31 replies to this topic

[MosJan]

Քարահունջի պեղումների արդյունքում բացվել է 18 մետ:

[Yervant1]

22:51 | November 29 2016

Armenia’s Karahunj included in top 10 ancient sites for stargazing (photos)

 

The megalithic complex Karahunj located in Armenia has been included in top 10 ancient sites for stargazing.

The list was made by photographer Babak Tafreshi for National Geographic.

 

”About 3,000 miles east of the cromlech in Portugal is the Armenian Stonehenge, near Sisian. Also known as Zorats Karer, it includes 223 stones, some weighing up to 10 tons. Some have a circular hole,” the author writes.

According to him, the place is especially good for gazing at Orion.

The list also includes Chaci Canyon in New Mexico, Almendres Cromlech in Portugal, Meteora Monastery in Greece, Alamut Castle in Iran, etc.

http://en.aravot.am/2016/11/29/184650/

[Yervant1]

Aravot, Armenia
Aug 16 2017

 

 

‘Karahunj and Metsamor are ancient observatories’, Russian scientist Yelena Gienko

 

At the invitation of Vazgen Gevorgyan, an explorer dealing with ancient civilizations, Yelena Gienko, Associate Professor of the Department of Physical Geodesy and Remote Sensing at the Siberian State University of Geosystems and Technology, Candidate of Technical Sciences, recently arrived in Armenia, and conducted research in Karahunj, Metsamor Observatory, Tatev Monastery and Vorotnavank. She presented the results of the research.

According to Gienko, the goal of the expedition was to prove that Karahunj and Metsamor are ancient observatories, and the Armenian cross-shaped cupola churches are star-observation and time counting centres. “We succeeded to prove that there is an observatory point in Metsamor. We found stones with holes, such as in Karahunj. The Polar or North Star is visible through the hole of one of the Megalites. This confirms that there have been star-observations conducted in Metsamor”, said the scientist.

She noted that there are pictograms in Metsamor, which remind of holes with tails: “I have studied Chinese pictograms: that’s how falling star is depicted. Therefore, it is possible to see falling stars in Metsamor too. Specifically, on August 11-13, the stars’ flow of Perseids can be observed”.

Yelena Gienko also visited Karahunj: “It’s an ancient observatory. Getting acquainted with Paris Heruni’s research, I can say that they are quite literate and accurate at the level of astrology. Those are amazing stone monuments that have a history of millennia. It’s a unique place where people watch the rise of the Orion constellation and the sunrise on New Year’s Day, in Navasard. When people look at the stars, it unites them”.

Luiza SUKIASYAN

 

http://www.aravot-en...7/08/16/198253/

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

Գիտնական Աշոտ Փիլիպոսյանը պնդում է, որ Զորաց քարեր պատմամշակութային հուշարձանն աստղադիտարան չի եղել: Այն դամբարան է, ընդ որում՝ այդ տարածքում մի քանի տասնյակ այդպիսի վայրեր կան:

[Yervant1]

News.am, Armenia

Feb 2 2019

 

 

Researcher: Armenian Stonehenge discovered in Karabakh

15:05, 02.02.2019

                  

 

 

YEREVAN. – Stonehenge (Karahunj) was found in Armenia, a researcher at the ancient observatory in the south of Armenia, Vachagan Vaghradian told reporters on Saturday.

According to him, several Karahunj-like monuments were found in Sisian, Artsakh, Shirak province, Goris.

“Karanuj, discovered in Artsakh, is located in the village between Stepanakert and Shushi,” he said.

He noted that this Stonehenge needs the attention.

“A press conference will be organized with the participation of a member of the Karahunj protection initiative in this regard,” he said.

https://news.am/eng/news/494134.html

[MosJan]

Armenian Stonehenge

 

Mystery of the ‘Armenian Stonehenge’ made up of 223 rocks which may have been built 7,500 years ago could soon be solved, say archaeologists

 

Opposing research institutes have agreed to set aside their disputes over the nature of the so-called ‘Armenian Stonehenge’ to solve its mysteries for once and for all.

Made up of 223 stones, Carahunge has been argued to predate Wiltshire’s Stonehenge by 2,500 years — but its purpose has long been a bone of contention.

Although some archaeologists have argued that the prehistoric site was used as an astronomical observatory, others contend it was just a conventional settlement.

Members of the Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO and the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography co-signed an agreement on July 30 to collaborate in plumbing the mysteries of Carahunge, which lies near Sisian, in Armenia’s Syunik Province.

For the former group of researchers, the archaeological site — which some experts claim is 7,500 years old — represents the earliest-known observatory.

‘We think Carahunge — where more than 200 stones are located, with 80 having holes in them — is an ancient astronomical observatory,’ Bnorran board member Arevik Sargsyan

This idea is partly based on the work of the physicist Paris Herouni, who had argued that the ancient complex dated back to around 5,500 BC.

Some of the stones, he suggested, had been deliberately positioned in order to align with Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus, along with the positions of the sun and the moon at certain times in the year.

