Archaeological Field School in Armenian Prehistory*

Program Dates: May 30 - June 30, 2009

The Program

Students will participate in archaeological excavations and environmental reconstructions at two Stone Age sites in Armenia that document a variety of important milestones in human biological, cognitive, and cultural evolution. Both  sites are situated in the Hrazdan River Valley just north of the capital Yerevan. Nor Geghi 1 documents the evolution and behavior of our extinct cousins, the Neanderthals, between 400,000-200,000 years ago. Lusakert Cave provides data on the demise of the Neanderthals and the ascendancy of modern human between 60,000-20,000 years ago. In addition, an archaeological survey of the Hrazdan River Valley in search of important new archaeological sites will be conducted. We will be joined in the field and laboratory by an international team of world-renowned specialists and students from Yerevan State University.

Participants will also visit the site of Areni 1, located south of Yerevan, in the Vayots Dzor region. Areni 1 dates from ~5,000 years ago (Eneolithic and Early Bronze Age) to the Medieval period (~12^th-14^th centuries AD) and contains evidence for elaborate ritual activity and local agricultural practices. Recent archaeological discoveries include sealed clay pots, secondary human burials, agricultural implements, bronze daggers and spears, bone and stone necklaces, clay figurines, linen textiles, and floral material (grains and fruits). The 2009 field season promises to uncover more remarkable artifacts from these ancient cultures.


The Academics

Students will enroll in ANTH 3090 for 1 honors credit during spring 2009, and ANTH 3990 for 6 honors credits during summer 2009. The goals of this program are to: a) help students develop a firsthand knowledge of archaeological and geological methods and how archaeologists construct and test hypotheses; b) gain a new appreciation of science and its application in human evolution and paleoanthropology; c) provide students an intellectual and cultural experience beyond the confines of the U.S.A.; and d) challenge prior assumptions about the people and cultures of the Caucasus.

ANTH 3090 (Directed Field Research in Anthropology), to be conducted on the Storrs campus, is a pre-departure course that will include a series of lectures and seminars on the nature of human evolution and archaeological investigation in the Caucasus. Students will begin their training on state-of-the-art technology (GPS, Total Mapping Station) while also learning more traditional techniques of field archaeology. 

ANTH 3990 (Fieldwork in Archaeology), to be conducted in Armenia, is designed to train students in archaeological excavation and recording techniques. Firsthand participation in all aspects of the field school, including excavation and site survey, as well as laboratory techniques such as artifact preparation, measurement, illustration, and analysis is required.

Upon return, students will present at the Honors Program's Frontier's Exhibition during fall 2009. Students will also design, produce, and present a poster on their experience at UConn's annual Norian Armenian Studies Program lecture, usually held in the spring.  


The Experience

While this project will provide UConn students with an exciting, new perspective on archaeology and prehistory, and the chance to experience a rich and vibrant culture, it is also designed to help train a new generation of Armenian prehistorians. As such, Armenian students from Yerevan State University (YSU) will work side by side with our team members. Participants will live in a house in Yerevan where breakfast and dinner will be served; lunch will be eaten in the field. Yerevan is a sprawling capital with numerous museums, restaurants, and cultural attractions. Knowledge of Armenian or Russian, while helpful, is not required


International Organization

This field school will be operated as a subset of a larger international research project on the prehistoric human occupation in the Hrazdan River Gorge*, co-directed by Prof. Ron Pinhasi, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, and Boris Gasparian, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (IAE), Armenia. The project is also managed by Pavel Avetisyan and Benik Yeritsian (IAE), YSU faculty, and Prof. Keith Wilkinson, University College Winchester, UK.

*Funding for the international archaeological research outlined here is provided by:

The Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI); The Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS). The UConn Norian Armenian Studies Program; The UConn Research Foundation.