Back in November 2017, Armenian archaeologists discovered massive burial grounds with more than 700 tombs in the vicinity of the Karashamb village in Kotayk Province, Armenia. Those burial grounds have been used between the 2nd millennium BC and the 7th century BC.

Initially, this site had been found in 1980, but the discovery of a larger number of tombs was made in 2009. Recently, further archaeological excavations allowed for the unearthing of even more tombs.

Archaeologist Varduhi Melikyan remarked that researchers are aimed at documenting the funerary rites of the ancient inhabitants of Karashamb. “Our main goal is to study the ritual of interment that has been subjected to minimal changes over centuries. This covers the time period when there have been no written sources. The burial ritual allows us to get a rather precise idea of their society, social structure, demography, and religious perceptions,” said Melikyan.