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Interdisciplinary Research Seminar Series
The Archaeology of Ancient Southwest Asia: Investigating the Human Past in the Vedi River Valley of Armenia
Professor Peter Cobb (School of Humanities, The University of Hong Kong)
Date/Time: April 9, 2024, 12:30 – 1:30 pm (HKT)
Venue: May Hall, The University of Hong Kong or via Zoom
Language: English
Enquiry: (Email) ihss@hku.hk
Interdisciplinary Research Seminar Series
The Archaeology of Ancient Southwest Asia: Investigating the Human Past in the Vedi River Valley of Armenia
Professor Peter Cobb (School of Humanities, The University of Hong Kong)
Date/Time: April 9, 2024, 12:30 – 1:30 pm (HKT)
Venue: May Hall, The University of Hong Kong or via Zoom
Language: English
Enquiry: (Email) ihss@hku.hk
Title:
The Archaeology of Ancient Southwest Asia: Investigating the Human Past in the Vedi River Valley of Armenia
Speaker:
Professor Peter Cobb (School of Humanities, The University of Hong Kong)
Date/Time:
April 9, 2024, 12:30 - 1:30 pm (HKT)
Venue:
Lecture Hall, G/F, May Hall, The University of Hong Kong (Map), or Via Zoom
Language:
English
Enquiry:
Title:
The Archaeology of Ancient Southwest Asia: Investigating the Human Past in the Vedi River Valley of Armenia
Speaker:
Professor Peter Cobb (School of Humanities, The University of Hong Kong)
Date/Time:
April 9, 2024, 12:30 - 1:30 pm (HKT)
Venue:
Lecture Hall, G/F, May Hall, The University of Hong Kong (Map), or Via Zoom
Language:
English
Enquiry:
This talk briefly introduces HKU's ongoing archaeological fieldwork in the South Caucasian country of Armenia. Located at the intersection of three continents, ancient Southwest Asia (also known as the Ancient Near East), saw many early developments in complex human society, from agriculture to writing and cities. In collaboration with the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, HKU is researching a small area within the mountainous northern part of this region, the Vedi River valley of Armenia. This valley was always an important transportation route between the fertile Ararat Plain to the west and the resource rich mountain ranges to the east. Thus, in the Late Bronze Age, around 1500BCE, a local polity arose and fortified a prominent hill protecting the entrance to the valley, thus controlling mobility through the valley. This site, called the Vedi Fortress, was used until about 800BCE when it was likely burned and abandoned. However, given the prominence of the site and its existing monumental fortification walls, it was reused periodically, especially during the Late Antique/Early Medieval period of around 450-650CE, when Armenia was under Sassanian Persian Suzerainty.
Professor Cobb teaches courses on archaeological methods and theories and the archaeology of the ancient world, including experiential learning classes abroad. He has conducted archaeological fieldwork in Armenia, Laos, and Turkey, and is currently the director of the Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP) in collaboration with the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography. His research focuses on the Late Bronze and Iron Ages (ca 1600 BCE-600 CE) of the Eastern Mediterranean and ancient Southwest Asia (aka the Ancient Near East). Professor Cobb is a specialist in the analysis of ancient ceramics and in digital humanities (DH). He serves as a Deputy Director of the BA program in Humanities and Digital Technologies in the Faculty of Arts at HKU.
This series aims to introduce a wide range of cutting-edge research in various disciplines and areas. If you have any questions about this seminar or would be interested in giving a talk, please contact Dr. Ghassan Moazzin (gmoazzin@hku.hk).
Light refreshments will be served for registered participants attending the seminar in person.
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