‘According to another opinion, Carahunge isn’t an astronomical observatory,’ Ms Sargsyan said.

For them, she added, ‘it is simply an ancient site, a settlement, which has a status of a mausoleum.’

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

The Travel Magazine

Jan 12 2020

 

 

There's A Stonehenge In Armenia And Here's Why It Deserves More Attention (20 Fascinating Points)

 

by Marika Kazimierska

– on Jan 12, 2020

in Destinations

 

 

England's Stonehenge is one of the most famous ancient sites in the world, but why aren't more people talking about a prehistoric site in Armenia that might predate the Wiltshire stones by a whopping 2,500 years?

 

The Zorats Karer, also known as Carahunge or simply, "Armenian Stonehenge," is a mysterious ancient site that is made up of over two hundred large stone monoliths with eighty having distinctive well-polished holes in them. Like England's Stonehenge, there is an unraveling mystery behind their exact use or what the site used to be. With experts claiming that the Armenian Stonehenge may have been built as far back as 7,500 years ago, we might never know their purpose.

 

There have been multiple theories about these massive stones, but the one that has caught people's attention the most was that the stones were used as an astronomical observatory. It might even be the world's oldest observatory. To this day, experts still cannot unravel its use.

 

Here are 20 fascinating points about the Armenian Stonehenge that will intrigue you,  proving that it deserves way more attention.

 

20 ARMENIA IS FILLED WITH ARCHAEOLOGICAL MYSTERIES

 

Photo Via: smithsonianmag.com

 

Some of the world's oldest things were found in Armenia. From the oldest shoe to a wine-making facility over thousands of years ago. However, nothing is quite as mysterious as Zorats Karer, famously known by tourists as the Armenian Stonehenge, located in the nation's southernmost province. Here, you'll find over two hundred large stone monoliths, eighty which have distinctive, well-polished holes in them, Smithsonian Magazine states.

 

19 ZORATS KARER HOLDS INCREDIBLE HISTORY

 

Photo Via: ancient-origins.net

 

Most people have heard about Stonehenge in England, but the incredible stones in Armenia should receive just as much attention. According to Armenia Discovery, the history of the site dates back 7,500 years. Experts have theorized that Zorats Karer was built as an astronomical observatory and is one of the oldest observatories in the world, however, there have been unyielding debates on what exactly the site was for.

 

18 THE SITE STILL HOLDS MANY SECRETS

 

Photo Via: caucasusholidays.am

 

Scholarly accounts suggest that the stones were used for prehistoric stargazing. Archaeologist Onnik Khnkikyan believed that the well-polished holes in the stones, which are two inches in diameter and run up to twenty inches deep, were used as an early telescope for looking at the sky.

 

17 THESE LARGE STONE MONOLITHS HAVE INTERESTED PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

 

Not everyone agrees with the interpretation that this prehistoric site was used to look up at the sky. According to Ancient-Origins, experts believe the site is just an ancient settlement, having a status of a mausoleum, and was a "multi-use monument." But, tourists who visit the site are more intrigued by its use as an astronomical observatory.

 

16 SEVERAL STONES ALIGN WITH THE SUNRISE AND SUNSET ON THE DAY OF SUMMER SOLSTICE

 

Photo Via: armenia.travel

 

This impressive site was investigated by astrophysicists that believed the positions of the holes according to an astronomical calendar has aligned perfectly with the sunrise and sunset on the day of the summer solstice. Researchers also unearthed several stones that were used to make observations of the sun, moon, and stars.

 

15 IS THIS A MERE SETTLEMENT OR THE WORLD'S FIRST ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY?

 

 

According to Ancient-Origins, in ancient times, the stones were shaped and arranged in several parts known as the north and south arms, the central circle, the north-eastern alley, the separate standing system of circles, and the chord. Researchers suggest that the site had at least two meanings: ritual and scientific.

 

14 CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS THE STONES

 

Photo Via: ancient-code.com

 

While most would suggest that the stones were used to study the sun, moon and planets, others still believe that the site was nothing more than a settlement. The mystery is still unraveling about this ancient site, however, Daily Mail writes that instead of feuding about the use of the site, two opposing research institutes have agreed to work together to solve its mystery.

 

13 DEBATES ON WHAT THESE STONES WERE USED FOR CONTINUE TO THIS DAY

 

Photo Via: smithsonianmag.com

 

Also known as the Carahunge, members of the Bnorran Historic-Cultural NGO and the Armenian Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography co-signed an agreement to study this ancient site together. Instead of stating that the site is the first-ever astronomical observatory or just a mere settlement, the two groups will converge and study all of the site's aspects.

 

12 STONES DATE BACK OVER 7,000 YEARS

 

Photo Via: ancient-origins.net

 

Some experiments claim that these massive and heavy stones were brought from the nearby gorge along the river called Dar, explains Armenia Discovery. They added that people actually transferred the stones with the help of animals and ropes.

