Events
Archaeological excavations on the hills within the administrative territory of Aragatsavan village
These days, an expedition team from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, led by Mariam Shakhmuradyan, Ph.D, a researcher of the Department of Early Archaeology, is conducting archaeological excavations on the hills within the administrative territory of Aragatsavan village, in the Talin district of Aragatsotn Province. On one of the hills, the team has uncovered the ritual section of an ancient fortress. The Talin district is rich in historical and archaeological sites, attesting to continuous human habitation and cultural activity over millennia. The most numerous remains belong to the pre-Christian period and include settlements, fortresses, megalithic towers, burial grounds, the so-called “desert kites,” as well as the ruins of various ritual and defensive structures. According to team member and archaeologist Levon Mkrtchyan, in the first millennia BC there existed a fortified settlement at the site, the spiritual and ritual sanctuary of which is currently being excavated. The sanctuary is a rectangular, solidly built stone structure with an area of about 16 square meters. Similar structures are known from the Armavir and Shirak Provinces. Excavations have revealed the walls of the structure, which in some sections are preserved to a height of more than 2 meters. They are constructed of roughly hewn basalt blocks. Additional tombs and dwellings have been preserved on the slopes and at the foot of the hill.
2025-11-18
Lecture dedicated to the Ygatu Digital Project, a collaborative initiative between IBM Research Brazil and the University of São Paulo
On November 5, an interesting lecture dedicated to the Ygatu Digital Project, a collaborative initiative between IBM Research Brazil and the University of São Paulo, was held at the library of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IAE NAS RA). At the beginning of the event, attention was drawn to the issue of preserving endangered languages of indigenous peoples, within which the preservation of the Artsakh dialect was also emphasized as an essential component of intangible cultural heritage. The lecture, which was the second in the series “Crisis and Memory: Laboratory of Digital Oral Histories,” was delivered by Dr. Claudio Pinhanez, Professor and Deputy Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence at the University of São Paulo, and Principal Researcher at IBM Research Brazil. The audience included staff members of various IAE departments, students, and others interested in the topic. The lecture was conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation into Armenian. The speaker noted that one of their main goals is the preservation of Brazil’s forests—a mission historically carried out by local indigenous communities, who continue traditional tree-planting and environmental practices. He presented several digital projects implemented among indigenous communities in South America, particularly in the Amazon region, aimed at fostering community engagement and preserving cultural identity. Dr. Pinhanez also introduced a joint project of IBM Research and the University of São Paulo, which he has led since 2022. The project applies digital and artificial intelligence tools, such as spell checkers, next-word prediction systems, and digital dictionaries, to promote the use of endangered indigenous languages. The initiative focuses on the documentation and revitalization of the languages of Brazil’s indigenous peoples. Through photographs and video materials, Dr. Pinhanez showcased ongoing work with the Baré people of the Amazon, including the creation of two digital learning centers to be launched in July 2025. The uninterrupted operation of these centers will be ensured through the use of solar energy. The event concluded with a lively question-and-answer session and open discussion.
2025-11-06
Sona Nersisyan’s Research Visit to the Republic of Argentina
In September–October of this year, Sona Nersisyan, Ph.D., Senior Researcher at the Department of Diaspora Studies of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, undertook a research trip to the Argentine Republic to conduct field investigations. The fieldwork, carried out using a range of research methods, encompassed the cities of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Villa Carlos Paz, as well as several of their eastern and suburban settlements. Within the framework of the trip, meetings and in-depth interviews were organized with the heads of community structures, representatives of Armenological departments, as well as individuals both involved and not involved in community life. In addition, documentation of Armenian monuments, memorials, and community events was conducted.
2025-11-04
The defense of Arsen Harutyunyan’s doctoral dissertation on the topic “Medieval Tatev and Its Written Cultural Heritage” took place at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography
On October 30, in the reading hall of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IAE), the session of the Specialized Council 007 “Archaeology and Ethnography” operating under the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC) attached to the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography took place. During the session, Arsen Harutyunyan, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Epigraphy of the IAE, defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Medieval Tatev and Its Written Cultural Heritage.” The event was attended by Arsen Bobokhyan, Director of the Institute, staff members from various departments, as well as scholars and students interested in the topic. The dissertation topic had been approved by the Academic Council of the IAE of the NAS RA. The scientific secretary of the Specialized Council was Yervand Grekyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences. The official opponents were Doctors of Historical Sciences, Professors Karen Matevosyan, Hamlet Petrosyan, and Arman Yeghiazaryan. The leading organization was Yerevan State University. The dissertation of Arsen Harutyunyan is dedicated to Tatev Monastery — a major spiritual and cultural center of Syunik — as well as to the historical description of the nearby monastic villages and the comprehensive study of their written heritage. The work consists of an introduction, the chapters “The Tatev Monastic Complex and Its Rock Inscriptions,” “Tatev Monastery as a Center of Script and Scholarship,” “The Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Ancient Monastic Villages of the Vorotan Gorge,” “Small Churches Adjacent to Tatev Monastery,” “The Revival of the Eremitic Movement in Syunik,” and conclusions. The chairman of the Specialized Council, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Pavel Avetisyan, introduced the candidate and emphasized the importance of the research conducted. The Head of the Department of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Faculty of History at Yerevan State University, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Hayk Avetisyan, also shared his observations regarding the scientific value and relevance of the dissertation. Following the presentation of the work, questions, comments, and suggestions were raised, after which the official opponents delivered their speeches. With the recommendation to take the noted comments into account, the dissertation was unanimously approved, and Arsen Harutyunyan was awarded the degree of Doctor of Historical Sciences.
