The cave site Areni-1, located in southeastern Armenia, which has been excavated during 2007-2013... more The cave site Areni-1, located in southeastern Armenia, which has been excavated during 2007-2013, yielded rich assemblages of micromammal remains from the Late Chalcolithic and Medieval sequences. In this research the tooth remains of found micromammals are reported.The tooth remains belong to (3) orders including; 1) Order Rodentia: fam. Muridae, fam. Cricetidae, fam. Gerbillidae, fam. Arvicolidae, fam. Dipodidae, fam. Soricidae and fam. Sciuridae. 2) Order Lagomorpha: fam. Ochotonidae 3) Order Chiroptera.Presented research in based on morphologic and morphometric methods using modern comparative neontological specimens of the osteological collection in NAS RA Institute of Zoology.Based on this study, paleoenvironmental aspects in Areni have been discussed, showing that the environmental interpretations drawn from the Areni-1 cave rodents are based on the use of modern analogues and the assumption that ecological requirements and/or behavior have remained constant for both the rodents and the accumulating agency.
Classification of lithic artifacts' raw materials based on macroscopic attributes (e.g., color, l... more Classification of lithic artifacts' raw materials based on macroscopic attributes (e.g., color, luster, texture) has been used to pull apart knapping episodes in palimpsest assemblages by attempting to identify artifacts produced through the reduction of an individual nodule. These classes are termed " raw material units " (RMUs) in the Old World and " minimum analytical nodules " in the New World. RMUs are most readily defined for lithic artifacts in areas with distinctive cherts and other siliceous raw materials, allowing pieces from different nodules to be recognized visually. Opportunities to apply RMUs, however, are strongly limited at sites where lithic material visual diversity is low. The magnetic properties of obsidian, which result from the presence of microscopic iron oxide mineral grains, vary spatially throughout a flow. Consequently, obsidian from different portions of a source (i.e., different outcrops or quarries) can vary in magnetic properties. This raises the possibility that magnetic-based RMUs (mRMUs) for obsidian artifacts could be effective to distinguish individual scatters from multiple production episodes and offer insights into spatial patterning within a site or specific occupation periods. First, we assess the potential of mRMUs using obsidian pebbles from Gutansar volcano in Armenia. Second, we evaluate the validity of this approach based on a double-blind test involving an experimental assemblage of Gutansar obsidian flakes. Cluster analysis can successfully discern flakes from obsidian specimens containing high concentrations of iron oxides. Obsidian with more magnetic material has more opportunities for that material to vary in unique ways (e.g., grain size, morphology, physical arrangement). Finally, we apply the mRMU approach to obsidian artifacts from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Lusakert Cave 1 in Armenia and compare the results to traditional RMU studies at contemporaneous sites in Europe. In particular, we seek e but do not find e differences between retouch flakes (which reflect rejuvenation of tools) and the other small debris (which reflect other reduction activities). This result likely reflects the local landscape, specifically the abundance of obsidian and, thus, little pressure to curate and retouch tools. As this approach is applied to additional sites, such findings will play a central role in regional assessments about the nature and timing of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic " transition " and the relationship, or lack thereof, between technological behaviors and presumed population dynamics.
Mouflon Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes Bioapatite Upper Paleolithic Northeastern Armenia a b s... more Mouflon Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes Bioapatite Upper Paleolithic Northeastern Armenia a b s t r a c t Kalavan 1 is an Epigravettian hunting campsite in the Aregunyats mountain chain in northeastern Armenia (Lesser Caucasus). The site lies at an elevation of 1640 m in a bottleneck that controls the descent into the Barepat Valley from the alpine meadows above. The lithic and faunal assemblages show evidence of the production of hunting weapons, the hunting and targeting of wild sheep (Ovis orientalis), and the constitution of animal product reserves. A seasonal occupation of the site was proposed within a model of occupation by Epigravettian hunter-gatherers that involved a search for obsidian resources in high altitude sources from the spring to the summer and settling at Kalavan 1 at the end of summer or during autumn to coincide with the migration of wild herds from the alpine meadows to the valley. A key parameter of this model is wild sheep ethology, with a specifically seasonal vertical mobility, based on observations from contemporary mouflon populations from the surrounding areas. In this study, the vertical mobility of Paleolithic wild sheep was directly investigated through sequential isotope analysis (d 18 O, d 13 C) in teeth. A marked seasonality of birth is suggested that reflects a physiological adaptation to the strong environmental constraints of this mountainous region. Most importantly, a recurrent altitu-dinal mobility was demonstrated on a seasonal basis, which confirms that wild sheep migrated from lowland areas that they occupied in the winter and then moved to higher altitude meadows during the summer. Last, low inter-individual variability in the stable isotope sequences favors a hypothesis of accumulation for these faunal remains over a short time period. Overall, this new dataset strengthens the previous interpretations for Kalavan 1 and contributes to an understanding of the pattern of occupation of mountain territories by Epigravettian communities.
