Shamiram

Name: Shamiram
Monument type: Grave field
Region: Aragatsotn Province
Periods: Prehistoric

Name: Shamiram

Monument type: Early Iron Age city, burial grounds, cult and ritual structures, artificial reservoir, megalithic towers, Hellenistic fortress-settlement and cemetery.

Region: Aragatsotn

Community: Shamiram

Residence: Shamiram

Location: Shamiram is located in the south-western part of the eponymous village, on the triangular promontory of the Kasagh River surrounded by a deep gorge on three sides, and in the north-eastern part by a large tuff stone structure pentagonal wall. The vast burial ground is located on the southern side of the castle-bearing promontory. The great burial mounds are located on the left bank of Shamiramadzor, north of the castle.

Preservation: The monument is tumble down. The walls of the castle are standing. The tomb territory was built up with the Yezdi cemetery.

Coordinates: 40,16’16.32 N, 440, 35’37.02 E

Altitude: 1150 m

Era and chronology: The monument is multi-layered. The excavations and aerial material observation revealed the following phases of settlement in the castle: Late Bronze and Early Iron ages (XIV-VIII centuries BC), post-Urartian period (VI-IV centuries BC), ancient period (III-I centuries BC). Middle and Late Bronze Age burials (XX-XVI BC) were excavated in the cemetery, and XII-VIII century BC tombs – in the cemetery near the castle.

Shamiram: Uncovering Layers of History One By One

Picture yourself standing at the edge of discovery, gazing upon the layers of time that have superposed to shape Shamiram’s destiny. From the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages to the post-Urartian period and beyond, this remarkable monument holds the secrets of bygone eras, waiting for you to unlock their mysteries.

As you carry on deeper into Shamiram, you’ll walk through the imposing defenses of an ancient stronghold, where each stone and tower tells a tale of courage and resilience. The very ground beneath your feet bears witness to an attack that marked the end of an era, a moment frozen in time.

In the heart of the Aragatsotn region, nestled within the picturesque landscape, lies the enigmatic Shamiram. Perched on a triangular promontory, it gazes across a deep gorge on three sides, its northern edge protected by a pentagonal wall of formidable tuff stone.

Its history is multi-layered, a tapestry woven from Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, the post-Urartian period, and the ancient period. Middle and Late Bronze Age burials grace its cemetery, while tombs dating back to the XII-VIII centuries BC nestle near the castle, sharing the secrets of their inhabitants with those who dare to listen.

But Shamiram is not merely a relic of the past; it is a treasure trove of knowledge, a gateway to understanding the pre-Urartian fortifications and the dawn of urban civilization. Its cemetery boasts over 5,000 tombs, a testament to the richness of the Iron Age complex that unfolds within its embrace.

As you delve deeper into the site’s history you’ll discover a land defined by its architecture. You’ll transverse rows of defensive walls, towers, and religious structures paint a picture of ancient ingenuity and creativity. An artificial pit, rectangular towers, and asymmetrically arranged entrances bear witness to a strategic mind, a people who understood the importance of protecting their home. Yet, like all stories of the past, this one too carries the weight of abandonment and strife. The castle fell silent at the end of the IX century BC or the dawn of the VIII century BC, its residents dispersing in the wake of an attack, leaving behind a legacy etched into the stone and earth.

But the story doesn’t end there. Between the fourth and fifth defensive walls, and in the area beyond, a settlement from the Hellenistic and ancient periods emerges. Streets, entrances, and corridors connect buildings that reveal the resilience of a people who refused to fade into obscurity. Cylindrical stone pits, used for ancient burials, stand as silent witnesses to their tenacity.

South of the castle, you will discover the sacred burial grounds of Shamiram. Tombs, dolmens, religious structures—all echo with the rituals and beliefs of times gone by. Carved into the tuff slabs are enigmatic sculptures—horsemen, chariots, and solar symbols—a testament to a people’s reverence for the celestial and the earthly.

And this site is so rich, that countless archeological gems have been unearthed from its soil. Pottery objects—pots, jars, jugs, cups—tell stories of daily life. Bronze belts, decorative items, and the glint of bronze and iron weapons speak of a society’s craftsmanship and artistry. And among these finds, anthropomorphic monuments, cauldrons, and the Mitanian seal of Shamiram’s tomb shine as beacons of exceptional significance.

FACTS:

❈ Shamiram, nestled in Aragatsotn, boasts a rich history dating from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age.

❈ The site reveals an ancient civilization’s ingenuity through its defensive structures, such as walls and towers.

❈ Despite abandonment and strife, the site endured, with a Hellenistic settlement emerging between the defensive walls.

❈ Shamiram’s sacred burial grounds feature enigmatic sculptures and relics reflecting ancient beliefs.

❈ Archaeological excavations at Shamiram have yielded numerous treasures, including pottery, bronze artifacts, and the Mitanian seal of Shamiram’s tomb.

