In the village of Aknashen, children often run to the outskirts, driven by curiosity to climb the hill where archaeological excavations of an ancient Neolithic monument are underway. However, the excavation area is not a safe place to play, as explained by Dr. Ruben Badalyan, head of the expedition and the early archaeology department at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
The Beginnings of the Excavation
The study of this unique settlement began in 1998, was suspended, and then resumed in 2004. Despite the hill’s small size, the cultural layer formed by successive settlements is more than 5 meters high, notes Badalyan.
Discoveries and Insights
During the excavations, a wealth of information was uncovered. For instance, in the 7th – early 6th millennia BC, there was a lake in the Ararat Valley, formed after a volcanic eruption that blocked the Araks River bed with lava flows. As the water level in the lake gradually dropped, a settlement was founded on its shores in the first half of the 6th millennium BC, marking the first known Neolithic settlement in the Ararat Valley.
“Everything known before this period refers mainly to cave shelters, camps, and temporary settlements. Here, we are dealing with a sedentary settlement, including the first experiences of house building and ceramic production,” says Badalyan.
The Inhabitants and Their Culture
It is too early to determine who exactly settled in this territory at the beginning of the 6th millennium BC, as there are no written sources to identify their language. However, continuous settlement began from this time, marking the start of a long sequence that eventually led to the formation of modern society.
Among the finds, tools made mainly of bones and obsidian mined from the Geghama Range volcanoes are prominent. Jewelry such as hairpins, chain fragments, and bone spoons were also discovered, indicating that the inhabitants valued aesthetics and decorated themselves, their clothes, and tools. There is even evidence of the use of cosmetics.
Unique Artifacts and Cultural Connections
A few years ago, a stone block with images in the form of alternating eights was found. While it is assumed to be a seal, its exact use remains unknown. It could have been a tool for applying ornaments to ceramics.
The most valuable finds are those that suggest contacts between the Aknashen population and Middle Eastern cultures. Samples of painted ceramics from Syria and Mesopotamia, as well as sea shells indicating possible transit contacts with the Red and Mediterranean Sea populations, show that cultural and economic ties were developing as early as the 6th millennium BC.
Livelihood and Burial Practices
The data suggest that the inhabitants bred cattle, some pigs, and dogs. The skeletons discovered indicate that the dead were usually buried individually under the floors of houses, inside dwellings, in a bent position on their sides.
Abandonment and Future Excavations
The settlement was abandoned in the middle of the 6th millennium BC, possibly due to natural, social, or political circumstances. Excavations in Aknashen will continue for about 10 more years, or until archaeologists reach the very bottom layer corresponding to the settlement’s foundation.
The ongoing research in Aknashen provides valuable insights into the Neolithic era and the early development of human society in the Ararat Valley. As excavations continue, more discoveries are expected to shed light on this ancient settlement and its inhabitants.
