Remains of ancient settlements discovered in mountains near Kislovodsk refute established theories about origin and development of Bronze Age culture in the North Caucasus.
      
      Character of the unearthed artifacts, as well as their age make it possible for researchers to state that these very mountains in the Caucasus where the starting point of the mighty and vivid Koban culture, which domineered in the region for several centuries. And yet, it is still a mystery how these settlements appeared in the mountains of Caucasus.
      
      For the last year and a half archeologists have found around 200 settlements on a high-mountainous plateau in the Kislovodsk Hollow from Kuban River to Malka River towards Elbrus Mount.
      
      The archeological find near Kislovodsk is unique. Radio carbon timings date the oldest of the found settlements to the 17th century B.C. Most of the excavations are dated to the 16th -14th and 9th -13th centuries BC. At the same time the items found in the settlements give an opportunity to reckon them with the Koban culture, the former finds of which date to the 9th- 6th centuries BC.
      
      Source: utro.ru