← Back to all studies
protein intake

Seasonality and mobility: An Integrative framework for reconstructing Kura-Araxes pastoral systems at Maxta I, Nakhchivan

16 April 2026

Maurer Gwendoline, Frémondeau Delphine, Ismayilova Narmin, Ashurov Safar, Bakhshaliyev Veli, Aliyeva Fidan Khalafova, Nederbragt Alexandra, Jourdan Anne-Lise, Wengrow David, Wood Rachel, Martin Louise, Stevens Rhiannon E.

Summary

1. Plain-Language Summary This study reveals that ancient Kura-Araxes communities in the Caucasus were not just simple nomadic herders, but practiced a highly adaptable food system blending permanent settlements with flexible animal movements. They strategically managed their livestock throughout the year, optimizing for both meat and valuable secondary products like fleece.

2. Key Findings

  • Integrated Food System: Kura-Araxes communities developed a sophisticated agro-pastoral system combining features of permanent settlement with strategic, seasonal movement of animal herds.
  • Flexible Livestock Management: Their approach was highly adaptable to different seasons and environments, incorporating specific birthing seasons and exploitation of various animal products.
  • Targeted Secondary Products: Evidence suggests they intentionally managed herds for secondary products, particularly fleece, indicating a multifaceted economic strategy beyond just meat.
  • Challenges Old Assumptions: The research disputes the simplified "nomadic vs. sedentary" model, showing a dynamic, nuanced adaptation to their ecological and social landscapes.

3. Practical Takeaways for Nutrition and Longevity While studying ancient cultures, we can draw parallels to modern concepts of sustainable and diverse diets:

  • Dietary Adaptability: Emphasizes the importance of adapting our food choices to local resources and seasonal availability for optimal nutrition.
  • Whole, Unprocessed Foods: Highlights a system reliant on directly managed animal products (meat, milk, possibly wool for clothing/shelter) and likely plant cultivation, reinforcing the value of whole, minimally processed foods.
  • Resourcefulness and Resilience: Their success over centuries demonstrates the longevity benefits of a flexible, resilient food system that makes the most of available resources.

4. Study Limitations As the first study of its kind in this specific context, these findings are currently site-specific to Maxta I and more research is needed to generalize these conclusions across the entire Kura-Araxes culture.

Abstract

The Kura-Araxes Culture (3500–2500 BCE) is often depicted as a homogeneous pastoralist horizon, yet its internal economic and mobility strategies remain poorly understood. This study for the first time introduces an integrative framework for reconstructing site-specific pastoral practices through a detailed case study of Maxta I (Nakhchivan). It represents the first study in the Kura-Araxes context and more broadly in the Caucasus to combine zooarchaeology, Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), stable isotope analysis, and settlement data. This multi-method approach offers a comprehensive view of livestock management, seasonal movement, and socio-economic organisation. The results reveal a seasonally flexible agro-pastoral system that blends permanent settlement features with structured herd mobility, birthing seasons, and possible targeted secondary product exploitation strategies for fleece. Rather than adhering to a binary model of nomadic versus sedentary lifeways, Maxta I demonstrates how Kura-Araxes communities dynamically adapted to diverse ecological and social landscapes. This research challenges assumptions of cultural uniformity and establishes a new comparative model for understanding the diversity of pastoral strategies across Southwest Asia.
Source study →