Džarkutan Nekropole 4A. Katalog der Bestattungen, 2024
The monograph contains the catalogue and available visual documentation of the Bronze Age necropo... more The monograph contains the catalogue and available visual documentation of the Bronze Age necropolis of Dzarkutan 4a in Southern Uzbekistan. It is preceded by an introduction to the field of research and basic distribution maps across the cemetery, and it concludes with a discussion of funerary rites by Mike Teufer.
Abstract: This volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Institute for Near Eastern Archeology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. It draws from archives, research and administrative data, but above all from the memories of its members since its foundation in 1970. The history of the institute, teaching experience and research achievements are the three intertwined cornerstones between which the contributions move. The vivid image of a community of practitioners is both a tribute to the past and an encouragement for further exploration of the "cradle of cultures".
Der vorliegende Band feiert das 50-jährige Bestehen des Instituts für Vorderasiatische Archäologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Er schöpft aus Archivalien, Forschungs- und Verwaltungsdaten, vor allem aber aus den Erinnerungen seiner Mitglieder seit der Gründung im Jahr 1970. Institutsgeschichte, Lehrerfahrungen und Forschungsleistung sind die drei vielfach ineinander verwobenen Eckpunkte, zwischen denen sich die Beiträge bewegen. Das lebendige Bild einer Gemeinschaft von Praktizierenden ist zugleich Würdigung des Vergangenen und Werbung für eine weitergehende Erforschung der „Wiege der Kulturen”.
The volume deals with the metal objects of the Sapalli culture (S. Uzbekistan), their chronology,... more The volume deals with the metal objects of the Sapalli culture (S. Uzbekistan), their chronology, distribution, materiality, and uses in Late Bronze society's funerary customs.
The 6th volume of the MAAO series details the results of two seasons of excavation carried out on... more The 6th volume of the MAAO series details the results of two seasons of excavation carried out on Karacamirli Tepe 5, a small hill near the southern bank of the river Kura in Shamkir District, Azerbaijan. The site was first occupied in the 5th millennium BC, from which several pits containing pottery and obsidian could be studied. After the mid-2nd mill. BC, Tepe 5 saw repeated use as a place of burial. Altogether 46 graves, starting with the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age, continuing with interments from Late Antiquity and concluding with the 14th cent. AD, were documented. Their archaeological discussion forms the core of the volume. A series of 21 radiocarbon dates, an anthropological study including isotope data, as well as a comprehensive programme of chemical analysis (with portable XRF) targeting obsidian, ceramic and metal finds contribute to produce one of the most fine-grained sets of burial data available from the Southern Caucasus.
Tin was a crucial commodity in prehistory to produce bronze, and knowledge of the origins of this... more Tin was a crucial commodity in prehistory to produce bronze, and knowledge of the origins of this metal is important for understanding cultural relations and the complexity and extent of trade. However, many aspects of the provenance of tin are still not resolved. A recent study in Science Advances 8(48) examined the historically significant tin ingots from the Uluburun shipwreck, which are key to the economy and long-distance trade of tin in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean and beyond. Isotopic and chemical data of the objects was collected, from which a tin origin from Central Asia, particularly Mushiston in Tajikistan, and Anatolia was reconstructed. The study thereby proposed a solution to the long-standing riddle of tin provenance via scientific reasoning and comparative data. While this avenue of investigation is intriguing, this article maintains that the authors’ arguments do not support their far-reaching conclusions. Instead, it emphasises the similarities with Late and M...
The Bronze Age in Central Asia was dominated by the Andronovo Culture and the Bactria-Margiana Ar... more The Bronze Age in Central Asia was dominated by the Andronovo Culture and the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC). Both cultural entities produced bronze, however, the extent of bronze production and use varied considerably in space and time across their territories. The introduction and spread of bronze metallurgy in the region is commonly associated with the Andronovo Culture, but comparatively little is known about the copper and tin sources that were exploited to make the bronze. To shed light on this aspect, this paper examines 91 bronze artefacts from the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) and the Late Bronze Age (LBA) recovered from twenty sites of Andronovo and the BMAC through a combined evaluation of chemical and isotopic analyses. Trace element patterns and isotopic compositions of lead, tin, and copper are determined for the objects complemented by tin isotope analysis of Central Asian tin ores. The data shows a clear separation of two source areas in the MBA and LBA I: ...
