Located near the coastal town of Dagestanskiye Ogni on the Caspian Sea, this extraordinary settlement was uncovered during rescue excavations ahead of highway expansion north of Derbent. While first identified in 2022, only recent large-scale excavations confirmed its extraordinary antiquity and cultural significance, revealing two distinct archaeological layers that span millennia of human occupation, explains an Arkeonews report.
Archaeological excavation in progress at the Dagogninskoe-2 site, viewed from the north. (Timur Gatsaev - Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences/Arkeonews)
Bridging Ancient Worlds
The discovery reveals two fascinating cultural layers: an upper Bronze Age stratum dating to the 3rd–2nd millennium BC, and beneath it, a lower Eneolithic (also termed Chalcolithic or Copper Age) layer buried two meters deep, belonging to the 5th millennium BC. This transitional era represents a crucial period when humans first learned to smelt copper while still relying heavily on stone, bone, and wooden tools.
Professor Khizri Amirkhanovich Amirkhanov, head of the Stone Age Archaeology Department at the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the site's transformative importance:
"This settlement is one of the brightest archaeological discoveries of 2025. Never before have Eneolithic sites in Dagestan been studied on such a large scale using modern documentation methods."
Cultural Connections Across Mountains
Perhaps most remarkably, the findings confirm that communities of the Shulaveri-Shomutepe culture, previously known only in the South Caucasus, also spread northward into Dagestan. This discovery revolutionizes understanding of ancient migration patterns and cultural exchange across the challenging Caucasus terrain.
Among the most intriguing artifacts are obsidian tools - volcanic glass that could only have originated from the South Caucasus, hundreds of kilometers away. The presence of this imported material suggests extensive long-distance contacts or migration routes along the Caspian Sea coast, revealing sophisticated trade networks that connected distant regions over 7,000 years ago.
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Obsidian flake tool, evidence of long-distance trade connections with the South Caucasus. (Timur Gatsaev - Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences/Arkeonews)
Life in a 5th Millennium Village
Excavations revealed fascinating details about daily life in this ancient community. Unlike their southern neighbors who built mudbrick houses, the Dagestan settlers constructed circular semi-spherical huts resembling yurts, perfectly adapted to the steppe environment. These innovative dwellings represent early architectural adaptation to local climate and terrain.
Archaeological remains demonstrate that inhabitants practiced early agriculture and animal husbandry with remarkable sophistication. They raised cattle, sheep, and goats while cultivating wheat, millet, oats, and legumes. Evidence suggests they may have even grown grapes, indicating advanced horticultural knowledge.
The settlement yielded an impressive array of artifacts that paint a vivid picture of Eneolithic life:
- Stone axes and precision-knapped flint blades
- Sophisticated bone tools and horn implements
- Clay figurines of bulls, likely used for fertility rituals
- Pottery fragments decorated with distinctive Eneolithic patterns
- Food storage pits and burial sites with crouched human remains
Circular arrangement of stones, likely remnants of a tent-shaped dwelling foundation. (Timur Gatsaev - Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences/Arkeonews)
Filling Critical Historical Gaps
The research team emphasizes that Dagogninskoe-2 will become a crucial reference site for understanding the Eneolithic in the North Caucasus. Senior researcher Roman Mimokhod from the Bronze Age Department explains: "Our next stage involves detailed analysis of the finds - archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological, and radiocarbon studies. This will help fill the chronological gap in the cultural sequence of the Caspian lowlands."
Initial evidence places the lower settlement firmly in the first quarter of the 5th millennium BC, with radiocarbon dating expected to refine the chronology further. This precision dating will establish Dagogninskoe-2 as a benchmark Eneolithic site for the entire region.
Clay bull figurine from the 7,000-year-old Eneolithic settlement demonstrates the sophisticated ritual and artistic traditions of Copper Age peoples in the Caucasus. (Timur Gatsaev - Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences/Arkeonews)
Revolutionary Archaeological Significance
This discovery transforms scholars' understanding of how early farming communities spread into the North Caucasus. The Eneolithic era marked a pivotal turning point in human history, as societies transitioned from stone-based economies to metallurgy, developed stable agricultural systems, and laid crucial foundations for the complex cultures of the Bronze Age.
For Dagestan, this represents the first extensive excavation of an Eneolithic settlement, confirming that the Caspian coastal corridor served as a vital migration and cultural exchange route between the South Caucasus and northern steppe regions. The site bridges a critical gap in archaeological knowledge about this transformative period.
Cultural Crossroads of Eurasia
The discovery of Dagogninskoe-2 enriches not only Dagestan's history but connects the region to the broader narrative of human development across Eurasia. The settlement demonstrates how ancient peoples successfully adapted to new environments, adopted technological innovations, and maintained cultural connections across vast distances.
As continuing studies reveal additional insights, this 7,000-year-old village promises to become a cornerstone for understanding the origins of agriculture, animal husbandry, and early metallurgy in the Caucasus—a region that has served as a crucial cultural crossroads between Europe and Asia for millennia. The site stands as testament to human ingenuity and adaptability during one of history's most transformative periods.
Top image: Clay bull figurine from the 7,000-year-old Eneolithic settlement demonstrates the sophisticated ritual and artistic traditions of Copper Age peoples in the Caucasus. Source: Timur Gatsaev - Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences/Arkeonews
By Gary Manners
References
Amirkhanov, K. A. et al. 2025. 7,000-Year-Old Eneolithic Settlement Unearthed in Dagestan. Available at: https://arkeonews.net/7000-year-old-eneolithic-settlement-unearthed-in-dagestan/
Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2025. Archaeological Discovery at Dagogninskoe-2. Available at: https://archaeolog.ru/
