In order to regulate archaeological and ethnographic researches on the territory of the Republic, in 1968, the field research department was established under the Azerbaijan SA History Institute. From the day of its establishment until 1994, this department was headed by Professor J.A. Khalilov, Ph.D. After his death (1994), the department was headed by Ph.D. It was entrusted to Tavakkul Aliyev. In 2002, the department became a sector under the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of ANAS. On July 12, 2023, by the decision of the Presidium of ANAS, the field research monitoring and assessment department was established at the base of field research sector, and associate professor T. R. Aliyev was appointed as its head.

The main scientific-research directions of the department:

  • The department carries out scientific regulation of field researches – archaeological excavations and exploration works conducted in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
  • Organizes discussion of field research reports and documents them;
  • Plans activities of field researches , supervises and monitors archaeological expeditions;
  • It recommends the methodology of conducting field research at the intersection of multidisciplinary disciplines using modern scientific and technological methods;
  • Field research reports passed by expertise are handed over to the Scientific Archive of the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology of ANAS for permanent preservation;
  • Employees of the department participate in archaeological expeditions, conferences and other events, carry out scientific research works on an individual plan. 

Since its inception, the department has achieved the following scientific results and achievements:

  • About a thousand reports dedicated to the results of field research were documented and handed over to the Scientific Archive of the Institute;
  • The collection of archaeological monuments of North-Eastern Azerbaijan was published;
  • As a result of the complex study of the Sarkartepe settlement (Khachmaz district), it was determined that the north-eastern region of Azerbaijan occupied a local, unique place in the Kura-Araz culture area during the Early Bronze Age;
  • A generalized study of cyclopean buildings, which are monumental monuments of the transition period to early class society, was conducted;
  • A number of complexes belonging to early farming and herding tribes were discovered and studied in the Mil plain, and the results were presented to the international scientific community in numerous publications;
  • In the Mil-Karabakh plain, the city of Galatepe, belonging to Albania, the ancient state of Azerbaijan, was identified and involved in the study;
  • Monographs on the material culture of Caucasian Albania have been developed;

Social-political and cultural-economic life of the medieval city of Shabran was investigated on the basis of archaeological materials

Employees of the “Monitoring and evaluation of desert studies” department:

  1. Tavakkul Rasul oglu Aliyev – head of the department, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
  2. Sevil Mahmud gizi Agamaliyeva – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
  3. Doyush Logman oghlu Musayev – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
  4. Gulnara Kamal gizi Akhundova – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history, associate professor
  5. Fatma Ali gizi Abbasova – leading researcher, doctor of philosophy in history
  6. Gulana Ilgar gizi Aliyeva – senior researcher, doctor of philosophy in history
  7. Faig Ilyas oglu Babayev – senior researcher
  8. Farida Fazil gizi Yusifli – senior laboratory technician
  9. Irada Alish gizi Mammadova – specialist