Archaeobiology and Ethnobiology Research Group

The task of the Department is:

1. The subdivision is engaged in the study of the physical-anthropological and biomedical characteristics of Armenia’s population, as well as its acquisition of biogenic resources (plant gathering, hunting), production of organic materials (plant cultivation, animal husbandry), and their use (subsistence culture, folk medicine, etc.) by applying interdisciplinary methods.
   The main subjects of our research are the organic remains discovered in the cultural layers of archaeological sites (human and animal bones and other remains, including shells and chitin, plant seeds, fruits, wood, pollen, etc.), as well as the plants, animals, fungi, lichens, and other living organisms currently used by people, and materials prepared from them through processing (food, medicines). We also study archival, literary, artistic, media, and ethnographic materials, including texts, artworks, photos, audio and video documentations, and other data that provide information about the culture of using biological materials.
2. From a chronological perspective, our research group studies the period from the Early Stone Age to the present — that is, from about 2 million years ago to the 21st century CE.
3. Our goal is to develop archaeobiology and ethnobiology in Armenia by ensuring the dissemination of ongoing research results, the training of qualified specialists, and supporting the continuity of applied biological studies within the humanities and social sciences in Armenia.
4. The research group performs its work through fieldwork, laboratory research, and archival and library study, as well as writing and presentations.
5. The institute evaluates the performance of the research group by its scientific publications (articles, monographs, collective volumes) — which are expected to be relevant and innovative — its application of modern methods and laboratory analyses; its participation in and organization of scientific events (conferences, seminars, etc.); the effectiveness of its field and laboratory work; the productivity of its international collaborations (attracting foreign funding, gaining access to other laboratories, and participating in international conferences); and the influx of new personnel, successful thesis defenses, and the provision of expert opinions.

 

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The past and present of the Department

Introduction

The object of archaeobiological research is the remains of living organisms and the products of their activities associated with humans and human activity in past periods. Archaeobiological studies yield data on the physical and physiological conditions of past populations (including activities affecting the musculoskeletal system and environmental conditions), their diet, plant cultivation, gathering, surrounding vegetation, animal husbandry, hunting, and more.
This interdisciplinary field, formed through the integration of archaeology and biology, is a comparatively young branch of science, which in Armenia began to be actively pursued mainly in the 1940s in connection with extensive archaeological excavations.

In the initial period, archaeobotanical studies in Armenia were carried out by botanists and agricultural specialists such as Sofia Tamamshyan, Mikayel Tumanyan, Vsevolod Petrov, Andrey Yatsenko-Khmelevsky, Armen Takhtajyan, Suren Poghosyan, and Vardan Gulkanyan (1939–1950), as well as Anastasia Vermishyan, Mikhail Yakubtsiner, and Fatikh Bakhteev, who worked with archaeologist Boris Piotrovsky on plant remains from the site of Karmir Blur.

Later, after the foundation of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography in 1959 and until the establishment of the Archaeobiology Group in 2007, archaeobotanical research was carried out by Vardan Gulkanyan (1960s) and Papin Gandilyan (1970s–1990s) in cooperation with various archaeological projects. P. Gandilyan’s significant contribution to the archaeobotanical studies of that period is notable. Occasional archaeobotanical studies were also conducted by Gorislava Lisitsina, Lyudmila Prishchepenko, and Aleksandr Negrul (1960s–1980s). From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, studies were conducted by paleobotanist Ivan Gabrielyan (Institute of Botany, NAS Armenia).

 

The beginning of systematic and large-scale archaeobotanical studies in Armenia is linked to the collaboration of Ivan Gabrielian’s student Roman Hovsepyan with the institute’s archaeologists starting in 2002 and, from 2007 onward, with the establishment of the Archaeobiology Group at the institute.

 

Before the creation of the research group, the institute’s archaeologists collaborated with researchers from the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA — Sonya Mezhlumyan, Nina Manaseryan, Andranik Genjyan, Laura Harutyunova, Margarita Marjanyan, and others — for the study of archaeozoological material. Significant contributions to the study of faunal remains from Armenian sites were also made by foreign archaeozoologists Hans-Peter Uerpmann (University of Tübingen, Germany), Adrian Balasescu (National Museum of Romanian History), Guy Bar-Oz (University of Haifa, Israel), Emmanuel Vila (University of Lyon, France), Siavash Samei (University of Connecticut, USA), Belinda Monahan (USA), and others.