In ancient DNA (aDNA) research, evolutionary and archaeological questions are often investigated ... more In ancient DNA (aDNA) research, evolutionary and archaeological questions are often investigated using the genomic sequences of organelles: mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA. Organellar genomes are found in multiple copies per living cell, increasing their chance of recovery from archaeological samples, and are inherited from one parent without genetic recombination, simplifying analyses. While mitochondrial genomes have played a key role in many mammalian aDNA projects, including research focused on prehistoric humans and extinct hominins, it is unclear how useful plant chloroplast genomes (plastomes) may be at elucidating questions related to plant evolution, crop domestication, and the prehistoric movement of botanical products through trade and migration. Such analyses are particularly challenging for plant species whose genomes have highly repetitive sequences and that undergo frequent genomic reorganization, notably species with high retrotransposon activity. To address this question, we explored the research potential of the grape (Vitis vinifera L.) plastome using targeted-enrichment methods and high-throughput DNA sequencing on a collection of archaeological grape pip and vine specimens from sites across Eurasia dating ca. 4000 BCEe1500 CE. We demonstrate that due to unprecedented numbers of sequence insertions into the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, the grape plastome provides limited intraspecific phylogenetic resolution. Nonetheless, we were able to assign archaeological specimens in
The morphogenetic evolution of the Lesser Caucasus has been strongly influenced by Plio-Quaternar... more The morphogenetic evolution of the Lesser Caucasus has been strongly influenced by Plio-Quaternary volcanic and tectonic events and Pleistocene glaciations. Fluvio-lacustrine environments, indicated by diatomaceous deposits, prevailed in the Syunik region of southern Armenia during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. The Pleistocene diatomaceous deposits studied contain leaf impressions and pollen, allowing local palaeoclimatic reconstructions. The chronology of morphogenetic events has been determined by 17 radiometric dates (K/Ar, Ar/Ar, U/Th), palaeomagnetic investigations and is placed in a spatial context by a detailed geomorphological map and a 24-km geological transect of the Vorotan valley, the main area studied. Before 1.21 Ma, tectonic movements (antecedents of the lower part of the Vorotan valley) generated extensive lake formations with diatomaceous deposits. From 993 ka, volcanic eruptions produced lava flows that covered the fluvio-lacustrine accumulations. During Marine Isotopic Stages 12, 6 and 4, glaciers and fluvio-glacial deposits were probably present overall the principal uplands and valleys of southern Armenia. At 53.68 ka (MIS 3), 12.6 ka, 10.78 ka and 4.14 ka (MIS 1), the development of travertines on some slopes and in some valleys highlights temperate and humid climatic phases. Palaeobotanical studies of leaf and pollen floras show that the vegetation changed several times from forested to steppic phases in response to the climate oscillations of the Lower Pleistocene. This work proposes a first morphogenic and palaeoclimatic reconstruction from the lower Pleistocene to the Postglacial period, when the first settlements of the population in the Lesser Caucasus were influenced by tectono-volcanic events, lake level changes and glacial–interglacial oscillations forced by the obliquity orbital parameter (41 ky cycles).
