Institute for Archaeology and  Heritage

History

The Institute of Archaeology and Heritage resides at the Faculty of Humanities Studies of the University of Primorska since January 2016, the research group ex- ists since much longer. The associates of the Institute of Archaeology and Heritage shaped their research journey at the University of Primorska from 2003 on, work- ing for the Institute of Heritage of the Mediterranean Scientific Research Centre. With their departure from the operating environment of the University of Primor- ska, the IAH research team moved their projects and research work under the aus- pices of the Faculty of Humanities Studies.

Research work

The IAH has only been working at the UP FH for a good four years but the results of the Institute associates’ research work, as well as their success in applying research projects at national and international levels, have significantly enriched the Faculty‘s research platform. The Institute operates a research group that combines and con– nects research approaches of different scientific fields, interdisciplinary and interdis– ciplinary. It primarily explores the field of archaeology, from prehistory to the new age, and connects approaches of various humanities fields dealing with the heritage of the past and the present. Researchers combine the findings of archaeology, an– thropology, history of art, architecture, as well as specific disciplines such as muse– ology, conservation, archival science and tourism. The IAH currently employs eight researchers/educators, one researcher and three project coordinators who offer technical and professional support.

The IAH research group has acquired and implemented two national and four bilat- eral projects financed by the ARRS, as well as three international projects provid- ed by the EASME/EMFF/2015, Erasmus+, KA203 and the EEA Financial Mechanism Program 2009-2014. The IAH Research Group also actively implements projects in the field of preventive archaeology, with which we successfully compete on the market. In total, we have implemented 10 campaigns of this kind in recent years. We are also intensely engaged in post-excavation processing of sites archives, which to- gether with our scientific publications, contributes to the knowledge about various archaeological periods of the Slovene area.

The IAH collaborators actively present the results of their research work at interna- tional scientific conferences but also as initiators and organizers of the latter. In re- cent years, two high-profile international conferences on material culture research have been organized at the Faculty, notably the 23rd International Conference on Archaeology of the Mediterranean (SOMA), on the topic International Trade in the Mediterranean, which was co-organization with the FH.

As we are aware that research activities should be brought closer to a wider audi- ence, the IAH is committed to promoting research work through exhibition activities. Over the years, we organized several exhibitions at the Faculty, among which worth mentioning is the exhibition Almost all Archaeology of Zavrč.

The IAH works intensively in the local environment as well. Among other things, it manages the Archaeological Park Simonov Bay in Izola, in which we have left recog- nizable traces and results in the last decade.

We explore and connect

The IAH researches are spatially linked to the Slovene territory, the broader area of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and Central Europe in different periods of the past. For more than a decade, we have been working with Macedonian colleagues from the Museum of the city of Skopje, on the research of the Cerje-Govrlevo site that resulted in three exhibitions with publications that shed light on the life of Neolithic communities in an area crucial to understanding the neolitisation of the European area.

As IAH strives to upgrade the knowledge about the material culture of different pe- riods, we upgraded our research work by organizing thematic international scientif- ic conferences that connect researchers of specific research fields. In May 2019, the Material Encounters/Meetings with Material Culture Conference was organized, dedicated to miniature material culture, and in March 2020 we organized an inter- national conference ARTE-FACTUM: Study days on the ancient glass that attracted a large part of glass researchers from all over Europe to lectures and workshops.

We left traces

The Institute of Archaeology and Heritage of the UP FH manages the Archaeologi- cal Park Simonov zaliv, taking care of the activities and its promotion for many years, leaving an indelible mark on the tourist offer of Izola. The project “AS-Archaeology for All” (EEA Financial Mechanism Programme 2009-2014), acquired by the IAH Re- search Group, increased the accessibility of the cultural monument in Simonov zal- iv, placed it in the cultural and tourist offer, developed educational programmes and the infrastructure of the park.

Students as researchers

In their research projects in the field of preventive archaeology, the Associates of the IAH at the UP FH include students of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level of the Archaeolo- gy program. With their involvement in the project work, students gain valuable re- search experience already during their studies. A good example of the student’s in- volvement in research work is also their active participation with the contributions in form of posters at the International Scientific Conference of Material Culture/ Material Encounters, organized by IAH and DAH in 2019.