Regionalism and Internationalisation in the Urartian Period

In 1989, construction work in Yeghegnadzor led to the unexpected discovery of a collection of metallic objects, immediately interpreted as Urartian grave goods. Among these, two bronze belts attracted the most scholarly attention, while many of the other items were overlooked.

The first publication on this discovery appeared in 1990, followed by only a brief study in 2002. Decades later, a collaborative effort between the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Areni-1 Scientific-Research Foundation, the Vayots Dzor Regional Museum, and ISMEO – International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies – led to a systematic reassessment of these artifacts as part of the Vayots Dzor Project (VDP).

This volume presents the first comprehensive study of the Yeghegnadzor finds, offering detailed analyses, a fully illustrated catalog, and new insights into their cultural attribution, chronology, and archaeological context. Featuring professional photographic documentation, this work challenges previous interpretations and sheds new light on the significance of these artifacts within the broader history of the region.

Roberto Dan, Ph.D. (Sapienza University of Rome, 2012) is affiliated with ISMEO and specializes in the archaeology of Urartu and the Achaemenids, the Southern Caucasus, Iran, and Eastern Turkey. He co-directs the Archaeological Mission to the South Caucasus (AMSC) and the Archaeological Expedition in Moldova and the Black Sea Region. Awarded the Europa Nostra Award (2019), he has conducted fieldwork in Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Moldova, and Turkey and authored more than 200 publications.

Annarita S. Bonfanti, Ph.D. (University of Pavia, 2022) is a Visiting Assistant Professor at ISAW/NYU. She is also affiliated with ISMEO and specializes in the history and philology of Urartu. She is a member of the Archaeological Mission to the South Caucasus (AMSC) and has conducted fieldwork in Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey.

Artur Petrosyan, archaeologist at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (NAS Armenia) and Director of the Areni-1 Cave Scientific Research Foundation, specializes in Neolithic archaeology, lithic analysis, and methodology. He has led excavations and participated at excavations in Armenia, Italy, and the UAE, co-directs international expeditions, and has published over 90 works.

Boris Gasparyan, researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (NAS Armenia) and assistant professor at Yerevan State University, has led numerous international archaeological missions since 2000. He directed the Areni-1 cave project, uncovering the world’s oldest shoe and a wine-producing facility. Specializing in Armenian and Near Eastern archaeology, he has excavated sites from the Palaeolithic to the medieval period and authored around 180 publications.

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