Metsamor Archaeological Site
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Armenia · Armavir
In brief
Metsamor, near Taronik, consists of a citadel, residential quarters, sanctuaries and an extensive necropolis. Excavations demonstrate the settlement's importance for metalworking and the Bronze and Iron Age history of the Araxes Valley.
What was found?
- 1Double burial with gold jewelry
More than a hundred beads and gold pendants were found in an unlooted stone cist grave in which two people were buried together. According to researchers, the pieces probably belonged to three necklaces.
- 2Carnelian pendants
Dozens of pendants made of carnelian, a reddish agate, were found in the grave. Together with the gold objects, they form a rich jewelry assemblage.
- 3Faience bottle
The archaeological faience bottle in the grave was not locally produced. According to researchers, it was brought from the Syria–Mesopotamia border region.
- 4Wooden burial bed
The remains of a wooden burial bed were preserved in the stone cist grave. They document the use of wooden furnishings in placing the deceased.
- 5Metal smelting and casting installations
Furnaces and metalworking installations set into the rock have been found at the site. They are tangible remains of metal production at Metsamor.
What does it point to?
The jewelry and furnishings of the grave, dated to 1300–1200 BC, show that the deceased were laid to rest with rich belongings. According to researchers, the imported bottle reflects distant connections, while the furnaces document the settlement's production activities.
What did it teach us?
- The unlooted grave preserved the burial arrangement in which jewelry and vessels were deposited together.
- The remains of the wooden bed provided information about the furnishings inside the grave.
- According to researchers, the faience bottle provided evidence of the circulation of objects with distant regions.
- Furnaces and casting installations documented metalworking in the settlement.
Latest news / selected archive
A statement published in 2023 presented the gold jewelry and imported faience bottle from a burial for two people, discovered during the 2022 excavations and dated to 1300-1200 BCE.
Record
- Culture
- Bronze and Iron Age communities of the Araxes Valley; Urartu
- First modern dig
- 1965
- Team / historical
- Krzysztof Jakubiak ve Ashot Piliposyan; Ermeni-Polonya arkeoloji heyeti
- Coordinates
- 40.1267°, 44.1864°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Erebuni Fortress 30 km
- Artaxata 43 km
- Ani 67 km
- Areni-1 Cave 97 km
- Dmanisi 135 km
- Kultepe I 144 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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HeritageDaily ↗ - Eight 5,000-year-old loaves of bread found at Seyitömer Höyüğü
Excavations in Kütahya uncovered eight loaves of bread preserved by charring in a fire, along with wheat and lentil remains. Found alongside the remains of an oven and shelves, the food provides direct evidence of diet and household food storage practices in the Early Bronze Age.
Arkeofili ↗ - 280 prehistoric engravings documented in a cave in Spain
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Heritage Daily ↗ - Rock-cut seats and painted Etruscan tombs found in Italy
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