Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP)
University of Hong Kong and Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography collaborative fieldwork in the Vedi River valley
openarchaeology.org/armenia/
- Thanks CTTN for featuring our APSAP project! We're excited to share updates on our 4th season of fieldwork in the Vedi River Valley, Armenia in summer 2025. CTTN is an interdisciplinary network focused on #Caucasus #archaeology and the past. Subscribe here: 🔗 sway.cloud.microsoft/CrhnJsdAZ0Ha...
- The new issue of @saa-aap.bsky.social from @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org has now been published, containing this digital review. See full issue: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
- Check out the latest #digitalreview in @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org that considers how archaeologists can best engage online, especially with short-form video: doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- 📢Our Open Access article “Designing the Ideal MR Headset for Archaeological Fieldwork” is published in #XR Extended Reality by @springernature.com ! We present our suggestions for building a better MR headset for fieldwork. 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/978-...
- Check out the latest #digitalreview in @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org that considers how archaeologists can best engage online, especially with short-form video: doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- How is lidar reshaping how we talk about the past? An open-access article in @saa-aap.bsky.social shows how recent lidar work gets recast as finding “lost cities.” Lidar is revolutionizing archaeological mapping, but responsible storytelling matters as much as the data. doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- ✨Thank you, SIGGRAPH Asia 2025! ✨Thanks for visiting our booth and exploring our project, “Immersive Interaction & Interpretation of Ancient Spatial & Shape Data”. It was inspiring to share how XR tools support archaeological research via hands-on XR experience and engaging conversations with you.
- New issue of Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research Vol 394 (2025) www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/basr/202... @asor-research.bsky.social @chicagojournals.bsky.social @karalarson.bsky.social @petramcreamer.bsky.social @pudukhepa.bsky.social
- Our project is exhibited at SIGGRAPH Asia 2025! 🎉Come join us to explore how interactive XR tools can support archaeological research. 📅Dec 15–18, 2025 📍HK Convention and Exhibition Centre Article: doi.org/10.1145/3761... 🎥Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSqv... 🔗Event: asia.siggraph.org/2025
- So thrilled to see our paper “Defending the Vedi River Valley of Armenia” published by @asor-research.bsky.social & @uchicagopress.bsky.social reached 2200+ views — thanks for your support! Vedi River Valley is a key corridor connecting Ararat Plain and surrounding mountains. doi.org/10.1086/732090
- Our Open Access article “Immersing in Mesopotamia: VR Site Tours in the Remote Classroom,” published by @asor-research.bsky.social, reached 2200+ views. It explores how immersive VR site tours can transform the ways we teach and learn in an archaeology university course. doi.org/10.1086/725775
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- Our Open Access article: “The Apple Vision Pro: Useful MR/AR Headset for Archaeology or Not Quite There Yet?” in @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org assesses the Apple VisionPro’s potential for archaeological fieldwork, data visualization and engagement. doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- Proud moment for HKU — ranked #1 in Asia by the global higher education analytics organisation Quacquarelli Symonds in QS World University ranking 2026. This recognition reaffirms the University’s sustained leadership across Asia's academic landscape.
- Check out our new #openaccess article with @juusonieminen.bsky.social on "Epistemic Cultures in Undergraduate Education," in @teachinginhe.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1080/1356...
- Thank you for joining us at the Info Day at HKU on October 25. We loved sharing our project and meeting so many amazing participants who enjoyed our AR/VR experience of an ancient site! Stay tuned for more updates — follow us 👉 @apsap.bsky.social or other platforms: linktr.ee/apsap
- Immersive Archaeology: Securing the Human Past with Cutting-edge Technologies by Keynotes HKU. Researchers are advancing archaeology through 3D scanning, #drones and #MR. Their work redefines excavation by allowing archaeologists to preserve while discovering. www.keynotes.hku.hk/story/immers...
- ✨The #Extended #Reality in #Archaeology event concluded successfully! 🏛️💫Huge thanks to CUHK Libraries and CUHK Archaeology for hosting and supporting this inspiring session, participants explored how #technology and #archaeology come together in innovative ways. Here’s to more discoveries ahead!🚀✨
- Hosted by the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) and the SAA Public Education Committee, watch archaeologists as they discuss challenges in research, excavation, fieldwork, and more, and answer your questions for the 2025–2026 FIRST #LEGO League #UNEARTHED Season!
