The Achaemenid Period in the Samarkand Area (Sogdiana): Trial Trenches At Koj Tepa, 2009 Campaign

The article constitutes the second interim report of the Italian archaeological activities in the Samarkand area (Uzbekistan) at Koj Tepa, on the basis of an agreement of archaeological cooperation between the Institute of Archaeology of the Uzbek Academy of Science, Samarkand and the Università degli Studi di Napoli, l’Orientale, first signed in 2009. After the opening of two long section in 2008, in 2009 4 middle size quadrangular-shaped areas just located above the sections no 1 and 2 were opened as well. The main results of the season are related to the individuation of the external wall encircling to the east of the Tepe, and the identification of at least three other different later periods in the deposit, specially as regards as the presence of rooms and floors, differently located. The pottery collected gives evidence of a span time going from the 3rd-2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD.