3,500-year-old rest stop — with leftovers from communal meals — found in Azerbaijan
As anyone who has ever felt stuck in the car on a long drive knows, a rest stop is a welcome sight. It’s a chance to stretch your legs, get some food and prepare for the next part of the trip.
The need for a rest stop isn’t new — as archaeologists in Azerbaijan were recently reminded.
A joint team of Italian and Azerbaijani archaeologists spent a month excavating a site known as Tava Tepe, the University of Catania said in a July 7 news release. This site is in the Caucasus region and near the border of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
During the excavation, archaeologists found the ruins of a 3,500-year-old rest stop. The monumental structure was used by nomadic peoples migrating between modern-day eastern Europe and western Asia during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Ages.
Photos show the circular ruins. During ancient times, the structure likely had a columned entrance, thatched roof and diameter of about 50 feet.
At the center of the complex, archaeologists found a kitchen with eight oven-like structures, cooking utensils, bowls, glasses and clay tokens. The tokens might have been used to claim food rations, the university said.
Outside the ancient kitchen, archaeologists unearthed leftovers from communal meals. The deposits contained animal bones, including cattle, sheep and pig bones, and pottery waste.
Archaeologists believe the rest stop was used for ceremonial meals because they uncovered an offering pit with human figurines and broken pottery. The artifacts were intentionally buried and covered with a thick layer of ash.
Photos show some of these artifacts.
Archaeologists will present more of their findings on Tava Tepe at a festival in mid-July. The University of Catania, located in Sicily, Italy, will host an exhibition in December.
Tava Tepe is in the Aghstafa region of Azerbaijan, a country bordering Armenia, Georgia, Iran and Russia.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the University of Catania.
This story was originally published July 8, 2024 at 11:41 AM with the headline "3,500-year-old rest stop — with leftovers from communal meals — found in Azerbaijan."
