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International audience; Relationships between steppe vegetation, human practices and climate changes in the past are crucial to disentangle human development in Eurasia. In this frame, our study investigates (1) modern pollen-vegetation relationships and (2) changes in vegetation, human activity and climate in the Holocene record of Vanevan peat (south-eastern shore of Lake Sevan, Armenia), using a multiproxy approach including sediment geochemistry (XRF), pollen, Non-Pollen Palynomorphs (NPPs), and branched Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers (brGDGTs). Climate reconstructions are provided by (1) water-level changes, (2) brGDGTs, and (3) pollen transfer functions (multi-method approach: Modern Analogue Technique, Weighted Averaging Partial Least Squares regression, Random Forest, and Boosted Regression Trees). Modern pollen assemblages are selected along an altitudinal transect in Armenia. They show a dominance of Chenopodiaceae in semi-desert/steppe regions while meadows steppes, subalpine, and alpine meadows are dominated by Poaceae. Past vegetation is characterized by steppes dominated by Poaceae surrounded during the Mid-Holocene (8200-4200 a cal BP) by scarce open woodlands. Humans have influenced the local vegetation, mainly through their agricultural practices present since 5200 a cal BP with several intensification steps. Our reconstruction indicates a climate shift from a cold and arid Early Holocene toward a warmer and more humid Mid-Late Holocene. An aridification trend marks the last 5000 years causing a drop in water level, which allowed humans to live and cultivate on Lake Sevan shores. Arid events are recorded at 6.2 ka, 5.2 ka, 4.2 ka and 2.8 ka a cal BP, which are commonly related to multi-centennial-scale variations of Westerlies activity (North Atlantic Oscillation). Through our temperature reconstruction, we can assign (1) the 5.2 and 2.8 ka events as being cold and probably related to a strong Siberian High, and (2) the 4.2 ka event as being warm associated with high Arabian subtropical pressures in the South Caucasus and the Near East. Our study suggests a significant impact of these arid events on the Lake Sevan shore populations and they are consistent with cultural phases in the South Caucasus, thus showing the impact of climatic variations on cultural, land use and occupation mode development in this crossroad region between Europe, Africa and Asia.

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International audience; Abstract. The Tavush Archaeological Project (TAP) was carried out in 2018 and 2019 in the province of Tavush (Northeastern Armenia) by an interdisciplinary Armenian-French team. The goals are to draw the archaeological map of this largely unknown region, to trace the changes in settlement patterns, with special attention to the periods from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age and to acquire a better understanding of the landscape of Tavush. This landscape is dominated by dense forest and mountainous topography, which make it especially challenging to survey. We were compelled to develop an ad hoc field methodology, which was based on survey protocols from classic archaeology, which had to be adapted to the specific environmental conditions of the area. Therefore, our project used a hybrid survey method, combining an extensive systematic survey across the region – through examination and study of satellite imagery and topographic maps – with an intensive survey of selected areas in the field. During these first two seasons, we identified 34 “places”, among them 20 sites (places in which both architecture and surface material are found), mainly situated around the Aghstev river, but also in the south-west part of the province, next to the modern villages of Haghartsin and Teghut.

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International audience; The aggregated cells were discovered during the fieldworks about desert kites conducted on the western slopes of Mount Aragats between 2011 and 2015, which is not surprising after all: the two categories of constructions share some logics of location in the landscape and it turns out that their respective extension areas, in Armenia, are very similar. Moreover, if the questions that remain about their functions find only partial explanations, it seems that they imply animals in both cases. Could we advance the hypothesis of a coexistence of these two types of constructions, or even of their functional complementarity? The chronology, tricky to establish in the case of kites and still preliminary in that of aggregated cells, could strengthen the idea of a possible contemporaneity. However, some rare cases of superposition make probable an earlier date for the aggregated cells.

