One of the most
mysterious places to visit in Armenia is located in the Syunik Province near
the southern city of Sisian. Over 223
large stones are placed in peculiar fashion over a 3-hectar area. Karahunj gets its name from two Armenian
words. Kar, meaning stone, and hunj meaning sounds end up meaning “speaking
stones”. It’s sometimes referred to as
Zorats Korar too and foreigners will call it Armenia’s Stonehenge. Researchers believe these heavy stones are
arranged in such a way that it could be the world’s oldest astronomical
observatory, and is at least 3,500 years older than the iconic British
Stonehenge.
I had the good
fortune of seeing this place on three separate occasions. The first time was in the winter, then at the
end of spring, and just last week at the peak of summer. The first thing you notice regardless of the
seasons is the high winds that sway you back and forth when you’re walking
around. It’s not far from the main
highway and a little dirt road will take you to the parking area. You’ll immediately see a small
information/souvenir center as you step out of your vehicle. It’s filled with mostly t-shirts and jewelry
and there are plenty of signs in the area with detailed facts about the history
of Karahunj.
Karahunj was
found in the mid 1980s by a team led by researcher Onik Khnkikyan. After a few months of analysis, Khnkikyan and
his team concluded that it was an observatory.
In the mid 1990s another team from the Armenian National Academy of
Science and Radio Physics Research Institute counted the large number of erect
stones, of which 84 were found to have perfectly cut holes in them. Keep in mind this was all done before the
metal age in human history so it’s one of humanity’s great mysteries like how
the great Pyramids of Giza were made, the perfect stone arrangements in Cuzco,
Peru, and how the great moai statues in Easter Island were moved. Eventually, the researchers concluded that
several stones were used to make observations of the sun, moon, and stars.
As you leave the
parking/tourist center area you immediately see a long line of erected
stones. There’s a scenic view of the
mountains that will accompany you along the walk. The stones with the holes are randomly placed
but for the most part it are about as wide as a soda pop can. Some of the holes are in better shape than
the others and you can see and feel how smooth it was cut. Eventually you arrive at the center of
Karahunj and you know it because the line becomes a large circle. In the center of this large circle is a
decent sized pit that you can walk up to.
The researchers also concluded that aside from Karahunj having
scientific significance here there was also ritual significance here. The pit that was just mentioned was
discovered to have many animal bones in there so it was a place where many
animal sacrifices took place.
The stones are
basalt and most will have a thin layer of moss on it. The stones are not gigantic and tall like
Stonehenge in England but range from 0.5-3.0 meters and weigh up to 10 tons. Most of the researchers concluded that
Karahunj is at least 7,500 years old.
Artificats discovered on site are held at a humble nearby museum. Among them are stones with petroglyps and
grave goods from Bronze Age cist burials.
If you’re
heading down to the south of Armenia definitely check out this area. It’s near Shaki Waterfall, Vorotnavank
Monastery, and Mt. Ughtasar where there are a large concentration of
petroglyphs. It should only take less
than an hour to walk around and admire the large stones and beautiful
scenery. As you enter the Karahunj area
you’ll also see about a dozen or so large rocks like the ones in Karahunj on
the other side of the road. A local
resident recently built those and don’t get that confused since some people
mistake that. A nice pair of walking
shoes is all you need and if you got a wide lens camera then bring it for
this.
Happy
traveling.
