Hey, thanks for that fascinating summery of the regions links to the Argonauts, trade and traditions. I'd not heard of the Vishap stones...will have to google for some images. During the Roman period, the bull cult of Mithras was an important deity for many soldiers (they found remains of a Mithraeum up on Hadrians Wall, as well as one in London) and is thought to have beein imported from the eastern regions, I think Persia/Syria was mentioned, but I guess, places like Armenia/Georgia etc could have carried out similar bull worshipping as well. I know the bull was important religiously to the Minoans as well, and of course, there is still bull running in Spain.
I guess, much like bronze/iron age western Europe, hides fleeces and meat/bones are all important traded commodities. In the historical overview of Tim Severin's book (and in The Odyssey) wine seems almost as important as everything else. I'm presupposing it's for the same reasons beer was important to many early cultures being a safe source of drinkable liquid. It's mentioned that in ancient times wine was mixed with water, so taken differently to how most Europeans quoff it these days. Also, the black wine of the Thracian region seemed to be especially valued at the time, being very potent (it was what the put the cyclops to sleep with)...so maybe not so different to us these days after all :)
At one point during the recreated voyage, the Argo crew come across black beaches so rich in iron/ iron ore that the sand can be picked up with a magnet, even after all this time. Tim Severin's hypothesis is that some of the earliest iron smelting and export were probably important parts of this particular trade route too.
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