New Radiocarbon Dates for the Kura-Araxes Occupation at Aradetis Orgora, Georgia

The absolute chronology of the Kura-Araxes (KA) culture in the Southern Caucasus still represents a challenge due to the fragmentation and inadequacy of the radiocarbon record, as well as to inconsistencies in material typologies in the region. Recent archaeological fieldwork at the site of Aradetis Orgora in the Shida Kartli region of Georgia revealed 4 four major occupations levels dating to the KA II phase according to the local relative chronology. 14C samples were collected from reliable contexts and further selected according to reliability criteria taking into account both archaeological issues and lab procedures. FTIR was applied in order to determine the preservation of charcoals and to monitor the efficiency of lab treatments on all the samples. Only accurate 14C measurements were selected for Bayesian analysis incorporating stratigraphic information. Two models were run, the second of which simulating intervals corresponding to unexcavated stratigraphy or due to a lack of samples. In this article, the available radiocarbon dates for the KA occupation at Aradetis are presented for the first time and analyzed using Bayesian principles. Results of Bayesian modeling suggest that the occupa-tion of the excavated KA II levels may cover the period between 3040-2810 BC (simple model) or 3090-2720 BC (interval model