Archaeology Magazine publishes article on stone sphere found in Jalilabad

The authoritative scientific journal Archaeology Magazine of the Archaeological Institute of America has published an article about a spherical stone found in the Jalilabad district.

Vafa Mahmudova, chief researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Historical Sciences and associate professor, told Report about this.

The article notes that the mysterious spherical stone discovered in the Jalilabad district has no analogues among the finds ever made in the South Caucasus. The polished sphere, weighing about 1.8 kg, was found during excavations at the Pashatepe site, which dates back to the 6th millennium BC.

"Early farming communities sometimes created objects of a similar shape for use as hammerstones or grinding tools. However, the recently discovered sphere has neither holes nor traces of impact that would indicate such use. Experts suggest that it may have had a ritual purpose," the publication states.

Recall that the artifact was discovered in July of this year during archaeological excavations conducted at the Pashatepe site under the leadership of Vafa Mahmudova.

Earlier, a similar article was published in the British popular science outlet Heritage Daily.