During the excavations in 2022 in addition to the excavations carried out in the territory of the citadel the archaeologists worked as well in different parts of the path leading up to the citadel trying to reveal the old road to the fortress.
Tigran Aleksanyan: Expedition Leader – As a result of excavations and cleaning of the territory we found out that the old road leading up to the citadel was in the place of the current path in different parts of which retaining walls were built. On the right and left sides above it the remains of partially preserved walls have been found.
Excavations reveal the principles of fortress construction in Medieval Armenia which protected the citadel from attack. The enemy could not enter the citadel at once, but found themselves in an area surrounded by walls and were attacked from all sides by the defenders of the fortress.
The excavations have revealed stone tools, a white cross-stone (khachkar), a tandoor (Arm. tonir) and a millstone for grinding grain. These are objects which give us an idea and substantiate the written facts about the life and lifestyle in Tavush.
It is already three years since excavations have been carried out in the territory of Tavush Fortress revealing the architectural details of the medieval structure.
The exact date of the foundation of the fortress is unknown. It was first mentioned 1100 years ago in 921 in the “The History of Armenia” by Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi.
