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Evolutionary Development
As a result of the evolutionary development of the Middle Bronze Age, the unified culture of the Late Bronze Age was formed in Armenia. It was characterized with the wide spread of cities, fortifications, monumental architecture, with the formation of the class of kings and princes at the highest level of society, of the aristocracy surrounding them and the class of professional warriors, as well as with the appearance of the first samples of the earliest written monuments (Verin Naver, Shamiram, Utik). In the Armenian Highland and also in Kakheti (Georgia), i.e., in the whole area of Middle Bronze Age, that includes colored pottery, a uniform culture of the Late Bronze Age was established-weapons, jewelries, tools and household items were copied with exceptional similarity in monuments placed hundreds of kilometers far. Particularly powerful centers were formed in Aragatsotn (Verin Naver, Metsamor Oshakan, Ujan, Shamiram), in Sevan Lake Basin (Lchashen), in Artsakh (Arajadzor), in Utik (Khanlar), in Gugark (Vanadzor, Lori Berd), in Shirak (Horom, Harich, Artik), in Upper Armenia (Bardzr Hayk) and elsewhere. As a result of the merger of the tribes and tribal unions of the Armenian Highland, in which dominant wa the Indo-European ethnic element, the first powerful state formations were created: Etiuni, Hayasa, Mitani, Armenia-Shubria, etc. this period, ends the first stage of formation of the Armenian civilization.

Fortification of Areas
Armenia is one of those regions of the ancient world, where the principles of fortifications originated and were formated. The principle of building strong fortified wall chains in order to protect the settlements from external danger and to control the approach routes, was launched in Armenia in the Early Bronze Age, was developed in the Middle Bronze Age (Ashtarak Fortress), but was finally formed and widely used in the Late Bronze Age, laying the foundation for the culture of the so called “Cyclopean” castles or forts, highly typical to the Armenian culture. They had 3-7 rows of surrounding fortified walls and occupied an area of 40-60 hetares, and in some separate cases- more than 100 hectares of area (Motkan Fortress). Almost the entire territory of the Armenian Highland was densely covered with forts (several hundred of forts are known), which were built in places difficult to access: on the high slopes of mountains, on the conical tops of hills, on promontories surrounded on three sides by steep gorges. Among the characteristic features of the forts were the maximum use of the opportunities of its relief, the strengthening of walls and entrances with rectangular masonry, the establishment of seven rows of walls on the road leading to the fort. The preserved height of the walls reaches to 7 m (Tghit), the thickness is 3-6 m (Motkan fort, Tsitsernakaberd, etc.).

Descritpions of the Temples
Temple complexes were excavated in Dvin, Metsamor and Gegharot. In the sanctuaries of Dvin, terracotta rectangular board-altars, decorated with animals and geometric relief figures, were discovered, in front of which unquenchable fire was lit. The human-shaped sculptures of various sizes in the adoration position uncovered in Metsamor Cathedral, symbolized the trinity of father, mother and son. The tombs of the elite had stone-earthen tombs up to 50 m in diameter and 2 m in height, in the central part of which were half ground-dug tomb halls, with a rectangular floorplan, built of tufa and basalt giant stones with flattened fronts. They had both straight lined walls and log-slab comlex roofs (Lchashen, Verin Naver, Zorats Karer), as well as walls gradually narrowing upwards and structures covered with one-piece slabs (Verin Naver, Shamiram). The walls of the tombhalls were covered with carpets, rugs and expensive animal furs. Specially brought river stones were used to form the cromlechs, from which started the tomb entrances, that sloped down to the tomb hall (dramos). The sizes of the tombs, the richness and multi-functionality of the funerary offerings (weapons, tools, symbols of power), ritual objects, jewelries, household and cult objects, chariots, carts and catafalques, human, bird, domestic and wild animal, including lion (Verin Naver) large number sacrifices testify the burials of kings and supreme priests at this sites.

Bronze Sculptures
In the royal tomb (16th-15th centuries BC), excavated in Verin Naver, in 2012, were found items imported from Babylon (glazed clay beads), Persian Gulf (sea snails from the Persian Gulf), China (jade), medallions (bitum) with ingraved portraits of leader-kings covered with gold plate and cufflinks with images of argali and trees of life. These items have strong resemblance to the samples of Middle Elamite art.

Unique is the round bronze sculpture belonging to the middle of the II millennium BC. The realism, that was characteristic of the ancient art of Armenia of this era reached to an admirable expressiveness. Metal-plastic samples were made of melted bronze with high fluidity, in wax molds, which implied that each of them was unique and unrepeatable. Bronze sculpture is characterized with a highly specific thematic repertoire. It represents anthropomorphic deities, mythological heroes, worshiped animals (bull, goat, deer) and birds (golden eagle, dove, etc.). These statues were attached to crosiers, coats of arms (shtandart) and chariots. Noteworthy are the group of sculptures with mythological plots, the compositions of which are characterized with rhythmic balance. Notable are the scale models of two-wheeled chariots, in which the position of the torsos of the warriors give us the sense of the galloping style of the chariots. The sculpture of a bearded soldier is unique in the metalwork of Lori Fortress. The sculpture of this hero with swastikas (Armenian eternity sign) on his thighs, broad-shoulder, narrow-back and powerful thighs seemed to foreshow the foundations of masculine beauty, that later became canonical in Greek art. The sculpture of a hero in Shirakavan, with chained fearsome wild beast (lion) depicts the characters of the hero and the beast endowed with tremendous strength. Most likely, it is the prototype of the lion-shaped Mher - one of the favorite heroes of the Armenian epic poetry.

Metalwork in the Early Iron Age
In the Early Iron Age, metalwork was of smaller size. There were found miniatures of battle idols, figurines of women and men, as well as of dogs, goats, horses, deer and birds, which characterize the piculiarities of the heroes: strength, elegance, fierce nature, athletic figure, etc. (Paravakar, Ayrum, Artsvakar).

Iconography
A special field of art is the iconography of bronze belts. Among the hundreds of belts found in Armenia, the examples of Lchashen, Stepanavan and Astgh hill are the most noticeable ones. Broad bronze plates depict (with carvings) sacred conception, mythological and domestic, battle and hunting scenes. The central plot is surrounded by two-three rows of edgeband with fir-shape or “running” gyre decorations. Carved figures have solemn-static or pronounced plastic mobility. Along with realistic figures, there are also numerous figures of people and animals of fantastic shape. Depictions of deer, goat, bird, celestial luminary, lion-faced men and horned horses (unicorns) were particularly widespread. The chariot battle scenes give an idea of the structure of the Armenian armed forces of that period, which consisted of heavily weaponed infantry, armed with long spears and rectangular, large shields, of light cavalry, vanguard and rearguard regiments. The personal seals of the kings and rulers of Mesopotamia found in the tombs of the elite (Metsamor) testify, that the Armenian armies fought successful battles in the territory of the most powerful states, bringing rich booty from there.