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Gateway to the Yayla: The Varneti Archaeological Complex in the Southern Caucasus Highlands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2018

William Anderson ,
Michelle Negus Cleary Open the ORCID record for Michelle Negus Cleary [Opens in a new window] ,
Jessie Birkett-Rees Open the ORCID record for Jessie Birkett-Rees [Opens in a new window] ,
Damjan Krsmanovic  and
Nikoloz Tskvitinidze
William Anderson
Affiliation:
John Cronin and Associates, Ireland
Michelle Negus Cleary
Affiliation:
Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Melbourne, Australia
Jessie Birkett-Rees
Affiliation:
Centre for Ancient Cultures, Monash University, Australia
Damjan Krsmanovic
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, UK
Nikoloz Tskvitinidze
Affiliation:
Cultural Resources Exploration Centre, Tbilisi, Georgia
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Abstract

Recent ground surveys in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of southern Georgia have investigated a previously undocumented group of sites along a ridge overlooking the upper Kura river valley. Features and artefacts recorded at Varneti suggest long but episodic occupation from the Chalcolithic to the later medieval periods, with prominent phases in the Early to Middle Bronze Age and the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age. Varneti has the potential to contribute to understanding economic and strategic aspects of the long-term settlement pattern in the southern Caucasus, especially the interplay between lowland and highland zones. Its position in the landscape, at a transitional point between the river valley and the upland pasture (yayla), may explain its persistent use by agro-pastoral communities that operated in varied cultural situations. The survey results help us frame a series of questions regarding economic and social dynamics at a local and regional scale and the continuity and discontinuity of practice in highland environments through long timespans.

Des prospections de terrain récemment effectuées dans la région de Samtskhe-Javakheti dans le sud de la Géorgie se sont concentrées sur un groupe de sites jusqu’à maintenant inexploré le long d'une crête surplombant la vallée de la rivière Kura. Les sites et objets relevés à Varneti indiquent que cette zone a été occupée longtemps mais épisodiquement à partir du Chalcolithique jusqu’à la fin du Moyen Age, particulièrement à l’âge du Bronze ancien et moyen et à l’âge du Bronze final jusqu'au début de l’âge du Fer. Varneti est capable de contribuer à notre connaissance des aspects économiques et stratégiques du milieu habité sur la longue durée dans le Caucase méridional et de nous éclairer sur les rapports entre les zones de hauteurs et les terres basses. La situation de Varneti dans le paysage, à la charnière entre la vallée et les hauts pâturages (yayla) explique son occupation persistante par des communautés agro-pastorales vivant sous divers régimes culturels. Les résultats de nos prospections nous permettent de formuler une série de questions sur les vecteurs économiques et sociaux à l’échelle locale et régionale et de nous interroger sur la continuité ou la discontinuité des pratiques dans un milieu montagneux sur la longue durée. Translation by Madeleine Hummler

Eine neue Geländeaufnahme in der Gegend von Samtskhe-Javakheti in Südgeorgien hat eine bisher unbekannte Gruppe von Fundstellen entlang eines Hügelkamms oberhalb des Flusstals der Kura. Die Stätten und Artefakten, die wir vermessen haben, zeigen, dass Varneti sehr lang aber episodisch besiedelt war, nämlich von der Kupferzeit bis zum Spätmittelalter, mit Hauptphasen in der Früh- bis Mittelbronzezeit und in der Spätbronzezeit bis Früheisenzeit. Varneti kann uns wertvolle Hinweise über die wirtschaftliche und strategische Gestaltung der langfristigen Besiedlung im Südkaukasus geben, vor allem über die Wechselbeziehungen zwischen den Tief- und Hochlandzonen. Seine Lage in der Landschaft, zwischen dem Flusstal und den Hochweiden (yayla) erklärt vielleicht, warum dieser Bereich immer wieder von Viehzüchter- und Ackerbauergemeinschaften in verschiedenen kulturellen Umständen besiedelt wurde. Die Ergebnisse der Geländeaufnahmen helfen uns, die Fragestellungen über die wirtschaftliche und soziale Dynamik auf lokaler und regionaler Ebene zu formulieren und die Kontinuität oder Diskontinuität der Praxis über einem längeren Zeitraum im Tiefland und Hochland zu untersuchen. Translation by Madeleine Hummler

Keywords

Southern CaucasusEurasiahighland landscapesagro-pastoralismfortificationepisodic occupationarchaeological surveyCaucase méridionalEurasiepaysage des hauteursagro-pastoralismefortificationsoccupation épisodiqueprospections archéologiquesSüdkaukasusEurasienGebirgslandschaftViehzucht und AckerbauBefestigungepisodische Besiedlungarchäologische Geländeaufnahme
Type
Article
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , February 2019 , pp. 22 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 2018 

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