The 2106 excavation season of the "Georgian-Italian Shida Kartli Archaeological Project" at Aradetis Orgora achieved most of the foreseen objectives, and represented a considerable step forward toward the publication of the results of the first stage of joint investigations at the site.
Among the most important results of the 2016 excavation can be considered: 1) the completed investigation of the Kura-Araxes period sequence in Field B (quadrant 105.099c). In particular, this brought about the discovery of another interesting example of Kura-Araxes architecture: a round-shaped hut built in wattle-and-daub technique with a well preserved in situ pentalobate fireplace.
2) the recovery, in Field B (quadrant 104.099d), of a 2.50 m thick well stratified occupational sequence spanning the Transitional MB/LB, the MB and the later EB (Bedeni) periods, phases that are rarely met with in settlement contexts in the Shida Kartli region.
3) the recovery, in Field A, of a parallel, 130 cm thick sequence spanning the same periods.
In spite of the limited exposed surfaces, since the two excavation areas are located on the opposite sides of the hill, they represent reliable evidence that the recovered sequence has a general validity for the Aradetis Orgora Main Mound occupation and, more in general, can represent a good basis for a general comparative stratigraphy of the Shida Kartli region. It is our aim, in the future, to continue excavations in the lowest part of the Field A area, where the deepest levels can be accessed relatively easily compared to the deep sounding in Field B, and where we hope to better clarify the transition from the MB into the Bedeni and from this into the Kura-Araxes period. Excavations in Field C accomplished the exposure of the floor level of a section of the Eastern side of the internal courtyard of the Late Hellenistic/Early Imperial palatial building, thus progressing toward the complete exposure of the latter.
Besides the standard processing of the 2016 finds, work in the expedition house this year concentrated on the study of selected categories of finds from the previous seasons (animal bones, microlithics and ceramics) aiming at the production of specialised studies by individual experts. It is to be foreseen that another study season will be necessary in order to complete this task.
Interdisciplinary work by different specialists allowed to collect and process a huge amount of data concerning the ancient occupation of the Aradetis Orgora territory and its evolution in the course of time, by adding new fields of investigation (analysis of paste beads, stable isotopes analysis, etc.) to those already practiced in the course of the previous seasons.