Ukrainian archaeologist, speleologist, musician and poet. Co-founder of Ukrainian speleoarchaeology (caving), author of the first scientific systematization of ancient Ukrainian cave structures.
Archaeologist and speleologist.
In 1981 he graduated from the Faculty of History of the Kyiv Pedagogical Institute.
He worked in 1981-1984 at the Architectural and Archaeological Detachment of the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, and in 1985-1988 as an archaeologist at the Ukrainian Specialized Scientific and Restoration Design Institute.
Avagian is one of the founders of Ukrainian rock archaeology (rock science). He is the author of the first scientific systematization of ancient Ukrainian cave structures, initiator and leader of archaeological research of the Lavra and Zvirynets caves, underground structures of St. Cyril's Church (all in Kyiv), Movchansky Monastery (Sumy region), Ostroh Castle (Rivne region), and Livadia Palace (Yalta).
He conducted excavations in Podil in Kyiv, in Starokostiantyniv, Khmelnytskyi region, Tulchyn, Vinnytsia region, Sviatohorodskyi Monastery in Volyn, in Bakhchysarai in the khan's palace, in Feodosia, Lutsk, Kamianets-Podilskyi, and others.
He was the first to explore the Medzhybizh fortress. It was in Medzhybizh that Avagyan tragically died (Oleksandr was brutally murdered by his pupil).
He organized expeditions to explore the Ozerna and Optimistic caves near the village of Kryvche, Borshchiv district, Ternopil region, which resulted in the discovery that they are among the largest in the world. The grotto in the Blue Lakes cave is named after Avagyan.
Musician and poet.
In 1965, he organized the rock band "March". In collaboration with M. Nikolaiev and V. Kryshtofovych, he created the rock opera Maria Oranta, which included Avagian's songs "The Milky Way," "Hanka," "The Miller," and "Why Are There Drops on the Glass..."
The annual all-Ukrainian festival of author's songs "Milky Way" is dedicated to Avagyan's memory.
Works
The Milky Way: Songs - K., 1993.
Dust of gold: A collection of poetry by archaeologists. - Moscow, 1994.
