Chair of Archeology and Ethnography

After the establishment of Yerevan State University in 1921, the famous archaeologist Ashkarabek Kalantar was invited to the university to give lectures. In the same year, he founded the Chair of History and Archeology of the Ancient East. After that, Smbat Ter-Avetisyan continued to teach the subject of archeology until 1940, after which the activity of the chair was stopped.

In May 1968, by the decision of the Academic Council of the university, a chair of archaeology, source studies, and ethnography was established in the faculty of history led by prof. A. G. Abrahamyan.

The involvement of prominent scientists such as B. Arakelyan, K. Ghafadaryan, and B. Piotrowski played a major role in the activities of the Chair. In 1975 it was renamed the Chair of Archeology and Ethnography, which until 1982 was led by Archaeologist, prof. T. Khachatryan, then Prof. S. Yesayan. During the mentioned period, many key monuments were investigated by the efforts of the chair's employees.

In 1989 a chair of Ethnography was established, headed by Associate Professor Yu. Mkrtumyan, Hr. Kharatyan, and until 2004 - Yuri Mkrtumyan again. In 2004, the chairs of Archeology and Ethnography were reunited. From 2001-2008 the responsibilities of the chair of archeology were assumed by Prof. I. Gharibyan.

The staff of the Chair carries out effective scientific and field research both in the republic and abroad. During their activities, many notable monuments from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages were excavated.

Today, well-known lecturers-scientists, corresponding members of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Professors, and Associate Professors teach at the Chair of Archeology and Ethnography.

The staff of the Chair publishes many monographs, textbooks, and scientific articles not only in the republic but also abroad, as well as actively participates in national and international conferences.

In 2019 with the efforts of the chair's staff, the Undergraduate educational program "Archaeology and Ethnography" was launched in the Faculty of History.

The chair closely cooperates with YSU scientific centers and other departments, particularly the Faculty of Biology, performing laboratory work. The fundamental structures for the chair are the laboratories of archaeological, ethnological, and anthropological research of the YSU Institute of Social Science and Humanities.