Sakhurak 6

Name: Sakhurak 6
Monument type: Stele
Region: Ararat Province
Periods: Prehistoric

Name: Sakhurak 6

Other nomination: Azhdaha-Yurt

Monument type: Vishapakar (dragon stone)

Province/ Community: Geghama Mountains, Ararat (province), Goght (nearby community in Kotayk)

Type: Bull-type

Material: Gray porous basalt

Preservation:

Monument. Good (completely preserved – the slight depth around the stone was caused by Mar and Smirnov’s cleaning work: as seen in the photos, it was turned on its side and put back).

Image. Good (all the details are preserved).

Context. Good (it is in its original location, the structure is well preserved).

330x100x25 sm

Original Location: Azhdaha-Yurt (nowadays it is a pasture of Zvartnots village).

Current location: In the original location

Coordinates: N 40.120049°, E 044.883468°

Altitude: 2472 m (1 km south-east of Azhdaha-Yurt).

Era and chronology: Middle and Late Bronze Ages, XXIV-XIII centuries BC.

Sakhoorak 6: The Mighty Bull-type Dragon Stone

Begin an astonishing adventure into the heights of the Geghama Mountains, where the realms of history, mythology, and archaeology converge to unveil
the mesmerizing tale of Sakhoorak 6, a Dragon Stone like no other.

As you stand in the presence of Sakhurak 6, you can’t help but feel a profound sense of wonder and reverence. This silent sentinel has borne witness to millennia of change, upheaval. It has weathered the elements and the passing of countless generations, and yet, it remains as unyielding as the myths and legends that surround it.

In the rugged landscapes of the Geghama Mountains in Armenia, at an altitude of 2472 meters above sea level, there lies the mystical and enigmatic Sakhurak 6. This monumental creation, also called Azhdaha-Yurt, is a Vishapakar, a dragon stone, hewn from the gray porous basalt that is characteristic of this region. With its dimensions of 330x100x25 centimeters, it stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of a bygone era.

What truly sets Sakhurak 6 apart is its iconography. This bull-type Vishapakar is adorned with intricate details that have endured the test of time. Its significance goes far beyond its aesthetic appeal, for Vishapakar, or dragon stones, are an endemic phenomenon, much like the revered cross-stones.
They are guardians of the mountains, often linked to mountain-dwelling giants. The very name “Azhdaha-Yurt” evokes ancient legends and voluminous tales that have been passed down through generations.

Yet, the dragon stones are not mere sculptures; they hold a deep connection to the landscape and its people. Their very presence, perched high in the mountains, serves as a reminder of the ancient civilizations that once thrived in these unforgiving terrains.

And Sakhurak 6, with its proximity to other cromlechs and smaller satellite structures, is a piece of a larger puzzle, a testament to the rituals and beliefs of its time.

FACTS

❈ Sakhurak 6, a dragon stone in Armenia’s Geghama Mountains, holds a mesmerizing tale of history, mythology, and archaeology.

❈ This monumental dragon stone, known as Azhdaha-Yurt, stands at an altitude of 2472 meters and boasts intricate, enduring
iconography.

❈ Vishapakar, or dragon stones, like Sakhurak 6, serve as guardians of the mountains, intertwined with ancient legends
and mountain-dwelling giants.

❈ These dragon stones connect the landscape to ancient civilizations and their beliefs, preserving the mysteries of bygone eras.

❈ Sakhurak 6 is a crucial piece of a larger puzzle, shedding light on the rituals and beliefs of its time through its proximity to cromlechs and satellite structures.

🔍 Research history

It was discovered by N. Mar and Y. Smirnov expedition on July 19, 1909. According to photographic records, the next visit was made in 1911. This is how the authors describe the place: “Not in the Azhdaha-Yurt, but half an hour away,” which is perfectly consistent with the location of this monument, tentatively called Azhdaha Yurt 6.

🧱 Archaeological context description

Immediate
It is in a cromlech/platform (noticed by N. Mar and Y. Smirnov as well, who describe the position of the monument as “scattered on the fallen stones”). There are other smaller cromlechs in the vicinity that are satellites of the main platform.

Related
Other dragons, cromlechs.

🧩Subsidiary usage

Two round pits on the main flat surface of the stone.

🌍 Significance

Vishapakar (dragon stone) is characteristic only of the Armenian highlands and is an endemic phenomenon like khachkar. It appears at an altitude of up to 3200 m from the sea level, which is an exceptional phenomenon according to the world archeology.

📜 Traditional legends

Dragon stones carry a high level of symbolic weight. Their name is related to the ancient and new voluminous and similar legends of the population of the Armenian Highlands, where dragons are elemental characters associated with natural phenomena (especially water) and their regulation. Dragons are often associated with mountain-dwelling giants. On one hand the name could have arisen as a result of the size of the statues, and an allegorical interpretation of their iconography on the other hand.

📚 Sources

Literature

N. Ya. Mar, Ya.I. Smirnov 1931, Vishaps, Leningrad, Ogiz, 108 p.

🕰️ Archive

Mar, Archive 25, pic. Q 560-1, Q 560-5, Q 560-58; Khanzadyan, Archive 1, pic. 93 (photo), 94 (drawing).
Mar, Archive 25 – Geghama Mountains, 1908-1912, 83 photographs, 21 negatives, Photo archive of the Institute of the
History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, fund 23 – N.Ya. Marr.
Khanzadyan, Archive 1 – Materials related to Vishapakars, 1967-1987, 152 photos, 3 drawings, 1 map (in Armenian, Russian
and English), “Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum Reservations” SNCO, E. Khanzadyan fund,
Maps: Hamlet Sargsyan’s personal archive (Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences
of the Republic of Armenia), Yerevan.