Medieval Archaeology Department
Medieval Archaeology Department
The task of the Department is:
- To deal with issues of medieval archaeology, which from the perspective of world archaeology relate to the periods of formation and development of Christian and Islamic cultures.
- From the temporal perspective - to deal with the periods of Arshakids (also known as the Marzpan period), Arab Caliphate, Bagratuni, Zakarian, Cilician dynasties, and Turkish-Persian rule (Early, Developed, Late Middle Ages); from the chronological perspective - with the period from about the 5th to the 18th centuries AD.
- To develop the archaeological study of the Middle Ages in Armenia (equivalent study of historical periods and chronological stages, timely publication of excavation results, regular use of modern methods, ensuring communication with central and regional museums of Armenia, foreign scientific, educational and publishing activities), development of contacts with institutions, objective inclusion of topical issues in local and international conferences and publications), facilitating the influx of relevant personnel and the natural generational succession.
- The Department carries out its activities in the following areas: field, office, archive/library/bibliography.
- The output of the Department is measured by quality scientific publications (monographs, collections, articles), which must be relevant and innovative, using modern methods and laboratory analyses, events participated in and organized (conferences, seminars, etc.), field and laboratory work, effective development of international relations (attraction of foreign resources, access to laboratories, participation in international scientific conferences), personnel inflow, defense of theses, provision of professional opinions.
The past and present of the Department
Introduction
The basis of medieval studies in Armenia was laid by the excavations of Ani, the capital of the Bagratuni Kingdom, under the leadership of the famous Armenologist Nikolai Marr, which were carried out mainly in 1892-1893 and 1904-1917. Large-scale excavations based on rich archival material, comparative analysis of monuments and written sources, partial restoration and conservation of excavated monuments, photographic recording of excavated materials, drawing and measuring of monuments, copying of epigraphic inscriptions, museification of excavated monuments, publication of excavated and studied materials, lectures and seminars, training of scientific personnel, etc.
The study of medieval archaeological monuments received a new impetus in the late 1930s, with the establishment of the Armenian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. By decision of the republic's leadership, archaeological excavations of the capital Dvin began in 1936-1937, which continue to this day. In 1936, under the leadership of Academician Joseph Orbeli, excavations of the Amberd fortress began. The work was carried out in cooperation with specialists from the Armenian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Hermitage. Excavations of Amberd continued in the second half of the last century under the leadership of Sergei Harutyunyan, the results of which were summarized in the author's monograph "Anberd" (1978).
In the 1950-1960s, excavations of the capital Dvin continued, the results of which were summarized in a series of monographs by Karo Ghafadaryan and Aram Kalantaryan.
Creation of the Department
The above mentioned works became a milestone in the development of medieval studies. In 1959, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography was separated from the Institute of History, and in 1960, the Department of Ancient and Medieval Archaeology was created under the leadership of Professor Karo Kafadaryan. In 1993, the Department of Ancient Archaeology was separated. Karo Kafadaryan headed the Department of Medieval Archaeology until his death in 1976. In 1978-2005, the department was headed by Grigor Karakhanyan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, in 2005-2023. – by Husik Melkonyan, PhD, since 2023 - Dianna Mirijanyan, PhD.
Activities of the Department in the 1970s and 1980s
During its existence, the Department of Medieval Archaeology has carried out excavations at many monuments in Armenia. They reached their greatest scope in the 1970s, when one after another the settlement of Moz, the monastery of Khamshi Vank, the Echmiadzin Basilica, the monuments of Karbi, the palace of Vardenut, and the cave settlement of Spitak were of particular importance. During this period, particularly important results were obtained in the direction of studying various problems of the medieval defensive systems of Armenia. During the study of the fortress of Zakari Berd in Talin region, the postgraduate student of the Department Yesai Asatryan discovered for the first time a type of early medieval fortress-settlement, which had previously been known only from historical sources (see: E. Asatryan, Zakari Berd (excavation results), 2005).
