Events
The staff of IAE participated in the ICAANE international conference held in Lyon.
The 14th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (14th ICAANE), an international conference dedicated to the early archaeology of the Near East, was held in Lyon, France, from June 2 to 7. The conference was attended by Dr. Ruben Badalyan, Head of the Department of Early Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the NAS RA, along with researchers Armine Harutyunyan (Ph.D.), Mariam Saribekyan, Levon Aghikyan, and Ivan Semyan. During the conference, the participants presented reports on the excavations of several Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze Age sites in Armenia—Hagartsin, Ayrum, Teghut, Yeghegis-1, Karnut, and Voskeblur. Their presentations also addressed the spread of the Kura-Araxes culture and Armenia’s contributions to the development of experimental archaeology.
2025-06-10
Deputy Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography Tork Dalalyan participated in the 8th Festival of Epics of the Peoples of the World held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan
On May 28–30, Deputy Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Tork Dalalyan, participated in the 8th Festival of Epics of the Peoples of the World, held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. As part of the festival, an international academic conference took place under the title “The Universal Nature of Epics: Typology and Main Ethnic Models”—an international scientific and practical symposium dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the renowned epic storyteller Sayakbay Karalaev, known as the “Homer of the 20th Century.” The plenary session of the symposium was chaired by Tork Dalalyan. The event brought together folklorists, epic scholars, and cultural anthropologists from over 30 countries. Tork Dalalyan presented a report on the typological characteristics of Armenian-Caucasian epics. The festival and conference provided a platform for fruitful academic discussions, proposals for future collaboration, and cultural exchange. Participants also visited the Kyrgyz National "Manas" Theater and took part in a series of cultural events and excursions.
2025-06-02
Employees of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography participated in the conference titled "Epigraphy in Historical Armenia."
Within the framework of the project "The Tradition of Epigraphy in the Armenian Highlands: From the Kingdom of Van to the Late Middle Ages" (headed by Arsen Harutyunyan, Ph.D.), implemented with the support of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, an international workshop on epigraphy was held at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The workshop was organized under the chairmanship of the project's foreign partner, Dr. Andreas Robbi. During the workshop, entitled “Epigraphy in Historical Armenia”, presentations were delivered by Arsen Harutyunyan, Head of the Department of Epigraphy of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (topic: The Tradition of Creating Epigraphs in Medieval Armenia); Hayk Gyulamiryan, Junior Researcher at the Department of Ancient Archaeology (topic: The Roman Legions in Armenia in the Light of Epigraphs); and Vahe Sargsyan, Junior Researcher at the Institute of History (topic: The Written Culture of the Kingdom of Van). Throughout the workshop, Armenian and international specialists presented the distinctive features of epigraphic heritage across various historical periods, from the Kingdom of Van to the late Middle Ages.
2025-05-30
Lecture: "The New Original of the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sasun) Epic: Principles of Creation and Addressee"
An interesting lecture on the process of compiling a new collection of tales from the Armenian epic Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sasun) — including stories such as Sasna Tun, Kajants Tun, Jojants Tun, David and Mher, and David of Sasun, or Mher’s Door — took place on May 22 in the reading room of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, as part of the monthly Folkloristic Discussions series. Epic scholar Hayk Hambardzumyan presented the guiding principles behind the new compilation, highlighting both the strengths and shortcomings of the work he has undertaken. The new collection is based on approximately 90 tales published to date, as well as materials from earlier editions: the first collection edited by Joseph Orbeli (Yerevan, 1939), the “Sasunian” version compiled by Tigran Chituni (Paris, 1943), and the most recent version prepared by Grigor Grigoryan and his colleagues (Yerevan, 1993). The lecture concluded with a lively and productive discussion, featuring a rich exchange of opinions and perspectives.
2025-05-23
Meeting with the research group of the Javakhishvili Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology of the Georgian Academy of Sciences
On May 21, 2025, a meeting was held at the Institute of Ethnography and Archaeology of NAS RA between the research groups of the Department of Diaspora Studies and the Javakhishvili Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology of the Georgian Academy of Sciences within the framework of the RA MESCS 25SRNSF-6A009 joint program, “Migration and New Diasporas Formation: Comparative Studies in Armenia and Georgia”. The group members presented the current situation of joint researches, exchanged experiences and discussed the ways of future study. Meetings with Georgian colleagues will continue during their visit Armenia.
2025-05-21
Book Presentation: "War and Memory: The Problem of Commemorating the Second Artsakh War"
On May 6, the presentation of the book War and Memory: The Problem of Commemorating the Second Artsakh War took place in the reading hall of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE) of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. The book explores public and official processes of remembrance related to the Second Artsakh War, providing examples of commemoration practices for both the war and its victims. The authors of the book are Mihran Galstyan, Head of the Anthropology Department of Social Processes and Institutions at the IAE, and researchers Garik Atanesyan, Gayane Hakobyan, and Lusine Angelush. Their research was conducted in the border regions of Tavush, Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, Ararat, and Syunik between 2021 and 2024, forming the foundation of this significant work. Opening the event, M. Galstyan shared the story of how the book was created and the challenges the authors encountered during the research. At his suggestion, the audience observed a minute of silence in honor of the brave individuals who died in all the Artsakh wars. Yuri Suvaryan—Economist, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Academician-Secretary of the Department of Armenian Studies and Social Sciences of the RA NAS, and member of the Presidium—and Arsen Bobokhyan—Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography and Doctor of Sciences—both emphasized the importance of the book for both the present and future. Co-author Garik Atanesyan presented the structure of the book, which consists of four chapters: War, Mourning, and Memory; Actors of Memory Policy; Territory of Memory; and Practices of War Commemoration. The book was published as part of the 21T-6A136 scientific project, funded by the Committee for Higher Education and Science.
2025-05-06