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International audience; The cave of Getahovit-2 is situated in north-eastern Armenia, in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus which dominate the valley of the Kura. The excavations (2011–2017), carried out by the Armenian-French mission ‘Caucasus’, have revealed several phases of occupation – Upper Palaeolithic (ca 22,000 cal BC), Chalcolithic (ca. 4700-4050 cal BC), and early Middle Ages (ca. 900–1200 cal AD). Although the cave is near outcroppings of flint (lower valley of the Aghstev river), the artifacts found there are mainly in obsidian, whatever the period of occupation. During the Chalcolithic period (levels IV-III), the cave served as a shelter for herds, as seen in the succession of coprolite deposits, that were regularly burned to clean the floor of the cave. The origin of the populations that sheltered their herds in this cave is difficult to determine. LA-ICP-MS analyses have been carried out to study the provenance of the obsidian artifacts found in level III. Corroborated by the techno-typological study of the artifacts, they have enabled the differentiation of two assemblages: the first, coming from deposits situated on Armenian territory (Geghasar, Gutansar, Arteni, Tsaghkunyats) and consisting of blanks knapped by percussion (flakes above all), and the second coming from deposits situated in Georgia (Chikiani) or Turkey (region of Sarıkamış) and consisting of pressure-flaked blades. In the lower part of level III (ca 4700-4400 cal BC), the provenance of the obsidian (mainly Gutansar) suggests links with the south, the Ararat plain. For the upper part of level III (ca. 4400-4050 cal BC), it is the outcrops situated farther north (Tsaghkunyats) that were the origin of almost 60% of the pieces analysed. Based on environmental, cultural and ethnographic data, we discuss the role of the cave of Getahovit-2 and the mobility of the human groups who occupied it in the 5th millennium BC.

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Tavush Archaeological Project (B. Perello, L. Aghikyan, B. Van Den Bossche, V. Cicolani) : Introduction (p.10), Prospections (p.13), Fouilles (p.20) ; Mission Géorgie (B. Perello, E. Ciesielski, C. Ménager) : Introduction (p.36), Le site de Toloshi (Géorgie) (p.37, Le kourgane 6 de Zveli (Géorgie) (p.61) ; Site d’Aknashen-Khaturnakh (Arménie) : Fouille 2019 (R. Badalyan, A. Harutyunyan) (p.70), Le matériel lithique d’Aknashen (J. Chabot) (p. 85), Analyse ichtyologique du site d’Aknashen (2016-2018) (V. Radu) (p.91)

International audience; The cave of Getahovit 2, discovered in 2010, is situated in the valley of the Khachakhpyur river, in the Tavush region of northeastern Armenia. The excavation of the cave over a period of 7 years revealed human occupations ranging from the Late Palaeolithic periods up to the medieval period.This paper only focuses on the procurement strategies for and the technologies of lithic artefacts recovered from the Chalcolithic layers, of a period when the cave was mostly used as a sheepfold for transhumant shepherds.The lithic assemblage from these Chalcolithic layers is predominantly obsidian that originates from 3 obsidian sources in Armenia; a difference in the technologies used is observed:The majority of the lithic industry consists of small flakes, cores and chips deriving from simple production techniques such as hard-hammer direct percussion and anvil technique on small nodules with cortical residues. The lithic analysis suggests a direct procurement strategy from the obsidian sources in the form of small nodules knapped in the cave itself (opportunistic model).On the other hand, the presence of a few very regular blades produced using pressure techniques, which appear to have been imported to the site as finished products, raises the question of a totally different procurement strategy, probably through exchanges with neighboring villages located closer to the source (down-the-line exchange).

International audience; The structures called agglomerated cells were discovered during the fieldwork on desert kites conducted on the western slopes of Mount Aragats between 2011 and 2015, not surprising as the two types of construction share locations in the landscape and it has been discovered that their respective extension areas in Armenia are very similar. Moreover, although the questions concerning function may be only partially explained, it would appear that they imply animal management in both cases. Is it reasonable to advance the hypothesis of a coexistence of these two types of construction, and even of their functional complementarity? The chronology, which is difficult to establish in the case of the kites and still preliminary in that of the agglomerated cells, could support the possibility of contemporaneity. However, certain rare examples of superimposition tend to indicate the anteriority of the agglomerated cells.

