Garajamirli and Beyond: Azerbaijan-German Project. Preliminary Report on the Excavations at Gurban Tepe and the Survey in Seyidlar 2023-2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30546/679523.1.2025.73Keywords:
Iron Age, Achaemenids, Palace Architecture, Column Bases, Pottery, SigloiAbstract
In recent years, the most extensive architectural complex, the palace on Gurban Tepe, and the largest building of the ancient period, have been uncovered at Garajamirli. It is a centre of power of probably supra-regional importance. Targeted investigations in the last two excavation campaigns provided information on the planning and construction of the large mud-brick building on Gurban Tepe. The construction plan and technical details are modelled on those of the Achaemenid capitals. However, interesting changes to the plan can be observed in several places, which were made at short notice. The builder-owner had to respond to the fact that trained specialists from the empire's centres were no longer available to the desired extent towards the end of the construction work. The discovery of a further architectural complex at Seyidlar, only a few kilometres from the residence at Garajamirli, makes it clear that the Persians developed the Caucasus region much more intensively than previously assumed and known from other parts of the Achaemenid Empire. Finally, a hoard of sigloi from Zaqatala falls within the same time horizon. The coins, minted in the early 5th century BC, could have been brought there by soldiers serving the Great King.
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