The Armenian kites are the northernmost known kites in south-west Asia. In contrast
to those in t... more The Armenian kites are the northernmost known kites in south-west Asia. In contrast to those in the deserts further south, their research has only recently begun. The Armenian kites are situated at high elevations, mostly between 900 and 1500 m above mean sea level, in steppic conditions where Artemisia is at present the dominant shrub on the landscape. In our ongoing project we excavated three V-shaped kites and one enclosure kite. The two kinds are similar in construction details, but they differ in size and location: the former run down into gullies, while the latter were placed on the plateau. Six OSL ages suggest terminal Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age construction dates, while geomorphological considerations and surface artefacts suggest earlier dates. A preliminary palynological study suggests a gradual increase in grazing-resistant vegetation since the mid-Holocene, probably reflecting human impact on the natural vegetation through the herding of grazing animals.
The Armenian Highlands have functioned as a gateway with regards to the peopling of the Southern ... more The Armenian Highlands have functioned as a gateway with regards to the peopling of the Southern Caucasus. Most importantly, changes in climate have long controlled access to this remote and often inhospitable mountainous region. Here we present the results of the multidisciplinary study of Aghitu-3 Cave which brings together researchers from the fields of archaeology, geology and geomorphology, zooarchaeology, paleobotany and paleoclimate. By integrating these areas of study, we have reconstructed the lifeways of the earliest behaviorally (and presumably anatomically) modern humans who settled Southern Armenia about 35,000 (cal BP) years ago and placed this occupational sequence within a framework of environmental change. These first Upper Paleolithic inhabitants of Armenia made temporary use of this basalt cave located along the Vorotan River corridor at an altitude of 1601 m during seasonal forays into the highlands. The infrequent use of this site as a hunting camp comes to an e...
Strategies employed by Middle Palaeolithic hominins to acquire lithic raw materials often play ke... more Strategies employed by Middle Palaeolithic hominins to acquire lithic raw materials often play key roles in assessing their movements through the landscape, relationships with neighboring groups, and cognitive abilities. It has been argued that a dependence on local resources is a widespread characteristic of the Middle Palaeolithic, but how such behaviors were manifested on the landscape remains unclear. Does an abundance of local toolstone reflect frequent encounters with different outcrops while foraging, or was a particular outcrop favored and preferentially quarried? This study examines such behaviors at a finer geospatial scale than is usually possible, allowing us to investigate hominin movements through the landscape surrounding Lusakert Cave 1 in Armenia. Using our newly developed approach to obsidian magnetic characterization, we test a series of hypotheses regarding the locations where hominins procured toolstone from a volcanic complex adjacent to the site. Our goal is to establish whether the cave's occupants procured local obsidian from preferred outcrops or quarries, secondary deposits of obsidian nodules along a river, or a variety of exposures as encountered while moving through the river valley or across the wider volcanic landscape during the course of foraging activities. As we demonstrate here, it is not the case that one particular outcrop or deposit attracted the cave occupants during the studied time intervals. Nor did they acquire obsidian at random across the landscape. Instead, our analyses support the hypothesis that these hominins collected obsidian from outcrops and exposures throughout the adjacent river valley, reflecting the spatial scale of their day-to-day foraging activities. The coincidence of such behaviors within the resource-rich river valley suggests efficient exploitation of a diverse biome during a time interval immediately preceding the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic "transition," the nature and timing of which has yet to be determined for the region.
Co-authored with Arthur Petrosyan, Manuel Castelluccia, Astghik Babajanyan, Mattia Raccidi, Ricca... more Co-authored with Arthur Petrosyan, Manuel Castelluccia, Astghik Babajanyan, Mattia Raccidi, Riccardo La Farina, Aramazd/AJNES 9/1, 2015, pp. 58-68.
The cave site Areni-1, located in southeastern Armenia, which has been excavated during 2007-2013... more The cave site Areni-1, located in southeastern Armenia, which has been excavated during 2007-2013, yielded rich assemblages of micromammal remains from the Late Chalcolithic and Medieval sequences. In this research the tooth remains of found micromammals are reported.The tooth remains belong to (3) orders including; 1) Order Rodentia: fam. Muridae, fam. Cricetidae, fam. Gerbillidae, fam. Arvicolidae, fam. Dipodidae, fam. Soricidae and fam. Sciuridae. 2) Order Lagomorpha: fam. Ochotonidae 3) Order Chiroptera.Presented research in based on morphologic and morphometric methods using modern comparative neontological specimens of the osteological collection in NAS RA Institute of Zoology.Based on this study, paleoenvironmental aspects in Areni have been discussed, showing that the environmental interpretations drawn from the Areni-1 cave rodents are based on the use of modern analogues and the assumption that ecological requirements and/or behavior have remained constant for both the rodents and the accumulating agency.
