The Department of Numismatics and Epigraphy of the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology of ANAS conducts scientific research in the fields of the study of numismatic materials obtained during archaeological excavations, the reading and analysis of paleographic and epigraphic inscriptions, the study of various writing samples and types that existed in ancient and medieval times, examples of heraldry from antiquity, the early Middle Ages and the Middle Ages, the involvement of various symbols and signs in scientific research, historical onomastics, metrology and sphragistics.

Archaeological paleography is a field that is applied in world practice as an integral part of modern archaeological research. Deciphering and reading ancient writing samples, manuscripts and palimpsests discovered during archaeological excavations, determining the form and origin and language of ancient writing samples are important scientific directions in this field.

The existence of paleographic, epigraphic and numismatic materials in Latin, Greek, Caucasian Albanian, Parthian, Aramaic and Hebrew in the ancient and early medieval centuries, and in Arabic, Persian and Turkish (Azerbaijani) in the medieval centuries justifies the necessity of research in this field. The analysis and study of Seleucid, Parthian, Macedonian, Roman, Sasanian, Byzantine coins of the ancient and early medieval centuries, medieval Caliphate coins, coins of the Shirvanshahs, Seljuks, Atabeys, Hulagu, Garagoyunlu, Aggoyunlu, Safavids, numismatic materials of the khanates and examples in modern currency circulation are important directions. Along with these, the study of a number of signs, seals and emblems discovered during archaeological excavations in monuments of the ancient and early medieval centuries, the study of attributes of ancient Azerbaijani states that existed in the mentioned periods, and the study of heraldic materials are also of particular importance.

So far, the institute has trained 6 specialists in numismatics (PhD in history). A catalog of coins discovered in Agsu, Shamakhi, Baku, Barda, Ganja, Kurdamir, Jalilabad, Sheki, Gabala, Ismayilli, Shamkir has been prepared. Department employees have made reports at international archaeological conferences held in Turkey, Russia, Germany, France, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan.

Medieval architectural monuments of Azerbaijan, tombstones, archaeological materials, inscriptions in Arabic, Persian and Turkic on clay pottery and copper objects have been studied, and on this basis, important research work has been carried out to study the social, political, economic and political history of Azerbaijan in the medieval period.

Department staff:

Taleh Vasif oglu Aliyev – head of department, PhD in history, associate professor

Teymur Adalat oglu Guliyev – senior research worker, PhD in history

Elnur Kerim oglu Mustafayev – research worker, PhD in philology (0.5 staff)

Afig Nasraddin oglu Abdullayev – research worker

Sedagat Ismayil gizi Mammadli – research worker (0.5 staff)

Sabina Taleh gizi Aliyeva – senior laboratory assistant