Virtual reality tour of the mounds (kurgan) of Western Azerbaijan to disseminate knowledge, both locally and internationally, of the extraordinary heritage represented by this peculiar type of tombs (circular burial mounds with covered chambers) in Western Azerbaijan between the 4th and 1st millennium BC.
The GaRKAP (Ganja Region Kurgan Archaeological Project) is an archaeological project whose primary objective is to raise awareness of the history of the peoples of Western Azerbaijan from the 4th to the 1st millennium BC. The project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, originates from the collaboration between CAMNES of Florence, the University of Catania
(Unict), and the Baku Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, ANAS).
The project is the result of an innovative knowledge exchange within an international team of archaeologists, students and computer experts to build capacity in the cultural sector. A navigable site map will introduce visitors to a virtual tour of the burial chamber of a five thousand year old kurgan (‘Kurgan 8’) with its points of interest, such as structural features, burials and grave goods, explained in both English and Azeri. Adopting a user-friendly interface reminiscent of a game, the web app will provide a fun way to interact with the archaeological landscape and artefacts, engaging users in an exciting journey into the world of the Kura-Araxes communities of the Kura River Valley.
The online event will be opened by the Ambassador of Italy in Baku Claudio Taffuri and Mr. Zaur Hasanov from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. The co-directors of the Italian-Azerbaijani project Prof. Nicola Laneri and Prof. Bakhtiyar Jalilov will speak, while the co-director of CAMNES Stefano Valentini and the curator of V-KAP Chiara Pappalardo will illustrate the project.
The Embassy of Italy in Baku is pleased to invite to follow the event in live streaming at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/c/camnes.
