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The '''Kura-Araxes culture''' or the '''Early trans-Caucasian culture''', a civilization that existed from 3400 B.C until about 2000 B.C. <ref>The early Trans-Caucasian culture - I.M. Diakonoff, 1984</ref> The earliest evidence for this culture is found on the ] and in Nakhichevan; thence it spread to ] by 3000 B.C., and during the next millennium it proceeded westward to the ] plain, southwest to ], and to the southeast into an area below the Urmia basin and ], down to the borders of present day ]. Altogether, the early Trans-Caucasian culture, at its greatest spread, enveloped a vast area approximately 1000 km by 500 km. <ref>The Hurro-Urartian people - John A.C. Greppin</ref> The '''Kura-Araxes culture''' or the '''Early trans-Caucasian culture''', a civilization that existed from 3400 B.C until about 2000 B.C. <ref>The early Trans-Caucasian culture - I.M. Diakonoff, 1984</ref> The earliest evidence for this culture is found on the ]; thence it spread to ] by 3000 B.C., and during the next millennium it proceeded westward to the ] plain, southwest to ], and to the southeast into an area below the Urmia basin and ], down to the borders of present day ]. Altogether, the early Trans-Caucasian culture, at its greatest spread, enveloped a vast area approximately 1000 km by 500 km. <ref>The Hurro-Urartian people - John A.C. Greppin</ref>


The name of this culture (given by modern archaeologists) comes from the ] and ] river valleys where they developed. The territory they inhabited are generally thought to be present day ], ] and Azerbaijan. <ref>Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology - Page 246 by Barbara Ann Kipfer </ref> It may have given rise to the later ] ware culture found in Syria and ] during the mid-third millennium BC. This is all quite unknown from any classical historic records, their name (given by modern archaeologists) comes from the ] and ] river valleys where they developed. The territory they inhabited are generally thought to be present day ], ] and the ]. <ref>Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology - Page 246 by Barbara Ann Kipfer </ref> It may have given rise to the later ] ware culture found in Syria and ] after the fall of the ].


The earliest record identified with ], is from an inscription which mentions '']'', Արման (most common Armenians names Arman, the older variant of Armen, Արմեն) together with Ibla, as territories conquered by Naram-Sin (]) identified with an Akkadian colony in the Diarbekr region. To this day the ] refer to Armenians by this form ''Armani''. Another mention by ] of Egypt, mentions the people of '']'' in ], and says in their land "heaven rests upon its four pillars".<ref>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915; Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor (eds.) ''Thutmose III'', University of Michigan, 2006, ISBN 978-0472114672.{{page number}}</ref> (Thutmose was the first Pharoah to cross the ] to reach the ]). To this day Kurds and Turks refer to Armenians by ''Ermeni''.


== History == == History ==
] language appears to have been roughly coincidental with that of the earlier non-IE Hurrian and closely related Urartian (with Dark shading). The poorly known and presumably related non-IE Etio language was to its north. Many of these languages occupied partially or wholly the earlier territory of the Kuro-Araxes culture (light shading). The nearest IE neighbors of the Armenians were the Hittites (and related Luvians and Palaic-speaking populations) who were not closely related to Armenian. Assyrian and Gutian are non IE languages. Burials with wheeled vehicles have been uncovered at Trialeti and Lchashen. <ref>“]” in '']'' or EIEC, edited by ] and Douglas Q. Adams, published in 1997 by Fitzroy Dearborn.</ref>]]
In its earliest phase, metal was scant, but it would later display "a precocious metallurgical development which strongly influenced surrounding regions" ], ], pp. 341-42.

They built mud-brick houses, originally round, but later developing into a square design. The economy was based on ] and ]-raising. They grew grain and various orchard crops, and are known to have used implements to make ]. They raised cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and in its later phases, horses. They built mud-brick houses, originally round, but later developing into a square design. The economy was based on ] and ]-raising. They grew grain and various orchard crops, and are known to have used implements to make ]. They raised cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and in its later phases, horses.


Their ] was distinctive. It was burnished black and red, and decorated with incised geometric designs. Examples have been found as far south as ] and ], and as far north as ] and ]. The spread of this pottery, along with archaeological evidence of invasions, suggests that the Kura-Araxes people may have spread outward from their original homes, and had extensive trade contacts. Their ] was distinctive. It was painted black and red, using geometric designs for ornamentation. Examples have been found as far south as ] and ], and as far north as ] and ]. The spread of this pottery, along with archaeological evidence of invasions, suggests that the Kura-Araxes people may have spread outward from their original homes, and most certainly, had extensive trade contacts.


