An Analytic to the Pre- Urartian Period in the Southern Karadagh, the Northwest of Iranian Plateau, the Case Study: the Rural District of Uch’hāchā

The cultural sequence, chronology, and archaeological landscape of the geographical distribution of the prehistoric cultures in the peripheral territories of the eastern and northern Urmia Lake regions have not been the focus of any inclusive studies. The basic question of present investigation is the geographical distribution of the Iron Age remains in the Uch’hāchā rural district of Southern Karadagh, the northwest of Iranian plateau. Typologically and chronologically, such remains are the fortified sites and graveyards fall within the Iron Age I-II (pre- Urartian period) c. 1500-800 BC. The grave types are megalith triliths and simple cists and the Caucasian Kurgans. The pre- Urartian settlements have not yet been recognized in the 1650 – 2500m a. b. s. l. The geographical distributions of the Iron Age I-II sites were affected by the mountain landforms. Noticeably, the Iron Age fortified settlements indicate to pastoral- nomad peoples adopted their life in this steppe land. Such a semi- arid and rough mountain land, contrary to Mesopotamia, has no geographical potential for the formation of urban way of life and multi layers archaeological sites, as mounds. In addition to the transhumance and pastoral- nomad way of life adopted in the pastures of Karadagh and Karabakh, the metallurgical subsistence based on copper and iron mines in the Karadagh, is another theory proposed by the authors. Such a theory should be examined by the methods of archaeological sciences and later archaeological expeditions. The expansion of the realm of Urartian kingdom in this region should be analyzed and understood based on the subsistence desirement and motivations.