Metsamor settlement, metallurgical center, observatory and carved map

Aragats Petroglyph site and vishaps

Located in Aragatsotn Marz.

The highest peak in the Republic is the Aragats mountain (4090 m). The slopes of the mountain are covered with traces of civilization. There are many fortresses, vishaps, rock-carvings, irrigation systems of pre-Urartian period.
One may see town-fortress of Anberd at 2300 meters above sea level. It was built by the highest standard of fortification of its age (7th C. AD). There are about 20 rock-carvings and vishaps from 3rd - 2nd Millennia BC on the road from Anberd to the peaks of Aragats. Also one may see churches in Anberd, Byurakan and Tegher (9 - 14th CC. AD) and many other tourist attractions.

The carvings were discovered in 1909 (Mesrovb Ter-Movsessyan), 1913 (Grigor Ghapantsyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 55 km

Altitude: 2300 - 2500 m 

Geghama Petroglyph area

Located in Kotayk and Gegharkounik Marzes.

The highest point above sea level is Mt. Azhdahak (3597 m). The territory of Geghama Petroglyph Area is 2600-3200 meters above sea level. The region is mountainous, rich with caverns, alpine meadows, high mountain-chains. The Area is the largest known petroglyph area in the Republic of Armenia, as well as one of the best-preserved. The trip to the Area will take you through a very picturesque area of the Geghama Mountain Range and reward you with one of the most extensive unspoiled petroglyph ensembles in Armenia. The trail is a gradually ascending rocky path to the petroglyph located at slopes of volcanic peaks. An admirable scenic view of Mt. Aragats (4091 m), Mt. Ara (2577 m), Mt. Hatis (2428 m), Geghama Mountain Range, Lake Sevan (1900 m) and Kotayk Valley is available from this vantage point. Also one may go to the lakes Akna (3020 m, 1.2x0.8 km) and Dragon (2710 m, 1x0.5 km).

The Rock-Art sites in Geghama Petroglyph Area offer us to learn and to view the past of Armenians, the native people of the Armenian Highlands.

There are many interesting archaeological sites here: 

a/ Cyclopean fortress Sevaberd (Black fortress), big defense construction, unique example of Armenian fortification of the period, on the bank of reservoir, on 2100 m, dates back to 3rd - 2nd Millennia BC.

b/ Fortress-observatory Astghaberd (Star fortress), on the 3100 m, dates back to 4th - 2nd Millennia BC.

c/ Vishaps, cromlechs and other megaliths.

Armavir pictograms and sculptures

Located in Armavir Marz, near Armavir village. 

Armavir, one of the capital cities of Ancient Armenia, was a magnificent fortress and settlement. During the Urartian period (Ararat or Van Kingdom, Biaina) the city was called Argishtikhinili. Throughout centuries the city has been a major political, cultural, and religious center. Armavir is famous for its Greek inscriptions from the Hellenistic period. Inscriptions here were first studied in 1927.

The picture above represents a stone model of a sanctuary. On the surface of the huge rock-piece there are two well-preserved sculptures (7-8 cm high) which remind five-sided temples or ziggurats.

The picture below represents a detail of the monument: a solar-faced creature with quintuple halo on the right of the composition and some carved pictograms.

The carvings were noticed in September 30, 2001 (Karen Tokhatyan, Artak Movsissyan, Hamlet Martirossyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 55 km

Altitude: 900 m

Sevsar ancient astronomical observatory

Shamiram settlement and pictograms

Syunik Petroglyph Area

Located in Syunik Marz, on the slopes of Tsghuk (3584 m) and Ukhtasar (3169 m) Mountains.

Pictures carved on the rocks in 5th - 4th Millennia BC testify to the fact that people lived here from time immemorial. One find the whole range of Armenian fauna in these pictures. The approximate quantity of rock-carvings here are thousands, but 50-100 rock-carvings are the most accessible.

The carvings were discovered in 1966 (Grigor Karakhanyan, Pavel Safyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 240 km

Altitude: 3000 - 3300 m 

Vardenis stellar maps

Located in Gegharkounik Marz, near Vardenis Mountain Pass.

The roads connecting Armenian Highland with outer world passed through the territory of Gegharkounik. One of the Silk Road legs passed through this very mountain Pass joining Arpa Valley with Sevan Basin (now linking the region centers  Eghegnadzor and Martuni, 65 km). Due to this there is a significant number of architectural constructions in the province: lodgings, bridges, fortresses.