International audience; Vegetation change based on the study of pollen from sediments in the Kalavan Red Lake (1912 m a.s.l.), located on the northern side of the Miapor mountain ridge in Armenia, has been interpreted.This exceptional small lake with red shores coloured by iron oxides is ideally placed in the beech-oak vegetation zone, about three kilometers from archaeological remains. It thus has the potential to cover large gaps in our knowledge of vegetation history, climate and human impact for the Lesser Caucasus. However, this lake was formed as the result of a large landslide, which necessitates investigation of erosion and recolonisation processes in the catchment area.Pollen and XRF analyses have been carried out on a core 5 meters in length which covers the last 3800 years.The basal age of the Kalavan sediment may approximate the age of the landslide, which would indicate a slope without vegetation cover, including the lake catchment area. Erosion and sedimentation processes produced at first coarse, heavy minerogenic elements, then erosion in the catchment area decreased due to the development of grass meadows, which led to a shift in the sedimentation. Throughout the stratigraphy, it is noteworthy that arboreal pollen increases due to the increasing presence of Quercus (oak), Carpinus orientalis (oriental hornbeam) and Fagus (beech), the last two being late invaders having a shade-tolerant ecology.These ecological processes had a major influence on the development of vegetation on Kalavan’s landslide, but this masks other long-term forcing factors such as climate change and human impact. Relating the vegetation and erosion histories of Kalavan to regional climate and archeological data was useful for their identification. The ancient arid phase (2000-1600 cal. BP), the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age affected the vegetation, while demography variations that occurred during the medieval period are demonstrated by the presence of pastoralism.

In Eastern archeology, the paradigm of Mesopotamian urbanization has long been deemed as the only path to the urban lifestyle and the dispersion of this phenomenon was considered as diffusion phenomenon distinguishing a south Mesopotamian epicenter from which propagate urban culture to peripheral areas. The research, carried out in recent decades in the Middle East, have largely nuanced vision and highlighted the existence of alternative scenarios of urbanization especially in Anatolia in the second half of the third Millennium. Because these independent paths are less impressive in their manifestations than those recorded in Mesopotamia, the question of the reality of the urbanization process is still subject to discussion., En archéologie orientale, le paradigme de l’urbanisation mésopotamienne a longtemps été considéré comme l’unique trajectoire vers le mode de vie urbain et la dispersion de ce phénomène était perçu selon un modèle diffusionniste distinguant un épicentre sud mésopotamien à partir duquel se propagerait la culture urbaine vers les zones périphériques. Les recherches, menées ces dernières décennies au Proche-Orient, ont largement nuancé cette vision et ont mis en évidence l’existence de scenarios alternatifs d’urbanisation notamment en Anatolie dans la seconde moitié du IIIe millénaire. Parce que ces trajectoires indépendantes sont moins impressionnantes dans leurs manifestations que celles enregistrées en Mésopotamie, la question de la réalité de ces processus d’urbanisation reste sujette à discussion.

