The Azerbaijan–Türkiye international archaeological expedition carried out in the Central, Karakoyunlu, and Aralık districts of Iğdır Province, Republic of Türkiye, has been successfully completed. The second year of the five-year project has been marked by productive results. The research was conducted in collaboration between the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) and specialists from various universities in Türkiye and Germany.

The project is being implemented with the official permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye and with the support of the President of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbayli, and the Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, Dr. Farhad Guliyev.

The expedition, led by Muzaffar Huseynov—PhD in History, Associate Professor, and Head of Department at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS—was conducted based on the permit issued by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Republic of Türkiye, dated 19 June 2025. This marks not only the first international archaeological expedition organized by Azerbaijani archaeologists on the territory of another country, but also signifies the establishment of a new joint research direction between the Republics of Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

The main objective of the project is to systematically study the archaeological heritage of the region and document the shared cultural processes between the territories of Iğdır and Azerbaijan.

The scientific direction of the expedition was defined by the fact that the Aras River lowlands—spanning both sides of the river in Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic—and the Iğdır plain form a unified cultural zone from an archaeological perspective. The results of the excavations confirm the existence of cultural continuity in both areas.

During the investigations, settlements dating from the Late Chalcolithic period to the Early Bronze Age (Kura–Araxes culture), Middle Bronze, Late Bronze–Early Iron, and Middle Iron Ages (Urartian period) were studied. The recovered materials demonstrate the long-term habitation of these territories.

The finds discovered in the Iğdır region show significant similarities with those obtained from monuments of the same periods in Azerbaijan. This confirms the emergence of a shared cultural space in the region since ancient times.

Located at the strategic crossroads of the Near East—where the borders of Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan), Armenia, and Iran intersect—the Iğdır plain possesses a rich archaeological heritage. The research conducted in this plain, situated on the northern foothills of Mount Ararat and the southern part of the Middle Aras Valley, reflects the millennia-long cultural development processes of the region.

During the fieldwork, archaeologists documented the topography and architectural remains of settlements, photographed and drew artefacts such as ceramic vessels, obsidian, and stone tools, and registered them on-site.

Post-excavation work continued in laboratory conditions with the digitalization, mapping, and cataloging of finds, as well as the preparation of daily reports. Photographic and video documentation of the research areas was conducted using drones and archived accordingly.

According to the researchers, this project represents an important stage in the scientific cooperation between Azerbaijani and Turkish archaeologists and contributes to the study and preservation of the region’s shared historical and cultural heritage.

The continuation of the research is planned for the following year.

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