Kültəpə I

Kültəpə I (also written Kyul-Tepe or Kültepe - leading to confusions with homonymous archaeological sites in Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran), is an archaeological site located in the center of Kültəpə village (lat 39.2720° long 45.4555°). The site is famous for its particularly long-lasting occupation for the region (from the beginning of the 6th mill. cal. BC up to the modern period) over 22 meters thick deposits. The main occupation periods at the site are dated to the Neolithic ( the whole 6th mill. cal. BC) and to the Early Bronze Age (from the end of theth to the mid-3rd mill. cal. BC).

The site has been excavated under the direction of Osman A. Abibullaev between 1951 and 1964. These researches were published in a couple of short articles in Russian, a booklet in Azeri in 1959, and a posthumous book published in Russian in 1982. These publications are however not detailed enough to understand fully the stratigraphy, chronology, material culture and subsistence strategies of the different occupation periods.

A new publication of the results of Osman A. Abibullaev's excavations is currently in progress with the generous support of the Shelby White and Leon Levy Program for Archaeological Publications.

Publication of the O.A. Abibullaev's Excavations at Kültəpə I (PAEK)

Archaeological investigations were resumed at Kültəpə I from 2012 onwards. They aim at precising the stratigraphy and chronology of this complex site and gathering new data, bioarchaeological ones in particular, which will improve our understanding of the neolithisation process in the Araxes basin.

New Archaeological Investigations at Kültəpə I (2012-2017)