![]() Archaeological cultures associated with Indo-Iranian migrations (after EIEC). The Andronovo, BMAC and Yaz cultures have often been associated with Indo-Iranian migrations. The GGC (Swat), Cemetery H, Copper Hoard and PGW cultures are candidates for cultures associated with Indo-Aryan migrations. | |
Period | Early Iron Age c. 1500–500 BC or c. 1500–330 BC |
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Type site | Yaz-Tappe, Yaz Tepe, or Yaz Depe, near Baýramaly, Turkmenistan |
Preceded by | |
Followed by |
The Yaz culture (named after the type site Yaz-Tappe, Yaz Tepe, or Yaz Depe, near Baýramaly, Turkmenistan[1]) was an early Iron Age culture of Margiana, Bactria and Sogdia (c. 1500–500 BC,[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] or c. 1500–330 BC[9][10]). It emerges at the top of late Bronze Age sites (BMAC), sometimes as mud-brick platforms and sizeable houses associated with irrigation systems. Ceramics were mostly hand-made, but there was increasing use of wheel-thrown ware. Bronze and iron arrowheads, also iron sickles and carpet knives among other artifacts have been found.[11][12][13]
With the farming citadels and absence of burials it has been regarded as a likely archaeological reflection of early East Iranian culture as described in the Avesta.[14][15] So far, no burials related to the culture have been found, and this is taken as possible evidence of the Zoroastrian practice of exposure or sky burial.[2][16][17][18]
Lhuillier
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).