The East of East Anatolia from the Beginning of the 4th Millennium BC to the End of the 3rd Millennium BC: Van, Ağri, Iğdır - Internal Dynamics, External Stakeholders
Abstract
The ground date of Ağrı and Iğdır, which we have assessed in the east half of the Eastern Anatolia Region, has been drawn back to the middle of the 5th millennium BC by means of recent studies conducted. This chronology can be drawn back to the middle of the 6th millennium BC in the Van Lake basin. As some settlements located in the mountainous areas of the South Caucasus during the prehistoric periods came to life in the 7th millennium BC, it is quite difficult in this respect to say that the settlements in the east half of East Anatolia came to life in a much later phase. The fact that Van, Ağrı and Iğdır provinces were in communication with North Syria, North Mesopotamia, Northwest Iran, Central Anatolia and South Mediterranean during the period from at least the 4th millennium BC to the 3rd millennium BC indicate that a similar situation might have been encountered in the earlier phase. Since the earliest common chronology of the three provinces determining Turkey's eastern border in north-south direction can be drawn back to the 4th millennium BC, the article is initiated at this point. The most distinct evidence defining this millennium is buff/light brown, glossy, chaff-faced ware and handmade dark gray pottery. On the other hand, the culture of the next millennium, Kura-Araxes, shows a multi-component, advanced character with its terra-cotta artifacts, architecture, socio-economic structure, belief and cult structures, burial customs, level of development in mining and metallurgy. In this study, the traces of two common cultures that lived throughout the geographies of Iğdır in the north and Van in the south have been traced by taking Ağrı to the center. The strong presence of these cultures and the fact that they have been identified in three provinces throughout South Caucasus and Northwest Iran indicate that they might have experienced the earlier period in common as well.
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References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
-
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
September 30, 2020
Submission Date
July 7, 2020
Acceptance Date
October 9, 2020
Published in Issue
Year 2020 Volume: 24 Number: 3