Two major rivers, the Kura and Araxes, form the natural boundaries of an early bronze culture known as the “Kura Araxes Culture.” The Kura River originates in the Caucasus Mountains in the north; the Araxes River originates in the Taurus mountains to the south. Nestled between the two mountain ranges, the Ararat Plain is a vast stretch of fertile land, named after Mount Ararat which is the highest mountain in the Taurus Range and the famous resting place for Noah’s ark.

Situated on the banks of the Hrazdan River, a tributary of the Araxes, beneath the shadow of Mount Ararat, Shengavit is one of the most important archaeological sites in southern Caucasus. Excavations were initiated there in the the 1930’s but these did not last for more than a couple years. More extensive excavations at the site were conducted by a group of Russian archaeologists from 1958 to 1983, while more recent excavations were initiated by Armenia starting in 2008.

The Village

Largely insulated from southern cultural influences emanating from Sumer, the people who lived in this region during the Early Bronze period congregated in what might better be termed villages rather than cities. No palatial structures have been found in connection with the Kura Araxes culture at Shengavit, or elsewhere.¹Sagona 2017, 231 Their houses were built on a circular floorplan, which makes sense in a village setting, but not in a city where space is limited. Although the Kura Araxes belongs to the Early Bronze period, there are many aspects of it that look “neolithic”.

The Taurus mountains were an important source of obsidian and copper. Having excavated at Shengavit for one season in 2023, I had an opportunity to see this culture up close. Key indicators that we had reached an occupation level were the large numbers of discarded obsidian flakes and black burnished pottery we encountered.

Hearth

A “trefoil” shaped pottery hearth was often found at the center of the round houses at Shengavit. Its cloverleaf shape served the very practical purpose of cradling several cooking pots. Coals from the central fire were scooped into the “lobes” of the hearth beneath the cooking pot, thus providing a means of regulating the temperature of the cooking fire. It was in essence a well designed kitchen range.

It is probably not a coincidence that the word “hearth” (Proto-Indo-European “ker”) is closely related to “heart” (Proto-Indo-European “kerd”). The hearth was the central place in the home where the family gathered to stay warm, where the women did their weaving, and apparently also where everyone slept, since no partitions were found in the round houses.

In addition to pottery hearths, the Kura Araxes culture is also known for using pottery “andirons.” These were essentially clay tripods that operated as portable pot supports. Instead of enclosing the fire, they were made to be set in the coals of an open fire. The ends of the andirons were often decorated with a human face, a unique marker of the Kura Araxes culture. The ends were also the most fragile part of an andiron, and were therefore liable to break off in the fire. Large numbers of pottery andirons have been found in settlements belonging to this culture.