CARAHUNGE (Քարահունջ)

Carahunge, also known as Zorats Karer or Dik-Dik Karer, or Tsits Karer, is a prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian in the south of Armenia. The “Armenian Stonehenge” (🎫 1400 AMD) is located on a mountain plateau at an altitude of 1,770 meters near the canyon of the River Dar. It is believed to be around 3500 years older than the British Stonehenge. The basalt stones are arranged to form two circles, and in the middle, there are about 40 stones that are formed into an ellipse. The stones range from 0.5 to 3 meters and can weigh up to 10 tons. Two hundred twenty-three stones have been identified, and many more that are broken and unnumbered. As for the holes found in about 80 of the stones – their origin is considered non-prehistoric as they are almost unweathered. Seventeen of the stones were theorized to be used to observe the sunrise and sunset at the solstices and equinoxes, and 14 were associated with 7500-year-old lunar observations. Researchers observed and investigated the site, and many disputed each other. Their results concluded that it was an observatory, necropolis, or remains of a city wall in the Hellenistic period, a temple for the Armenian god of the sun, Ara, or a multipurpose site for burial and astronomical rituals.

Parking location – Carahunge: 39.549317N 46.031673E (🚻)