- The Ancient Near East Today is seeking new members for its Editorial Advisory Committee. The committee supports and advises the editor of ANE Today for matters of content and strategy for the main platform and its Substack newsletter. Please fill out this online form by Oct. 31: buff.ly/2MyvjcP
- Thank you for visiting our VR booth at InnoCarnival 2025! Our project ‘Extended Reality for Studying and Teaching Human Past’ is now on display till this Sunday. Perfect for families! 📍Booth D04, 1/F Grand Hall, 12W, Hong Kong Science Park 📅Oct 18–26, 2025 🕙Weekend 10:00–18:00｜Weekday 10:00–17:00
- Come visit us on HKU Information Day 2025 and discover the world of VR and AR Archaeology with the BA(HDT) program! Explore virtual reconstructions of an ancient site and our APSAP project in Armenia! Time: Oct 25 (Sat) 10:00-16:00 Venue: Arts Tech Lab (CPD-4.35, RRST, HKU) hdt.arts.hku.hk
- Join our VR/MR tour at HKU’s booth at InnoCarnival 2025! Discover how XR helps study human past in immersive ways. Experience ancient sites in 3D-fun for kids, teens and families! 📍Booth D04, 1/F Grand Hall, 12W, Hong Kong Science Park 📅Oct 18–26, 2025 🕙Weekends 10:00–18:00| Weekdays 10:00–17:00
- Join us at CUHK for a dynamic talk on how VR, AR, and MR go beyond entertainment to revolutionize archaeology and education. Experience a live demo showing how these innovations transform teaching, tourism, and data collection. Register: cloud.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/mycuform/vie... Don’t miss out!
- On 16 Sept at the InnoWing, visitors joined a VR tour of Armenia’s Vedi Fortress. They explored a 3D reconstruction of the Late Bronze and Iron Age structure to learn more about the past and technology. Thank you to everyone, and please join our SIG: innowings.engg.hku.hk/apsap/
- 🌪️ Due to Typhoon Ragasa, our exciting talk by HKU team on immersive tech & archaeology has been rescheduled for everyone's safety. 🗓️ New Time: Oct 8 (Wed) 10:30-12:30, 2025 📍 Venue: Learning Garden & Maker Space, LG/F University Library, CUHK Supported by rihcuhk, anthrocu & cuhklibraries💜
- Congratulations @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org for the release of the latest issue, volume 13, issue 2! www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Also check out, in that issue, our evaluation of the Apple Vision Pro for archaeology: doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- Exploring the Past Through Innovation Join us at the HKU Innowing Carnival 2025 for a special talk on how technology is helping us better understand the ancient world. 🗓️Sept 25 | 14:30–15:30 📍Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing One, HKU 📌LED Wall & Brainstorming Area hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hd...
- Thanks @saa-aap.bsky.social for the APSAP-related covers of Vol. 11(4) and Vol. 7(4)! AAP covers spotlight the people, places, and communities that bring archaeology to life. Read more: www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
- Huge thanks to the three editors, Christina B. Rieth, Sarah A. Herr and Sjoerd van der Linde, for running the @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org for the last few years, it was a great experience to work with them on the digital reviews! 👏📚 www.cambridge.org/core/blog/20...
- Step into the future with HKU's ELEC4547: Emerging Tech in VR/AR 🚀 Explore how humans interact with digital worlds through optics, haptics and perception. This hands-on, technical course covers hardware and software💡Let's build a functional VR headset📍Register: hku.welight.fun/projects/2_p...
- Have you been thinking about how digital technologies will impact Archaeological Labor Management? Consider submitting a Digital Review on this topic to @saa-aap.bsky.social by @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org. Submit a Digital Review abstract by Sept 1. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
- We sincerely thank the leadership of AirWorker, an engineering company specializing in clean, sustainable wind energy in Armenia, for visiting us in the field on 6 July. Your visit was greatly appreciated, and we look forward to future collaboration!
- HKU Year 1 students: ever wonder what old stuff can tell us about people’s lives? The course CCHU9080 Dead People’s Things: Excavating the Past with Archaeology explores how objects — from artifacts to everyday items — shape human stories. Registration begins tomorrow, open to all, Sem 2 (Wed)
- What was the land under the National Archives in Washington DC once used for? Discover hidden stories with ar.memory.dc’s AR app! See the past come alive on the spot. Download the app & follow ar.memory.dc on www.instagram.com/ar.memory.dc and www.facebook.com/people/AR-Memory-DC/61575285207420/
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- New special issue of Advances in Archaeological Practice Vol. 13 (2025) www.cambridge.org/core/journal... Caring for Culture in the 21st Century @saa-aap.bsky.social @apsap.bsky.social @archaeojake.bsky.social @sherr-spadefoot.bsky.social @drdonnayates.bsky.social @dremilinesmith.bsky.social
- Congratulations @saa-aap.bsky.social at @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org on the release of Volume 13, Issue 1! www.cambridge.org/core/journal...; Check out the digital review about how #lidar discoveries in #archaeology are picked up in the popular press: doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- A big thank you to the Vedi Medical Center in #Armenia for supporting the APSAP team for many years! They have always kindly helped our team members. This season, we visited to show our appreciation, presenting an HKU Pewter Plate to Mr. Samvel Khachatryan, Vice Director.
