Ulug Depe

Ulug Depe is an ancient Bronze Age site in the foothills of the Kopet Dag Mountains in the Karakum Desert of Kaka District (Kaahka) in the Ahal Province of south-eastern Turkmenistan. It covers around 13 hectares and lies on a mound at a height of about 30 meters, displaying the longest stratigraphic sequence of Central Asia, from the Late Neolithic, represented by Jeitun culture, until the pre-Achaemenid period.[1]

History

Located near Dushak,[2] in the early Bronze Age, Ulug Depe was a flourishing agricultural town, located on the fertile belt along the northern foothills of the Kopet Dag mountain range.[2] In the late 1960s, the Soviet archaeologist, Victor Sarianidi revealed the importance of Ulug Depe, with the occupation of the site ranging from the Neolithic (6th millennium BC) to the Achaemenid period (1st millennium BCE).[3]

The following table, by Olivier Lecomte, brings the chronology for South Central Asia and Ulug-depe settlement:[4]

Period Dates
Neolithic of Jeitun type 6200–5000 BCE
Proto-Chalcolithic (Anau Ia) 5200–4800 BCE
Early-Chalcolithic (Namazga I) 4800–4000 BCE
Middle-Chalcolithic (Namazga II) 4000–3500 BCE
Late-Chalcolithic (Namazga III) 3500–3000 BCE
Early Bronze (Namazga IV) 3000–2500 BCE
Middle Bronze (Namazga V) 2500–2200 BCE
Late Bronze (Namazga VI) 2200–1500 BCE
Late Bronze (Margiana, Gonur phase) 2200–1800 BCE
Late Bronze (Margiana, Togolok phase) 1800–1500 BCE
Early Iron (Yaz I) 1500–1100 BCE
Archaic Dehistan (SW Turkmenistan) 1300–500 BCE
Pre-Achaemenid and Achaemenid (Yaz II-III) 1100–329 BCE

The site has been extensively excavated by the French Center of Archaeological Excavations in conjunction with the National Department for Preservation, Studying and Restoration of History and Culture Monuments of Turkmenistan, led by Olivier Lecomte between 2001-2012 and at the present by Julio Bendezu-Sarmiento.[2] The excavation of the site has also been joined by specialists of the state historical-cultural preserve Abiverd and archaeologists from other countries, including students of the Paris University. In 2007 the mission was joined by the Archaeological Research Laboratory and Guimet National Museum with field work funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[3] It is now recognized as a key site for studying the interaction between Central Asia, Elam, Mesopotamia and the Indus Civilization given its location.[3]

Discoveries

Of major note is a fortified mud brick citadel with buttressed walls, which dominates the lower part of the ancient city, dated to pre-Achaemenid times.[2][5] An operation began in 2004 to help uncover relics relating to the occupation of this site, producing figurines and other clay objects.[3] The archaeologists have discovered a set of geometric ornaments and stone figures with depictions of the goddess of fertility.[3] They also discovered ancient grape seeds, revealing much about the system of large settlements of ancient farmers who lived in the foothills of the Kopet Dag mountains including other settlements of Kara Depe, Namazga Depe, Altyn Depe, Yylyn Depe etc. The artifacts discovered in Ulug Depe are on display at the Ak Bugdai Museum in Ashgabat.[3]

Excavations in the Late Bronze layers also found a "pressure set" for making soma drink. This set, similar to those found in Gonur Depe,

"... consisted of a huge stone mortar and a pestle, a pressing stone with a half-spheric projection in its centre, and next to it a similar one with a half-spheric deepening."[6]

Gonur Depe seems to be the central city on the ancient Oxus civilization, also known as the Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex, from about 2000 BCE.

Study conducted by the French team in 2007 revealed several main phases of occupation in Ulug Depe.[5] Further pottery including vases were discovered dating to the Namazga III and Namazga IV chronological periods.[5]

See also

References
  1. Lhuillier, J., (2016)."Ulug-depe and the transition period from Bronze Age to Iron Age in Central Asia: A Tribute to V. I. Sarianidi" in Transactions of Margiana Archaeological Expedition Vol. 6, p. 509.
  2. Brummell, Paul (2006). Bradt Travel Guide Turkmenistan. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 127. ISBN 1-84162-144-7.
  3. "French archaeologists present new findings to Ak Bugdai museum". turkmenistan.ru. October 31, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  4. Lecomte, Olivier, (2011)."Ulug-depe: 4000 Years of Evolution between Plain and Desert", in Historical and Cultural Sites of Turkmenistan, p. 223.
  5. "La mission archéologique Franco-Turkmène" (in French). Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  6. Victor Sarianidi, Margiana and Soma-Haoma. Electronic Journal of Vedic Studies (EJVS), Vol. 9 (2003) Issue 1c (May 5); archived 10 May 2020
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