Controlling the north. The Bandivan fortress, a protohistoric (Kura-Araxes), Urartian, Orontid and medieval site in the Amasia Depression, Shirak Region, Armenia

This article is dedicated to presenting to the scientific community a significant new fortified complex located in the Amasia Depression, in the Shirak Region of modern Armenia. The site, locally referred to as the “Bandivan fortress,” is situated near the contemporary village of Bandivan, on an extensive plateau naturally protected by valleys carved by the courses of two rivers. The site showcases remarkable architectural evidence that can be classified as megalithic, with its initial phase of occupation dating back to the Early Bronze Age. It later emerged as an important centre during late Protohistory until it was conquered and reoccupied by the Urartians, who established it as their northernmost fortified outpost currently known. Subsequently, the site was reoccupied by a medieval village, which later included a cemetery located outside the fortified area. The site was explored as part of a joint Armenian-Italian archaeological mission, and this article discusses its architecture and the materials collected from the surface. Additionally, the site is contextualized historically within the period of Urartian expansion into the north-eastern Armenian Highlands and is connected to the issue of defining the northern limits of Bia/Urartu or the Van Kingdom.