Ancient stone tools reveal complex nomadic lifestyles in Armenian Highlands

edited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Robert Egan

The research, published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, analyzed an assemblage of 1,770 stone artifacts spanning five distinct layers. The study focused on the late Middle Paleolithic period, roughly between 33,000 and 52,000 years ago, when ancient human populations navigated environmental shifts in the South Caucasus region.

The team uncovered a distinct dichotomy in how prehistoric groups used different stone resources. High-quality obsidian tools were transported across long distances, with some originating from volcanic sources up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) away. These obsidian tools show evidence of continuous reshaping and maintenance, illustrating a curated toolkit designed for highly mobile groups moving through mid- and high-altitude mountain corridors.

In contrast, tools made from local chert reflected an expedient strategy. The chert artifacts show signs of initial production onsite, indicating that early humans used nearby resources for short-term tasks while staying at a specific location. By adopting a novel analytical framework that tracks tiny fragments under 20 millimeters, the researchers were able to identify evidence of tool repair, even when the final tools themselves were carried away from the site.

The findings challenge traditional methods that classify ancient cultures solely by static tool shapes. Instead, the study reveals that Ararat-1 Cave functioned primarily as a strategic maintenance-and-rest station within a complex network of seasonal migration routes.

“Our study demonstrates that ancient hunter-gatherers were highly flexible and strategic thinkers,” said Malinsky-Buller, head of the Human-Environment-Dynamics Laboratory at the Hebrew University Institute of Archaeology. “They did not rely on a single way of doing things. Instead, they carefully balanced portable, long-distance toolkits with immediate local resources, treating caves like Ararat-1 as critical hubs to rest, repair their gear and plan their next move across a challenging landscape.”

New studies reveal 100,000 years of prehistoric life in the Caucasus

An upcoming issue of Quaternary Science Reviews, edited by Malinsky-Buller and Prof. Erella Hovers, researchers from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University, presents a series of studies resulting from four seasons of excavations at prehistoric sites in Armenia. The research sheds new light on how early hunter-gatherers lived in the southern Caucasus—a region shaped by diverse landscapes, sharp temperature contrasts and strong seasonal changes.

Drawing on evidence spanning the past 300,000 years, the studies combine archaeology with geological and environmental data, including isotope analysis and faunal remains, to reconstruct human behavior over time. Placed in a broader regional context, the findings highlight the importance of the southern Caucasus as a key—yet previously understudied—area for understanding prehistoric life across Eurasia.

The introduction and summary by Malinsky-Buller present midterm results of the TransCause project, focusing on how Pleistocene hunter-gatherers adapted to long-term climate change (~250–29 thousand years ago). They emphasize the link between environmental change, mobility, subsistence and social networks. Evidence from sites such as Kalavan-2, Ararat-1 and Dalarik-1 shows how varied landscapes and seasonal shifts shaped lifeways, with flexible movement, tool use and social connections playing a central role.