Zahra Kouzehgari: Weapons from Archaeological Excavations and their Interpretation in Archaeology

On The November 13, 2019

10h00 to 12h00
26, Place Bellecour - 69002 Lyon
Salle de réunion - Allée A - 1er étage

Weapons are one of the many findings in archaeological excavations. The extant archaeological literature has mainly focused on traditional studies of these weapons, such as typological and comparative studies. These studies are limited in that they only allow for typo-chronological information. However, when a systematic and multidisciplinary perspective is adopted to study weapons, this method contributes to extensive information about the societies in ancient times that used these weapons.

For example, we can garner information about the changes in war tactics, war practices, and military affairs, as well as the technological developments within the ancient societies. Moreover, we learn about the economic, political, and social developments of these societies. A case in point is the finding of a new and more powerful weapon like the bow and arrow, which changed military tactics and thus, the nature and scale of warfare and all of its material manifestations. In addition, if these materials are studied in conjunction with other lines of evidence, including the context in which they were used, their design, as well as their description and the analysis of individual and static elements, we would have a better representation of these weapons. Specifically, we would learn important aspects of the social connections, causes, and consequences of these ancient societies, despite their partial and fragmentary structures.

Bio: Zahra Kouzehgari is an Assistant Professor of Archaeology at the University of Art and Architecture of Pars, Tehran, Iran, since 2016, where she has been teaching topics covering the art and archaeology of Iranian Bronze and Iron Age cultures as well as Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Egypt. She is a 2019-2020 fellow of the Collegium de Lyon.