The article provides a short overview and catalogue of seals and ornamented beads from the Sapall... more The article provides a short overview and catalogue of seals and ornamented beads from the Sapalli Culture sites of Sapallitepe, Dzarkutan, Tilla Bulak and Bustan.
13th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection, Aug 28, 2019
The archaeological site of Gumbati is located on the right bank of the Alazani River in the Kakhe... more The archaeological site of Gumbati is located on the right bank of the Alazani River in the Kakheti region, Georgia. Excavations in the 1990s (Knauß 2000: 119-130) revealed parts of a rectangular building made with mudbrick walls of 2m width on average. Its southern extension is almost 40m in length. Stone column bases, typical of an Achaemenid royal style well-known from ancient Persia were found around the building. Because of its architectural characteristics, it was interpreted as the remains of one of the administrative complexes controlling the Transcaucasus,
Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication... more Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia.
Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia, 2012
The ivory belt-plate, one of two found in a burial at the site of Tilla Bulak, Uzbekistan, shows ... more The ivory belt-plate, one of two found in a burial at the site of Tilla Bulak, Uzbekistan, shows a battle scene between two groups of mounted warriors. It belongs to a small group of figural belt plates from the region and is dated iconographically to the 1st century BC / 1st century AD. The elephant tooth from which it was worked was more than 2000 years old at the time.
– New outstanding Achaemenid monumental complex in the periphery of the Persian Empire. – Magneto... more – New outstanding Achaemenid monumental complex in the periphery of the Persian Empire. – Magnetometer and ERT prospecting of adobe mud-brick architecture. – Test excavation, soil magnetic studies on top soils, mudbricks and excavation profiles.
Džarkutan Nekropole 4A. Katalog der Bestattungen, 2024
The monograph contains the catalogue and available visual documentation of the Bronze Age necropo... more The monograph contains the catalogue and available visual documentation of the Bronze Age necropolis of Dzarkutan 4a in Southern Uzbekistan. It is preceded by an introduction to the field of research and basic distribution maps across the cemetery, and it concludes with a discussion of funerary rites by Mike Teufer.
Abstract: This volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Institute for Near Eastern Archeology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. It draws from archives, research and administrative data, but above all from the memories of its members since its foundation in 1970. The history of the institute, teaching experience and research achievements are the three intertwined cornerstones between which the contributions move. The vivid image of a community of practitioners is both a tribute to the past and an encouragement for further exploration of the "cradle of cultures".
Der vorliegende Band feiert das 50-jährige Bestehen des Instituts für Vorderasiatische Archäologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Er schöpft aus Archivalien, Forschungs- und Verwaltungsdaten, vor allem aber aus den Erinnerungen seiner Mitglieder seit der Gründung im Jahr 1970. Institutsgeschichte, Lehrerfahrungen und Forschungsleistung sind die drei vielfach ineinander verwobenen Eckpunkte, zwischen denen sich die Beiträge bewegen. Das lebendige Bild einer Gemeinschaft von Praktizierenden ist zugleich Würdigung des Vergangenen und Werbung für eine weitergehende Erforschung der „Wiege der Kulturen”.
The volume deals with the metal objects of the Sapalli culture (S. Uzbekistan), their chronology,... more The volume deals with the metal objects of the Sapalli culture (S. Uzbekistan), their chronology, distribution, materiality, and uses in Late Bronze society's funerary customs.
