Dr. Philip Kohl, in a collaborative project with Russian archaeological colleagues, will lay the groundwork for a long- term archaeological research project in the Transcaucasia region of Southern Russia. The team will examine what are essentially uninvestigated remains which include large fortified Bronze and Iron Age hilltop sites and burial mounds. Archaeological deposits from earlier Mesolithic and Neolithic periods will also be examined. Sites will be mapped using aerial techniques and surface materials collected. This research is important for several reasons. First, although the Transcaucasia area is known to be rich in archeological remains, very little systematic work has been conducted. This project will help to fill that gap. Secondly, because of its richness in raw materials such as obsidian (volcanic glass) and metals which were widely valued in prehistory, this area probably played a major role in the development of complex Old World societies, and research here will shed additional light on prehistoric development over a broad geographic area. Finally, Dr. Kohl's work should help to solidify ties between U.S. and Russian archaeologists and open the way for future collaborative research.