International audience; This volume contains 23 articles written by 26 authors in order to express the extent of their respect and friendship for Christine Kepinski. The topics addressed in their papers reflect the scientific work of Christine Kepinski, who always promoted interdisciplinary approaches and developed multi-scale analysis from the object itself to regional study. Several papers are directly connected to fieldwork she conducted in Iraq and in Turkey: Haradum and the Middle Euphrates area, Tilbeshar and Kunara. Others are devoted to material study, notably glyptic, seals and sealing practices. Others evoke Syria: she never directed archaeological excavation there but she always integrated Syria in her studies. Finally, some are inspired by Christine Kepinski's interest for urban life. The chronological time span of the book as well as the various specialisations of the authors clearly show the great value of her scientific background guided by her taste for the Orient. Archaeopress; Ce volume regroupe 23 articles écrits par 26 auteurs qui ont ainsi souhaité exprimer leur amitié et leur estime à Christine Kepinski. Les thèmes qu'ils ont choisi d'aborder reflètent le parcours de Christine Kepinski qui a toujours cherché à promouvoir les approches interdisciplinaires et à multiplier les échelles d'étude depuis l'objet jusqu'à l'analyse régionale. Plusieurs contributions sont directement associées au terrain en Iraq et en Turquie sur lesquels elle a travaillé : Haradum et le moyen Euphrate, Tilbeshar et Kunara. D'autres sont consacrées à des études de matériel et notamment à la glyptique et à la pratique du scellement. Plusieurs articles évoquent la Syrie car même si elle n'y a jamais dirigé de programme de fouilles, elle la toujours intégrée dans ses études. D'autres enfin sont directement inspirés de l'intérêt de Christine Kepinski pour la vie urbaine. Le champ chronologique couvert par cet ouvrage et la diversité des spécialités de ses auteurs montrent bien la richesse de son parcours scientifique, guidé par son goût profond pour l'Orient. Archaeopress

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La ville de Lyon a été nommée en 2016 « Capitale de la terre ». « Lyon 2016, Capitale de la terre » est piloté par CRAterre-ENSAG et réalisé avec le soutien de la Ville de Lyon. Il s’agit d’une contribution au programme WHEAP (World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme) du Centre du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.

International audience; Les constructions monumentales apparaissent dès le néolithique sur la péninsule anatolienne. Elles sont attestées en Anatolie centrale à Açikh Hôyük et Musular et en Anatolie du Sud-Est à Gôblekli Tepe (PPNA/PPNB), Nevali Çori et Çayônü (PPNB)1. En Anatolie occidentale, la naissance de l’architecture monumentale ne remonte qu’au Bronze Ancien. Ces bâtiments se distinguent par leur tendance à la monumentalité, leurs dimensions, la complexité de leur plan, leur emplacement privilégié au sein de l’établissement. Toutefois, faute de texte et de témoins matériels discriminants, il est impossible de déterminer le caractère public ou privé, séculier ou religieux de ces bâtiments. Ainsi, le recours aux termes de palais2 ou de temples semble, de fait, impropre. Ainsi, afin de lever toute ambiguïté, on préférera parler, comme le propose O. Aurenche3, d’« architecture de prestige ». Cette appellation présente le double intérêt de souligner le caractère exceptionnel du bâtiment tout en ne cherchant pas à lui attribuer une fonction précise. L’objectif de cet article est d ’analyser les conditions de l’émergence et la nature de l’architecture de prestige en Anatolie occidentale au cours du Bronze Ancien (IIIe millénaire av. J.-C.). Après un rapide exposé du contexte socio-culturel, nous présenterons les cinq constructions monumentales recensées dans cette région.

Au Proche-Orient, l’architecture en terre est omniprésente sur les sites archéologiques. Ainsi nombre de rapports de fouille et de publications font état de l’utilisation de la terre sous une forme ou sous une autre.Il ne s’agit pas de proposer ici de nouvelles hypothèses ou découvertes, mais simplement de (re)diffuser les résultats d’un important travail qui a été mené depuis les début des années 2000 par des équipes pluridisciplinaires (architectes, bâtisseurs, ingénieurs, archéologues, ethnologues, restaurateurs, conservateurs, etc.).

