With the financial support of RA’s Ministry of culture’s “Service for the protection of historical-cultural museum-reserves and historical environment” NCSO, archaeological excavations were implemented in Odzaberd ancient site situated between Gegharkunik region’s Tsovinar and Artsvanist villages. This year the excavations were implemented in the fortress and outer settlement.
In the fortress the excavations were implemented on the flat surface north-east to the citadel, where parts of buildings with regular architecture and entrances were opened. The thickness of the main wall is 3 meters, and the walls are 1.5 meters high. The thickness of the latter is about 2 meters.
In the words of the head of archaeological expedition group Mikayel Badalyan a number of construction stages, that probably date back to 8-6th BC have been recorded. Clay floor, burnt layers, as well as an amphora which dates back to the 7th BC were also excavated. Mikayel Badalyan mentioned that pitchers, heads of spindles, bones of animals were found.
“It’s obvious that in the late period the level of the rooms’ floor has raised. Structures with that kind of walls and architecture not seem to have been noticed in any iron age fortress of Sevan’s southern basin”, said M. Badalyan.
Excavations were implemented in the north-western part of the settlement. A part of a strong wall of 16 meters was opened. In the words of the head of expedition group they work on one part of the settlement’s outer wall.
According to primary stratigraphic datum, this structure can date back to post- Urartu period- 7-6th BC.
Parts of movable fireplaces and various crockery, metal fragments, animal bones, and so on were excavated from this site. Funerals took place alongside the wall’s north-western outer corner during the Hellenic period. Anthropological materials are now investigated by NCSO’s scientific worker Hasmik Simonyan.
The results of the excavations implemented in Odzaberd in the last 5 years show that the monument has a great potential. It can become a significant historical-cultural and tourism center in the region.
The excavated sites of Odzaberd will be conserved till the last excavation period.
