Anthropomorphic Depiction from Armaziskhevi

Abstract

The Great Mtskheta Archaeological Museum-Reserve conducted investigations of graves dating to the Late Bronze-Early Iron Ages in the Mtskheta municipality, specifically in the village of Armaziskhevi, in 2018 under the supervision of Nikoloz Maisurashvili.

The grave goods can be categorized into two chronological groups: the first group, dating to the 11^th-9^th centuries BC, and the second group, dating to the 8^th-7^th centuries BC.

The present paper focuses on a single grave that was unearthed in the Late Bronze-Early Iron Ages cemetery. The jar with an anthropomorphic depiction on its shoulder and with an inturned rim was discovered in the grave.

Anthropomorphic depictions have been rarely discovered on the archaeological sites from the South Caucasus, and therefore, rarely attested on the pottery vessels, dating to the Late-Bronze, early Iron Ages.

The earliest anthropomorphic depictions in the South Caucasus and Georgia have been found at archaeological sites from the end of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.

The anthropomorphic depiction on the pottery vessel from Armaziskhevi, has a belt on its waist, which is very well visible and outlined detail. It is obvious, that this figure was depicted in the process of performing some ritual.

After the investigation vast archaeological materials, it becomes obvious, that the belt (on the waist) is a special ritual object, and it was worn by the priests or by the leaders of some tribes, during rituals in the Late Bronze-Early Iron Ages. It is also clear that the person, which is depicted on the pottery vessel, had significant role in the society and the proof of it is the belt on his waist. Given that the pottery vessel is part of the grave inventory, it is reasonable to infer that this human depiction is linked to the mortal world.

As it seems, the figure on the pottery vessel from Armaziskhevi appears to be male, even though it lacks the phallus, often characteristic sign of the anthropomorphic depictions in this period in the South Caucasus.

This observation underscores that the depiction from Armaziskhevi is not related to fertility cults. This conclusion is further supported by the context of its discovery. It’s worth noting that all anthropomorphic figures from the 9^th-7^th centuries BC, which do feature a phallus and are consequently associated with fertility cults, have not been found within graves.

According to parallel materials, the pottery jar adorned with the anthropomorphic depiction from Armaziskhevi can be dated to the 11^th-9^th centuries BC.