Petroglyphs and Vishaps of Geghama Mountains

Geghama Mountains

Geghama is a range of mountains in Armenia. It has a volcanic origin and is full of extinct volcanoes. The average elevation of the Geghama mountain range is near 2500m. The highest peak of Geghama mountains is Mount Azhdahak (3597m).

The Geghama mountains are known for their huge amount of petroglyphs and sculptures of mythological creatures, known as “vishaps” (dragons). You can see all those petroglyphs and vishaps while climbing Azhdahak. For archeologists the Geghama mountain range is a heaven on earth with its findings, as well as for all mountain lovers, with its indescribable views and extinct volcanoes.

Petroglyphs

Petroglyphs are images created by removing part of a rock’s surface by incising, pecking, carving, and abrading. The word petroglyph comes from the Greek words petros meaning “stone” and glyphein meaning “to carve”.  Some petroglyphs seem to depict real events whilst many other examples are apparently entirely abstract. Some theories hold that they may have been a way of transmitting information, while other theories ascribe them a religious or ceremonial purpose.

Petroglyphs are found world-wide, and are often associated with prehistoric people. Over 12,000 petroglyphs have been discovered in the vicinity of Geghama mountain range . Almost all aspects of our human life are reflected in those petroglyphs. Most depict men in the act of hunting, fighting, dancing and even cultivating land. Some also show the worship of fertility, maternity, ancestors, heroes, spirits and time. Different animals, especially deer, leopards and bezoar goats are pictured on these rocks.

Vishaps

Vishaps (dragons) or vishapakars (dragon stones) are stelae carved with animal imagery found in the high-altitude summer pastures of modern Armenia and the Armenian Highland. They are located between 2000 and 3000 m above sea level. Vishaps are highly symbolic artifacts dating to the second millennium BC. They probably owe their name to local folk tales where dragons are monstrous giants living in the mountains or, perhaps, the name may be due to a misunderstanding of the imagery carved on them. Overall, there are approximately 150 known examples of such monuments, of which approximately 90 are situated in the Republic of Armenia.

Based on their shape and iconography, we can identify three main classes of vishaps. The first class is piscis, which comprises stone cut and polished into the shape of a fish. The second typological class is vellus, which comprises stones carved as if the hide of a bovid had been draped or spread on them. The third typological class, the hybrid class, combines the iconographies of the first and the second type. Most vishaps still in situ lie collapsed or placed in a horizontal position on the ground. All three types of vishaps, however, are carved and polished on every face but the “tail”, which is invariably left uncarved. This fact indicates clearly that vishaps were originally standing stones.

In the Geghama Mountains exists the largest recorded concentration of vishaps in the Armenian Highland.

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