Lchashen

Lchashen Archeological site

Lchashen, one of Armenia’s most ancient settlements, lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Sevan, perched at the edge of the Geghama mountain range. Archaeological excavations over the past decades have uncovered layers of history beneath this village—prehistoric dwellings, a vast cyclopean fortress, and burial grounds dating back to the 3rd to 1st millennia BCE.

The cyclopean fortress of Lchashen spans over 55 hectares, stretching across the slopes and ravines of fifteen hills. The structure rises 50 to 100 meters above the surrounding terrain. The total length of its outer walls, enclosing both the fortress and adjacent village, approaches 5 kilometers. The landscape is harsh and rocky, with little natural water. The fortress itself consisted of two main citadels, 22 towers of varying size, and low stone mounds. Scattered throughout the site are remnants of ancient homes and settlements, their ruins still visible today.

Excavations revealed that the fortress was encircled by tall, thick walls built without mortar, using roughly hewn stones meticulously fitted together. The result is a surprisingly uniform facade. These walls measured 3.5 meters in width, expanding to 5 meters at vulnerable points and main entrances. They were deliberately laid in irregular lines, a strategic choice that enhanced defense against invasion.

Archaeologists began exploring the fortress in 1931. The structure once included six citadels—two in the east, one at the center, and three in the west—flanked by about twenty stone towers and pyramids. Research indicates that the fortress was continuously inhabited from the early Bronze Age through the late medieval period.

In 1950, excavations revealed a large burial mound nearby. Hundreds of tombs were found—some belonging to local nobility, others to commoners. The necropolis stretches into the neighboring village, revealing the scale of this once-thriving settlement. Among the most notable discoveries is a cuneiform inscription from King Argishti I of Urartu, documenting the conquest of a city named Ishtikuni—identified by many scholars as ancient Lchashen.

Lchashen gained international attention in the 1950s after the waters of Lake Sevan receded, revealing a Bronze Age cemetery about 3 kilometers southwest of the village. The site, covering 8 hectares, includes the remains of around 800 burial chambers—catacombs and mausoleums crafted mostly from stone. Archaeologists also unearthed a copper smelting furnace from the early 3rd millennium BCE, once used to produce tools and ornaments from brass, copper, and tin.

Among the treasures of Lchashen are more than 25 distinctive bronze figurines—bulls, rams, lions, and birds—alongside intricate jewelry made from pure tin. A second cuneiform inscription attributed to King Argishti I further confirms the site’s historical significance. Many of these artifacts are now held in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and the History Museum of Armenia.

At the heart of the modern village stands another relic of the past: the 7th-century Basilica of Saint Hripsime. This rectangular structure, once topped with a central dome, includes four apses and three vestries. Though the roof has collapsed, parts of the altar remain intact.