Azerbaijan’s “Ancient Period Archaeology” department started its activity in 1987, until 2017 years, the department was headed by the corresponding member of ANAS, Ph.D., Professor Ilyas Atababa oglu Babayev.”Archaeology of the Ancient Period” department headed by Ph.D. Zaur Hasan oglu Hasanov in 2018-2021 years. The “Iron Age Archeology” department was established in 2021 on the basis of the Antiquity department, and researches related to the Antiquity period were conducted in the relevant sectors of the newly established Scientific Center for Albanian Studies.
In connection with the change of the new structure of the ANAS Institute of Archeology and Anthropology according to the ANAS Presidium decision on April 23, in 2024 No. 13\3,13\4,13\5,13\6 and 13\7, the Institute’s Albanian Studies Scientific Center ( the archaeological research sector of the material and cultural heritage of Caucasian Albania and the research sector of architectural monuments and spiritual heritage of Caucasian Albania) was abolished and the “Antiquity and Albanian archeology” department was established on its basis.
According to the master plan of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS, as the main activity of the “Antiquity and Albanian archaeology” department, settlements, defense structures, observation towers, religious chapels, churches and monasteries in the monuments belonging to the states of Antiquity, Atropatena and Caucasian Albania in the territory of Azerbaijan period necropolises, etc. provided that research works carried out.
Based on the samples of material culture the researches and the archaeological evidence that obtained in the future, the culture, craftsmanship, trade relations, economic life, economic-political-cultural relations, architectural features of the building remains, etc. research is the main scientific direction of the department, which is organized in a new content. The main tasks of the department are to write scientific works and articles according to the profile of the department, based on the samples obtained by archaeological research in the settlements of Antiquity, Atropatena and Caucasian Albania, and presenting reports at local and international conferences.
The head of the department is Natig Abulfat oglu Alishov, PhD in history, head of the “Research of architectural monuments and spiritual heritage of Caucasian Albania” sector,Scientific Center for Albanian Studies in the former structure.
Employees of the “Antiquity and Albanian archeology” department:
- Natig Abulfat oglu Alishov – head of department, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
- Vagif Arif oglu Asadov – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
- Abdulla Bekir oglu Abdullayev – scientific worker
- Elkhan Ahmed oglu Kahramanli – senior laboratory assistant