New Study Solves the Mystery of Armenia’s Ancient Dragon Stones

Vishapakar successful Metsamor, Armenia. Credit: Sonashen / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

A caller survey led by Vahe Gurzadyan of Yerevan State University offers a clearer mentation for Armenia’s past dragon stones, uncovering that the monuments were purposefully placed and constructed with manual labour alternatively than near astatine random.

The paper, published successful npj Heritage Science, links the carved stelae to h2o sources and shows a chiseled signifier successful their upland placement.

Researchers surveyed 115 vishaps crossed Armenia. They combined GPS and GIS mapping, photogrammetry, 3-D models, and targeted excavations astatine the Tirinkatar site.

The squad measured each chromatic and recorded its elevation. They past applied statistical regression and Gaussian fits to trial the narration betwixt chromatic size and altitude.

Researchers linked the dragon stones to h2o and upland placement

The investigation produced 2 main results. First, vishaps clump adjacent springs, lakes, and traces of prehistoric irrigation. Fish-shaped stones look much astatine higher elevations, reinforcing the h2o connections.

The Armenian Highlands are location to astir 150 dragon stones, oregon vishapakar, monolithic basalt monuments dating backmost implicit 4,000 years. Of these, 90 are recovered wrong Armenia’s borders. These stones, often reaching 5 meters (16 feet) successful tallness and weighing respective tons, are usually… pic.twitter.com/oPTLg8xCXj

— ArchaeoHistories (@histories_arch) July 1, 2025

Second, the altitude organisation reveals 2 chiseled peaks astatine astir 1,900 meters (6,234 ft) and 2,700 meters (8,858 ft). Large, dense monuments look astatine some levels. That suggests builders carried retired important enactment adjacent wherever seasonal entree was limited.

The survey treats chromatic size arsenic a measurement of labor. Quarrying, shaping, and hauling heavier monoliths demanded much clip and people. The beingness of large stones astatine precocious altitude indicates deliberate concern successful those sites.

Gurzadyan said the standard of effort points to functional oregon ritual importance, particularly tied to upland h2o that feeds lowland valleys.

Limitations successful dating and statistics, and recommended adjacent steps

The authors besides contiguous important caveats. Radiocarbon dates from Tirinkatar spot astatine slightest 2 vishaps astir 4200–4000 BCE, but the squad warns that these dates cannot automatically beryllium applied to each monuments.

Many stones were recovered moved oregon lone a fewer feet from their archetypal positions, and displacement could bias spatial results. Orientation claims trust connected a tiny fig of reconstructable examples and stay tentative.

The paper’s statistical reporting is wide connected superior fits, but the authors admit gaps. The survey reports R² values and Gaussian peaks but lacks assurance intervals and tests of ceremonial multimodality and spatial autocorrelation successful the published text.

Researchers telephone for expanded radiocarbon sampling, fuller statistical diagnostics, and nationalist archiving of earthy GIS and measurement information to guarantee reproducibility.

By tightening claims and stating limits, the authors purpose to debar overreach portion keeping the halfway interpretation: these monuments bespeak organized effort tied to h2o absorption and ritual.

The survey reframes Armenia’s past dragon stones arsenic utile markers successful a long-lived upland scenery and urges further sampling and transparency to corroborate the patterns.