Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences / Decapitations in Late Bronze Age and Iron Age sites from Sevan region (Armenia)

Full text (.pdf)
Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2014 7 (9)
Authors
Khudaverdyan, Anahit Yu.
Contact information
Khudaverdyan, Anahit Yu.:Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography National Academy of Science 15 Charents Str., Yerevan, 0025, Republic of Armenia;E-mail:
Keywords
Armenia; Late Bronze Age; Iron Age; decapitation; cut marks; tumpline and cradle deformations
Abstract

The fact that rituals involving the sacrifice of people were present within the cultures of Late Iron Age Armenia has long been known. The purpose of this paper is to dig further towards the sociocultural reasons behind such rituals, and to examine the evidence for how these rituals might have played out within the context of the cultures at the time. In order to establish the nature decapitation and function of this ritual as it pertained to the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age cultures of Armenia, a number of avenues will be explored. Studies of human skeletal materials from the Noraduz and Karmir, often excavated decades ago, may therefore reveal similar types of evidence. It is suggested that such studies will contribute significantly to our understanding of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age Armenia burial practices, and our ability to reconstruct social organization. Detailed analysis of received traumas allowed reconstructing the circumstances of the females death. The heads were decapitated by sharp cutting weapon. Reconstruction of the death circumstances and archaeological context of the find suggest a ritual nature of the action. Within the culture of the time appeasing the gods was most likely the main stated reason for conducting such sacrifices. A sacrifices may also have been performed for the sake of something far less specific, for instance simply thanking the gods so as to be on relatively good terms with them. Analyzed in this paper is the presence of cut marks, and tumpline deformation and cradle deformation on the decapitated skulls

Pages
1555-1566
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/13355

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