Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography

Rescue Archaeology Research Group

The task of the Department is:

To study issues of all periods of Armenian archaeology by conducting archaeological surveys and rescue excavations, with the Karashamb cemetery as the central object of research.
From the temporal perspective - to deal with the periods from the Early Stone Age to the end of the Middle Ages, and from a chronological perspective - from approximately 2 million years BC to the 18th century AD.
To respond promptly to the study of monuments in construction areas and provide a professional opinion on relevant documents of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Science and other interested organizations.
The Department carries out its work in the following forms of activity: field, cameral, laboratory, museum, archival/library/bibliography.
The results of the Department's work are measured by high-quality scientific publications (monographs, collections, articles), which must be relevant and innovative, using modern methods, participation and organized events (conferences, seminars, etc.), field and laboratory research, international relations, productive (attraction of foreign resources, participation of international scientific organizations), influx of personnel, defense of theses, provision of professional opinions.

The past and present of the Department

Introduction

The establishment of the Department of Archaeology of New Constructions at the Institute in 1986 was an unprecedented step in the field of research into sites under threat of disappearance and the organization of rescue excavations on the territory of the republic. The efforts of the Department's researchers prevented further destruction of monuments discovered during construction, road, melioration and other works on the territory of the republic, organized their multifaceted study, documented and measured many archaeological sites.

Dozens of sites were excavated with the support of the Main Directorate for the Protection of Monuments, using financial resources allocated by economic entities, a significant part of them were saved from destruction and included in the lists of monuments subject to protection through protected zones. During the implementation of the plan for the elimination of the consequences of the Spitak earthquake, the Department carried out extremely important excavations on sites designated for construction.

The capabilities of the Department of New Constructions were directed towards organizing excavations of monuments under restoration. By 1993, the Department had excavated about 40 monuments.

Excavations were carried out in the provinces of Aragatsotn (Verin Naver, Ashtarak, Aparan, Kuchak, Talin), Kotayk (Karashamb, Jrvezh), Shirak (Old Shirakavan, Horom, Sarapat, Hoghmik, Jradzor), Gegharkunik (Lchashen, Nerkin Getashen, Gavar, Hatsarat), Lori (Akori, Tsakhkashat), Tavush (Berd), Vayk (Yeghegnadzor, Yelpin, Yeghegis, Moz), Syunik (Harzhis, Teh, Sisian) and many other monuments.

Formation and activities of the Group of Archaeology of New Constructions

As a result of a sharp limitation of financial resources, the work of the Department was stopped in 1993. In 2007, taking into account the increase in the volume of earthworks, land allocations, and projects for the restoration of monuments, the scientific Research Group of New Constructions was created.

In the first years of its activity, this scientific division had three employees: researcher Firdus Muradyan, junior researchers Anna Khechoyan and Inessa Hovsepyan. Later, as the volume of endangered and restored monuments expanded, the newly created Department was replenished with experienced leading researchers, leading archaeological expeditions, and young archaeologists. The group included Doctor of Historical Sciences Felix Ter-Martirosov (to continue the excavations of Yervandashat), part-time Doctor of Historical Sciences Igit Gharibyan (to organize excavations within the framework of the Bjni Fortress restoration project), Doctor of Historical Sciences Hayk Avetisyan (to continue the excavations of Aramus), Doctor of Historical Sciences Hayk Hakobyan (to continue the excavations of Hoghmik).

The group also included young staff: junior researchers Margar Hmayakyan, Armine Gabrielyan, graduates Ara Petrosyan, Karen Azatyan, Levon Agikyan, Lusine Margaryan, Hayk Haydosyan. In 2016, some of the young staff of the group were transferred to the Department of Early Archaeology, taking into account the needs of the Institute's field research work. The latter were replaced by junior research fellows Arman Nalbandyan, Harutyun Badalyan, Tigran Aleksanyan, who have significant experience in excavating monuments under restoration. After documenting the monuments known in Armenia as "desert kites", the study and mapping of newly discovered archaeological sites became one of the important tasks of the Department in order to carry out the necessary work to study them and include them in the state lists. This work was taken on by new members of the group Mariam Shahmuradyan and Ben Vardanyan.

Main results of the group's activities

From the very first year of its creation until 2019, thanks to the work of the group, the institute was able to promptly respond to land allocation, road construction or other work, organize excavations of archaeological sites discovered by chance or monuments that were under threat of extinction. An important issue was also the excavation of restored monuments, archaeological expertise when allocating land, which became one of the main tasks of the newly created group. To date, the group has excavated about 30 monuments (list below).