2025-10-30
The international conference “Fortresses and Defense Systems in Middle East” has commenced.
International Conference on “Fortresses and Defense Systems in the Middle East” Opens in Yerevan On October 23, the international conference “Fortresses and Defense Systems in the Near East” opened in the round hall of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The three-day event is organized by the Department of Medieval Archaeology of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, with the support of the All-Armenian Fund for Financing Armenian Studies. The Director of the IAE, Arsen Bobokhyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, delivered the opening and welcoming remarks, highlighting the significance of the conference and the participation of scholars from various countries. The first session was chaired by Diana Mirijanyan, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Medieval Archaeology of the IAE. Three sessions were held on the first day. In the first session, Hakob Simonyan, Doctor of Arts, Ph.D.б from the Research Center for Historical and Cultural Heritage presented a paper entitled “Ancient Defense Systems of Armenia,” focusing on the Shengavit archaeological site and nearby monuments from the same period. Mkrtich Zardaryan, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Ancient Archaeology of the IAE, delivered a report on “Armavir – Artashat – Garni: The Fortification of Ancient Armenia and Its Phased Transformations.” Hamlet Petrosyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Head of the Historical and Cultural Heritage Study Group of the NAS RA, presented “The Fortification System of Tigranakert in Artsakh” (co-author: Lyuba Kirakosyan, Doctor of Architecture). During his presentation, he also announced that the launch of a new book dedicated to the capital Tigranakert will take place on October 24, in the same conference hall. The second session was chaired by Hamlet Petrosyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences. Independent researcher Ara Zaryan presented a report titled “The Defense System of the Capital Kapan of the Syunik Kingdom (970–1170)”, focusing on archaeological research conducted in recent years. At the same time, archaeological excavations were also carried out in Baghaberd, located not far from the capital Kapan. Avetis Grigoryan, archaeologist, head of expedition, and representative of the Service for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Reserves-Museums and Historical Environment” SNCO of the RA MoESCS, together with Aram Stepanyan, researcher at the Center for Geospatial Technologies, jointly presented a report entitled “The Role of Baghaberd Fortress in the Defense System of Medieval Syunik.” They discussed the results of recent excavations and the construction phases of the fortress. The session also featured restoration architect Levon Vasilyan, who collaborated with the teams excavating and studying the mentioned monuments. Alexan Hakobyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the NAS RA and former head of the Kashatagh Regional Administration of the Republic of Artsakh, presented a paper titled “Karnakash and the Fortresses of the Berdzor Province of Artsakh in the 10th Century.” He discussed the features of the region’s fortification system and their historical significance, as well as earlier studies of the Karnakash fortress and their scientific value. The last session of the day was chaired by Hasmik Hovhannisyan, Ph.D., researcher at the IAE of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. Armen Ghazaryan, Assistant Professor from the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, delivered a presentation in Russian titled “The Smbatian Walls of Ani: New Architectural and Archaeological Stratigraphic Research.” Arman Nalbandyan, Ph.D., archaeologist and researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography and the Service for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Reserves-Museums and Historical Environment SNCO, presented a paper titled “The Wall of Lori Fortress as an Independent Element of the Fortification System.” Artak Hakhverdyan, Head of the Architectural Modeling Group of the Academy of Sciences, together with researchers Tigran Aleksanyan and Harutyun Badalyan, delivered a joint report titled “Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Tavush Fortress by Construction Stages,” presented by Artak Hakhverdyan. The final presentation of the day, “From Ruins to Museum: Challenges of Restoring the Dashtadem Fortress and Creating a Museum,” was delivered by independent researcher Anna Barseghyan (co-authors: Arev Samuelyan (Candidate of Architecture), Astghik Babajanyan (Ph.D.), and archaeologist Sose Aghayan and researchers at the IAE NAS RA). The next sessions of the conference will take place on October 24–25 in the reading hall of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.
2025-10-23
Lecture: “The Image of the Armenian King in the Novel ‘Aghuz-Name’.”
On October 23, the reading hall of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IAE) hosted another seminar, titled “The Image of the Armenian King in the Novel ‘Aghuz-Name’.” The report was delivered by Samvel Ramazyan, Ph.D. researcher at the Department of Folklore Studies of the IAE. The event was attended by IAE staff members, students, and others interested in the topic. The speaker was introduced by Tork Dalalyan, Deputy Director of the Institute. In his presentation, Samvel Ramazyan provided a detailed overview of the information preserved in foreign sources about the kings of Armenian Cilicia. The seminar concluded with a lively discussion, during which participants had the opportunity to ask questions and exchange views on the presented material.
2025-10-23