Classification of lithic artifacts' raw materials based on macroscopic attributes (e.g., color, l... more Classification of lithic artifacts' raw materials based on macroscopic attributes (e.g., color, luster, texture) has been used to pull apart knapping episodes in palimpsest assemblages by attempting to identify artifacts produced through the reduction of an individual nodule. These classes are termed " raw material units " (RMUs) in the Old World and " minimum analytical nodules " in the New World. RMUs are most readily defined for lithic artifacts in areas with distinctive cherts and other siliceous raw materials, allowing pieces from different nodules to be recognized visually. Opportunities to apply RMUs, however, are strongly limited at sites where lithic material visual diversity is low. The magnetic properties of obsidian, which result from the presence of microscopic iron oxide mineral grains, vary spatially throughout a flow. Consequently, obsidian from different portions of a source (i.e., different outcrops or quarries) can vary in magnetic properties. This raises the possibility that magnetic-based RMUs (mRMUs) for obsidian artifacts could be effective to distinguish individual scatters from multiple production episodes and offer insights into spatial patterning within a site or specific occupation periods. First, we assess the potential of mRMUs using obsidian pebbles from Gutansar volcano in Armenia. Second, we evaluate the validity of this approach based on a double-blind test involving an experimental assemblage of Gutansar obsidian flakes. Cluster analysis can successfully discern flakes from obsidian specimens containing high concentrations of iron oxides. Obsidian with more magnetic material has more opportunities for that material to vary in unique ways (e.g., grain size, morphology, physical arrangement). Finally, we apply the mRMU approach to obsidian artifacts from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Lusakert Cave 1 in Armenia and compare the results to traditional RMU studies at contemporaneous sites in Europe. In particular, we seek e but do not find e differences between retouch flakes (which reflect rejuvenation of tools) and the other small debris (which reflect other reduction activities). This result likely reflects the local landscape, specifically the abundance of obsidian and, thus, little pressure to curate and retouch tools. As this approach is applied to additional sites, such findings will play a central role in regional assessments about the nature and timing of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic " transition " and the relationship, or lack thereof, between technological behaviors and presumed population dynamics.
Mouflon Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes Bioapatite Upper Paleolithic Northeastern Armenia a b s... more Mouflon Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes Bioapatite Upper Paleolithic Northeastern Armenia a b s t r a c t Kalavan 1 is an Epigravettian hunting campsite in the Aregunyats mountain chain in northeastern Armenia (Lesser Caucasus). The site lies at an elevation of 1640 m in a bottleneck that controls the descent into the Barepat Valley from the alpine meadows above. The lithic and faunal assemblages show evidence of the production of hunting weapons, the hunting and targeting of wild sheep (Ovis orientalis), and the constitution of animal product reserves. A seasonal occupation of the site was proposed within a model of occupation by Epigravettian hunter-gatherers that involved a search for obsidian resources in high altitude sources from the spring to the summer and settling at Kalavan 1 at the end of summer or during autumn to coincide with the migration of wild herds from the alpine meadows to the valley. A key parameter of this model is wild sheep ethology, with a specifically seasonal vertical mobility, based on observations from contemporary mouflon populations from the surrounding areas. In this study, the vertical mobility of Paleolithic wild sheep was directly investigated through sequential isotope analysis (d 18 O, d 13 C) in teeth. A marked seasonality of birth is suggested that reflects a physiological adaptation to the strong environmental constraints of this mountainous region. Most importantly, a recurrent altitu-dinal mobility was demonstrated on a seasonal basis, which confirms that wild sheep migrated from lowland areas that they occupied in the winter and then moved to higher altitude meadows during the summer. Last, low inter-individual variability in the stable isotope sequences favors a hypothesis of accumulation for these faunal remains over a short time period. Overall, this new dataset strengthens the previous interpretations for Kalavan 1 and contributes to an understanding of the pattern of occupation of mountain territories by Epigravettian communities.