The Bjni Fortress (head: Igit Gharibyan), the palace of Vardenut (head: Grigor Karakhanyan), Dashtadem Fortress (head: Yesayi Asatryan), Lori Fortress, the capital of the Kyurikyan dynasty, were also studied, the results of which were summarized by Igit Gharibyan in his monograph (Lori Fortress and its Excavations, 2009). Research was also conducted on medieval monuments in Shirak region (Marmashen Monastery, Kumayri and Shirakavan settlements, Tirashen monument complex, Vahramaberd, etc.), which were led by long-term research fellow of the Department Sergey Harutyunyan. The excavations of Garni gave a clear idea of the medieval settlement, the results of which were summarized in the monograph by Hamlet Petrosyan (Garni in the 9th-14th centuries, 1988). The excavations of Dvin continued, the results of which were summarized in the book by Karo Ghafadaryan and Aram Kalantaryan “Dvin II. The City of Dvin and its Excavations” (2002), as well as in the book “Dvin IV. The City of Dvin and its Excavations (1981-1985)” (2008) by Nyura Hakobyan, Frina Babayan, Aghavni Zhamkochyan, Aram Kalantaryan, Karo Ghafadaryan and Gayane Kocharyan.
In the 1980s, the “Archaeological Monuments of Armenia” series published works related to various aspects of medieval archaeology, which were of great importance not only from the point of view of the medieval cultural world of Armenia, but also of the entire Middle East. These include the works “Material Culture of Dvin” (1970) and “Early Medieval Bullae of Dvin” (1982) by Aram Kalantaryan, “Medieval Glass of Dvin 9th-13th Centuries” (1974) “Sphero-conical Vessels from Dvin and Ani” (1982) by Hripsime Djanpoladyan, “Artistic Metalwork of Medieval Armenia in the 9th-13th Centuries” (1981) by Nyura Hakobyan, “Medieval Armenian Faience of the 9th-14th Centuries” (1981) by Aghavni Zhamkochyan, as well as “Trade Relations of Medieval Armenia in the 6th-13th Centuries” (1988) by Hripsime Djanpoladyan and Aram Kalantaryan.
Department activities in 1990-2000
Although the early 1990s were a difficult period for science, thanks to the skillful leadership of Aram Kalantaryan, the Department’s research work was quite active. From the point of view of popularizing the medieval culture of Armenia abroad, the voluminous monograph “Dvin Histoire et Archaeologie de la Vile Medievale” (1996), published in Paris, was of great importance. One of the most important publications is the work “Armenian Folk Culture” (2003) by one of the founders of the Department, Grigor Karakhanyan. The Department’s staff also conducted research outside of Armenia, revealing the Armenian cultural trace in different countries. 2000). Among them, Frina Babayan’s research conducted in Crimea should be especially highlighted (see: F. Babayan, E. Korkhmazyan, Armenian Monasteries of Surb Khach and Surb Stepanos near the City of Stary Krym, 2000).
During this period, through the efforts of Aram Kalantaryan, the “Scientific Heritage” series was published, some of the volumes of which are dedicated to the distinguished scientists Karo Ghafadaryan, Ashkharbek Kalantar, Smbat Ter-Avetisyan (“Scientific Heritage”, No. 6, Yerevan, 2010), who left a valuable scientific legacy in the field of medieval studies. “Wine in Traditional Armenian Culture” (2005) and “Gold of Ancient Armenia” (2007). The Department’s staff took an active part in such important publications as “Wine in Traditional Armenian Culture” (2005) and “Gold of Ancient Armenia” (2007).
An important scientific publication for medieval archaeology was the book “Armenia in the Cultural Context of the East and West” (2009), which also presented the results of the analysis of the exact sciences for the first time. The publication of the book was made possible by the cooperation of the Department of Archaeology of Medieval Armenia and the Zurich Landesmuseum.