The 6th volume of the MAAO series details the results of two seasons of excavation carried out on... more The 6th volume of the MAAO series details the results of two seasons of excavation carried out on Karacamirli Tepe 5, a small hill near the southern bank of the river Kura in Shamkir District, Azerbaijan. The site was first occupied in the 5th millennium BC, from which several pits containing pottery and obsidian could be studied. After the mid-2nd mill. BC, Tepe 5 saw repeated use as a place of burial. Altogether 46 graves, starting with the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age, continuing with interments from Late Antiquity and concluding with the 14th cent. AD, were documented. Their archaeological discussion forms the core of the volume. A series of 21 radiocarbon dates, an anthropological study including isotope data, as well as a comprehensive programme of chemical analysis (with portable XRF) targeting obsidian, ceramic and metal finds contribute to produce one of the most fine-grained sets of burial data available from the Southern Caucasus.
Tin was a crucial commodity in prehistory to produce bronze, and knowledge of the origins of this... more Tin was a crucial commodity in prehistory to produce bronze, and knowledge of the origins of this metal is important for understanding cultural relations and the complexity and extent of trade. However, many aspects of the provenance of tin are still not resolved. A recent study in Science Advances 8(48) examined the historically significant tin ingots from the Uluburun shipwreck, which are key to the economy and long-distance trade of tin in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean and beyond. Isotopic and chemical data of the objects was collected, from which a tin origin from Central Asia, particularly Mushiston in Tajikistan, and Anatolia was reconstructed. The study thereby proposed a solution to the long-standing riddle of tin provenance via scientific reasoning and comparative data. While this avenue of investigation is intriguing, this article maintains that the authors’ arguments do not support their far-reaching conclusions. Instead, it emphasises the similarities with Late and M...
The Bronze Age in Central Asia was dominated by the Andronovo Culture and the Bactria-Margiana Ar... more The Bronze Age in Central Asia was dominated by the Andronovo Culture and the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC). Both cultural entities produced bronze, however, the extent of bronze production and use varied considerably in space and time across their territories. The introduction and spread of bronze metallurgy in the region is commonly associated with the Andronovo Culture, but comparatively little is known about the copper and tin sources that were exploited to make the bronze. To shed light on this aspect, this paper examines 91 bronze artefacts from the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) and the Late Bronze Age (LBA) recovered from twenty sites of Andronovo and the BMAC through a combined evaluation of chemical and isotopic analyses. Trace element patterns and isotopic compositions of lead, tin, and copper are determined for the objects complemented by tin isotope analysis of Central Asian tin ores. The data shows a clear separation of two source areas in the MBA and LBA I: ...
The article provides a short overview and catalogue of seals and ornamented beads from the Sapall... more The article provides a short overview and catalogue of seals and ornamented beads from the Sapalli Culture sites of Sapallitepe, Dzarkutan, Tilla Bulak and Bustan.
13th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection, Aug 28, 2019
The archaeological site of Gumbati is located on the right bank of the Alazani River in the Kakhe... more The archaeological site of Gumbati is located on the right bank of the Alazani River in the Kakheti region, Georgia. Excavations in the 1990s (Knauß 2000: 119-130) revealed parts of a rectangular building made with mudbrick walls of 2m width on average. Its southern extension is almost 40m in length. Stone column bases, typical of an Achaemenid royal style well-known from ancient Persia were found around the building. Because of its architectural characteristics, it was interpreted as the remains of one of the administrative complexes controlling the Transcaucasus,
Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication... more Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia.
Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia, 2012
The ivory belt-plate, one of two found in a burial at the site of Tilla Bulak, Uzbekistan, shows ... more The ivory belt-plate, one of two found in a burial at the site of Tilla Bulak, Uzbekistan, shows a battle scene between two groups of mounted warriors. It belongs to a small group of figural belt plates from the region and is dated iconographically to the 1st century BC / 1st century AD. The elephant tooth from which it was worked was more than 2000 years old at the time.
– New outstanding Achaemenid monumental complex in the periphery of the Persian Empire. – Magneto... more – New outstanding Achaemenid monumental complex in the periphery of the Persian Empire. – Magnetometer and ERT prospecting of adobe mud-brick architecture. – Test excavation, soil magnetic studies on top soils, mudbricks and excavation profiles.
