Kalavan 1 (Armenie): An Epigravettian settlement

The Upper Palaeolithic site of Kalavan 1 (Armenia): An Epigravettian settlement in the Lesser Caucasus

Cyril Montoya, Adrian Balasescu, Sébastien Joannin, Vincent Ollivier, Jérémie Liagre, Samvel Nahapetyan, Ruben Ghukasyan, David Colonge, Boris Gasparyan, Christine Chataigner

Source - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047248413001723

Abstract

The open-air site of Kalavan 1 is located in the Aregunyats mountain chain (at 1640 m above sea level) on the northern bank of Lake Sevan. It is the first Upper Palaeolithic site excavated in Armenia. Led by an Armenian-French team, several excavations (2005–2009) have revealed a well preserved palaeosoil, dated to around 14,000 BP (years before present), containing fauna, lithic artefacts, as well as several hearths and activity areas that structure the settlement. The initial studies enable placement of the site in its environment and justify palaeoethnological analysis of the Epigravettian human groups of the Lesser Caucasus.

Figure 1. Location of Kalavan 1 site.

Figure 2. Proposition of an initial outline of morphogenic evolution of the Barepat valley (computer graphics V. Ollivier).

Figure 8. n°1–11 backed point (microgravettes); n°12–23 backed bladelets; n°24–25 retouched bladelet; n°26–28 end-scrapers; n°29 burin; n°30–32 truncated pieces; n°33 splintered pieces (Drawings by G. Devilder).

Figure 9. Retouched blades (3,7,8 Burins) (drawings by G. Devilder).