This article, presented in two parts, deals with the excavations and the pluridisciplinary studies conducted at Tell Al-Rawda (Central-Western Syria, Early Bronze IV) and in its surroundings between 2007 and 2010. The excavation of the main sanctuary of the city (a temple in antis, a smaller temple and the partially constructed sacred precinct) has been completed for the last level of occupation (about 2200 BC). A new program has been developed in 2009-2010 especially based on in-depth exploration of the archaeological levels. It shows that the radio-concentric plan of the city goes back to the beginning of the urban foundation, about 2500 BC. Outside of the fortification system, to the east, a small quarter of byzantine houses has been discovered. The studied region around Tell Al-Rawda has been enlarged and includes the “Very Long Wall” which is 220 km long and situated 10 km to the East of the city of Al-Rawda. New methods of investigation have been tried, including some particularly promising as new techniques of magnetic surveys, with measurements of higher resolution than we had previously used, and geoarchaeological analyzes which have confirmed the pastoral use of most of the stone circles and, at least approximately, their age. A defense system based on a network of EB IV towers has been identified as well as new EB IVB habitation sites. Tell Al-Rawda which is certainly connected to the “Very Long Wall” appears to be a “central place” in the region. Furthermore a new EB IVB roughly circular city surrounded by a double rempart, Khirbet el Qasr, 36,7 km NW of Al-Rawda, has been discovered.So the arid steppe of Syria was widely occupied in Early Bronze IV by a network of villages inhabited by semi-nomads and by sedentary populations, but also by a network of cities that were inhabited year-round. Some of these cities at least, like Tell Al-Rawda, Tell Sha’irat and probably Khirbet el Qasr are fortified, circular and organised around a radioconcentric streets network. They reveal the existence of a true “urban model” attested in Central-Western Syria as soon as 2500 B.C., Cet article, présenté en deux parties, présente les fouilles et les études pluridisciplinaires menées à Tell Al-Rawda (Centre-ouest de la Syrie, Bronze ancien IV) et dans ses environs entre 2007 et 2010.

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International audience; En Anatolie comme dans le reste du Proche-Orient, le processus d’urbanisation est un phénomène complexe dans ses modalités et disparate dans sa mise en oeuvre. En Anatolie occidentale, cette période est marquée par toute une série d’évolutions significatives touchant à tous les domaines de la société. Dans cet article, notre objectif est de présenter un faisceau d’éléments susceptible d’éclairer l’urbanisation de l’Anatolie occidentale et d’analyser ses éventuelles spécificités.

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International audience; La sphère égéo-anatolienne a livré au Bronze Ancien (IIIe millénaire av. J.-C.) un certain nombre de dépôts d’objets précieux dans un contexte non funéraire. Ces « trésors » contiennent des objets de prestige (bijoux, armes, vaisselle) en métal et en matériaux exotiques. Au sein de ces sociétés protohistoriques de Méditerranée orientale en cours de complexification, cette thésaurisation des biens de prestige apparaît comme l’une des illustrations les plus manifestes de la pyramide sociale qui se met progressivement en place. Elle atteste de deux phénomènes importants de cette période, à savoir l’essor des échanges à longue distance et le développement de la métallurgie.

La maison est une " metaphore materielle, sociale et mentale " des societes ; en ce sens, elle est un outil de choix pour apprehender leur identite et pour comprendre leur fonctionnement. Mon objectif dans ce bref article est d'etablir les elements qui prevalent a la structuration de l'espace domestique des societes anatoliennes protohistoriques et de distinguer les facteurs determinants des elements subsidiaires.

International audience; En Anatolie occidentale, le Bronze Ancien est caractérisé par l'apparition de nécropoles extra-muros, notamment à Demirci-Sarıket, Karataş-Elmalı, Kusura et Yortan. Ainsi, les quelques exemples référencés d'inhumation intra-muros sous le sol des habitations font figure d'exceptions (Beycesultan, Ovabayındır, Troie). Nous verrons que, au-delà de la distinction topographique, l'émergence des nécropoles extra-muros inaugure un changement majeur dans les relations entre le monde des vivants et le monde des morts et nous renseigne sur la structure et le fonctionnement de ces sociétés protohistoriques.

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Perello Bérengère. L'architecture domestique de l'Anatolie au IIIe millénaire av. J.-C. Istanbul : Institut Français d'Études Anatoliennes-Georges Dumézil, 2011. 484 p. (Varia Anatolica, 24)

Kepinski-Lecomte Christine, Önal Mehmet, Vallet Régis, Perello Bérengère, Vella Marc-Antoine. Rapport préliminaire sur la septième campagne de fouilles à Tilbeshar en 2006 (Sud-Est anatolien). In: Anatolia Antiqua, Tome 15, 2007. pp. 275-288.

