Department of Archaeology
Departments of Prehistory, Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, and Classical Archaeology
Following the establishment of Hitit University on 17 March 2006, the Department of Archaeology was established within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in the same year. There are a total of 10 academic staff members in the Departments of Prehistory, Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, and Classical Archaeology. Our department, which began its educational activities in the 2011–2012 academic year, graduated its first students in 2015. In addition to the Master's programme, a Doctoral programme was also introduced in our department as of the 2022–2023 academic year.
The Department of Archaeology, which consists of the disciplines of Prehistory (Prehistoric Archaeology), Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, and Classical Archaeology, is a discipline that investigates and examines the process of human development from its earliest stages through Late Antiquity. Archaeology emerges as an active scientific discipline that investigates the past, which has dimensions of time and space and can be demonstrated through tangible evidence. In particular, this fundamental distinction differentiates archaeology from other social sciences, such as history, linguistics, social anthropology, and sociology, which also address human history.
The Department of Archaeology at our university plays an important role in understanding and preserving the cultural heritage of the city in which it is located, raising awareness of responsibility, and transmitting this heritage to future generations. The excavation at Ortaköy-Şapinuva, one of the city's significant cultural heritage sites, has been continuing as a Hitit University excavation since the 2019 excavation season. In addition, members of our department's academic staff serve as deputy excavation directors in excavation projects in Niğde, Mersin, Karabük, Antalya, and Şanlıurfa. A scientific survey project is also being conducted in Karabük province by a member of our department's academic staff. All these projects enable students of the department to participate in excavations and surveys, allowing them to gain practical experience in the field. Furthermore, all other academic staff members of our department actively participate each year in excavations and research conducted in different regions of our country during the excavation and research season, serving as deputy excavation directors and members of excavation teams.
A compulsory internship is implemented in our department. In addition to the theoretical knowledge acquired through courses during their formal education, our students undertake internships at archaeological excavations, survey projects, and museums to develop their practical skills.
