Geoarchaeological survey in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Azerbaijan) in 2024

In 2024 a joint Russian-Azerbaijani geoarchaeological expedition surveyed Shahbuz, Babek, Julfa, and Ordubad Districts in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Azerbaijan) and examined over ten grottoes and caves. Some archaeological sites with evidence of different periods of the Stone Age were identified, and locations of surface archaeological finds of the Neolithic were discovered at Dary-Dag site in the Pir gorge area. Several small grottoes were examined higher up the gorge. Archaeological evidence from the grottoes indicated that these places were used by the local population as a temporary shelter during war conflicts in the Middle Ages. Survey of the Dash-Gala and Delik-Agyl rock shelters did not reveal Stone Age evidence. Study of the Osman-Tepe site confirmed the attribution of its main complex to the Neolithic. The main result of the expedition in 2024 was discovery of the first open-air site for this region with the Middle Paleolithic evidence in the lower reaches of the Alinjachay River, where three locations with archaeological finds contained two assemblages of artifacts of different periods. The Middle Paleolithic finds of the earlier assemblage revealed distinctive Levallois component. The second assemblage belonged to late stages of the Stone Age. Until this year, the only Paleolithic site known in Nakhchivan region was the Gazma cave. Comparison of the evidence from these sites has revealed significant differences in the appearance of lithic industries.