"Beneath the Surface: Routine Gas Works Unearth Rare Early Christian Treasure in Armenia" by Carlo Coppola
During routine excavation work to replace gas pipelines, heavy machinery struck an unexpected obstacle, bringing work to an immediate halt. Beneath the soil, workers discovered a stone monument featuring exceptionally intricate Christian iconography. The discovery, made before the eyes of the stunned crew, was promptly reported to local police, triggering an urgent intervention by experts from the Ministry’s "Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reserves."
A Window into the Early Middle Ages Preliminary on-site analysis has confirmed the uniqueness of the find. Experts date the artifact to the Early Middle Ages—specifically the crucial, yet less documented, period between the 4th and 7th centuries AD.
The object appears to be a stele or commemorative slab adorned with high-relief biblical scenes. This makes it a rare and precious example of Paleo-Christian art that predates the famous Khachkar (cross-stone) tradition that would proliferate from the 9th century onward. Unlike the geometric and floral motifs of later Khachkars, the Lernahovit monument is defined by its figurativism. The sculpted narratives imbue the work with a distinct allure, marking it as an exclusive find within the regional archaeological landscape.
Alongside the main block, which remains largely intact, excavators uncovered separate fragments and pottery shards. These remnants provide essential context for dating the site, suggesting a continuity of settlement dating back to the very dawn of Armenian Christianity.
Vindicating Local Legend The value of this discovery extends far beyond archaeology; it appears to vindicate a tenacious thread of local memory. For generations, village elders have passed down oral traditions claiming that an ancient house of worship once stood in that exact spot—a sacred site erased from history books but never from the community’s collective consciousness.
The unearthing of the stele and surrounding fragments provides physical evidence for this oral history. It suggests that modern infrastructure works have inadvertently intersected with an ancient religious complex, possibly one of the earliest churches built upon the foundations of a pre-existing pagan temple.
The Importance of Rescue Archaeology This event underscores the critical role of "rescue archaeology" and strict surveillance during infrastructure projects in historically dense lands like Armenia. In a country where the past often lies just inches beneath the surface, the soil remains ready to re-emerge and retell stories long thought forgotten.
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