THE CHANGE OF THE ANTHROPOGENE FAUNA OF ARMENIA

Abstract

Animal bone remains found in burials of human settlements are important scientific sources at
studying the history of development of species and faunistic complexes.
The history of anthropogenic fauna in Armenia at present is represented by a rich osteological
collection, which testifies about certain changes in the contents of species and number of animals.
Of the Pleistocene ungulates, aurochs, wild horse and wild ass disappeared from Armenia by the
final Pleistocene.
Naturally, the annihilation of Pleistocene animals was not and could not be immediate. In certain
cases the relicts of the late Pleistocene fauna were kept under conditions of convenient biotopes for
a relatively long period of time.
Osteological material (over 90 000 bone remains), the base of present work, was collected at
excavations of more than 80 archaeological monuments in the territory of Armenia and cover a
large chronological period: Neolith, Eneolith, Bronze, Iron and Middle Ages.
Keywords: Armenia, faunistic material, Pleistocene sediments, Holocene fauna.

Full text

1
THE CHANGE OF THE ANTHROPOGENE FAUNA OF ARMENIA
Nina Manaseryan1, Andranik Gyonjyan2
Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, Institute of Zoology, NAS of Republic of Armenia.
P. Sevak 7, Yerevan, 0014 Armenia.
E-mail: ninna_man@yahoo.com, and.gyonjyan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Animal bone remains found in burials of human settlements are important scientific sources at
studying the history of development of species and faunistic complexes.
The history of anthropogenic fauna in Armenia at present is represented by a rich osteological
collection, which testifies about certain changes in the contents of species and number of animals.
Of the Pleistocene ungulates, aurochs, wild horse and wild ass disappeared from Armenia by the
final Pleistocene.
Naturally, the annihilation of Pleistocene animals was not and could not be immediate. In certain
cases the relicts of the late Pleistocene fauna were kept under conditions of convenient biotopes for
a relatively long period of time.
Osteological material (over 90 000 bone remains), the base of present work, was collected at
excavations of more than 80 archaeological monuments in the territory of Armenia and cover a
large chronological period: Neolith, Eneolith, Bronze, Iron and Middle Ages.
Keywords: Armenia, faunistic material, Pleistocene sediments, Holocene fauna.

2
INTRODUCTION
The history of anthropogenic fauna in Armenia at present is represented by animal remains from
Pleistocene sediments and rich faunistic material, collected at excavations of archaeological sites,
cover a large chronological period: Neolith, Eneolith, Bronze, Iron and Middle Ages.
Studies of the Pleistocene animals from the territory of the Republic of Armenia were found many
specimens of Proboscideans
1
[1], Ungulates, Predators, and Rhinoceros
2
[4].
By the end of Pleistocene on the territory of Armenia there were the following species:
perissodactyle, artiodactyle, rapacious and rodents [1]. In the beginning of Holocene there were
annihilated the trogontherian Elephant and southern Elephant, woolly Rhinoceros and knobloch
Camel (Camelus_knoblochi ), and the Stenon Horse (Equus Stenonis).
Preliminary studies of Holocene fauna (embracing a period from the beginning of the fourth up to
the first millennium, BC) has demonstrated that in a whole the scattering of the majority of
vertebrates at the beginning of Holocene resembles the area existed in the final Pleistocene
3
[7; 12;
10; 14; 11].
1
The oldest specimen of Elephantidae was found in 1993 in Oligocene-Miocene sediments of
Dilijan suite. Fossil provisionally was defined as Elephantidae sp. In 1959 and 1966 L.A. Avakyan
and L.I. Alekseeva from the lacustrine layers of Shirak and Ararat depressions described
Palaeoloxodon antiques, Mammuthus trogontherii trogontherii and M. trogontherii chosaricus and
include them into faunal complex of ―Leninakan. In 1973 from the lake sediments of the village
Lermontovo was found elephant skeleton of Mammuthus [1].
2
The hole of Erivan I has yielded about a dozen of rhinoceros remains associated with 14
mammalian species. The rhino is Dicerorhinus etruscus brachycephalus, a typical lower Middle
Pleistocene form which seems do survive in the Caucasus up to the beginning of the last glaciations
[4].
3
In papers published earlier [7; 12; 10; 14; 11] we came across with the less studied problem of
change anthropogene fauna in Armenia. Since that time, the remains of animal bones have been
obtained from excavations of new archaeological sites. Methodologically, taking into account the
specificity of archaeozoological studies, first we apply to the fact of presence or absence of fauna
remains of the species in the excavation material. But the privilege is given to bone remains from
the settlements that manifest real living conditions, while the ones from the burials can be limited by
ritual situations.

