Anatolia Antigua XXI (2013), p. 1-21

Veli BAKHSHALIYEV* and Abbas SEYIDOV**

NEW FINDINGS FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF SADARAK (NAKHCHIVAN-AZERBAIJAN)

The favorable natural environment of the Sadarak region has encouraged settlement for several millennia. Research in the Sadarak region has revealed numerous archaeological sites dating to various periods, while recent investigations at Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlements have provided important new information both on the early economic developments of Nakhchivan and its connections to the greater Ancient Near East. Until recently, Neolithic and Early Chal¬ colithic levels had only been excavated on the set¬ tlement site of Kultepe I. An archaeological survey in the vicinity of Sirab however, has revealed nu¬ merous Chalcolithic sites, suggesting that early set¬ tlements are widespread throughout Nakhchivan, despite the paucity of excavations. The archaeological investigations on the settlement of Sadarak Kultepe, which contains rich Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age levels, are thus of particular interest.

The Neolithic age

As part of this research project, we re-analyzed artifacts deposited in the Sadarak Regional Museum of History, including two stone axes. One of them is made of a black, triangular cobble with an oval aperture drilled into the surface of the axe head (Photo 1). The second tool is made from a brown, oval cobble-stone with a round aperture drilled into the surface of the axe head (Photo 1). A third tool was given to us by the inhabitants of Karaagaç village. Similar tools are known from other Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic sites in the South Caucasus (Badalyan et al. 2010: Fig. 3-1; Abibullaev1 1982: tablo IV, 1). The stone hoe is made from a black cobble with a small oval aperture drilled into the top. Traces of use-wear are visible (Photo 2). Similar tools were found in layer "16" at Kultepe I (Hsbibul-

layev 1959: 40, Tablo 8, 1). Some related small, drilled stone-axes were found in the Early Chalcolithic layers of Kultepe I (A6n6y.ji.naeB 1982: Tablo IV, 1-3, 12). However, the Sadarak examples differ slightly from the Kultepe ones, since the stone tools from Sadarak are well burnished. By analogy with other tools from the South Caucasus (Badalyan et al. 2010: 197-198; Habibullayev 1959: 40), it is probable that these examples date to the Late Neolithic and come from the settlement of Sadarak, showing that human groups relying on agriculture had already settled in Sadarak during the Neolithic.

To date, few Neolithic sites have been excavated in Nakhchivan. The importance of these chance finds from Sadarak, however, should encourage further research.

The Chalcolithic age

In 20 1 0, another site in the region of Sadarak was investigated. The settlement is located on the plain, east of the village of Karaagaç (Photo 3). The landscape of the area is characterized by small hills and irrigation channels. The site has been damaged during irrigation work. The archaeological materials, which were found by villagers during agricultural work are now stored in the Sadarak Regional Museum of History. These archaeological materials date to a number of different periods, from the Chalcolithic to the Middle Ages. Villagers call this site 'Kultepe' or the 'City district'. Most of the settlement lies beneath cultivated fields and has been damaged; the remaining area measures 4-5 hectares in size. It should be noted that several archaeological finds are kept in the houses of Karaagaç village. During our work at the site, some of them were given to us by the villagers. Our initial investi¬ gations on the site consisted of a systematic collection