Approaches to social complexity in Kura-Araxes culture: A view from Köhne Shahar (Ravaz) in Chaldran, Iranian Azerbaijan

Abstract

Due to increasing investigations and studies of the Kura-Araxes cultural communities, our information about this enigmatic archaeological culture has increased in many respects. Its interactions and regional variations in terms of cultural materials have been analyzed by many scholars. However, our knowledge about its societal variations is still very limited. We do not yet know much about social dynamics behind its material culture that spread out through vast regions in the Caucasus and the Near East. Indeed, there are some fundamental questions about the Kura-Araxes cultural communities that need further investigation. To address these questions, we focus on data collected from Köhne Shahar, a Kura-Araxes site in the Chaldran area of the Iranian Azerbaijan. We concentrate on two major features of the site that we have explored during the past three years : the fortification wall and the stratigraphy. Analysis of the site’s large fortification wall suggests that external threat and conflict could have played a role in the development of political complexity at Köhne Shahar. We further argue that there is a great potential at Köhne Shahar for addressing social complexity and suggest that further investigations at the site may shed more light on social dynamics in the Kura-Araxes cultural communities.

The spatial organization of craft production at the Kura-Araxes settlement of Köhne Shahar in northwestern Iran: A zooarchaeological approach

“…The horizontal and differential distribution of power is not reflected in monumental or palatial structures, as we would expect in socially stratified urban societies, but is rather embodied by the type of lateral differentiation discussed earlier [72,82]. These power sources may have also been implicated in coordinating the construction and maintenance of such communal projects as the large stone wall of the citadel [47]. We will however postpone a more in-depth discussion about multiple sources of power at KSH until several outstanding issues are resolved in further excavations.…”

“…For each specimen in the identifiable fraction of the assemblage various taxonomic, anatomical (element, bone portion), demographic (age, sex), and taphonomic variables were recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. Taxonomic identification was based on a digital comparative collection generously provided by Mary Stiner and Natalie Munro, as well as several published manuals [47][48][49][50][51]. Bones were identified to the smallest possible taxonomic category; specimens that could not be securely identified taxonomically were assigned to body size categories.…”

“…3200-2800 BCE, and Phases IV-V date to ca. 2800-2500 BCE [46,47]. A disturbed cultural layer on the surface of the citadel primarily consists of structural foundations of stone, resembling layouts of typical KA circular buildings.…”

“…Thus, we assume that there was a sixth architectural phase in the citadel (for example see plan of Trench 13J1 in Fig 4a) that can only be understood by future investigations. The stratigraphic relationship between the citadel and the extramural areas remains unknown, but ceramics and architectural analyses show that at least part of the final occupation of the "outer town" was contemporaneous with Phases IV-V of the citadel [47].…”

Fifth and fourth millennium BC in north-western Iran: Dalma and Pisdeli revisited

“…In addition, surveys were undertaken in northwestern Iran (Kambakhsh Fard 1967;Soleki 1969;Soleki, Soleki 1973;Swiny 1975;Pecorella, Salvini 1984), the Salmas valley (Kearton 1969;1970) and the Solduz plain (Dyson 1967b), around Lake Urmia (by a German team) (Kleiss, Kroll 1979;1992;Kroll 1984; and in the Meshkin Shahr area (Burney 1979b;Ingraham, Summers 1979). Since the 1979 Revolution in Iran, archaeological research has included Early Bronze Age settlement patterns and site distribution in north-western Iran (Omrani 2006;Omrani et al 2012;Summers 2013a), a survey in Eastern Azerbaijan province (Khatib Shahidi, Biscione 2007;Biscione, Khatib Shahidi 2006), a systematic survey at Tepe Baruj (Alizadeh, Azarnoush 2003a;2003b) and the Mughan plain (Alizadeh, Ur 2007), and excavations at Lavin Tepe (Nobari et al 2012), Nader Tepesi (Alizadeh 2007), Qosha Tepe in the Meshkin Shahr area (Nobari, Purfaraj 2005), Kohne Pasghah Tepesi (Maziar 2010), the Iron Age cemetery of Masjed Kabood in Tabriz (Nobari 2000(Nobari [13792004[1383), the Qale Khosrow and Ardebil Survey (Azarnoush et al 2006), Qalaychi and Tepe Rabat (Kargar 2005;Kargar, Binandeh 2009), Zardkhaneh of Ahar (Niknami 2011), and Köhne Shahar (Ravaz) (Alizadeh et al 2015). Apart from these excavations and surveys, many others have yet to be published.…”