Thanks to the excavations carried out by both the Department of New Constructions and the archaeological group of New Constructions, the source study base of archaeological research in the region was thoroughly updated. The materials and new data discovered during the excavations of the Department and the group played (and play) a key role in clarifying the main parameters of the archaeological cultures of the Bronze-Iron Age, forming a chronological scale, and characterizing the socio-cultural environment of Ancient and Ancient Armenia.

Excavations of Hellenistic sites of the Classical period allowed us to understand the peculiarities of settlement construction of that period, to get answers to many questions related to the economy, trade and cultural ties. Excavations with plans for the restoration of monastery complexes and churches not only enriched our understanding of the history and culture of medieval Armenia, but also contributed to the proper organization of restoration work on monuments.

List of sites excavated by the Group of Archaeology of New Constructions

The burials of Oshakan (Didi-Kond)
The capital city of Yervandashat
The settlment of Classical period of Hoghmik
The Urartian fortress of Aramus
The cemetery of Tsaghkalanj
The cemetery of Merdzavan
The cemetery of of Aragats
The cemetery of Metsamor town
The archaeological site of Katnaghbyur
The archaeological site of Davtashen
The Early Bronze Age burials of Avan
The Bronze Age burials of Bjni
The Bronze Age burials of Aknalich
Settlement opened within the Vedi river course
The archaeological site of “Poshti Dar” in Artashavan
The Church of Noratus
The Church of Surb Grigor Lusavorich of Tsovasar
The Assyrian Church of Arzni
The Church of Tsovazard village
The Fortress of Bjni
Bekhi or Tandzaparapi Anapat (Hermitage)
The Church of Surn Hovhannes of Meghri town
The Church of Hripsime of Srashen village
The Church of Keti village
The Chapel of Surb Vardan of Angeghakot village
The Olive-press of Chapni village
The archaeological sites of the constructional zone of Shahumyan
Study of the fortresses of the liberated territories of Artsakh
The “desert kites” complex of Aragatsavan
The fortresses and cemetery of Lernakert
The archaeological sites of the Zangezur mine area
The cemetery of Talin

The study of the Karashamb cemetery

In accordance with the order of the Minister of Territorial Administration and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia No. 10-1942 dated July 14, 2008, the Institute's expedition group began excavations in the territory of the cemetery in order to obtain the necessary data to draw up a study program for the archaeological site. Considering the issues of further preservation of the site and the density of the burial structures and occupied area subject to excavation, the Institute presented a program for the excavations and study of the cemetery of Karashamb, which was approved by the Law on the State Budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2009. Since then, the group has been carrying out the research envisaged by the program “Excavations and study of the cemetery of Karashamb”.

Among the participants of the project are the members of the group: Pavel Avetisyan (head of the group, Doctor of Historical Sciences, corresponding member of NAS RA), Varduhi Melikyan (researcher, archaeologist) and Artak Akhverdyan (researcher, architect).

In 2009-2016 Pavel Avetisyan (head of the expedition), Varduhi Melikyan (excavations supervisor), Artak Akhverdyan (architect), Tatevik Harutyunyan (archaeologist, 2009, 2011-2016) participated in the work of the group. Considering the unprecedented volume of excavations, Artur Petrosyan (archaeologist, 2009-2010), Levon Petrosyan (archaeologist, 2010), Nora Yengibaryan (archaeologist, 2011-2012), David Baroyan (preparator, restorer, 2014-2016), Irena Kalantaryan (archaeologist, 2010) participated in the expedition in different years.

The cemetery is located in on the territory of Karashamb cottages, built on the coastal lands of the Hrazdan Gorge. The preserved part of the ancient site now occupies an area of 3.5 hectares, which is a small part of the earlier larger (according to different data: 70 - 100 hectares) cemetery. The defence walls and cultural layers of the fortress-settlement have also been preserved on the cape north of the cemetery, which is part of the extensive archaeological complex.

Levon Karapetyan conducted the first researches of the cemetery of Karashamb in 1966. After the decision of the Yerevan City Council to allocate a significant part of the territory to horticultural enterprises, large-scale excavations were carried out in the 80s of the 20th century. The archaeological expedition of the Department of Monument Protection and Use under the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR (headed by Firdus Muradyan) conducted excavations in the southern part of the Karashamb cemetery in 1981-1983.

