Yerevan, July 29. Arminfo – While exploring the rocks in the canyon of the river Kasakh a group of Armenian and French archaeologists has found a monument of mesolite (epipaleolite) quite unique for the South
Caucasus and Middle East region, says Boris Gasparyan, the head of the group, the employee of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
Found in the Kmlo caves near the village of Apna, Aragatson region, were not only fragments of obsidian tools but also a wild wheat grain dating back from a period 10,000-8,000 years ago. If the experts confirm the
age of the grain it will become one of the oldest grains ever found in the region’s mesolite monuments (11,000-10,000 years ago).
The discovered cultural layers are well preserved which is a good opportunity to collect enough scientific materials about the period. Despite threat of caving-in the archaeologists are going to continue the
excavations. The group consists of three research teams. Besides the Kmlo caves they are exploring the traces of the man living in the areas of so-called paleo lakes (middle paleolite). There they have found sites
of primitive men who are assumed to do hunting, fishing and collecting.
Another group is examining the rock paintings found in the cave Gegamavan I, 1 km of the Kmlo caves. The unique paintings are in ochre – a substance said to be used only in late eneolite and early bronze
(IV-III). Meanwhile the Gegamavan I paintings date back from neolite. The neolite man proves to already master the linear drawing technique. The paintings depict animals mostly deer. So the findings have shown
that the rock painting traditions widely presented in the mountains of Gegama, Sunik and Aragats are older than they were thought to be.
The objective of the expedition is to study the ancient history of the use of obsidian as a tool of the primitive man. Obsidian tools are widely spread over the territory of historical Armenia and perfectly characterize social-economic relations of the Stone Age.
The expedition is financed by Gfoeller Foundation (US).
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