Paleodemographic analysis as a method for reconstructing the patterns of historical development of the populations of the South Caucasus during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages

The article explores paleodemographic analysis as a method of historical reconstruction applied to the study of ancient populations of the South Caucasus during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. The aim of the study is to substantiate the potential of this approach for identifying patterns of demographic processes and reconstructing the age and sex structure of the population based on anthropological data. The research is grounded in an interdisciplinary framework that integrates methods of bioarchaeology, demography, and statistical analysis. A comparative analysis was conducted for six paleopopulations from the territories of Armenia and Georgia, focusing on four key indicators: average age at death (AA), proportion of child deaths (PCD), gross reproduction rate (GRR), and the coefficient of the «active» population (DR). The application of principal component analysis made it possible to distinguish two groups of populations differing in demographic strategies: on the one hand, communities characterized by high child mortality and increased reproductive potential, and on the other, populations with greater life expectancy and a stable share of the working-age group. The results demonstrate that the paleodemographic approach serves as an effective tool for reconstructing historical patterns of social development and for tracing the influence of biological, ecological, and cultural factors on the formation of the demographic structure of ancient societies in the South Caucasus.