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Հիմնարար հայագիտություն=Fundamental Armenology
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Translated from Armenian by Gevorg Harutyunyan
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Հայագիտություն ; Հայոց պատմություն ; Պատմություն ; Հայոց ցեղասպանություն (1915) ; Հայագիտական ժառանգություն ; Հնագիտություն և ազգագրություն ; Փիլիսոփայություն և իրավունք ; Արվեստ և ճարտարապետություն ; Ժողովրդագրություն և կառավարում
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early state ; Colin Renfrew ; concept of peer polity interaction ; Armenian Highland ; formation of states
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Abstract:
The British archaeologist and historian Colin Renfrew, in the late 20th century, proposed the concepts of “multiplier effect” and “peer polity interaction” to understand the mechanisms of early state formation. He believed that close interaction among peer polities could act as a catalyst for the establishment of states, citing the formation of Greek poleis as an example. We propose applying this theory as a working hypothesis to the political formations of the Armenian Highland in the 2nd millennium BCE, specifically concerning the western and northeastern parts of the Armenian Highland. These areas were divided among numerous small polities of almost equal influence, whose competition and interaction could have had a positive impact on the subsequent emergence of more organized polities in those regions, such as Išuwa and the Etiuni confederation.