During the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age, the South Caucasus was characterized by intense cultural changes and the emergence of the different yet interconnected archaeological traditions. While intercultural interaction in this period has mostly been discussed through metal artifacts, pottery, and burials, clay stamp seals represent an understudied but highly informative type of material. This research reconsiders clay stamp seals as an alternative pathway for investigating cultural connectivity in the South Caucasus during the period of the second half of the 2nd millennium BCE and the first half of the 1st millennium BCE.
The study is based on a comparative typological and stylistic analysis of clay stamp seals from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. These objects, predominantly decorated with geometric motifs such as swastikas, spirals, crosses, concentric circles, became widespread across the region from the late 2nd millennium BCE onwards. Two main morphological groups can be distinguished. The first group is primarily associated with the Samtavro culture in Shida Kartli and includes stamp seals from Kvemo Kartli, Western Georgia, and Armenia. The second group is concentrated in Eastern Georgia - Kakheti Region and North-Western Azerbaijan (including Ganja–Gazakh and Shaki–Zagatala regions). Although both groups share general formal and ornamental characteristics, they differ in size, handle morphology, base thickness, carving depth, and motif execution. These differences point to regionally specific production traditions and suggest that clay stamp seals can be used to trace cultural boundaries in the South Caucasus. Petrographic analysis of seals from Georgia (conducted by A. Rogava, Georgian National Museum) indicates that while most seals were produced locally, occasional interregional movement of such objects did occur. By combining all the above-mentioned, this study offers a new perspective on Late Bronze–Early Iron Age connectivity and highlights the importance of the clay stamp seals in the archaeology of the South Caucasus.

First Author: Tamar Chogovadze

Keywords:
Clay stamp seals
South Caucasus
Late Bronze-Early Iron Age