There is a place in the Syunik region of Armenia that was called Khoshun-dash. There is an ancient megalithic monument of several hundred upright rough stones not much higher than human growth. Experts have dated its age to about the third millennium BC.
A circle of vertical stones - cromlech, a chain of the same stones - an alley of menhirs, a stone tomb - a dolmen. Some stones have round holes with a diameter of five centimeters at the top. A typical monument of that time, of which there are dozens in the world. In Armenia and in other regions there are similar objects, albeit on a smaller scale, for example, the menhirs of Shamiran and Talish, excavations in Metsamor. The holes became the reason for the “scientific sensation” that drew attention to the Syunik monument, which had been out of sight of scientists for decades.
In Armenia and in other regions there are similar objects, albeit on a smaller scale, for example, the menhirs of Shamiran and Talish, excavations in Metsamor.
In the mid-80s of the last century, a famous astrophysicist, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics Elma Surenovna Parsamyan worked at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. She was among the first to express the idea that the Khoshun-dash monument may have a certain connection with space. The article, which was proposed to the editorial office of the newspaper "Kommunist", caused the editor Boris Mikhailovich Mkrtchyan to doubt the part of the Turkic name of the area. And he suggested replacing it with the more euphonious Zorats-Karer (Army stones). From there it went. Once in a private conversation on the topic, one of the scientists noticed that the village of Karahunj was nearby. Another remarked: Carahunge is Stonehenge. So after all, the latter is also credited with an astronomical purpose! Why not be the same for our monument?
No one was embarrassed by the fact that the village of Karahunj is located thirty kilometers from the place where the megalithic monument is located, and not a single historical source connects these two places. That these modest piles of stones do not stand up to the scale of comparison with the world famous English monument.
The idea of henceforth calling Khoshun-dash Karahunj became dominant.
The topic was picked up by the director of the Research Institute of Radiophysical Measurements, Professor Paris Heruni. For several years he has organized expeditions, including those with international participation. He published reports in the press, arguing that the holes in the stones served for stargazing, and not for dragging stones, or tying animals. He announced the opening of the Temple of the Sun - the main deity of ancient Armenia, the world's first highly developed observatory, an ancient training center. The age was determined not by the third, but by the seventh millennium BC, humiliating the age of Stonehenge.
The timid objections of serious scholars were drowned in enthusiastic newspaper and magazine publications. Years passed, tourist routes were laid to the “ancient observatory,” films and television reports were shot, and booklets were published. Cosmic purpose of Karahunj was included in the book of Paris Heruni "Armenians and Ancient Armenia". A whole generation of young people has grown up who are sure that the Armenians were the first in the world to observe the starry sky.
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This year, Armenian archaeologists have begun excavations here. They opened the central mound, found beads, pottery, a jug with the bones of a sacrificial animal, arrowheads. No hints of dialogue with the sky were found. The earlier testimony of the historian of Armenian architecture, Professor Varazdat Harutyunyan, that there were more stones, they were small and filled the gaps between large stones, creating fences, was also confirmed.
And just the other day, the head of the Zorats Karer archaeological expedition, the scientific secretary of the Historical Environment Protection Service of the Armenian Ministry of Culture Ashot Piliposyan stated that “this is an ancient burial, though several thousand years older than the“Paris Heruni Observatory”. That, however, does not diminish the significance of this monument either on the scale of Armenia or on a global scale. " The scientist also clarified that "excavations will continue to clarify once and for all the purpose of this monument, overgrown with all sorts of legends."
The question arises: what is more important than a true story or a beautiful legend? Some are inclined to the latter, they believe that one should not reject Heruni's version. Judge for yourself from the photos and decide who is right.
Pavel Dzhangirov