key Sectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A total of 41 sites were explored. Most were classified as fortified settlements of cyclopean masonry [19].…”

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confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of Particularities of Ancient Human Activity Based on Geochemical and Soil Microbiological Investigation of Sotk-2 Site (Republic of Armenia)

Чернышева

Amiryan

El’tsov

et al. 2022

History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Caucasus

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The article presents the results of the first joint soil-archaeological investigations on the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The cultural layers of the Sotk-2 site, located on the southeastern coast of Lake Sevan, were chosen as the object of study. The Sotk-2 played a special role in the settlement system in the region, as it is located on the way to the Bronze Age gold mine. A multi-layered settlement has been recorded here, which settled from the early Bronze Age until the early Iron Age (with certain interruptions). However, only the Bronze Age layer was characterized by the presence of anthropogenic deposits, while only scattered artifacts identified other periods of occupation. As part of joint research, samples were taken from the previous excavated trenches at the archaeological site in August 2021 for laboratory analysis. Analysis of the chemical and microbiological properties of cultural layers made it possible, for the first time on the archaeological monuments of this type, to identify periods with the lowest and highest intensity of human activity, as well as to establish the infrastructural features of the settlement. The strongest anthropogenic impact took place during the formation of the Middle – Late Bronze Age layer. Places for cooking and household pits were localized, where an increased concentration of organic phosphorus, copper, manganese, lanthanum was observed, as well as high microbial biomass and lipase activity. In another site of the settlement in the layer of the Middle – Late Bronze Age, an increased concentration of calcium, strontium and magnesium was revealed, which indicates the possibility of butchering fish in this place. The lowest residential load on the Sotk-2 site, according to soil analysis, took place in the early Bronze Age.

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Prehistoric gold from Lake Sevan Basin? New research on Armenian gold deposits and objects

Kunze,

Meliksetian,

Lockhoff

et al. 2023

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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Ushkiani-Project: Preliminary archaeological investigations in the Lake Sevan Region/Armenia

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Geoarchaeological investigations in Artanish Peninsula, Armenia: Testing a new geochemical prospecting method for archaeology

Geoarchaeological investigations in Artanish Peninsula, Armenia: Testing a new geochemical prospecting method for archaeology

Reconstruction of Particularities of Ancient Human Activity Based on Geochemical and Soil Microbiological Investigation of Sotk-2 Site (Republic of Armenia)

Prehistoric gold from Lake Sevan Basin? New research on Armenian gold deposits and objects

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