Karahunj (Zorats Karer)

Karahunj, also called Zorats Karer and the “Armenian Stonehenge”, is in Syunik Province near the town of Sisian, about 230 km from Yerevan. On a high plateau, over about half a kilometre and an area of 7 hectares, lie about 222 basalt stones weighing up to 10 tonnes and standing 0.5 to 3 metres tall. At the centre is a stone circle. 84 of the stones have holes bored at different angles.

According to the source, scientists estimate the monument to be 7500 years old, and modern archaeologists tend to regard it as the world’s first astronomical observatory.

The aerial view shows the central stone circle and the rows of stones extending from it in different directions.