The Department of History and Archaeology was established in June 1993, within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khazar University. Department is one of the first and leading units of Khazar University with wide academic and research interests. The Department is directed by associate professor Roza Arazova. The name of Department was renamed in 2007 as the Department of History and archaeology.
Research activity of Department is based on study and research of ancient and modern history of Azerbaijan. One of the main topics in primitive archaeology of Azerbaijan is research of farming cultures. Research of archeological material by progressive methods determines the role of early farming cultures of Azerbaijan in common system of Caucasus and Near East. The results of this research are used to solve common problems, particularly during the reconstruction of the ancient economy. The second theme of Department research is investigation of modern problems in Azerbaijani history. This work is based on study and research of the political and socio-economical situation in Azerbaijan in the 1920s, covering one of the most interesting and contradictory periods in Azerbaijan’s history. Another research activity is based on Azerbaijani foreign policy and the Karabakh conflict’s history, essence, and solution process.
The Department has organized research activity through which we are able to support and complement each other's work. Department staff participate in creating various education textbook and handbooks and participate in international and national conferences such as “The problems of Azerbaijani history and their reflection in modern textbooks and research literature,” “The social and political thought in Azerbaijan in the XX century,” “The Soviet totalitarianism in the Caucasus,” and “Shah Ismail and his epoch.” The Department also takes an active part in the organization and work of the popular and scientific “Assembly of Science and Art.” Our research culture is also fostered by regular seminars, both formal and informal. Members of the department are involved in organizing interdisciplinary seminars and lectures and we meet regularly, as historians, in departmental seminars of our own. There are also several seminar series specifically for graduates, and our research students take an active part in choosing speakers and setting agendas for debate.
Another main research activity is publishing the “Azerbaijan Archaeology” journal.