Archaologische Mitteilungen Aus Iran Und Turan, 2001
... Zur Sequenz des Gräberfeldes von Rannij Tulchar und seiner Bedeutung für die Chronologie des ... more ... Zur Sequenz des Gräberfeldes von Rannij Tulchar und seiner Bedeutung für die Chronologie des spätbronzezeitlichen Baktrien = On the Sequence of the Rannij Tulchar Necropolis and Its Significance for the Chronology of the Late Bronze Age in Bactria. Auteur(s) / Author(s). ...
Morphological analyses of archaeological human skeletal remains often include craniometric measur... more Morphological analyses of archaeological human skeletal remains often include craniometric measurements. However, the detection of individuals which are different from others with respect to craniometry is difficult and often based on subjective thresholds.In a case study on archaeological human remains from the Southern Caucasus the cranial morphology was analyzed. Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering allows the classification of groups according to craniometric indices. This mathematical tool also detects individuals with conspicuous craniometry based on a multi-dimensional dataset. Stable isotope analyses validate a non-local origin of some of these conspicuous individuals.While this clustering method has been recently proven a valid tool for the interpretation of multi-dimensional stable isotope data, the clustering of (metric) morphological data of human skeletal remains is a promising field of application for GMM cluster analysis. The present study shows that morphological analyses of human skeletal remains will benefit from the GMM clustering approach resulting in new (additional) information otherwise invisible by conventional analyses. Moreover, combining stable isotope data and GMM clustering results is a new interpretative approach for provenience analysis of archaeological individuals.
International ardieological expedition makes research in
settlement belonging V-IV century BC, ne... more International ardieological expedition makes research in settlement belonging V-IV century BC, near Gamgemidi village of Shamkir distiict of Azerbaijan since 2016. In this large teritory there are remains of big public buildings typycal tor Ahamenid culture. Main building of this setllement was the great palace, remains of which are discovered on 2 hills called Idealtepe and Gurbantepe. Propiles of die palace were located on Idealtepe, while main building of it was on Gurbantepe. Palace on Gurbantepe had portico with 12 pillars, big hall tor audiences, odier halls with pillars, long corridors and many other accommodations. Excavations gave approximate measurements of dimensions of the palace. In some places in 30-60 cm depth of the ground remaining upper part of walls made of mud brick have been found. In places where excavations made floor deep, 2 types of monolith pillar basis discovered. Till now in each of two halls 4 bell shaped basis of pillars discovered. In portico and other halls basis of pillars were stair like quadrangular in shape with round tora on top. Pillars on these were made of wood. Only on partially cleared small portion of floor 22 pillar basis found. Two of them were discovered in 2013, This basis also were quadrangular and upper part of them was broken. In 2014 colleagues from Germany succeeded to get grant to continue excavations in Garajernirli in 2014-2015. This grant mainly was given for excavations in Ilyastepe hill. This year expedition made little for research of main palace on Gurbantepe of the settlement. Here was discovered one more quadrangular stair like pillar base and now 22 of basis are known. Till now very litle portion of the palace is unearthed. Excavations show that in audience hall under the pillar basis there is layer of pebble around 1 m thick. Mud brick walls, also, were built on 12-15 cm pebble layer basernent. New big fragments suggestive of stone storage pils whre also found. Main excavations made on Ilyastepe hill which is located 1 km to north-east from the palace. All over die surface of the hill, in die territory with the diameter of 60 m there are widely spread fragments of pottery and small particles of limestone which 15 used tor making pillar basis. The fragments of big agricultural pitchers and bowls frequently had been seen. On the eastern part of the hill mud brick walls are discovered. In die centre of the hill there is mund shaped pillar base with spikes on the sides. There is semicircular line made of one layer of smoth stone on die western part of die hill. We suggest hat an this hill there were spiritual constructions. We hope hat in 2015 all remains in this hill will be opened.
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Abstract: This volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Institute for Near Eastern Archeology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. It draws from archives, research and administrative data, but above all from the memories of its members since its foundation in 1970. The history of the institute, teaching experience and research achievements are the three intertwined cornerstones between which the contributions move. The vivid image of a community of practitioners is both a tribute to the past and an encouragement for further exploration of the "cradle of cultures".
