Mountainous ‘Margins’ and Entangled Histories in the Caspian Space

Lara Fabian
UC Los Angeles
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

This project investigates the historical and cultural dynamics of highland communities in southeastern Azerbaijan through archaeological research on a ca. 2200-year-old settlement. It contributes to a broader project to reconceptualize the Circumcaspian regional system as a dynamic space linking communities in the South Caucasus, Northern Iran, Central Asia, and the Eurasian Steppe. Modern research in this region, shaped by contemporary geopolitics, has done a poor job of capturing the deep diachronic complexity of the zone, reinforcing the notion that highland areas were peripheral to broader historical processes. Excavations at the highland site of Seyyidin Yeri, begun in 2024, revealed a rare settlement from the region, including a massive stone structure dating to a period of growing Mediterranean and Iranian imperial reach in the area. The 2025 field season examines how highland communities interacted with these new pressures. This grant supports granular archaeological analyses, with the specific goal of developing a refined chronology based on AMS radiocarbon dates. This research not only enhances our understanding of settlement practices in highland environments, but also challenges entrenched narratives that have marginalized these landscapes, positioning them as active participants in the historical dynamics of the Caspian world.