3
Naturally, the annihilation of Pleistocene animals was not and could not be immediate. In certain
cases the relicts of the late Pleistocene fauna were kept under conditions of convenient biotopes for
a relatively long period of time.
The goal is to identify and characterize the mammalian bone remains from archaeological
excavations in one of the most interesting periods in the development of the fauna-Holocene.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Osteological material, the base of present work, was collected at excavations of more than 80
archaeological monuments in the territory of Armenia and covers a large chronological period:
Neolith, Eneolith, Bronze, Iron and Middle Ages. Some elements of the Holocene fauna of Armenia
have been found in cultural layers, chiefly, at excavations of natural burial areas along the north-
west coast of Lake Sevan, lake layers in Tzamakaberd region.
In total 90 000 fragments were identified to the rank of class, order, genus or species. The
identification was verified utilizing modern skeletal specimens from the comparative osteological
collection of the Institute of Zoology, Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology [13] and
comparative-anatomical method [18; 19; 3].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Spelearctos rossicus Bor. - Bear
The most characteristic example of the relicts of the Pleistocene was cave Bear (Spelearctos
rossicus Bor). Regardless of the common idea that the latter species had become extinct by the end
of mid-Pleistocene, it had existed rather long in Armenia than in other regions of its areal, and here,
its complete extinction is referred to late Pleistocene [15].
Alces alces caucasicus L. - Caucasian elk.
The next relict of the Pleistocene period is Caucasian elk (Alces alces caucasicus L.). Remains of
this animal were of late Pleistocene, i.e., in Palaeolith fauna and in the sand-pits of Ayrum village
(dated back to early Bronze Age). Consequently, this animal had survived from Pleistocene through
mid Holocene.
Bison bonasus caucasicus Sat. – Bison.

4
Two fragments of the skull and 10 horn core are from the sites around Sevan-lake basin: Ayrivan
4
and Shorzha. The remains of postcranial skeleton are not numerous, and in some sites they are
represented by a small number of samples.
The Caucasian aurochs is a relict of Pleistocene as well. Study of the morphogenesis of Caucasian
and adjacent area aurochs allowed us to conclude that our small mountainous country had been in
the sphere of evolution of these animals during anthropogenic period and preserved this relict of
Pleistocene epoch. It is characteristic that all the known findings of the Holocene aurochs were
grouped in Lake Sevan basin only. It is fully annihilated [16; 12; 7].
Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758 – Beaver
Fragments of mandible with ascending broken part found from Aratashen Khatunarkh-Aknashen
(Neolithic), Shengavit (mid-3d Millennium BC) and Hogmik (Antique). Caucasian beaver is found
to be a relict that had occurred in Armenia in Pleistocene and in the first half of Holocene.
Information on existence of beavers in Armenia was rather questionable. Meanwhile, the beaver
bone remains in osteological issues indicate both the inhabitation of that beast in Armenia and
expand the area of its inhabitation in bygone days [8]. If based on Radde, Keppen, Satunin’s and
our evidences it had existed by the 19th century. It is fully annihilated. Extinction of beaver had
possibly caused by considerable natural decrease in low-lying forests or extermination of
woodlands. It is most possible that extinction of beaver in the Caucasus had been bound with
intensive hunting for the animal. It is known that the life of ancient people mainly depended upon
hunting, and the settlers in Neolith had had slight distinction from those in Palaeolith because in
Neolith man enlarged the circle of his hunting objects on account of improvement of his hunting
tools. Materials from the bone remains of Bronze era give evidence on all increasing direct and
indirect effect of man.
Gazella subgutturosa Gul. – Gazelle
4
A natural burial place of bones is concentrated on the southwestern coast of Lake Sevan near the
Ayrivan monastery. The belt extends along the wave-cut zone all the way up to Cape Noraduz,
extending over 500 m in length and about 50-60 m in width. The layers forming these strata relate to
paleofluvial deposits of the Early Holocene. These rocks contain remains of animal bones within
two strata that alternate with diagonally-layered sand. The faunal composition is rich and includes
Bison sp., Bos sp., Camelus sp., Cervus elaphus, Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes, Sus sp. and others.