Their metal goods were widely distributed, recorded in the ], ] and ]-] systems in the north, into Syria and Palestine in the south, and west into Anatolia. The culture is closely linked to the approximately contemporaneous ] of ]. They are also remarkable for the production of wheeled vehicles (wagons and carts). Their metal goods were widely distributed, recorded in the ], ] and ]-] systems in the north, into Syria and Palestine in the south, and west into Anatolia. The culture is closely linked to the approximately contemporaneous ] of ]. They are also remarkable for the production of wheeled vehicles (wagons and carts).

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The Kura-Araxes culture or the Early trans-Caucasian culture, a civilization that existed from 3400 B.C until about 2000 B.C. The earliest evidence for this culture is found on the Ararat plain; thence it spread to Georgia by 3000 B.C., and during the next millennium it proceeded westward to the Erzurum plain, southwest to Cilicia, and to the southeast into an area below the Urmia basin and Lake Van, down to the borders of present day Syria. Altogether, the early Trans-Caucasian culture, at its greatest spread, enveloped a vast area approximately 1000 km by 500 km.

This is all quite unknown from any classical historic records, their name (given by modern archaeologists) comes from the Kura and Araxes river valleys where they developed. The territory they inhabited are generally thought to be present day Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus. It may have given rise to the later Khirbet Kerak ware culture found in Syria and Canaan after the fall of the Akkadian Empire.

The earliest record identified with Armenians, is from an inscription which mentions Armani, Արման (most common Armenians names Arman, the older variant of Armen, Արմեն) together with Ibla, as territories conquered by Naram-Sin (2300 BC) identified with an Akkadian colony in the Diarbekr region. To this day the Assyrians refer to Armenians by this form Armani. Another mention by Thutmose III of Egypt, mentions the people of Ermenen in 1446 BC, and says in their land "heaven rests upon its four pillars". (Thutmose was the first Pharoah to cross the Euphrates to reach the Armenian Highlands). To this day Kurds and Turks refer to Armenians by Ermeni.

History

The territory of the Armenian language appears to have been roughly coincidental with that of the earlier non-IE Hurrian and closely related Urartian (with Dark shading). The poorly known and presumably related non-IE Etio language was to its north. Many of these languages occupied partially or wholly the earlier territory of the Kuro-Araxes culture (light shading). The nearest IE neighbors of the Armenians were the Hittites (and related Luvians and Palaic-speaking populations) who were not closely related to Armenian. Assyrian and Gutian are non IE languages. Burials with wheeled vehicles have been uncovered at Trialeti and Lchashen.

In its earliest phase, metal was scant, but it would later display "a precocious metallurgical development which strongly influenced surrounding regions" JP Mallory, EIEC, pp. 341-42.

They built mud-brick houses, originally round, but later developing into a square design. The economy was based on farming and livestock-raising. They grew grain and various orchard crops, and are known to have used implements to make flour. They raised cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and in its later phases, horses.

Their pottery was distinctive. It was painted black and red, using geometric designs for ornamentation. Examples have been found as far south as Syria and Israel, and as far north as Dagestan and Chechnya. The spread of this pottery, along with archaeological evidence of invasions, suggests that the Kura-Araxes people may have spread outward from their original homes, and most certainly, had extensive trade contacts.

Their metal goods were widely distributed, recorded in the Volga, Dnieper and Don-Donets systems in the north, into Syria and Palestine in the south, and west into Anatolia. The culture is closely linked to the approximately contemporaneous Maykop culture of Transcaucasia. They are also remarkable for the production of wheeled vehicles (wagons and carts).

Inhumation practices are mixed. Flat graves are found, but so are substantial kurgan burials, the latter of which may be surrounded by cromlechs. This points to a heterogeneous ethno-linguistic population. Hurrian and Urartian elements are quite probable. One can also argue for at least an outpost of an early Semitic language, and certainly the presence of an early representative of the Kartvelian languages is not unreasonable. An influence of Indo-European languages was also likely present.

In certain theories for locating the Urheimat (homeland) of the Proto-Indo-European language, this culture (and perhaps that of the Maykop culture) is identified with the speakers of the Anatolian languages, and even as an earlier Urheimat. Scholars Tamaz Gamkrelidze and Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov attempt to place this Urheimat in Armenia. Professor Lord Renfrew's hypothesis of an Anatolian homeland has less support, but the idea of locating the Anatolian-speakers in the Caucasus, with the remainder of the Indo-European stock having descended into the Ponto-Caspian steppe to a secondary Urheimat sometime before 4000 BC is not without supporters.

References

  1. The early Trans-Caucasian culture - I.M. Diakonoff, 1984
  2. The Hurro-Urartian people - John A.C. Greppin
  3. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology - Page 246 by Barbara Ann Kipfer
  4. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915; Eric H. Cline and David O'Connor (eds.) Thutmose III, University of Michigan, 2006, ISBN 978-0472114672.
  5. “Armenians” in Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture or EIEC, edited by James P. Mallory and Douglas Q. Adams, published in 1997 by Fitzroy Dearborn.

See also

External links

Sources

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