Ancient History of Armenia

Modern Armenia, a volcanic mountainous landscape with continental climate, is situated in the northern part of the geographic unit known as Armenian Highland, and is characterized by its rich cultural heritage.

Both geographically and culturally Armenia is a typical contact zone where during the whole history of the region various cultural influences were circulating, which, together with local traits, made up its common cultural image. Such conditions turned Armenia with its surroundings into a kind of cross-road of world developments in ancient times - evolving special characters for the local populations

The lecture is related to the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze and Iron ages, as well as the Urartian (IX-VII centuries B. C. E. ), Post-Urartian(End of VII century-first half of V century B. C. E. ), Achaemenid Hellenistic and Medieval periods of the Archaeology and History of Armenia. A special focus will be devoted for the History and Developments of the Archaeology of Armenia, its achievements problems and perspectives. The lecture will specifically focus on the regional context.

Miqayel Badalyan is the director of the Erebuni History and Archaeology Museum in Yerevan. He is engaged in archaeological research on the ancient empire of Urartu and surrounding regions. He studies Urartian iconography, religion, and historical and cultural developments in the post-Urartian period. He is currently leading an Armenian archaeological expedition to the fortresses of Erebuni and Odzaberd (Tsovinar). He is also involved in conducting Armenian-French research at the fortress of Erebuni and Armenian-Austrian excavations at Karmir Blur. He has also participated in numerous archaeological excavations in Armenia, Lebanon, and Iran. He has presented the results of his research at multiple conferences and lectures in Armenia and abroad (USA, Russia, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Iran, Georgia, Lebanon, Moldova, Italy, and France). He lectures at the Armenian State Pedagogical University and Yerevan State University. He is the author or co-author of about thirty scholarly articles on the archaeology and religion of the Urartian Kingdom and its historical and cultural heritage. He is also co-author of the book Bianili-Urartu. Gods, Temples, Cults (in Armenian), published in Yerevan.