5
The horn core and their fragments out of Aratashen, Khatunarkh-Aknashen (Neolithic sites),
Metsamor, Shirakavan, Talin, Katnakhpyur and Norabats.
The remains are represented in single samples. It is fully annihilated.
Camelus sp. - Camel
The skull fragments from the sites of Tsamakaberd (2nd millennium BC), postcranial skeletons from
Artashat (1st century BC – 1st century AD), and Dvin (Medieval).
Bos primigenius Boj. - Aurochs
The skull and mandible fragments from Shamiram burial. It is not excluded the possibility of
defining aurochs bone fragments (especially of the females) as ones of domestic bull. Hence,
aurochs in the materials may be more than registered till now. By the end of Iron era the auroch was
annihilated everywhere.
Equidae
The most ancient horse of Equus stenonis type was recorded in Armenia in early Pleistocene in
“Leninakan Faunistic Complex”. Later on a lower jaw of a horse with its four teeth was found
among extremely shattered material known as “Pliocene Kanaker ”. Horse teeth of Equus caballus
have been found in Vurm layer in the vicinity of Nalband village. In cave layers of the ‘Mustier’ era
remains of Equus stenonis and Equus caballus have been revealed.
Without going into details in paleontological history I can note only that a non-stop occurrence of
the caballoid form with various frequencies has been confirmed by osteological data during the
whole Holocene.
Equus hemionus Pall. - Kulan
The mandible fragment, bones of extremities, and separate teeth out of Mokhrablur, Shengavit,
Metsamor, Teyshebaini, and Beniamin monuments. The remains are usually not numerous, and in
certain monuments they are represented by a small quantity of samples. It is fully annihilated.
Bubalus arnee - Buffalo
A fragmentary skull out of monuments around Sevan-lake basin.
The remains of the rapacious are met in kitchen garbage of Paleolite man and in inhabited layers of
later period. The oldest bone remains of rapacious mammals in Armenia refer to the monuments of
Stone Age (Yerevan and Lusakert cave layers of the 'Mustier' era). The analysis of bone remains of

6
the above mentioned monuments defined the presence of representatives from Canidae, Mustelidae
and Felidae family [17; 11].
Panthera leo persica Meyer. - Lion
Up to now the lion remains have been identified only among the bone remains from excavated
material from Verin Naver (4th-3rd millennium BC), Karashamb (2nd millennium BC)
(Mezhlumyan, pers.comm.) and Djogaz (Simonyan, pers.comm.). Later two fragments of the
mandible of different species were identified in materials of Lori Berd burials (Late Bronze – Early
Iron Age). Of a special interest is the lion image on rock carvings in Geghama Mountains [9].
Panthera pardus L.- Leopard
5
It inhabits the places with crossed relief where wild ungulates are maintained. It is the most
beautiful cat of our fauna. It is a rare animal and protected by Law. Its Holocene remains (left
mandible) were found in the shorelines of Lake Sevan near Akhkala village. The species is listed in
the Red Data Book.
Acinonyx jubatus Schreb. - Cheetah
The first documental justification of the cheetah’s existence at Holocene in Armenia was a mandible
from Shengavit settlement. Later the second finding was discovered in Argishtikhinili city ruins.
Cervus elaphus maral O. - Red deer
The skulls, upper and lower jaw fragments, antler and their fragments, and bones of
extremities from Yengidja, Khatunarkh, Teghut, Adablur, Mokhrablur, Shengavit, Garni,
Joudjevan, Metsamor, Karnut, Shirakavan, Ayrivan, Sevan, Tsamakaberd, Khosi
Joter, Sisian, Lchashen, and Lori Berd [15; 8], Mec Sepasar, Azatan, Haykadzor [5; 6]. A
representative of fauna peculiar to Armenia since the Eneolith up to the 19th century.
Ovis orientalis Gmelini Blyth & Capra aegagrus aegagrus Erxleben -
Armenian moufflon - Ovis orientalis Gmelini Blyth 1841 (= armeniana Nasonov 1919) and Bezoar
goat - Capra aegagrus aegagrus Erxleben 1777 (= caucasica Gray 1841) are principal
5
The remains belonging to leopard and cheetah are very seldom in the osteological issues, while
depiction of those animals is abundant in rock carvings. By the way, the characteristic properties
peculiar to leopard and cheetah are in our opinion so obvious that it is impossible to confuse them.
A soft stepping of the paw is focused at depicting a leopard (generally the paws are rounded at
depictions) while in case of cheetahs the feet are long and strong. It can be illustrated by a figure
where the wide apart paws are depicted with thin lines. This is typical of cheetah, as among all the
cats only its paws are semi-retractile.