The 2000s were also a period of active archaeological excavations. Excavations were carried out at a number of sites: Surb Hovhannes Karapet Monastery (in collaboration with the Zurich College, co-directors: Sargis Shahinyan and Husik Melkonyan), Surb Sargis Monastery in Ushi and the bell tower of the Surb Mesrop Mashtots Church in Oshakan (head: Frina Babayan), the Jewish settlement of Yeghegis (co-directors: Michael Stone and Husik Melkonyan), Zorats Temple (head: Husik Melkonyan), the capital Dvin (headed by Aram Kalantaryan and Husik Melkonyan), Dashtadem Fortress (head: Astghik Babajanyan).
It is also worth mentioning the excavations at the Khacher fortress in Tsaghkadzor in 2008 (head: Husik Melkonyan), during which a coin hoard of 11th century consisting of 297 Byzantine folles was discovered in a hiding place in the fortress wall. The find in Tsaghkadzor is a unique discovery not only in the tile and economic history of medieval Armenia, but also in terms of shedding light on a number of important issues in numismatics, which are discussed in the monograph of numismatist Hasmik Hovhannisyan (Sylloge of Byzantine Coins, 2016).
Along with the monuments of the Republic of Armenia, the excavations carried out in the territory of Artsakh are also of great importance, in which the researchers of the Department also took an active part (Tigranakert, Handaberd, and Shushi, headed by Hamlet Petrosyan, mansion of Melik Yegan in the village of Togh, headed by Aghavni Zhamkochyan).
International cooperation of the Department
During its activity, the Department has implemented a number of international programs and joint research projects, among which it is worth noting the cooperation with the Department of Armenian Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2001-2003, within the framework of which excavations of the medieval Jewish settlement of Yeghegis in Vayots Dzor were carried out
In 2005-2007, within the framework of cooperation between the institute and the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Department implemented a project with The Zurich Landesmuseum, dedicated to the study of medieval Armenian ceramics and glass.
In 2006, the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography signed a contract with the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology of the University of California to conduct joint excavations in Dvin.
Since 2015, the Department has been implementing the Vayots Dzor Silk Road Archaeological Survey (VDSRS) project in collaboration with Birkbeck, University of London (co-directors: Astghik Babajanyan, and Kate Franklin).
Achievements of the Department
Over the past 60 years, the Department of Medieval Archaeology of Armenia has excavated about 50 medieval sites, published dozens of books, hundreds of articles, presented reports at various international and national conferences devoted to various areas of activity of medieval cities and towns, fortresses and palaces, monastic institutions and churches, as well as various areas of manufacturing organizations. Over the past 60 years, a large number of archaeologists-historians have worked in the Department, who have contributed to the clarification of various problems of the history of Armenia, socio-economic relations, medieval culture, crafts, urban life, and the activities of monastic communities. And now young scientists of the Department actively participate in various international conferences and jointly implement various programs devoted to the problems of medieval culture.
Currently, the scientific directions of the Department include:
- Research of medieval monastic complexes in Vayots Dzor (Tsaghats Kar, Yeghegis), Muslim tombs in Armenia (carried ot by Husik Melkonyan, PhD)
- Research of the medieval culture of Dvin, especially based on the results of excavations of recent years (carried out by Nyura Hakobyan, PhD)
- Archaeology of death in medieval Armenia, typological and semantic transformations of medieval burial structures in time and space (carried out by Dianna Mirijanyan, PhD)
- Medieval construction of fortresses on the example of the Aragatsotn region, terminological problems of defensive structures in archaeology (carried out by Astghik Babajanyan, PhD)
- Medieval communication system and infrastructure in the Sotk and Gegharkunik provinces of historical Syunik (carried out by Avetis Grigoryan)
- Fortification system of historical Tavush, its changes and features (carried out by Tigran Aleksanyan)
- Architectural features and everyday life of late medieval monastic complexes of Syunik according to the archaeological finds (carried out by Arman Nalbandyan)
- Medieval monuments of Meghri region (defensive, spiritual and secular structures) according to the data of comprehensive source study (carried out by David Davtyan).
