Kramer Under the direction of Dr. Carol Kramer, Mr. Adam Smith will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. He will study Urartu settlement pattern as revealed in a series of archaeological sites. Between the ninth and sixth centuries B.C., the ancient state of Urartu spread from its capital on Lake Van, conquering much of what is today eastern Turkey, Armenia and Iranian Azerbaijan. As it expanded, Urartu imposed a new spatial order on the territories it acquired. In his research, Mr. Smith will study an number of sites in Armenia. These span a range of time and include both pre-Urartu, early and late Urartu settlements. He will employ an electronic mapping system to construct accurate site plans and supplement these data with schematic drawings on artifacts from Urartu sites. On this basis he will determine how imperial control is both reflected in and reinforced by architectural arrangement. He will study the use of space and the control of access into specific areas. This research is of interest for several reasons. First, it will shed light on the development of state level societies in a poorly known portion of the world. Secondly, it will help to develop an analytic technique with the potential for widespread archaeological use. Finally it will assist in the training of a promising young scientist.
