| Geographical range | South Caucasus,Armenian Highlands |
|---|---|
| Period | Chalcolithic,Bronze Age |
| Dates | ca. 4,300 — 3,500 B.C.E.[1] |
| Major sites | Areni |
Արենի-1 քարանձավ | |
 Panorama of the site along theArpa River | |
  Areni-1 cave Shown within Armenia | |
| Location | Vayots Dzor Province,Armenia |
|---|---|
| Region | Armenian Highlands |
| Coordinates | 39°43′53″N45°12′13″E / 39.73139°N 45.20361°E /39.73139; 45.20361 |
| Length | 40 m (130 ft)[2] |
| History | |
| Material | Karst |
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TheAreni-1 cave complex (Armenian:Արենիի քարանձավ) is a multicomponent site,[2] and lateChalcolithic/EarlyBronze Age ritual site and settlement,[3] located near theAreni village in southernArmenia along theArpa River.
In 2008, Armenian PhD student and archeologist Diana Zardaryan of the country's Institute of Archaeology discovered theearliest known shoe at the site.[4] In January 2011, theearliest known winery in the world was uncovered in the cave.[5] Later, in September 2011, the discovery of a strawskirt dating to 3,900 years BCE was reported.[6] In 2009, the oldest humanoid brain was discovered in the cave.[7] Recent archaeological investigations demonstrate that
The Late Chalcolithic (ca. 4,300–3,500 Cal BC) is represented by the "Areni" and "Godedzor" traditions, with such sites as Areni-1 cave and the settlements of Teghut and Nerkin Godedzor. Society is characterized by a diversity of cultural complexes, growing complexity, relations to the Syro-Mesopotamian (Late Ubaid, Uruk) and North Caucasian (Early Maikop) worlds, as well as extractive copper metallurgy. ... TheLate Chalcolithic traditions in Armenia (Areni-1,Teghut, Nerkin Godedzor), Azerbaijan (Ovçular Tepesi, Mentesh Tepe,Leylatepe) and Georgia (Berikldeebi) share common characteristics and regional contacts toMaikop andUbaid-Uruk. These societies are on the way towards growing complexity, a process reflected in the appearance of developed copper based metallurgy (molds, slags, ingots, kilns, pure and arsenic copper), new metal weapons/tools (knife/daggers, spearheads, flat axes), ceramics (potter's wheel, pottery signs), exotic and prestigious objects of gold, silver, and lapis-lazuli, stamp seals and status symbols (scepters), kurgans and jar burials, and rudiments of monumental architecture (cf. the "temple" of Berikldeebi). This is all accompanied by the blossoming of long distance trade, essential transfer of knowledge, and the development of centralized hierarchies[1]
Three individuals who lived in theChalcolithic era (c. 5700–6250 yearsBP), found in the Areni-1 ("Bird's Eye") cave, were identified as belonging to haplogroupL1a. One individual's genome indicated that he had red hair and blue eyes.
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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