Regionalism and Internationalisation in the Urartian Period

In 1989, construction work in Yeghegnadzor led to the unexpected discovery of a collection of metallic objects, immediately interpreted as Urartian grave goods. Among these, two bronze belts attracted the most scholarly attention, while many of the other items were overlooked.

The first publication on this discovery appeared in 1990, followed by only a brief study in 2002. Decades later, a collaborative effort between the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Areni-1 Scientific-Research Foundation, the Vayots Dzor Regional Museum, and ISMEO - International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies - led to a systematic reassessment of these artifacts as part of the Vayots Dzor Project (VDP).

This volume presents the first comprehensive study of the Yeghegnadzor finds, offering detailed analyses, a fully illustrated catalog, and new insights into their cultural attribution, chronology, and archaeological context. Featuring professional photographic documentation, this work challenges previous interpretations and sheds new light on the significance of these artifacts within the broader history of the region.