In ancient DNA (aDNA) research, evolutionary and archaeological questions are often investigated ... more In ancient DNA (aDNA) research, evolutionary and archaeological questions are often investigated using the genomic sequences of organelles: mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA. Organellar genomes are found in multiple copies per living cell, increasing their chance of recovery from archaeological samples, and are inherited from one parent without genetic recombination, simplifying analyses. While mitochondrial genomes have played a key role in many mammalian aDNA projects, including research focused on prehistoric humans and extinct hominins, it is unclear how useful plant chloroplast genomes (plastomes) may be at elucidating questions related to plant evolution, crop domestication, and the prehistoric movement of botanical products through trade and migration. Such analyses are particularly challenging for plant species whose genomes have highly repetitive sequences and that undergo frequent genomic reorganization, notably species with high retrotransposon activity. To address this question, we explored the research potential of the grape (Vitis vinifera L.) plastome using targeted-enrichment methods and high-throughput DNA sequencing on a collection of archaeological grape pip and vine specimens from sites across Eurasia dating ca. 4000 BCEe1500 CE. We demonstrate that due to unprecedented numbers of sequence insertions into the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, the grape plastome provides limited intraspecific phylogenetic resolution. Nonetheless, we were able to assign archaeological specimens in
The morphogenetic evolution of the Lesser Caucasus has been strongly influenced by Plio-Quaternar... more The morphogenetic evolution of the Lesser Caucasus has been strongly influenced by Plio-Quaternary volcanic and tectonic events and Pleistocene glaciations. Fluvio-lacustrine environments, indicated by diatomaceous deposits, prevailed in the Syunik region of southern Armenia during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. The Pleistocene diatomaceous deposits studied contain leaf impressions and pollen, allowing local palaeoclimatic reconstructions. The chronology of morphogenetic events has been determined by 17 radiometric dates (K/Ar, Ar/Ar, U/Th), palaeomagnetic investigations and is placed in a spatial context by a detailed geomorphological map and a 24-km geological transect of the Vorotan valley, the main area studied. Before 1.21 Ma, tectonic movements (antecedents of the lower part of the Vorotan valley) generated extensive lake formations with diatomaceous deposits. From 993 ka, volcanic eruptions produced lava flows that covered the fluvio-lacustrine accumulations. During Marine Isotopic Stages 12, 6 and 4, glaciers and fluvio-glacial deposits were probably present overall the principal uplands and valleys of southern Armenia. At 53.68 ka (MIS 3), 12.6 ka, 10.78 ka and 4.14 ka (MIS 1), the development of travertines on some slopes and in some valleys highlights temperate and humid climatic phases. Palaeobotanical studies of leaf and pollen floras show that the vegetation changed several times from forested to steppic phases in response to the climate oscillations of the Lower Pleistocene. This work proposes a first morphogenic and palaeoclimatic reconstruction from the lower Pleistocene to the Postglacial period, when the first settlements of the population in the Lesser Caucasus were influenced by tectono-volcanic events, lake level changes and glacial–interglacial oscillations forced by the obliquity orbital parameter (41 ky cycles).
The Armenian kites are the northernmost known kites in south-west Asia. In contrast
to those in t... more The Armenian kites are the northernmost known kites in south-west Asia. In contrast to those in the deserts further south, their research has only recently begun. The Armenian kites are situated at high elevations, mostly between 900 and 1500 m above mean sea level, in steppic conditions where Artemisia is at present the dominant shrub on the landscape. In our ongoing project we excavated three V-shaped kites and one enclosure kite. The two kinds are similar in construction details, but they differ in size and location: the former run down into gullies, while the latter were placed on the plateau. Six OSL ages suggest terminal Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age construction dates, while geomorphological considerations and surface artefacts suggest earlier dates. A preliminary palynological study suggests a gradual increase in grazing-resistant vegetation since the mid-Holocene, probably reflecting human impact on the natural vegetation through the herding of grazing animals.
