Within the framework of the theme "Archelology in Armenia",  Laboratory of Archaeological Research of Institute for Armenian Studies of YSU  apart from research activities conducted a variety of field work in 2015 in Oshakan, Aramus, Sotq, Syunik and Nagorno Karabakh. As a result of  4-year  joint planned work of  Laboratory of Archaeological Research and the Chair of Archeology and Ethnography of YSU early Iron Age Burial complexes were excavated in Oshakan. Expedition was headed by the head of the chair Hayk Avetisyan and head of the Department of Archeology of the University of Munich Michael Herles . Avetsyan noted that according to the initial observation, the complex is in form of a castle and a number of stonechest tombs were found there . As a result of the laboratory processing of various artifacts, it turned out, that they are pottery samples, bronze ornaments, paleo-anthropological materials. According to laboratory research, they are artifacts of 9-11 century BC. 

According to Avetisyan, the aim of the excavations was the clarification of issues related to the phases of fortress construction of western part of the citadel and the chronology of the reconstruction of the fortress. The pottery founded during the excavation is typical of Van Kingdom. However, it turned out that Aramus was not only a monument of Urartu period. Laboratory processing and study of the materials found during the excavation were given to the Yerevan city museum. According to the head of the expedition Hayk Avetisyan, the excavation of Aramus dates back to 12 years and are still in progress. There are published materials on the excavations in this area and scientific materials are going to be published in the nearest future too. 

The head of the expedition emphasized  that Aramus and Oshakan findings are important because they have organic chronological sequence , and this chronology completes our perceptions about the Armenian Highland between 11-7 BC. “There is great interest in the Kingdom of Van around the world, and taking account the fact that that it is one of the most important pages of our culture and identity, we intensively carry out both the field work and academic work. We try to prepare the results of the research as soon as possible.  I should mention that the research and analytical materials of the Armenian and foreign archeologists on the excavations of Oshakan and Aramus became very popular in Germany, Austria and Italy. They update and supplement  the early civilization history  of Ancient  Levant, Southwest Asia”-noted H. Avetisyan. 

In addition, the staff of the Laboratory of Archaeology carried out excavations in the area of Sotq and most of them are still in progress. A unique fortress of bronze-iron age was excavated.Joint excavations were carried out with the German archeologists in the area of Aragats and Sevan basin, in the regions of historical Zangezur and Artsakh. Dragon stones and dragon obelisks were also found. The findings are subjected to study in detail, laboratory measurements and processing.