▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁K ura ▁bas in ▁and ▁the ▁Kar ab akh ▁ste ppe , ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁close ▁par alle ls ▁with ▁the ▁early ▁Ar at ash en ▁artifact s . ▁ ▁First ▁pot tery ▁appears ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁fifth ▁mill en ni um ▁BC . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁plain ▁of ▁Ar ar at ▁was ▁in ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁contemporary ▁populations ▁of ▁northern ▁Mes op ot am ia , ▁and ▁also ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁‘ S ioni ▁culture ’ ▁of ▁the ▁K ura ▁bas in . ▁ ▁The ▁later ▁period ▁pot tery ▁of ▁Ar at ash en ▁is ▁becoming ▁close ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁S ioni ▁culture , ▁which ▁locally ▁succeeded ▁the ▁Sh ula ver i - Sh om ute pe ▁culture . ▁Here ▁we ▁already ▁see ▁the ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁later ▁K ura - A ra xes ▁culture ▁pot tery . ▁ ▁Metal work ▁There ' s ▁evidence ▁of ▁very ▁early ▁met all ur gy ▁at ▁Ar at ash en , ▁going ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁sixth ▁mill en ni um ▁B CE . ▁According ▁to ▁A . ▁Cour cier , ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Ne ol ith ic ▁level ▁I Id ▁of ▁Ar at ash en , ▁dated ▁to ▁the ▁beg inn ings ▁of ▁the ▁sixth ▁mill en ni um ▁B CE , ▁several ▁fragments ▁of ▁co pper ▁or es ▁( mal ach ite ▁and ▁az ur ite ) ▁and ▁ 5 7 ▁ar sen ical ▁co pper ▁be ads ▁were