In 1982-1984, the archaeological expedition of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Armenian SSR (deaded by Emma Khanzadyan, Aram Gevorgyan, Vasil Zindjirdjian) conducted large-scale archaeological work in different parts of the cemetery and in the area of the preserved fortress-settlement on the cape north of the site.

In 1987, a joint expedition of the Department of Archaeology of New Constructions of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Armenian SSR and the "Erebuni" Museum (headed by Vahan Hovhannisyan) conducted excavations in the northern part of the Karashamb cemetery as part of the reconstruction of the Arzni - Karashamb highway. On the right side of the highway, the "Large Burial Mound" (that bacame famous later) of Karashamb was excavated.

As a result of archaeological work in the 1960s and 1980s, a total of more than 1,070 graves belonging to the Middle Bronze - Early Iron Age were excavated at the Karashamb cemetery, which prove that the cemetery was used from the last quarter of the III millennium BC to the beginning of the 1st millennium BC.

The materials occured at the site and optained data confirm that it plays an irreplaceable role in updating the images of the prehistoric period of the Armenian Highlands and allows a new interpretation of the historical and cultural processes taking place in the region.

During the excavations of Karashamb, it was first argued and substantiated that early state formations in the north-eastern regions of the Armenian Highlands appeared in the last quarter of the 3rd millennium BC (23rd/22nd centuries BC). The best evidence of this are the objects from the large burial mound of Karashamb (examples of gold and silver dishes, jewelry, symbols of power, etc.). The images on the silver bowl of Karashamb provide exceptional information about the royal feast, the battle led by the king, the organization of the triumphal banquet, the ideas adopted at that time and other details of palace life.
Before the Karashamb excavations, it was believed that one of the archaeological cultures of the Middle Bronze Age of Western Asia, widespread in the basins of the Kura and Araxes rivers and known as the Trialeti or Trialeti-Vanadzor culture, was formed around the 20th century on the territory of modern Georgia, then in the 17th-16th centuries BC it reached Armenia. The Large burial mound of Karashamb and other excavated tombs of the Middle Bronze Age showed that here we have the earliest manifestations of the aforementioned culture, dating back to the period of the 22nd-21st centuries BC. These documents became the basis for adjusting previous ideas about the time of formation of the aforementioned culture and its original areas.
The absolute majority of tombs excavated in Karashamb belong to the Late Bronze Age (15th-12th centuries BC). The huge amount of discovered materials practically became the basis that allowed us to clarify the problem of periodization of the Late Bronze Age in the entire South Caucasus.

In the framework of the implementation of the project "Excavations and study of the cemetery of Karashamb" in 2009, the research group of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia resumed large-scale excavations of the burials. Considering the density of the burial structures, it was planned to divide the territory of the cemetery into 20x20 m squares and excavate the site by squares, including the entire surface of the squares, and not just the tombs.

According to the plan, the research results will be published in two books. A multi-volume bilingual (Armenian, English) catalogue will be published separately.

For students who participated in the excavations, special topics have been developed for writing term papers and MA theses based on the materials and data found at the site of Karashamb.

The results of the excavations were presented at national and international scientific sessions, covered and popularized by the media.

As a result of field archaeological work in 2008-2013, the cemetery was cleared of soil and stone fill, 11,400 square meters of area were discovered, where 776 tombs were recorded, and in 2009-2016, 554 tombs were excavated, dating back to the Middle Bronze Age - Late Iron Age.

Due to the amount of excavated material, field research work was temporarily suspended in 2016. Currently, work is underway to restore and office processing of the excavated materials, and publish the results of the research.

The archaeological material found during the field work was restored at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia. Ceramic items were cleaned and restored by Lilit Manukyan, Arevik Avetisyan, David Baroyan, Tatevik Harutyunyan, metal items – by Armen Gevorgyan, Anna Shcherbakova, Manvel Ghalachyan. The archaeological material was drawn by Artak Akhverdyan, and photographed by Vram Hakobyan.

Within the framework of the project implementation, extensive cooperation was established with various scientific institutions and specialists both in Armenia and abroad: Levon Yepiskoposyan, Ashot Margaryan (Institute of Molecular Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia), Hannah Chazin (Department of Anthropology of Columbia University, USA, Associate Professor, archaeobiologist), Martin Hernandez (Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, USA, bioarchaeologist), the Lundbeck Foundation Center for Geogenetics in Denmark, the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna.

Many of the results of the cooperation have been summarized in the form of scientific articles published in various journals.