The Department of History, Ancient History Division, of the Faculty of Letters at Istanbul University organized an event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of our Republic under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar. The event showcased Istanbul University's research on Urartu Studies and the Urartian Civilization through conferences, panels, exhibitions, concerts, and installation works.

The event, titled “Istanbul University Urartu Studies (Van-Bitlis)” took place in the Şeref Hall between December 19th and 22nd, 2023. The opening day (December 19, 2023) began with opening speeches. The first speech was delivered by the coordinator of the event, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar. In his speech, Konyar initially discussed the works of the late Prof. Dr. Afif Erzen, the former head of the Ancient History Division, focusing on his research in the Van region. He emphasized that these studies, conducted under the leadership of Istanbul University, contributed to the establishment of the Urartu school in Turkey and the training of competent scholars in Urartu and Eastern Anatolian archaeology within the Ancient History department. Konyar also highlighted the importance of passing down the legacy of Urartu studies to future generations and emphasized the need to continue efforts to preserve this heritage. He concluded his remarks by expressing gratitude to the researchers who contributed to the organization of the event.

Prof. Dr. Sevtap Kadıoğlu, the Dean of the Faculty of Letters, emphasized the importance of Urartu studies for Istanbul University. She noted that Istanbul University's research on Urartu has spanned at least 70 years, starting with the initial archaeological studies conducted by Turkish archaeologists in the 1950s. She highlighted the role of faculty members specializing in ancient history and archaeology from the Faculty of Letters in bringing the easternmost region of our country, both geographically and historically, to the forefront through fieldwork.

The opening ceremony was attended by Istanbul University Rector Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar, who highlighted the significance of Istanbul University's Urartu studies, initiated in 1958 under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Afif Erzen. He emphasized the mission of the Van Region History and Archaeology Research Center in Urartu Studies, stating that the research center welcomed many scholars working on Urartu. Zülfikar stressed the importance of preserving the seventy-year accumulation of academic knowledge and encouraged students to embrace Istanbul University's historical legacy. He concluded his speech by stating, “a civilization is represented by three things: Kitchen, Architecture, and Music. With this event, Erkan Konyar is presenting all three to us here.”

After the opening speeches, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar, accompanied by Rector Prof. Dr. Osman Bülent Zülfikar and his delegation, toured the exhibition area. Traditional Van-Bitlis ayran soup and kete were served to the guests during the event. Following the hospitality, Sedat Anar & Selahattin Anar, using Santur, Hang Drum, and Erbane instruments, performed their “KADİM SESLER (Ancient Sounds)” music.

The four-day event continued with the participation of expert scholars from both Istanbul University and other universities. The problems of Urartu studies, the current state of research, and proposed solutions were discussed. In addition to the organizer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar, speakers included Prof. Dr. Kemalettin Köroğlu from Marmara University, Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Rıza Gürler Akgün from Maltepe University, Prof. Dr. Andreas Schachner from the German Archaeological Institute, Archaeologist Nezih Başgelen, and instructors from Istanbul University, Dr. Esra Alp, Research Assistant Burcu Özer Bulut, Research Assistant Anastasiia Süğlüm, and Research Assistant Hale Tümer. Practical demonstrations of the cuneiform writing used by the Urartians on clay tablets were also presented to the participants during the event.

The event concluded on its fourth and final day with the closing speech by the organizer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Konyar and the screening of the documentary  “Suha Arın Production: Two Seasons of Urartu.”