Abdurahmon Pulotov
2024 IVLP Impact Award Project: Archaeology in Museums: Features of Acquisition, Recording, Storage and ExhibitingTajikistan
Mr. Abdurahmon G. Pulotov is a researcher at the National Museum of Antiques of Tajikistan. His previous experience includes positions as Inspector of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the city of Penjikent and Head of the Department of Archaeology and Numismatics of the National Museum of Tajikistan. He holds a BA from the Tajik Pedagogical Institute, completing his thesis on “Historical and Cultural Heritage of Penjikent District,” and an MA in Museumology and Protection of Objects of Cultural and Natural Heritage, focusing his thesis on the topic “Museumification of Archaeological Monuments of the Upper Zeravshan Valley.”
IVLP Impact Award Project: Archaeology in Museums: Features of Acquisition, Recording, Storage and Exhibiting
The project will enhance the professional qualifications of museum staff in the field of archaeology by bridging knowledge gaps between research archeologists and museum curators. Participants will have the opportunity to refine their knowledge and skills in the acquisition, registration, storage, and exhibition of archaeological collections.
The project will focus on the curation of archaeological material at all stages: from the moment of discovery, through scientific processing, data analysis, documentation, and interpretation, to materials’ display in museum rooms. The popularization of scientific results also will be addressed. Specifically, ways to translate findings into a widely accessible form (exhibitions, expositions, and various related thematic units) will be explored.
Despite a delay in authorization from the Ministry of Culture of Tajikstan, Abdurahmon opened applications for his workshops and started receiving interest. Abdurahmon received several applications from museum employees. The evaluation process will extend through the rest of October, with 12 final participants to be chosen.
Abdurahmon hopes the final participants will increase their field knowledge by receiving “updates from professional archaeologists and historical and cultural heritage specialists that can improve their work further.”
“This [project] will give the scientific museum staff in Tajikistan the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the most important achievements of museology and professional innovations. [It will allow them] to contribute to the development of their museums and fully represent scientific archaeological heritage.”
IVLP Exchange Experience
Abdurahmon participated in the IVLP Project 21st Century Change Makers: Preserving and Protecting Cultural Heritage and Identities organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center, in partnership with International Citizen Diplomacy of Los Angeles, Tulsa Global Alliance, and WorldBoston.
During his IVLP project, Abdurahmon got to know organizations involved in collecting, preserving, and exhibiting various categories of historical and cultural property, including the U.S. National Archives in Washington, D.C., The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, and The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa.
U.S. Communities Visited
Los Angeles, CA; Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Tulsa, OK