I think it’s harmless to call them the “Hasanlu Lovers” because sure, the scene lends itself to that name. But to assume that that is the case seems odd to me, because these were two people who were dying together. If you discover two people who are entwined in a loving embrace under normal circumstances, assuming an intimate relationship seems defensible. But when people are dying, I think different assumptions have to be considered.

I can imagine that even two total strangers might seek to comfort one another if they were trapped in a burning building together, as some of the archaeologists surmise. “I don’t want to die! Can you hold me?”

That said, it’s so stupid that we have these arguments when really what we see here is something so sad and touching and human. Whether they were lovers or not the important takeaway is that these two seemingly found comfort in each other in their dying moments.