Sustainable Development Goals at Baku State University.

An international research project involving scholars from the Archaeology Teaching and Research Center of Baku State University (BSU) has been selected for funding by the prestigious Leverhulme Trust in the United Kingdom. The project, entitled “Atlas of the Ancient Fortifications of the Greater Caucasus,” marks a significant international achievement for the university.

With a total budget of AZN 1.1 million, the project will be carried out in cooperation with the University of Edinburgh. It aims to conduct a systematic study, digital documentation, and comprehensive scientific mapping of ancient defensive fortifications located across the Azerbaijani and Georgian sections of the Greater Caucasus.

Aslan Gasimov, Director of BSU’s Archaeology Teaching and Research Center, will serve as the coordinator of the project’s activities in Azerbaijan. Mircavid Agalarov, a researcher at the Center and a recipient of the Presidential Award, is among the project’s principal researchers.

The initiative will bring together archaeologists from Azerbaijan and Georgia to investigate castles, walls, towers, and other defensive archaeological monuments in both countries. Researchers will collect archaeological, historical, and geographical data, document the sites’ locations and architectural characteristics, and employ advanced digital mapping and documentation technologies.

The project will culminate in the publication of a comprehensive scientific atlas dedicated to the ancient defensive systems of the Greater Caucasus. The atlas is expected to provide valuable insights into the region’s military architecture, historical landscapes, political and military interactions, and the evolution of fortification systems across different historical periods.

Winning the Leverhulme Trust grant highlights the growing role of BSU’s Archaeology Teaching and Research Center in international scientific collaboration and demonstrates the high research capacity of its scholars. The project will also contribute to promoting Azerbaijan’s rich archaeological heritage internationally, advancing research in digital archaeology, and creating new opportunities for the active involvement of young researchers in international scientific initiatives.

SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)