The Chalcolithic period in the South Caucasus (c. 5500–3500 BCE) was marked by changing social organization, increased mobility, and growing economic complexity. While recent research has significantly expanded our knowledge of this period, key questions remain regarding subsistence systems, herding practices, animal exploitation strategies, the use of secondary animal products, and human adaptation to diverse environmental settings.
Faunal remains from Yeghegis-1, a rock shelter in southern Armenia occupied during the late 5th and 4th millennia BCE, are examined to explore Chalcolithic lifeways in the region. By integrating taphonomic assessment, morphological analysis, and collagen fingerprinting (ZooMS), the study reconstructs patterns of bone accumulation, biodiversity, and human-animal interactions.
The assemblage is well preserved, with clear evidence of anthropogenic modification to bone surfaces. Caprines dominate the faunal spectrum throughout the occupation sequence, underscoring their central role in local subsistence practices. Age-at-death distributions and culling profiles indicate mixed herd management strategies geared toward the exploitation of multiple animal products, including wool, hair, and milk. In contrast, cattle herding and hunting appear to have played a limited role in the animal economy at Yeghegis-1.
These results contribute to a broader understanding of Chalcolithic subsistence and herding strategies in the Lesser Caucasus and highlight the value of combining zooarchaeological and biomolecular approaches in regional studies.

First Author: Satenik Mkrtchyan

Co-Authors: Gayane Nazaryan, Noel Amano, Mariam Saribekyan, Levon Yepiskoposyan, Patrick Roberts, Mariya Antonosyan

Keywords:
Zooarchaeology
ZooMS
Chalcolithic
Yeghegis-1