Engraved neolithic stone slabs from the thirteenth century, fragments of medieval pottery, and various artifacts have been discovered outside the eastern entrance of the “Berdkunik” fortress in Gegharkunik province, Armenia. The findings were revealed by the “Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments and Historic Areas” NGO, with Lusine Aleksanyan, the head of the archaeological team, providing detailed information about the ongoing excavations.

The obsidian stones that made up the outer and inner sections of the fortress walls have been extracted, revealing the foundation of the walls and arrow slits. The stones of the fortress foundation were either directly attached or arranged in the typical style of fortification construction.

The announcement also mentions the discovery of technical details in the interior of the fortress, particularly under the northern gate, which served as an additional storage area for military operations. Progress has been made in restoring interior rooms, with rectilinear rooms that were previously opened in the 1980s being cleared out.

“Cleaning and removal of fragmented stones and rubble, as well as dirt and debris, are currently being undertaken in the previously opened rooms inside the fortress,” noted Aleksanyan. After the completion of the archaeological work, a restoration plan for the monument will be prepared.

The preservation of monuments is under the leadership of L. Aleksanyan, along with the team consisting of Levon Mkrtchyan and Gagik Sargsyan, as part of the “Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments and Historic Areas” NGO.

This article was originally published on NEWS.am’s Telegram channel.