- Been considering trying the #AppleVisionPro for #archaeology? We have been experimenting with it, as a #mixedreality headset for interacting with archaeological data and we wrote the following review in @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org: doi.org/10.1017/aap....
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- 🌍 Ever thought about doing real archaeology outside the classroom? Read the post of Kristy, a BA Humanities and Digital Technologies student from HKU. She recently returned from an amazing two-week field trip in Armenia with the #ARTH2110 course — it was epic!🏺💥 🔗 openarchaeology.org/armenia/2025...
- #HKU’s course selection period begins August 5! Check out these archaeological courses for a unique experience! They are ARTH2102, ARTH2110, and CCHU9080 – all about archaeology, especially of the east Mediterranean and Armenia. Open to all students, no prerequisites!
- HKU achieved an interesting milestone, rising to rank #11 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It reflects the contributions of the entire HKU community. We’re proud that APSAP grows within this academic hub where heritage, innovation, and research come together.
- Been thinking about how #AI, #robotics, or #automation may impact archaeological labor in the coming years? Consider turning that into a Digital Review for @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org for an upcoming theme issue on labor - call details: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
- Dig, discover, and display. What happens when kids become archaeologists for real? The unique program organized by the Armenian Heritage Development Foundation, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside lets young minds explore the full journey of artifacts in Armenia. doi.org/10.1080/2051...
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- How is #AI reshaping the way we study the human past? A news article in the Communications of the ACM by Karen Emslie highlights how archaeologists are using #machinelearning and #computervision to uncover the stories of human culture. Read more: cacm.acm.org/news/researc...
- Our article in @saa-aap.bsky.social by @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org is cited in the #UN Human Development Report 2025! Explores #largelanguagemodels and #generativeai in #archaeology. Research contributing to global #AI conversations! doi.org/10.1017/aap...., hdr.undp.org/content/huma...
- What’s it like to dig into ancient sites and explore stunning landscapes? One HKU student joined ARTH2110 this summer and went to Armenia for two weeks. Check out her HKU-published vlog for real-life excavation, hiking, and fun! You might want to join next time! www.instagram.com/reel/DLURUeL...
- Researchers at HKU are reshaping the future of archaeology by integrating high-resolution #3D scanning and #AR/#MR technologies into excavation workflows. This method allows archaeologists to virtually revisit sites long after excavation. bulletin.hku.hk/research/int...
- On 8 May 2025, secondary school students visited the Arts Tech Lab for an HKU Arts Undergrad Info Session on the BA in Humanities and Digital Tech. Students explored a VR+AR showcase of our archaeological site and joined a lecture on #3D #archaeology. We hope all participants enjoyed the event!
- Congratulations to the journal @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org, which just moved up from ranking around 25th last year to ranking around 15th this year, of all archaeological journals in the world, according to Scopus!
- At the HKU Common Core Student Learning Festival, HKU students from the course CCHU9080 – Dead People’s Things: #Excavating the Past with #Archaeology showcased an #immersive #VR experience that brought past sites to life. Visitors stepped into the past through this interdisciplinary project.
- 🗾⛰️🔎 We’re excited to start the APSAP 2025 season with our first site visit for #archaeological #excavation in Armenia on May 29 Thur, accompanied by HKU students from the HKU Art History ARTH2110 course. It’s great to return to the field with new #students! Stay tuned for more updates!
- #OpenAccess article in @saa-aap.bsky.social of @cambup-archaeology.cambridge.org introduces interesting ideas for transforming #teamwork in #archaeological #education. Pedagogy enables collaboration, consider learning frameworks and prior knowledge people bring to learning. doi.org/10.1017/aap....
- Our Open Access article with Juuso Nieminen of Deakin University is assigned a volume in Teaching in Higher Education🎉It explores how authentic assessment can foster students’ #epistemic #agency, based on a qualitative case study of a digitally-mediated #archaeology course. doi.org/10.1080/1356...
