The department of Caspian archaeology is one of the newest departments in the structure of the institute. By the Resolution No. 16/33 of the ANAS Presidium dated July 12, in year 2023, the structure of the institute was partially changed, and the department of “Caspian archeology” was established to conduct research at the bottom of the Caspian Sea, coastal areas and other water bodies at the expense of internal capabilities and within the framework of existing staff units. was created.
Underwater archaeology involves archaeological research conducted under water. This field was developed relatively late compared to other fields of archaeology and has undergone relatively slow development considering the difficulty of the research and its unique limitations. The development path of underwater archaeological research in the Republic of Azerbaijan has not been linear. Caspian archaeology, which is the main research direction of the department, is a branch of underwater research.
The main direction of the department’s activity is to research the bottom of the sea and coastal areas in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea from a scientific-research point of view, to discover objects of interest related to our great past in sunken ships, to conduct new researches in known archaeological monuments in coastal zones, to register and study newly discovered monuments, to specify the coordinates of the monuments, to study the architectural structure and to make a plan, to scientifically analyse the discovered artefacts, to display the material and cultural samples in the “Surakhani” ship-museum belonging to the “Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping” Closed Joint Stock Company (ASCO) and the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS. From exhibiting in the Museum exhibition hall located in Icherisheher, etc. consists
From the day the department was established, the head of the department is Professor Abbas Seyidov, doctor of historical sciences.
Employees of the “Caspian Archeology” department:
- Abbas Gadir oglu Seyidov – department head, doctor of historical sciences, professor
- Leyla Mammad gizi Rustamova – senior researcher (0.5), doctor of philosophy in history
- Gunel Sakhavat gizi Aliyeva – junior researcher
- Jeyhun Idris oglu Aliyev – senior laboratory assistant
- Ilaha Fikret gizi Pashabeyli – senior laboratory technician