Armenia’s ancient 'dragon stones' are the work of a 6,000-year-old water cult
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- Archaeologists have solved the 6,000-year-old mystery of Armenia's 'dragon stones' (vishaps), revealing they were part of an ancient 'water cult' tied to seasonal water sources.
- The stones, carved and polished on all faces except the 'tail,' were originally placed upright near alpine springs, volcanic craters, and prehistoric irrigation channels.
- Research shows vishaps were intentionally distributed across two altitude bands (1,900 m and 2,700 m), aligning with seasonal herding cycles and water movement.
- Fish-shaped stones dominate higher elevations near snowmelt springs, while cow-hide-shaped stones appear at lower elevations where water was used for agriculture.
- Radiocarbon dating suggests the water cult emerged in the Chalcolithic period (4200-4000 BCE), predating European megaliths like Stonehenge by over 1,000 years.
- The immense effort to transport and erect these multi-ton stones indicates communal or spiritual coordination, reinforcing their ritual significance.
- The study concludes vishaps were not territorial markers but sacred totems honoring water, reflecting a prehistoric belief system in Armenia's highlands.