The Armenian Highlands have functioned as a gateway with regards to the peopling of the Southern ... more The Armenian Highlands have functioned as a gateway with regards to the peopling of the Southern Caucasus. Most importantly, changes in climate have long controlled access to this remote and often inhospitable mountainous region. Here we present the results of the multidisciplinary study of Aghitu-3 Cave which brings together researchers from the fields of archaeology, geology and geomorphology, zooarchaeology, paleobotany and paleoclimate. By integrating these areas of study, we have reconstructed the lifeways of the earliest behaviorally (and presumably anatomically) modern humans who settled Southern Armenia about 35,000 (cal BP) years ago and placed this occupational sequence within a framework of environmental change. These first Upper Paleolithic inhabitants of Armenia made temporary use of this basalt cave located along the Vorotan River corridor at an altitude of 1601 m during seasonal forays into the highlands. The infrequent use of this site as a hunting camp comes to an e...
Strategies employed by Middle Palaeolithic hominins to acquire lithic raw materials often play ke... more Strategies employed by Middle Palaeolithic hominins to acquire lithic raw materials often play key roles in assessing their movements through the landscape, relationships with neighboring groups, and cognitive abilities. It has been argued that a dependence on local resources is a widespread characteristic of the Middle Palaeolithic, but how such behaviors were manifested on the landscape remains unclear. Does an abundance of local toolstone reflect frequent encounters with different outcrops while foraging, or was a particular outcrop favored and preferentially quarried? This study examines such behaviors at a finer geospatial scale than is usually possible, allowing us to investigate hominin movements through the landscape surrounding Lusakert Cave 1 in Armenia. Using our newly developed approach to obsidian magnetic characterization, we test a series of hypotheses regarding the locations where hominins procured toolstone from a volcanic complex adjacent to the site. Our goal is to establish whether the cave's occupants procured local obsidian from preferred outcrops or quarries, secondary deposits of obsidian nodules along a river, or a variety of exposures as encountered while moving through the river valley or across the wider volcanic landscape during the course of foraging activities. As we demonstrate here, it is not the case that one particular outcrop or deposit attracted the cave occupants during the studied time intervals. Nor did they acquire obsidian at random across the landscape. Instead, our analyses support the hypothesis that these hominins collected obsidian from outcrops and exposures throughout the adjacent river valley, reflecting the spatial scale of their day-to-day foraging activities. The coincidence of such behaviors within the resource-rich river valley suggests efficient exploitation of a diverse biome during a time interval immediately preceding the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic "transition," the nature and timing of which has yet to be determined for the region.
Co-authored with Arthur Petrosyan, Manuel Castelluccia, Astghik Babajanyan, Mattia Raccidi, Ricca... more Co-authored with Arthur Petrosyan, Manuel Castelluccia, Astghik Babajanyan, Mattia Raccidi, Riccardo La Farina, Aramazd/AJNES 9/1, 2015, pp. 58-68.
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Papers by Boris Gasparyan
to those in the deserts further south, their research has only recently begun. The
Armenian kites are situated at high elevations, mostly between 900 and 1500 m
above mean sea level, in steppic conditions where Artemisia is at present the dominant
shrub on the landscape. In our ongoing project we excavated three V-shaped
kites and one enclosure kite. The two kinds are similar in construction details, but
they differ in size and location: the former run down into gullies, while the latter were
placed on the plateau. Six OSL ages suggest terminal Late Bronze Age and Early Iron
Age construction dates, while geomorphological considerations and surface artefacts
suggest earlier dates. A preliminary palynological study suggests a gradual increase
in grazing-resistant vegetation since the mid-Holocene, probably reflecting human
impact on the natural vegetation through the herding of grazing animals.
to those in the deserts further south, their research has only recently begun. The
Armenian kites are situated at high elevations, mostly between 900 and 1500 m
above mean sea level, in steppic conditions where Artemisia is at present the dominant
shrub on the landscape. In our ongoing project we excavated three V-shaped
kites and one enclosure kite. The two kinds are similar in construction details, but
they differ in size and location: the former run down into gullies, while the latter were
placed on the plateau. Six OSL ages suggest terminal Late Bronze Age and Early Iron
Age construction dates, while geomorphological considerations and surface artefacts
suggest earlier dates. A preliminary palynological study suggests a gradual increase
in grazing-resistant vegetation since the mid-Holocene, probably reflecting human
impact on the natural vegetation through the herding of grazing animals.