ISSN 1829-4618

COLIN RENFREW’S STATE-FORMATION CONCEPTS AND THE POLITICAL FORMATIONS OF THE ARMENIAN HIGHLAND IN THE 2nd MILLENNIUM BCE

By: Mariam Khanzadyan, Researcher, Institute of Oriental Studies of the NAS of the RA mar.khanzadyan@gmail.com

The British archaeologist and historian Colin Renfrew, in the late 20th century, proposed the concepts of “multiplier effect” and “peer polity interaction” to understand the mechanisms of early state formation. He believed that close interaction among peer polities could act as a catalyst for the establishment of states, citing the formation of Greek poleis as an example. We propose applying this theory as a working hypothesis to the political formations of the Armenian Highland in the 2nd millennium BCE, specifically concerning the western and northeastern parts of the Armenian Highland. These areas were divided among numerous small polities of almost equal influence, whose competition and interaction could have had a positive impact on the subsequent emergence of more organized polities in those regions, such as Išuwa and the Etiuni confederation.

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