This paper reports on radiocarbon (14C) results from the recent archaeological investigations in the ancient frontier fortress of Rabati, in southwest Georgia, a collaborative research project involving archaeologists from the Georgian National Museum and the University of Melbourne. From the first three excavation seasons spanning 2016, 2018, and 2019, it became clear that significant Bedeni phase deposits capped most of the summit of the site. Levels with their distinctive vessels and a range of contemporary, local domestic wares, pits and some traces of architecture seal underlying Early Bronze Age strata. The Early Bronze Age levels include massive architecture rarely seen in Kura-Araxes settlements. Some finds can only be described as unique and extraordinary while others suggest that the core population was stable with long-held traditions, yet open to new influences infiltrating this highland site during the subsequent Early Kurgan (Martkopi-Bedeni) period. We discuss the key discoveries at Rabati relative to the 14C readings from the site within the wider setting of contemporary sites in the Caucasus.

中文翻译：

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格鲁吉亚拉巴蒂的早期库尔干时期：文化序列和放射性碳日期的新组合

本文报道了放射性碳（14C) 最近在佐治亚州西南部拉巴蒂古边防要塞进行的考古调查的结果，这是一项由格鲁吉亚国家博物馆和墨尔本大学的考古学家参与的合作研究项目。从 2016 年、2018 年和 2019 年的前三个挖掘季节开始，很明显，重要的 Bedeni 相沉积物覆盖了该遗址的大部分山顶。水平与他们独特的船只和一系列当代的当地家用器皿、坑和一些建筑痕迹密封在早期青铜时代地层之下。青铜时代早期的水平包括在 Kura-Araxes 定居点很少见到的大规模建筑。一些发现只能被描述为独特和非凡，而另一些则表明核心人口是稳定的，具有长期的传统，然而，在随后的早期库尔干（Martkopi-Bedeni）时期，新的影响渗透到这个高地遗址。我们讨论了 Rabati 与14在高加索地区更广泛的当代遗址环境中，来自该遗址的 C 读数。