Zorakarer in the summer

Zorakarer in the spring

Carahunge or Karahundj, Zorakarer is 3, 500 years older than England’s Stonehenge and 3, 000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids. The total area of the observatory is 7 hectares. According to the scientist’s findings, a temple consisting of 40 stones built in honor of the Armenians’ main God, Ari, meaning the Sun, is situated in the central part of Carahunge. Besides the temple, it had a large and developed observatory, and also a university that makes up the temple’s wings.

"They sit like soldiers on a hill, huddled in formation. The 204 stones near Sissian have been ascribed with mystical, fertility and cosmic powers, but rarely have ancient monuments caused such a sensation in astronomical circles. " [1]

Background

Also known as Karahunj, Angelakoth, and just Zorakar, the ancient monument of Zorakarer is an equivalent to England's Stonehenge, only older and cruder.

All Armenia, and especially the mountainous region of Zangezur, is rich in beautiful remains of prehistoric times. In the various regions of the province of Sisian are found many megalithic monuments, which are among the oldest structures in stone. Examples of this megalithic culture are the dolmens and the arrangements of menhirs at Angelakoth which belong to the second millennium B.C. (this paragraph is from the book, "Monuments of Armenia".)

Leaving Sisian on the road NNE from the center of town, climb up the hill, then turn hard left where you see the rusting steel umbrellas. This road will lead you in a couple of km to Zorakarer*, a Bronze Age settlement/cemetery site left of the road, around whose large chamber tombs are a series of standing stones, some with holes pierced in them. It is universally assumed that this is an early observatory, though the alignment is not ideal for the purpose. In any case, the site is beautiful and ancient, well worth the visit. (this paragraph is from the Rediscovering Armenia Guidebook.)

History

The Armenian scientists believe there is a link between the name of Stonehenge in England and Karahunj, which is 3500 years older than Stonehenge. “Stone” in Armenian is “kar” and “henge” (a word which is absent in English) is the same “hunj” (voice, sound, echo in Armenian). [2]





Map

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References

↑ Karahundj: Armenia's Stonehenge? By Richard L. Ney ↑ Professor Paris Herouni, Armenians and Old Armenia.