International audience; Rapport sur les fouilles menées sur le site de Tilbeshar (Anatolie du Sud-Est) en 2005. - Chantier D Ville Basse Nord- Chantier L Ville Basse Sud- Chantier M- Etude Archéobotanique

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International audience; Getahovit 2 is a cave discovered in 2010 and situated in the valley of the Khachakhpyur river, in the Tavush region (Northeastern Armenia). The excavation of the cave during 7 years revealed human occupations ranging from the Middle Ages up to the Late Palaeolithic periods. This paper only focuses on procurement strategies and technologies of lithic artefacts recovered from the Chalcolithic layers, where the cave was mostly used as a sheepfold for transhument shepherds. Lithic assemblage from these chalcolithic layers is predominantly made of obsidian originating from 3 obsidian sources in Armenia and a great dichotomy in the technologies used is observed:The majority of the lithic industry consists of small flakes, cores and chips deriving from simple production techniques such as hard hammer direct percussion and anvil technique on small nodules with cortical residues. The lithic analysis suggests a direct procurement strategy from the obsidian sources in the form of small nodules knapped in the cave itself (opportunistic model). On the other hand, the presence of a few very regular blades produced using pressure techniques which appear to be imported to the site as finished products raises the question of a totally different procurement strategy probably set through exchanges with neighboring villages located closer to the source (down the line exchange).

International audience

National audience; Le site de Karatas (Lycie, Anatolie occidentale) a été fouillé, à la fin des années 1960 par une équipe américaine de l’Université Bryn Mawr de Philadelphie sous la direction de M. Mellink. Leurs travaux ont porté parallèlement sur le site d’habitat et sur la nécropole de tombes en jarre. Ces derniers présentaient deux intérêts majeurs : d’une part, d’avoir été occupés pendant une période assez restreinte, à savoir le Bronze Ancien, deuxième moitié du 3e millénaire, ce qui a permis des dégagements extensifs, et d’autre part d’avoir été occupé - au moins pour certaines phases d’occupation - en parallèle. Ainsi, leurs fouilles simultanées permettent une approche combinée de la sphère des vivants et de celle des morts. Dans cette présentation l’objectif est de tenter de reconstituer l’ensemble des étapes du rituel funéraire pour l’une des sépulture collective de Karataş, depuis le décès de premier individu jusqu’à l’abandon de la tombe, via la sélection de son emplacement, le creusement de la fosse, la réalisation de la jarre, la préparation du défunt, etc. L’enjeu est de s’interroger sur les différents scenari, sur les choix qui ont été fait par ces populations et sur les lieux dans lesquels chacune de ces activités prenait place.

International audience; Until the nineteen-sixties, our limited knowledge of the distribution of prehistoric sites in inland northwestern Anatolia was mainly based on the surface surveys carried out by K. Kökten, C. Burney and K. Bittel. The surveys in İznik-İnegöl areas byD. French (1960-1961, 1965-1966) and J. Cullberg (1964-65) has provided the first preliminary site distribution and material evidence concerning the region. Much later, between the years 1988-1995, T. Efe conducted surface surveys in the Kütahya, Bilecik and Eskişehir provinces4 (Fig. 1) which not only better clarified the site distribution and improved the chronological framework of the region, but also better defined the borders of what he called “cultural regions” and “pottery zones”.

International audience; The house is a " material, social and mental metaphor " of societies; as such, it is a privileged tool to grasp their identity and how they operate. My aim in this short article is to establish elements that prevail in the structuring of domestic space and protohistoric Anatolian societies distinguish the determinants of subsidiary components.; La maison est une " métaphore matérielle, sociale et mentale " des sociétés ; en ce sens, elle est un outil de choix pour appréhender leur identité et pour comprendre leur fonctionnement. Mon objectif dans ce bref article est d'établir les éléments qui prévalent à la structuration de l'espace domestique des sociétés anatoliennes protohistoriques et de distinguer les facteurs déterminants des éléments subsidiaires.