 

 

Establishment and Activity of the Archaeobiology and Ethnobiology Research Group

This research group is one of the relatively young yet most efficiently operating subdivisions of the institute. It was established in February 2007 and received its current name in 2023. The initiative to create this research subdivision came from the former director of the institute, Pavel Avetisyan, and the current head of the research group, Roman Hovsepyan. The initiative was driven by the necessity of applying natural-scientific methods in archaeology, implementing international scientific programs and interdisciplinary research, and forming relevant research teams.

The group’s first member was PhD (Biology) Roman Hovsepyan, a graduate of the Faculty of Biology at Yerevan State University, who had been engaged in archaeobotanical studies since 2002 and, before officially joining the institute, had already been part of several archaeological research teams. Since 2011, the group’s core staff has included PhD (Anthropology) Anahit Khudaverdyan, a physical anthropologist, and since 2015, PhD (Biology) Noushig Zarikian, an archaeozoologist. Since 2022, palaeoanthropologist Hasmik Simonyan has also been a member of the group.

The researchers of this subdivision have conducted archaeobiological studies at about 60 archaeological sites in Armenia, covering periods from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.

• Archaeoanthropological research has been carried out on human skeletal remains from numerous sites — including Lusakert I, Yerevan I, Areni I, Lanjik, Keti, Kaps, Pijut, Kalavan, Dzorigegh, Bardzryal, Bover, Lori Berd, Sev Berd, Karashamb, Aragatsavan, Bagheri Chala, Kuchak, Teghut, Karakotuk, Bragdzor, Znganek, Kharatanots, Dukanadzor, Shek Akhpir, Lomants Tak, Mayisyan, Lernakert, Jrapi, Shirakavan, Arjis, Nor Armavir, Dvin, Beniamin, Mastara, Yervandashat, Anushavan, Haykadzor, Vardakar, Vardbagh, Firmi Bagher, Byurakn, Horom, Zarny Er, Hor Hor, Hovhannavank, Ushi, Getap, Angeghakot, Mirak, and others. Around 1,000 anthropological samples (skeletal remains) have been studied.
• Archaeobotanical research has been conducted at numerous sites, including Nor Geghi-1, Lusakert-1, Hovk-1, Kalavan-1 and -2, Karin Tak, Kmlo-1 and -2, Aratashen, Aknashen, Masis Blur, Getahovit-2, Areni-1, Godedzor, Gegharot, Tsaghkasar, Karnut, Aparan Fortress, Margahovit, Sotk-2, Aragatsiberd, Geghakar, Mets Sepasar, Haghartsin, Artanish-9, Shengavit, Aghavnatun, Arteni-1, Nerkin Naver, Karmir Sar, Sotk-2, Tsaghkahovit, Metsamor, Shaghat-1 and -3, Sotk-1 and -10, Norabak-1, Uyts, Yervandashat, Agarak, Artanish-23 and -29, Lernakert, Ashotavan-1, Odzaberd, Tigranakert, Mastara-3, Aramus, and others, yielding tens of thousands of archaeobotanical remains — mainly charred seeds and imprints of cultivated and wild plants.
• Archaeozoological research has been conducted on faunal remains from Areni-1 Cave, Getahovit-2 Cave, Aghitu-3, Lori Berd, Aragatsavan, Lernakert, Nor Armavir, Odzaberd, Dashtadem, Artanish, Sotk-2, Norabak-1, Mastara, Artsakh’s Nor Karmiravan, Erebuni, and Karmir Blur. Tens of thousands of archaeozoological specimens have been recovered and studied — mainly animal bones and mollusk shells, as well as insect chitin remains.

The results of these studies have been published in hundreds of articles in leading Armenian and international journals and collective volumes, and have been presented at numerous national and international conferences.

In addition to archaeobiological research, ethnobotanical studies have been conducted within the group, in cooperation with the Institute of Botany of NAS RA, among the Armenian, Yezidi, Kurdish, Molokan, and Greek populations of Armenia. Over the past decade, ethnobotanical materials have been collected — around 500 interviews (in audio or text form), photographs, videos, and several hundred herbarium specimens.