[Yervant1]

11 COMPARISONS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH STONEHENGE IN ENGLAND

 

Photo Via: smithsonianmag.com/history.com

 

The rocks at the Armenian site resemble those at England's famous Stonehenge, but researches believe Carahunge is much older than its Wiltshire counterpart. According to one theory, England's Stonehenge was built as a burial site and monument to the dead, while Armenian Stonehenge was used to look up at the sky. Still, both famous sites are covered in mystery.

 

10 WERE THESE STONES THE OLDEST ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES?

 

Photo Via: mapio.net

 

Armenia Discovery writes that the site is if not the world's oldest astronomical observatory, than among the ancient observatories. It is located on a mountain plateau in the Syunik province not far from the city of Sisian. As mentioned before, 80 of the stones have holes that guarantee the "accuracy and stability" towards the direction of the sunrise and sunset.

 

9 OR IS IT JUST AN ANCIENT SITE?

 

One theory suggests that the stones form the structural remains of a city wall, where the rocks supported the piles of rubble that have since been removed from the site. This opinion, that the stones are nothing more than an ancient settlement comes from researches at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography.

 

8 THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 223 STONES

 

According to the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, not one astronomical tool has been found from the area, adding that some of the holes that are reportedly used for stargazing, are located on lower parts of some of these stones and do not even point at the stars.

 

7 WELL-POLISHED HOLES WERE BELIEVED TO BE USED FOR PREHISTORIC STARGAZING

 

Photo Via: armeniandiscovery.com

 

Holes in the basalt rocks have led researchers to believe that they were used to look up at the sky, proving that the site was an ancient observatory. Armenian physicist Paris Herouni stated that the stones were deliberately positioned to align with Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus.

 

6 RESEARCHES BELIEVE THE SITE HAS TWO MEANINGS: RITUAL AND SCIENTIFIC

 

More investigation about this ancient site has been on hold but will resume once a "jointly-held seminar of experts," including, archaeologists, astronomers and ethnographers come together to figure out a shared research plan for the site. It may possibly put the mystery of the stones to rest.

 

5 EXPERTS BELIEVE THE STONES WERE JUST A MULTI-USE MONUMENT

 

Photo Via: iRent.am

 

Between 1994 and 2001, the site was studied heavily by radio physicists with famous archaeo-astronomer Gerald Hawkings visiting. During this time, German archaeologists made their own impression of the ancient site and suggested that is is a Middle Bronze Age necropolis or the remains of a Hellenistic city wall. But, many researchers still hold on to the observatory theory.

 

4 LACK OF FUNDS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE RESEARCH ON THIS ANCIENT SITE

 

According to Ancient-Origins, the site may remain a mystery because there is a lack of funds that would help in continuing the excavation of the site by archaeologists. However, people from around the world visit the Armenian Stonehenge, even bringing their own telescopes to observe the sky.

 

3 TRAVELERS VISITING THE SITE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS RELATED TO ITS ASTRONOMICAL USE

 

Many people visit the site, believing that it is indeed an ancient astronomical observatory. Tourists bring their telescopes and choose the dates which are best to observe the night sky, the sun, moon, certain stars and even the planets at this location. Even though the mystery of the stones is not yet solved, people are sticking to the notion that the stones were used to look at the sky.

 

2 THE MYSTERY IS STILL BEING SOLVED

 

Photo Via: tripadvisor.com

 

To this day, Zorats Karer remains a place to look up into the sky. There is even a small museum nearby with artifacts discovered on the site, including stones with petroglyphs and grave goods from Bronze Age cist burials. According to Ancient-Origins, researches still believe there are more items yet to be discovered here.

 

1 THE ARMENIAN STONEHENGE REMAINS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO OBSERVE THE SKY

 

Photo Via: all-armenia.com

 

Will the mystery of the Armenian Stonehenge ever be solved? Was the site used as an observatory for the stars or just an ancient settlement? Hopefully, experts will put their difference aside to come together and start unraveling what exactly this prehistoric site really was and what it was used for.

 

Sources: ancient-origins.com, thetravel.com, armeniadiscovery.com, smithsonianmag.com, dailymail.co.uk

 

 For more photos, go to the link below

 https://www.thetrave...ia-fascinating/

[Yervant1]

Public Radio of Armenia

Aug 10 2020

 

 

 

About 30 previously unknown stones discovered at Carahunge (the Armenian Stonehenge)

 

About 30 previously unknown stones with holes have been discovered at Carahunge or Zorats Karer (the Armenian Stonehenge).

Other stones of astronomical importance have also been found during the measurement works carried out jointly by the Byurakan Observatory and the Armenian National University of Architecture and Construction.

The team carried out computer scanning of the monument and the adjacent area, aerial photo-scanning of the area. All stones with holes were photographed and measured.

After the measurement results are summed up, astronomical calculations will begin based on new, highly accurate data.

Carahunge is a prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian in the Syunik Province of Armenia. It is also often referred to as the “Armenian Stonehenge”.

The site is rich with stone settings, burial cists and standing stones. In total, 223 stones have been identified.

https://en.armradio....ian-stonehenge/