The holed stones
Holes that raise questions.
Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Marcin Konsek — CC BY-SA 4.0
Zorats Karer, or Karahunj, is a prehistoric archaeological site near the town of Sisian in Syunik Province. Tourists often call it the «Armenian Stonehenge», with tall stones standing on a broad plateau, and the mountains around it lend the place a calm, mysterious air. It lies at 1,770 m and covers about 7 hectares on the left side of the Dar River canyon. The 13th-century Armenian historian Stepanos Orbelian mentions a nearby village by a similar name. Some read Karahunj as «speaking stones», since the holed stones are said to whistle in the wind, and the site was officially named Karahunj in 2004. You walk among standing stones, many with curious holes, set in irregular rows and circles in the grass. Some researchers think it was an ancient observatory while others doubt this, so the question remains open. It looks finest at dawn or before sunset, when shadows lengthen. It is 4.5 km in a straight line from Sisian on the road to Tatev, and 24 km from Tatev Monastery. The plateau is exposed and sometimes windy, so bring a jacket, a hat and suitable shoes. Respect the site by not climbing on the stones and leaving nothing behind.
Holes that raise questions.
Wide mountain views.
Long shadows from the stones.
Plateau near Sisian, Syunik Province
Some researchers think so and others doubt it, so it remains unsettled.
Yes, it is near Sisian on the road to Tatev.