ARCHAEOLOGø CAL MONUMENTS OF THE BRONZE AGE AND EARLY IRON AGE OF THE ZAYAMCHAY BASIN SHAMKIR REGION

Abstract

In accordance with the program of archaeological research on new construction sites, numerous archaeological sites were discovered in the oil and gas projects of BTC, SCP and SCPX (2003-2017) in recent years in the Shamkir region, along the banks of the Zayam River. These monuments consist mainly of burial mounds of the period of bronze and early iron, catacomb graves, and soil graves with stone covering and without covering, and also from settlements. Funeral monuments of the Zayamchay basin differ in their type and more in accordance with the natural-geographical conditions. In comparison with the basins of such rivers as Shamkirchay and Ganjachay there are fewer mounds in this basin. The Zayamchay basin is characterized by stone boxes and stonecovered burials. In the study zone, most of the mounds are in the middle and lower reaches of the Zayamchay River. These, not very high mounds are located in a single order. The mounds of the Zayamchay burial mounds are not high and have small dimensions. But there are some mounds that are large in size, belong to the category of classical barrows. An example of this can serve as mounds for numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6, excavated on the left bank of the river Zayam. Most likely, some of these mounds belong to the period of medium bronze, and some to the beginning of the late Bronze, contain elements of the transition from the middle bronze to the plate. It is likely that members of the society with a special status were buried in the barrows discovered in the Zayamchay necropolis. This conclusion leads to fidelity to archaic traditions, observed in the structure of burial mounds and analysis of funerary inventory. Thus, the funerary monuments of the Zayamchay Basin of the late Bronze Age - Early Iron are different in their type and are arranged in accordance with the natural and geographical conditions of the basin. Here one should take into account another important factor related to the seasonal migration of the inhabitants of the basin, which, along with cattle farming, was involved, which could not but affect the habitat of the funerary monuments. During this period, cattle breeding comes to the fore and small-livestock becomes a source of wealth. Based on the location of archaeological sites and especially the funerary monuments of the Zayamchay basin it is not difficult to determine the grave types of mountain, foothill and flat areas. Archaeological research has shown that burials such as stone boxes, burial mounds and simple graves are prevalent in this basin. The presence of stone boxes with cromlechs, although proven, excavations in them have not yet been carried out. Here it should be noted and the fact that, regardless of location and number, excavations of previously listed funerary types were not unambiguous. Funeral monuments of the Zayamchay basin were laid near the settlements. But the funerary monuments were studied better. A more detailed archaeological study of settlements of the Zaryamchay necropolis of settlements "Sari Rama", as well as Uzerliktepe, is a means of revealing more weighty facts about economic activity, habitat, economic and cultural ties of the tribes inhabiting the Kura basin, which also includes the Zayam river basin during the Bronze Age and early iron A more thorough study, from an archaeological point of view, of the settlements of Sari Rama, Meshetepe, Gemetepe and Uzerliktepe, related to the Zayamchay necropolis, is an important means to reveal facts about economic activity, habitat, economic and cultural ties of tribes inhabiting the middle basin Kura, including the Zayam river basin in the period of bronze and early iron.