7
representatives of Holocene ungulates in Armenia. Moufflon and Bezoar goat remains were found
at settlements, burial-grounds, and fortresses of Neolithic, Eneolithic, Bronze and Middle Ages.
Areas with modern species, animal images on rocks, ceramic pottery, selected totemic objects and
literature information suggest that either of the species was considered a valuable source for hunting
and was widespread throughout the Armenia, and even outside its borders [14].
Capra aegagrus Erxl. - Bezoar goat
The horn core fragments from Zhdanovo, Joudjevan, Garni, Ayrivan and Karashamb. The remains
are not numerous, and in some sites they are represented with small number of samples. It is not
numerous, and has a tendency to decrease in number and area. It is included in the Red Book.
Ovis orientalis Gmelin – Armenian moufflon
The fragments of horn core, and bones of extremities from Mokhrablur, Shengavit, Zhdanovo,
Garni, Joudjevan, Metsamor, Talin, Lori Berd, Karashamb sites. It is not excluded the possibility
that in the materials large bones stems of domestic sheep exist. They are on the edge of annihilation.
It is included in the Red Book.
Studies of Holocene fauna (embracing a period from the beginning of the fourth up to the first
millennium, BC) have demonstrated that in a whole the scattering of the majority of vertebrates at
the beginning of Holocene resembles the area existed in the final Pleistocene.
By the end of the Pleistocene proboscideans (Archidiskodon trogontherii Pohl.), ungulates
(Dicerorhinus etruscus Falc.; Dicerorhinus kichbergenis Yaeg.; Camelus knoblochi Nehr., Equus
stenonis Coechi., and Bos trochoceros Meyer.) disappeared.
Distribution of most vertebrates in the early Holocene was similar in many respects to the range that
existed at the end of the Pleistocene: Castor fiber, Bison bonasus caucasicus, Alces alces
caucasicus, Gazella subgutturosa, and Cervus elaphus were widespread.
In the Middle Holocene the areas of a number of vertebrates were subjected to serious changes; the
elk (Alces alces), aurochs (Bison bonasus) and beaver (Castor fiber) disappeared on the boundary of
the 4th and 3d millenniums. Since the second millennium BC the number of kulan (Equus
hemionus) and jeiran (Gazella subgutturosa) has been sharply decreased, as well as the Red deer
has been annihilated later. At present the Armenian moufflon (Ovis orientalis) is on the way to be
annihilated, the Bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus) decreases in number and the area of settlement
becomes narrow.
Human influence on vertebrate animals can be observed by kitchen remains of the primitive
tribes since the Acheulian stage. Undoubtedly, the Paleolithic tribes promoted the extinction and
reduction of natural habitat of a number of vertebrates. The primitive hunters obtained
predominantly more accessible and bulk species. Study of bone remains left after dine in paleocaves

8
(Yerevan 1, Lusakert), testify about the existence at least of 15 kinds of mammals that were used by
the hunting tribes.
The hunter’s bag consisted mainly of cave bear, wild boar and noble deer. Bison and horse were of
great significance. Probably, the contents and ratio of a number of different animals in the
Paleolithic hunters’ bag were variable depending on the season of the year.
A certain reference exists between the trophies of the Paleolithic settlements and the rock
carvings with the hunting scenes made in Gegham, Vardenis and Siunik mountains of Armenia [9].
CONCLUSION:
Surely we have no certain data about the reasons of the destruction of some species of the
vertebrate animals. Over the last 2-3 decades have been marked by the significance of
palaeozoological material on postglacial history of Armenian fauna with great archaeological
interval - from Neolith to Middle Ages, i.e., a period when the contemporary fauna was exposed
to the most intensive, direct and indirect impacts of man. Development of agriculture and cattle-
breeding leading to decrease and change of natural biotopes was accompanied by the decrease in the
number and, frequently, in death of animals. In the late Holocene the range of Moufflons and
Besoar goats inhabiting almost the whole plateau of Armenia, decreased essentially. Some
Rapacious mammals are on the verge of extinction: Transcaucasian brown bear (Ursus arctos),
South-Russian marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), Caucasian otter (Lutra lutra), Persian leopard
( Pantera pardus).

