What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand the socioeconomic and political organization of the Kura-Araxes cultural tradition in the Southern Caucasus.

May 9, 2026Open Access

A fortified Early Bronze Age settlement in the Southern Caucasus

Key Points

This research aims to understand the socioeconomic and political organization of the Kura-Araxes cultural tradition in the Southern Caucasus.
Conducted integrated geophysical survey combined with archaeological excavation at Artanish 9.
Documented the architectural features and spatial organization of the settlement.
Analyzed storage facilities and construction techniques used in the site.
Found a densely built site with monumental walls, suggesting complex societal structures.
Revealed adaptive strategies of highland communities through spatial and architectural analysis.
Highlighted the diversity of Early Bronze Age settlements in the Southern Caucasus.

Abstract

Despite intensive study, the socioeconomic and political structuring of the Southern Caucasus Kura-Araxes cultural tradition remain poorly understood. Here, the authors explore the results of integrated geophysical survey and excavation at Artanish 9 in the Lake Sevan highlands (Armenia). They document a small, densely built site enclosed by monumental walls—an anomaly in highland Kura-Araxes settlement systems—offering new insights into sociopolitical diversity. Through examination of spatial organisation, architecture and storage facilities, Artanish 9 reveals the adaptive strategies of highland communities and the complexity of Early Bronze Age settlement systems in the Southern Caucasus.

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Cite This Study

Neef et al. (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69fed0e2b9154b0b828780a3 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2026.10350

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