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Teishebaini (Yerevan)

Armenia / Ararat / Argavand / Yerevan
 ruins, ancient, archeological site, fortification, ancient civilization, interesting place, historic ruins
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Karmir Blur - Red Hill

KARMIR BLUR EXCAVATION

Where to start excavations from? This was the question that scientists visiting Karmir Blur (the site where ancient Yerevan started from, meaning "Red Hill") faced in the summer of 1939 attracted by cuneiform inscription "Rusa son of Argishti..." While scientists were pondering over further actions, the Mother Nature came to the rescue. Pouring rains washed clean the map or, more precisely, the layout of the fortress. It's clear now where the excavation should have launched from and were what directed to have moved. The first strikes of spades unearthed thick walls and mighty fences of the fortress and long and short arrows. It became clear that the city was ruined during an incursion. It was the city of Teyshebani, named after the Urartian war god. It was built by Rusa II providing it with irrigation water system and inhabiting Urartians where they lived up to the collapse of the Urartian Kingdom in 6th century B.C.

The houses found during the excavation were built of row bricks and the walls of the city of 3.5-4 cm thick limestone. The fortress is surrounded by huge walls and towers with marble sculptures of horsemen and soldiers that even today testify to the might of Urartians.

Archeologists found 97 goblets, 11 bronze shields, ornamented armors and other bronze items. All findings are kept at the Yerevan History Museum except for 20 goblets and a bull statue that rest at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

The famous HLO magazine informs about this in its last issue.
* By Elsa Hovhannisian

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Coordinates:   40°9'12"N   44°27'9"E
This article was last modified 11 years ago