US EditionArmenia's Mysterious 'Dragon Stones' Linked to Ancient Water Cult
Researchers analyzed 115 dragon stones, revealing they mark sacred water sites and were transported to high altitudes, reflecting sophisticated prehistoric water management and ritual practices.
- Researchers have linked Armenia's 6,000-year-old dragon stones, or vishap stele, to an ancient water cult as shown in a study by Vahe Gurzadyan and Arsen Bobokhyan of Yerevan State University and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography.
- The vishap stones, carved to resemble fish and cow hide, were found at altitudes of about 8,800 feet, indicating deliberate placement and labor-intensive construction.
- The study published in npj Heritage Science highlighted that the stones were likely tied to water sources, with many located near springs and lakes.
- The findings suggest that these large monuments reflect organized effort related to water management and cultural practices in prehistoric communities.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Megalith “dragon stones” were likely part of an ancient water cult
A new study, published in the journal npj suggests that the mysterious dragon stones found across the highlands of Armenia may relate to water veneration practices of communities over six millennia ago. Dragon stones, generally referred to as vishaps, are megalithic stelae carved with animal imagery such as fish, bovine hides, or hybrid motifs. Situated at altitudes of between 1,000 to 3,000 metres above sea level in the Armenian highlands, the …
For more than 100 years, so-called “dragon stones” kept archaeologists and inhabitants of Armenia in uncertainty. However, a team of researchers led by specialists from Yerevan State University offered a new interpretation of these megalithic monuments carved more than 6,000 years ago. They were 115 monoliths known as vishaps, spread across different mountainous areas of Armenia. The analysis revealed that these stelae, sculpted in andesite and …
Researchers Solve Mystery of Armenia's "Dragon Stones" - Archaeology Magazine
Standing vishap at the site of Sakhurak 5, Armenia TIRINKATAR, ARMENIA—Zartonk Media reports that an international team of researchers conducted a comprehensive study of Armenia’s “dragon stones” that has finally cracked the mystery surrounding these enigmatic ancient stone steles. Known as vishaps after the Armenia word for dragon, the monoliths can stand 18 feet high. They were typically decorated with animal imagery often depicting fish, and …
Vishap stelae as cult dedicated prehistoric monuments of Armenian Highlands: data analysis and interpretation - npj Heritage Science
Vishaps, or dragon stones, are prehistoric stelae discovered in the high-altitude mountainous regions of modern-day Armenia and adjacent regions. The first statistical analysis of their elevation distribution and size reveals that their construction was intentionally labor-intensive rather than arbitrary. The findings support the hypothesis that vishaps were closely associated with an ancient water cult, as they are predominantly situated near w…
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