Most remarkable are the 10 sky maps astronomically dated back to 29-26th centuries BC, which were used for geographic orientation (the picture above demonstrates some of the sky-maps; the picture below is a fragment; both pictures are chalked for a better photographic contrast).

Qouchak pictograms  

Navasar Petroglyph Area

Located in Syunik Marz, on the slopes of the second peak of RA - Kaputjugh (3904 m), near Mesropavan village (by the name of the creator of the Armenian alphabet - Mesrop Mashtots, 360-440 AD, a great illuminator and pioneer of a new culture).

The study of pre-Mashtots writing symbols and Mesropian letter-forms are of capital importance for Armenology. There are number of written testimonies proving the existence of writing in Armenia before Mashtots.
Numerous examples of pre-Mashtots writings are evident in archaeological artifacts and especially rock-carvings featuring thousands of carved pictographic symbols. The Armenian Highland, a cradle of rock-carvings, has also been the birth place of various writing systems.
Great Armenian historians Koryun and Movses Khorenatsi report that having abandoned worldly pursuits, Mesrop Mashtots retired to the Goghtan Region, in the Vaspurakan Province, where he led a secluded life and converted the local population to Christianity. Here, in fact, is where the site of Mashtots's living cave is located, around which a lot of rock images were discovered.
The sum of historical, geographical, archaeological (Bronze Age settlements and burials may be seen nearby) and folklore data leads us to conclude that having lived there for many years, Mashtots certainly should have seen the nearby rock-images rich in ideograms, and has used them while creating the letter-forms of the Armenian alphabet.

The rock-carvings were discovered in 1968.

Distance from Yerevan: 350 km

Altitude: 2800 - 3300 m 

Kakavadzor carved map

Located in the Aragatsotn Marz, near the village of Kakavadzor.

One may see the ruins of an Iron Age settlement and a cyclopean fortress in the northern part of which a carved map (on the tufa ground) of pre-Urartian period  (2nd - 1st Millennia BC) has been preserved.

The picture below represents the carved map of the irrigation system. The site is in danger because of the newly constructed dwellings not far from it.

The carving were noticed before 1973 (Koryun Mkrtchyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 65 km

Altitude: 1700 m 

Qarvachar Petroglyph Area 

Located in Qarvachar Region of Artsakh, on the slopes of  Erakatar and Toli Mounts, on the banks of the Al, Sev and Zalkh lakes.

One of the numerous Rock-Art sites in this petroglyph area.

The rock-carvings were noticed before 1981.
Distance from Yerevan: 250 km

Altitude: 3000 - 3300 m

Agarak Sanctuaries and carved stellar maps

Balahovit pictograms

Located in Kotayk Marz, near Balahovit village. 

Two red-black tufa tombstones  (1.5x0.7 m) in the medieval cemetery. The snake-like pictograms on their surfaces

are similar to Metsamor and Kakavadzor analogous carvings.

The carvings were noticed in 1989 (Ashot Grigoryan).

Distance from Yerevan: 15 km

Altitude: 1200 m 

Koghes pictograms

Located in Lori Marz, near Stepanavan, by Koghes village.

Two km to the North of the village, on the left bank of the Dzoraget canyon one may see 5 cromlechs, and a stone compass. There are 10 carved pictograms on the surfaces of the stone compass, reminding linear script, and dating back to 2nd - 1st Millennia BC.
 

The carvings were discovered in 1990 (Hakob Tonakanyan).

 Distance from Yerevan: 160 km

Altitude: 1500-1600 m

Voskehat Petroglyph Site

Geghard pictograms

Located in Kotayk Marz, near Geghard village.

Anthropomorphic linear pictograms are carved on the eastern side of the big stone inside the arch gate of Geghard monastery (4th c. AD).

The carving were noticed in 1991 (Hakob Tonakanyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 30 km

Altitude: 1200 m 

Qarahounge ancient astronomical observatory

Located in Syunik Marz, near Sisian town.

Describing Qarahounge is not easy; one must see it. Qarahounge (or "Zorats Qar" – Mighty Stones) dates back to 5th - 2nd Millennia BC. The scholars believe that they were intended for astronomical observations. It may be a prototype for Stonehenge-like observatories.

There are one carved calendar (?) and one goat-like rock carving.

The rock-carvings in Qarahounge were discovered in 2000 (Karen Tokhatyan, Artak Sargsyan).

Distance from Yerevan: 220 km

Altitude: 1780 m 

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