9
REFERENCES
1. Antonosyan M. & Gabrielyan I. 2014. On the fossil Elephantidae of the republic of Armenia.
Proceedings of the International conference «Biological diversity and conservation problems of
the fauna of the Caucasus – 2» september 23-26, Yerevan, Armenia. 25-28
2. Avakyan l. 1948. “History of findings in excavations of the quarternary mammals of Armenia”,
Herald of Acad. Sci. ArmSSR, tech. sci. series I. 71-80.
3. Driesch A. 1977. A guide to the measurement of animal bones from archaeological sites.
Peabody
Museum Bulletin 1. Harvard University.135.
4. Guerin C., Barychnikov G., Mejloumian S. 1992. Survivance tardive d'une forme archaique
dans le Pleistocene du Caucase: le Dicerorhinus etruscus brachycephalus du gisement
mousterien d'Erivan 1 (Armenie) (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) . Bull. mens. Soc. linn. Lyon. T.
61. Fasc. 6. 166-174.
5. Gyonjyan A., Manaseryan N. 2011. “Some data on faunal remains from archaeological sites of
North Western Armenia”. Proceedings of the international conference “Biological diversity and
conservation problems of the fauna of the Caucasus”, Yerevan pp. 99-101.
6. Gyonjyan A. Manaseryan N. 2013. “Wild and domestic animals in household of ancient tribes
of Shirak region”. Biological Journal of Armenia, LXV, 4, pp. 96-100.
7. Manaseryan N. 1995. “The Change of the Anthropogene Fauna of Armenia”, in the Proceedings
of
the First International Mammoth Symposium, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. 687-688.
8. Manaserian N. 1997.Wild and Domestic animals in Medieval Armenia. Journal
“Anthropozoologica” numero 25-26, Paris, France. 793-794.
9. Manaserian N. 2003. Hunting tackle, animals and objects in rock engravings from Armenia.
Archaeofauna (International journal of Archaeozoology). Volume 12.193-201.
10. Manaseryan N. 2008. Reduction de la variete specifique des vertebres au cours de L'Holocene
en Armenie. Archaeozoology of the Near East VIII TMO 49, Maison de L'Orient et de la
Mediterranee, Lion. 533-540.
11. Manaseryan N. 2016. Carnivora mammals of the Holocene in Armenia. Archaeozoology of the
Near East. Oxbow Books. Oxford. 76-87.
12. Manaseryan N., Antonian L. 1998. Relict Mammals in the Holocene. 8 th Internat.Council for
Archaeozoology. Victoria,BC,Canada. 179.
13. Manaseryan N. Mirzoyan L. 2005.Collections of subfossil mammals. Materials of the
Republican scientific session "Culture of Ancient Armenia". 13. ed. "Mogni". Yerevan. 200-
204.
14. Manaseryan N., Mirzoyan L. 2013. Armenia: “Animal remains from Neolithic and Bronze Age
settlements and burials”. Studii de Preistorie 10, Bucuresti. 131-153.
15. Mezhlumyan S. 1988. Holocene Fauna of Mammals in Armenia, Publ. by Acad. Sci. ArmSSR,
Yerevan. 183.

10
16. Mezhlumyan S. & Manaseryan N. 1971. “New data on excavated fauna of Sevan lake basin”, in
The Nature of Armenia, 17-18 Issue of Acad. Sci. ArmSSR, Yerevan. 40-42.
17. Mezhlumyan S. & Manaseryan N. 1973. Paleolithic fauna "Yerevan cave." The Nature of
Armenia. vol. 1. 24-27.
18. Reed Ch. A.1959 Animal domestication in the Prehistoric Near East. // Science,v.130. N3389,
423-430.
19. Schmid E. 1972. Atlas of animal bones. / Univer. of Bazel. Amsterdam-London-New York.
71-151.