Most Ancient Grain In Armenia!

[Vigil]

ONE OF MOST ANCIENT GRAINS FOUND IN SOUTH CAUCASUS AND MIDDLE ASIA

FOUND IN ARMENIA

 

YEREVAN, JULY 27. 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).

 

 

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg90746.html