A monument with a cuneiform inscription of Urartian King Rusa II (685-645 BC) was discovered during the excavations carried out in the area of Zvartnots, on the initiative of Archimandrite Khachik Dadayan in 1901-1907. Today it is placed on a pedestal in front of “Zvartnots” Historical-Cultural Museum-Reservation.
The monument is 2,7 m high, 0,63 m in width and 0,36 m thick. The upper part is semicircular, the lower part is thinner, both sides are cut to stand on an anchor or pedestal.
In the cuneiform inscription (consisting of 47 lines), in his speech to god Khaldi, King Biaynili, the king of Tushpa, King Rusa II, son of Argishti mentions the uncultivated valley of the country of Quarlini, the cultivation of its fields, vineyards, new fields, orchards, to build a canal named after Umeshini from the Ildarunia river, as well as to offer sacrifices to Gods Khaldi, Teisheba, Shivini, Aniku and to be cursed if cuneiform was damaged.
The inscription was transferred to St Hripsime Monastery in 1936, later it returned to the museum-reservation.
The cuneiform inscription of Zvartnots was studied by cuneiform experts K.Basajyan, N.Harutyunyan, H.Santalchyan, V.S.Golinishchev, G.A.Melikishvilin, M.Salvinin and others.