Research history

Investigations and observations were made in Shamiram by E. Lalayan, H. Martirosyan, L. Barseghyan, A. Kalantaryan, K. K. Ghafadaryan, P. Avetisyan and others. Toramanian carried out exploration works in Aruch and Shamiram in 1924.

The expedition of the Yerevan State University (led by Gr. Areshyan) has started periodic archaeological excavations in Shamiram since 1975.

Archaeological description

The monument is spread between the villages of Shamiram and Aruch, on the south-western edge of the village of Shamiram, in the wide area between the gorges formed by two shallow valleys.

The promontory with the settlement dating back to the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, covers an area of 10 hectares. It is crossed transversely by five rows of defensive walls, the first of which separates the promontory from the plain and is endowed with two rectangular towers. An artificial pit was dug in the most vulnerable part. The second and third defensive zones are parallel to each other. The width of the fourth wall tower is 14 m. At the end of the promontory, near the five-rectangular row of the wall, there is a building with a rectangular plan, which probably had a religious content. The entrances to the 1st, 3-5th walls are arranged asymmetrically, each in different parts of the wall.

The walls of the enclosures are reinforced with rectangular towers built at equal distances. The castle was abandoned at the end of the IX century BC or at the beginning of the VIII century BC, as a result of an attack: after this the castle territory was resettled in the post-Urartian period.

At the end of the promontory, between the 4th and 5th defensive walls and in the area from the 5th wall to the end of the promontory (1.5 ha), there is a settlement consisting of buildings constructed in the Hellenistic and ancient periods. The main entrance of the castle underwent reconstructions in the ancient period. Excavations revealed five built-up sections, connected to each other by streets, entrances and corridors. In the site opened in 1983, cylindrical stone pits were opened, which were simultaneously used for ancient burials.

South of the castle, the burial ground stretches, where several forms of burial structures have been documented. Tombs, dolmens, religious structures, etc., are popular here, bordered by flat tuff slabs placed vertically on the side or with retaining walls made of river stone. On some of the slabs of the retaining walls, Shamiram’s expedition documented sculptures of horsemen, chariots, and solar symbols. The cemetery near the Shamiram fortress dates back to the prehistoric period. Burial mounds on the left bank of Shamiramadzor, north of Shamiram fortress, on the eastern side of Aruch village, dating to the Middle and Early Bronze Age, form a separate group.

🔨 Findings

Excavations of the Shamiram fortress and the early layers of the settlement have revealed a large number of pottery objects with pots, jars, jugs, cups, and small objects standing out among them. More interesting data were provided by the tomb excavations, where bronze belts, decorative items were found among various shells, bronze and iron weapons. The anthropomorphic monuments, the cauldron, and the Mitanian seal found in the Shamiram tomb are exceptional as well.

Significance

The Shamiram monument group is of republican significance: its data are important for the study of the pre-Urartian period fortification structures and the early period of the urban civilizations. The cemetery with more than 5,000 tombs counted, is one of the largest Iron Age complexes in the region.

Sources

Literature

G. E. Areshyan, Shamiram, Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, Vol. 8, Yerevan, 1982, pp. 441-442.
G. Areshyan, H. Simonyan 1976, Archaeological works carried out in 1975 by the Problem Laboratory of Armenian Studies of the YSU, Banber Yerevan University, №1, pp. 284-288.
G. Areshyan, K. Ghafadaryan, H. Simonyan, G. Tiratsyan, A. Kalantaryan 1977, Archaeological research in the Ashtarak and Nayiri regions of the Armenian SSR, Journal of Social Sciences, No. 4, pp. 77-92.
T. Toramanian 1942, Materials of the history of Armenian architecture, I, Yerevan, Yerevan, USSR GA ed., 307 pages.
H. Simonyan 1985, 1st stratigraphy of the Shamiram settlement of the locality in 1983 the results of excavations in the Armenian SSR in 1983-1984. Scientific session dedicated to the results of archaeological field work, theses of reports, April 1985, Yerevan, pp. 15-17.
H. Ohanyan 1989, Pottery of the Shamiram ancient settlement (1981-1987 excavations), Banber University of Yerevan, pp. 208-221.
G. Ohanyan 1990, The culture of the Armenian ancient settlements (according to the excavations of the settlements of Aragatsotn), Scientific thesis for applying for the scientific degree of candidate of historical sciences, HGA RA, YSU, Yerevan.
G. A. Areshyan Hakobyan 1977, Architecture of the burial structures of the main necropolis of Shamiram, III Republican scientific conference on the problems of culture and art of Armenia, Abstracts of reports, Yerevan, 98-99
A. Simonyan 1985, Study of the stratigraphy of the Shamiram settlement, Archaeological discoveries in 1983, Moscow, pp. 498-499.
A. Smith 1996, Imperial Archipelago. The Making of the Urartian Landscape in Southern Transcaucasia, University of Arizona, 1996, p. 972.

List of monuments

2.81.1 Shamiram city
2.81.1.1 Citadel
2.81.1.1.1 Castle
2.81.1.2 Cemetery
2.81.1.3 Cemetery
2.81.1.3.1 Altar
2.81.2. Menhir