ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND IRON AGE MAUSOLEUM IN ARMENIA

Thaindian.com
October 4th, 2008 – 4:29
Thailand

Washington, Oct 4 (ANI): Archeologists at work in the Gogaran village
of the Lori province in northern Armenia have recently discovered an
Iron Age mausoleum unlike others that appeared in the country.

The discovery announced in September is a novelty for the group of
specialists of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia as it
differs from other earlier known mausoleums in style and material
it revealed.

Unlike those in other finds, the mausoleum is made of hewn stone,
instead of clay bricks.

The structure is 14 meters in diameter, and is believed to have
been prepared for a local prince from during the Iron Age (9th-7th
century BC).

The mausoleum is surrounded with half-processed and semi-concaved
large stones, rimmed with smaller ones.

Excavators attention has also been drawn by the flagstone shield
of the mausoleum and the small grave pit rimmed with a small circle
comprising articles typical of funeral rites.

Hrachik Marukyan, researcher at the Lori provincial service for
historic environment conservation of Armenia, said that the age of
the mausoleum is determined by the materials found there.

The family of the ruler buried him in a special funeral rite, burying
also his dagger, small and large ceramic vessels, a ceramic plate, and
a necklace believed to be onyx, and also cattle and still unexamined
species of animals.

Proof of its age is found in the blade of the dagger, said Marukyan.

Marukyan points to the unique architectural structure of the mausoleum,
the variety of geometric drawings on one of the large stones of the
circle with a row of triangles, and the equal-winged cross inside
the circle.

The cross indicates the four sides of the world and is the symbol of
the Sun taken into the circle. It becomes a swastika, when turned,
symbolizing the eternity of power over the world, Marukyan said.

Despite the decay of the remnants with only part of the little finger
and several teeth remaining, there are no doubts the ruler belonged to
Armenians, Marukyan insists, saying that despite the remains have not
been exposed to genetic identification yet, the ancient monuments so
far discovered on the territory of Lori belong to the Armenian culture.

Specialists said that the territory of the discovered monument can
be referred to pre-Christian settlements and has been a residence of
the princes of those times. (ANI)