Der vorliegende Band feiert das 50-jährige Bestehen des Instituts für Vorderasiatische Archäologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Er schöpft aus Archivalien, Forschungs- und Verwaltungsdaten, vor allem aber aus den Erinnerungen seiner Mitglieder seit der Gründung im Jahr 1970. Institutsgeschichte, Lehrerfahrungen und Forschungsleistung sind die drei vielfach ineinander verwobenen Eckpunkte, zwischen denen sich die Beiträge bewegen. Das lebendige Bild einer Gemeinschaft von Praktizierenden ist zugleich Würdigung des Vergangenen und Werbung für eine weitergehende Erforschung der „Wiege der Kulturen”.
Papers
Abstract: This volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Institute for Near Eastern Archeology at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. It draws from archives, research and administrative data, but above all from the memories of its members since its foundation in 1970. The history of the institute, teaching experience and research achievements are the three intertwined cornerstones between which the contributions move. The vivid image of a community of practitioners is both a tribute to the past and an encouragement for further exploration of the "cradle of cultures".
Der vorliegende Band feiert das 50-jährige Bestehen des Instituts für Vorderasiatische Archäologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Er schöpft aus Archivalien, Forschungs- und Verwaltungsdaten, vor allem aber aus den Erinnerungen seiner Mitglieder seit der Gründung im Jahr 1970. Institutsgeschichte, Lehrerfahrungen und Forschungsleistung sind die drei vielfach ineinander verwobenen Eckpunkte, zwischen denen sich die Beiträge bewegen. Das lebendige Bild einer Gemeinschaft von Praktizierenden ist zugleich Würdigung des Vergangenen und Werbung für eine weitergehende Erforschung der „Wiege der Kulturen”.
settlement belonging V-IV century BC, near Gamgemidi village of
Shamkir distiict of Azerbaijan since 2016. In this large
teritory there are remains of big public buildings typycal tor
Ahamenid culture. Main building of this setllement was the
great palace, remains of which are discovered on 2 hills called
Idealtepe and Gurbantepe. Propiles of die palace were
located on Idealtepe, while main building of it was on Gurbantepe. Palace on Gurbantepe had portico with 12 pillars,
big hall tor audiences, odier halls with pillars, long corridors
and many other accommodations.
Excavations gave approximate measurements of dimensions of the palace. In some places in 30-60 cm depth of the
ground remaining upper part of walls made of mud brick
have been found.
In places where excavations made floor deep, 2 types of
monolith pillar basis discovered. Till now in each of two halls
4 bell shaped basis of pillars discovered. In portico and other
halls basis of pillars were stair like quadrangular in shape with
round tora on top. Pillars on these were made of wood. Only
on partially cleared small portion of floor 22 pillar basis found.
Two of them were discovered in 2013, This basis also were
quadrangular and upper part of them was broken.
In 2014 colleagues from Germany succeeded to get grant
to continue excavations in Garajernirli in 2014-2015. This
grant mainly was given for excavations in Ilyastepe hill. This
year expedition made little for research of main palace on
Gurbantepe of the settlement. Here was discovered one more
quadrangular stair like pillar base and now 22 of basis are
known. Till now very litle portion of the palace is unearthed.
Excavations show that in audience hall under the pillar basis
there is layer of pebble around 1 m thick. Mud brick walls,
also, were built on 12-15 cm pebble layer basernent. New big
fragments suggestive of stone storage pils whre also found.
Main excavations made on Ilyastepe hill which is located 1
km to north-east from the palace. All over die surface of the
hill, in die territory with the diameter of 60 m there are
widely spread fragments of pottery and small particles of
limestone which 15 used tor making pillar basis. The fragments of big agricultural pitchers and bowls frequently had
been seen.
On the eastern part of the hill mud brick walls are
discovered. In die centre of the hill there is mund shaped
pillar base with spikes on the sides. There is semicircular line
made of one layer of smoth stone on die western part of die
hill. We suggest hat an this hill there were spiritual constructions. We hope hat in 2015 all remains in this hill will be opened.