International audience

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International audience; A comparison of domestic architecture across Eastern Anatolia reveals fundamental differences in the development of domestic architecture in this region. This variance in house form can be attributed to a number of environmental factors,namely topography, climate and building materials, all of which can influence the morphology of houses. However, natural conditions such as these are not the only factor; house design was also affected by socio-cultural factors such as family composition and the limits of technical knowledge. I aim to categorize the different types of house plans known in third millennium BC Eastern Anatolia, with regard to their shape, size or building materials. The distribution of these categories of domestic architecture is analyzed and the reasons for this pattern of distribution across Eastern Anatolia is examined. Eastern Anatolia is composed of Erzurum,Malatya-Elazığ and Adıyaman sectors. Five different models have been found in thisregion: semi-subterranean (İmamoğlu (Late BA), Arslantepe (VI D2, Early Bronze Age IIIB)), rectangular mono-cellular with or without round corners (TaskunMevkii (phase 3), Değirmentepe (level III, level Ia-b) and Norşuntepe (lev. 16)),multi-cellular plan and extensive rectangular multi-roomed plan, organized around a courtyard (Titriş Höyük). Consequently, we will see that domestic architecture appears as a relevant tool in the studies of Anatolian societies, and of its relations with its neighbours.

International audience; Enigmatic stone structures, termed wheel houses/jellyfishes or agglomerated houses, were discovered in past decadesin the Near East and quite recently in Armenia, in the same areas as the kites (traps made of two long walls converging intoan enclosure). The intent of this article is to provide new insight into the agglomerated houses in Armenia and to deepen our understanding of the chronological and spatial aspects of these structures. We will present a brief overview of our knowledge concerning these massive stone features (kites, wheel houses/jellyfishes, agglomerated houses), first in the Middle East and then in Armenia. Finally, we will examine the results of the first season’s excavation of agglomerated cells near Arteni.

International audience

This article is dedicated to a series of stone artefacts discovered in stratified contexts at Tell Al-Rawda and other sites of Central Western Syria. It is a regional production, limited to the Orontes region and to the western border of steppic Syria. These heavy objects, most often made of basalt or limestone, are described: they have a symmetric form (often triangular), two relatively flat faces and a lug. All of them have been discovered in Early Bronze IV contexts (except one discovered at Qatna and dated to Middle Bronze by the excavators). A discussion about their possible function is proposed: they could be stone head of plow used to prepare the fields.Their discovery in varied contexts indicate that the field work was organized at the same time by official institutions and at a familial scale. The weight of these tools leads us to consider they were used rather for an agriculture practiced by sedentary populations., Cet article est consacré à une série d’artefacts en pierre trouvés en contextes stratifiés sur le site de Tell Al-Rawda et sur d’autres sites de la Syrie du centre ouest. Il s’agit d’une production régionale, limitée à la région de l’Oronte et à la lisière occidentale de la steppe syrienne. Ces lourds objets, le plus souvent en basalte ou en calcaire, y sont décrits : ils sont de forme symétrique (souvent triangulaires), présentent deux faces relativement planes et sont dotés d’un tenon. Tous ont été trouvés dans des contextes du Bronze ancien IV (à l’exception d’un exemplaire de Qatna daté, d’après les fouilleurs, du Bronze moyen). Une discussion sur leur fonction possible est proposée : il pourrait s’agir de têtes d’araires utilisées pour préparer les champs. Leur découverte dans des contextes variés montre que le travail des champs était organisé à la fois par des institutions officielles, mais également à l’échelle familiale. Le poids des outils incite à penser qu’ils ont servi plutôt dans le cadre d’une agriculture pratiquée par des populations sédentaires.