 

Laboratory of anthropology

One of the most important branches of archaeobiological research is archaeoanthropology, or physical anthropology. From 1970 to 2012, the Laboratory of Physical Anthropology operated at the institute, founded by Andranik Chagharyan, a disciple of Soviet anthropologist-sculptor and archaeologist Mikhail Gerasimov, the founder of the method of facial reconstruction. Using many Bronze Age and Urartian skulls, he reconstructed the faces of local inhabitants. The reconstruction of historical faces based on excavated skulls by Andranik Chagharyan and his student-colleague Mihran Altunyan represents a significant achievement in the history of anthropology in Armenia.

Mihran Altunyan’s research in the laboratory focused on determining the correlation coefficients of soft-tissue thickness in the head and face regions of the Armenian SSR population, which provided an important basis for craniofacial reconstruction work.

From the outset, A. Chagharyan outlined the main directions of the laboratory’s research: the study of cranial features of the population of different periods in Armenia, facial reconstruction of excavated skulls, and the study of surgical traces on skulls.

The traditions of the Laboratory of Physical Anthropology, founded by A. Chagharyan, were continued from 1982 by Nvard Kochar, who studied the dermatoglyphic characteristics of Armenians. The dermatoglyphic traits of the Assyrian population of Armenia were studied by her student-colleague Karine Nalbandyan.

Later, the research directions of the laboratory expanded to include:

• Odontological studies of urban and rural populations of Armenia (Armenians and ethnic minorities);
• Cataloguing cranial and osteological collections, including new finds from archaeological excavations, to determine local characteristics and temporal morphological changes of anthropological types;
• Study of the impact of living conditions on ancient populations of Armenia;
• Recording and study of pathological characteristics of bones;
• Archaeological reconstruction of social traditions and burial rites, taking into account demographic and palaeopathological data.

In Armenia, the collection of odontological data for scientific purposes is associated with Anna Palikyan, who also introduced into scientific circulation the palaeoanthropological series from Nerkin Getashen, Sarukhan, Artsvakar, Kartchaghbyur, and Shirakavan.
Throughout its existence, the Laboratory of Physical Anthropology collaborated closely with scientists from Yerevan State Medical University. Associate Professor Aleksandr Sarafyan (Department of Anatomy) made a significant contribution to palaeopathological studies, being the first to apply X-ray diagnostics to the study of pathological processes in skull bones. Joint work was also carried out with Prof. Shota Vardanyan (Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences), Prof. Azat Yengibaryan (Doctor of Medical Sciences), and Hripsime Matevosyan (Head of the Department of Medical Biology at YSMU). Attempts were made to assess the adaptability of populations of different periods to natural and social environments and to reconstruct causes of physiological stress. The laboratory also cooperated with the DNA research group at the University of Vienna.

Through the direct efforts of Anahit Khudaverdyan, materials from 65 archaeoanthropological series dating from the Late Chalcolithic to the Late Middle Ages have been introduced into scientific circulation.

As a result of nearly 50 years of research by the laboratory:

• The anthropological features of the population living in Armenia during the last millennium have been determined.
• The diachronic continuity of cranial, dental, and skeletal structural traits has been revealed.
• The intra- and intergroup variability of cranial, craniometric, odontological, and osteometric characteristics of Armenia’s ancient population has been determined over space and time.
• The anthropological types of Armenia’s ancient population have been identified using multivariate statistical analyses.
• Genetic links between bearers of various archaeological cultures have been revealed, and genetic relationships between individual populations reconstructed based on morphological similarity.
• Biocultural signs of intentional and unintentional modifications of the head and teeth have been identified.
• The custom of dismemberment from the Early Bronze Age to the Classical period, as well as cremation burials in vessels, has been documented.
• Evidence of surgical interventions on skulls has been discovered, indicating the continuous presence of this phenomenon among Armenia’s ancient populations.

The most important achievements of the Laboratory of Physical Anthropology are reflected in many fundamental scientific works. For several reasons — including insufficient funding for science during that period and spatial constraints within the institute — there was only one specialist in each of the fields of archaeobiology and anthropology. For this reason, it was decided in 2012 to merge the Archaeobiology Group and the Laboratory of Anthropology. The research group expanded its scientific scope to include ethnobiological studies and was renamed the Archaeobiology and Ethnobiology Research Group in 2023.