Survey in Vayots Dzor, Armenia

From the Field

By: Andrew Williams

Originally Published in 2019

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A team from the University of Pennsylvania, headed by Dr. Peter J. Cobb, recently the Kowalski Family Teaching Specialist at the Museum’s Center for the Analysis of Archeological Materials (CAAM), and Dr. Elvan Cobb of Cornell University, joined the 2018 season of the University of Central Florida’s Vayots Dzor Fortress Landscapes Project (VDFLP) and conducted a survey of the Yeghegis River valley.

The survey team working in the field
TOP: The 2018 survey team. From left to right: Hayk Azizbekyan, Malkia Okech, Christopher Besser, Elvan Cobb, Peter Cobb, three-year-old Nehir Cobb, Andrew Williams, and Colin Roberts. ABOVE: The team searches for pottery in the field.

VDFLP is directed by Dr. Tiffany Earley-Spadoni of the University of Central Florida in conjunction with Arthur Petrosyan and Boris Gasparyan of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. The Penn team was composed of Computer Science majors Colin Roberts and Christopher Besser; Malkia Okech, an undergraduate student majoring in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations; Andrew Williams, a masters graduate in Byzantine and Late Antique Studies; and Dr. Caitlin Curtis of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Famous for its fruit and wine production, the mountainous province of Vayots Dzor has a long history of occupation. In a cave system near the village of Areni, archaeologists have discovered the earliest known shoe and winery, both dating from the Late Chalcolithic Period (about 4000 BCE). The valley’s location in the heart of South Caucasia put it at a crossroads between empires and along the Silk Road network. The region’s Armenian heritage has been influenced by Roman, Islamic, and Persian traditions. Conical churches and the ubiquitous cross-bearing steles, known as khachkars, are perched throughout the landscape. The area’s strategic location also made it vulnerable to nomadic invaders, especially in the 13th to 16th centuries CE, and the remains of dozens of fortresses from various periods dot the valley.

Andrew Williams photography pottery sherds in a white box
Andrew Williams records pottery sherds with the Data Collector app and a portable photography studio kit lent by the Penn Libraries.

The objective of the expedition was to survey the Yeghegis River valley and test many different digital recording methods both in the field and in the lab. Walking in regular intervals, we examined the verdant farmland near the river and the surrounding semi-arid mountainside for any trace of past human activity. We conversed with local residents about their knowledge of the landscape’s history. Most of our finds were pottery sherds, and we also documented the remains of a system of medieval fortresses. A number of the fortresses featured the remains of surrounding settlements, which offered clues to how people lived and why they settled certain areas over others.

A green grassy hill with red arrows pointing to the location of terracing and the fortress
The remains of a medieval hilltop fortress overlook the Yeghegis River valley. Terracing, perhaps from a village, is also visible nearby.

The equipment that we tested in the field, which helped facilitate the data collection of material finds, centered on smartphone applications, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), and image capturing devices. Chris and Colin developed the Location Collector app, which worked in combination with extremely precise GNSS technology, and allowed us to take pictures of finds in situ and upload both the image and a location to a central database. Image capturing was not limited to our smartphones. In order to get a better picture of the survey landscape itself, we used a 360- degree camera and a drone. These tools allowed us to both map and access the sites after they were surveyed.

Two men piloting a drone
Using a drone, we were able to take pictures of a site which were then overlaid on a 3-D model.

After spending the day in the field, we returned to the lab in Areni where we processed our finds and continued to develop the different apps. Processing generally involved cleaning, labeling, and cataloging. To catalogue recovered material, the Data Collector app allowed for communication via Bluetooth to a digital scale and remote camera. The Data Collection app works in conjunction with the Location Collector app and central database, recording an item’s weight and taking its photograph in a controlled setting. Collectively, the equipment we tested in Armenia not only helped us gather information on how people lived in the Vayots Dzor region but has shed light on new methods of archaeological survey that can be used around the globe.

This survey was partially funded by the Penn Museum’s Director’s Field Fund.

Cite This Article

Williams, Andrew. "Survey in Vayots Dzor, Armenia." Expedition Magazine 61, no. 1 (May, 2019): -. Accessed February 11, 2025. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/survey-in-vayots-dzor-armenia/


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