A man buried in Azerbaijan in the Bronze Age era

The Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture, also often referred to as the Shulaveri-Shomu culture, represents an ancient Neolithic culture that was predominantly active in the Southern Caucasus region, covering areas that are now part of modern-day Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. It existed roughly between 6000 and 4000 BCE, long predating the Bronze Age. However, it laid some foundational aspects for the cultures that followed, including those during the Bronze Age in the Caucasus region.

Geographical Setting and Archaeological Sites

The Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture was primarily located in the Transcaucasian region. Key archaeological sites associated with this culture include Shulaveri in Georgia, Shomutepe in Azerbaijan, and other notable sites like Gadachrili Gora and Imiris Gora. Most of these sites are located in fertile valleys that provided rich opportunities for agriculture and pastoralism. The climate and geography allowed the culture to develop agricultural practices, which were supplemented by animal husbandry.

Social Organization and Economy

The Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture is characterized by its early village settlements, which signify a move towards a more sedentary lifestyle. These settlements usually consisted of circular mud-brick houses, often grouped closely together, indicating a communal lifestyle. The society was likely tribal and organized around kinship, with a prominent focus on agricultural activities.

Economically, this culture was based on a mixed economy of agriculture and livestock rearing. They practiced early forms of agriculture, cultivating plants such as wheat and barley and possibly legumes like peas and lentils. The domestication of animals such as goats, sheep, and cattle played an integral role in their subsistence strategy. Evidence of hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild fruits complements the picture of a diverse subsistence strategy.

Material Culture and Technology

The material culture of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe includes a rich tradition of pottery, which is one of its defining features. The pottery was typically handmade and decorated with various incised or impressed patterns. The ceramics were often simple and functional, used primarily for storage, cooking, and serving food.

Lithic tools were also prevalent, with flint and obsidian being the primary materials. These tools included primarily arrowheads, sickles, and scrapers, reflecting their agricultural and hunting activities. The presence of obsidian points to extensive trade networks, as it had to be sourced from regions rich in volcanic activity.

Spiritual and Religious Beliefs

While specific religious practices of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture are not well-documented, the presence of clay figurines and amulets suggests that they likely practiced animism or totemism. The figurines, often depicting humans and animals, may have been used in rituals or as part of a spiritual or religious belief system. Burial practices, though not extensively evidenced, likely included some form of rites, indicated by grave goods found in a few excavations.

Cultural Legacy and Influence

Though the Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture diminished by the end of the 4th millennium BCE, it laid essential foundations for subsequent cultures in the Early Bronze Age Caucasus region. It influenced the Kura-Araxes culture that followed, which adopted and adapted many of the subsistence strategies and technological advancements of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe peoples.

Conclusion

The Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture is an essential chapter in the prehistory of the Caucasus region, marking a transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer bands to more settled agricultural communities. Its contributions to agriculture, material culture, and possibly early trade laid a foundation that other cultures built upon, leading to more complex social and cultural dynamics in the Bronze Age and beyond. Despite its ancient roots, the study of this culture provides crucial insights into the early development of human societies in the Caucasus, a region that would become a crucial nexus of cultural interaction and development in ancient history.