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One of Armenia's least known and interesting
attractions is the top of Ughtasar Mountain. Rock—carvings are a unique
source for the study of ancient culture.
More than 2000 decorated rocks were discovered at Ughtasar, in the region
of Sisian. The rock carvings are mostly on "tombstones" and these
decorated rock-fragments are scattered at the feet of mountains, in
valleys including the slopes and bottom of Ughtasar, which took its name
after the resemblance it has with the camel ("ught" in Armenian means
"camel"). The carvings are graphic and volumous and have been represented
horizontally or vertically on the flat, brown and black rock—fragments.
The composition "carvings" which comprise from 10 to 50 pictures, amount
to several hundred patterns. The depth of their cutting is 2—6mm, while
the width is 2~21mm. In the rock-carvings of Ughtasar and Jer'majur, the
entire wealth of the Armenian fauna is designed. There, we can see most
animals of that time, both wild and tamed, such as goats, mouflons,
gazelles, deer, aurochs, horses, boars, dogs, wolves, jackals, panthers,
bears and lions.At the same time scenes which represent bunters with bows
and arrows, pikes, spears, and shields are numerous. Among them we can see
hunting objects, lassos, traps, and also aurochs that lead the cart,
covered carts and sledge-like ones, too, ploughs and carvings which
represent the universe. The rock-carvings of Syunik represent subject
scenes, where single episodes of primitive people’s social life are
depicted with the surrounding nature. These decorated rock-fragments of
Syunik are mainly "tombstones" and they are made by cattle-breeding tribes
who settled in those pastures at a certain period of the year. The form,
style and the theme of the execution of the rock-carvings may be of great
importance in determining their date. The comparison of the monuments of
material culture of Syunik gives us enough basis to consider the
rock-carvings of Syunik as belonging to the V-II millenium B.C..
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