Events
Results of the 2025 Excavations: 12 Reports Presented on April 3
On April 1–3, 2026, presentations of reports on archaeological surveys and excavations conducted in 2025 were held in the reading hall of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IAE NAS RA). Over the course of three days, a total of 36 reports were presented, covering research carried out in various regions of the Republic of Armenia as well as in Yerevan. The presentations were attended by the Director of the IAE NAS RA, Arsen Bobokhyan, members of the Institute, students, and guests. On April 3, twelve reports were presented. The session was chaired by Astghik Babajanyan, Senior Researcher and Scientific Secretary of the IAE, who also delivered a separate presentation. She presented the results of the 2025 investigations and excavations carried out at the Aruch fortress complex. The site was in use from approximately the 5th century AD until the 13th–14th centuries, as well as in the 20th century. The work was conducted within the framework of the project “Medieval Fortifications along the Silk Road.” Archaeologist Simon Hmayakyan, Senior Researcher of the IAE, PhD, addressed the archaeological excavations carried out at the historical site of Argishtikhinili in Armavir Province, as well as in the cemetery and rural settlement of the same name. Archaeologist Inessa Karapetyan, PhD, presented the archaeological investigations and excavations conducted in 2025 at the ancient city of Old Armavir in Armavir Province. The report by Syuzanna Muradyan concerned the work carried out at the site of Yervandashat in the Baghramyan community of Armavir Province. Mkrtich Zardaryan, PhD, head of the expedition conducting excavations at the historical capital of Artashat and at the site of “Klor Blur” near the village of Akunk in Gegharkunik Province, presented noteworthy data on both sites. Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Hamlet Petrosyan presented information on archaeological investigations and excavations carried out in the territory of the historical capital of Dvin, as well as at the nearby site of Tiknuni. In 2025, reconnaissance archaeological surveys were also conducted in Kond district of Yerevan, where, according to certain data, the presence of remains of a fortress from the Urartian period had been hypothesized. The work was carried out by Hamlet Petrosyan and archaeologist Hamazasp Abrahamyan. The report by archaeologist Gagik Sargsyan concerned two sites in Syunik Province: the Syunik capital Kapan and Vanandaberd.
2026-04-06
Lecture at the IAE titled “Interregional Anecdotes (Humorous story) among the Armenian Refugee Community of Aleppo.”
On March 19, the Folklore Department of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia organized a regular lecture. Within the framework of the “Folklore Discussions” series, a lecture titled “Interregional Anecdotes (Humorous story)among the Armenian Refugee Community of Aleppo” was held at the IAE reading hall. The lecture was delivered by Doctor of Historical Sciences Hakob Cholakyan. The event was attended by staff members from various departments of the Institute, as well as individuals interested in the topic and students. The Deputy Director of the IAE, Tork Dalalyan, introduced the speaker, emphasizing the importance of organizing such academic meetings and their role in fostering professional dialogue. At the end of the lecture, an active discussion took place. The attendees asked questions and shared their observations and suggestions.
2026-03-20
Seminar at the IAE on “A Multilevel Analytical Approach to Diaspora Studies: Ethnographic and Sociological Foundations”.
On March 16, a regular seminar was held at the Diaspora Studies Department of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The head of the department, Doctor of Historical Sciences Ruben Karapetyan, delivered a presentation titled “A Multilevel Analytical Approach to Diaspora Studies: Ethnographic and Sociological Foundations.” The seminar was attended by the department’s staff. It was held in an active discussion format, with questions raised and observations and suggestions presented.
2026-03-17
The staff of the Diaspora Studies Department conducted field research in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, and Brussels.
Within the framework of the SSAH 2024 24SSAH-6A008 project, entitled “THE INTERACTION OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMPONENTS IN THE IDENTITY OF DIASPORA ARMENIANS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS,” the field research was conducted in the Armenian communities in Sofia and Plovdiv (Republic of Bulgaria) and Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium) during the periods 21 November–2 December and 11–16 December. The study was carried out by the project principle investigator Nelli Khachaturyan, a researcher at the Department of Diaspora Studies, and the project participant Sona Nersisyan, a senior researcher in the same department. The research employed sociological and ethnographic methodologies. There were conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with the representatives of the communities and the community structures. There was also used an observation method, accompanied by photo and video recording. The study examined the communities’ current institutions (religious, cultural, educational, civic, etc.), their place and role within community life, the communities’ history and cultural heritage, the specific features of interactions between new and old communities, identity-related issues, current dynamics and transformations, and the factors influencing these processes.
2026-03-16
The presentation of the book “Conflict, Space and Transnationalism: An Ethnography of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War” took place.
On 25 February 2026, a presentation of the newly published book Conflict, Space and Transnationalism: An Ethnography of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (Palgrave Studies in Urban Anthropology, 2025) was held for in the conference hall of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The book is co-authored by Arsen Hakobyan, researcher from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, and Marcello Mollica from University of Messina, Italy, and recently released by the reputable academic publisher Palgrave Macmillan. The work is a comprehensive study of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the 44-day war, examining the wartime experiences of Artsakh Armenians during the 2020 war in the light of the broader historical context and the deeper developments of the conflict. The book analyzes the transnational dimensions of the war, including the involvement of external actors and factors, and addresses the wartime and post-war trajectories of the capital Stepanakert and the historic center Shushi, as well as their relation to questions of identity and belonging. It also discusses the practical, political, and ideological aspects of the destruction and forced appropriation of Armenian cultural heritage. The event was attended by the authors, staff members of various structures of the National Academy of Sciences, including the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, as well as numerous guests. The presentation was opened by Harutyun Marutyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and Chief Researcher of the Department of Cultural Anthropology of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, who emphasized the scholarly value and contemporary relevance of the newly published work. The importance of the book and the urgency of the topic were also addressed by Yuri Suvaryan, Doctor of Economics, Professor, and Corresponding Member of the NAS RA; Pavel Avetisyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the NAS RA, Scientific Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography; Hranush Kharatyan, researcher from the Institute, PhD; and others. The authors presented details about the process of creating the book, its research methodology, and the specific features of their fieldwork, also answering questions from the audience.
2026-02-25
Senior Researcher of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the NAS RA Viktorya Vasilian at the European Conference on the Preparation of Horizon Europe Programmes
Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the NAS RA, PhD in History Viktorya Vasilian, was invited on February 19–20 of this year to Düsseldorf, Germany, to participate in the “Preparation of Horizon Europe Programmes: Successful Research in Europe 2026 – 13th European Interdisciplinary” conference. The speaker presented the project selected by the jury entitled “Virtual Archaeology: Armenia at the Crossroads of Civilizations and Cultures.”
2026-02-23
