Areni-1 Cave

From the perspective of Anatolia, the Transcaucasus (or the southern Caucasus) has always been viewed as a region of primary significance. Yet for a variety of reasons the archaeology of this region has remained elusive, accessible for the most part by syntheses in Western languages. This paper outlines the major trends in archaeological thought in the Transcaucasus before and after glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructure). It concludes that contemporary archaeology in the region, sampled by the papers in this issue, Has much to offer Near Eastern and Eurasian archaeology in general, and Anatolian archaeology in particular.