4th-century church discovered at Artashat

Archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster in Germany have discovered the remains of a previously unknown early Christian church in the ancient city of Artashat, the University of Münster website reports.

“This 4th-century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country, an exceptional testimony to early Christianity in Armenia,” said Professor Achim Lichtenberger of the University of Münster. According to Dr Mkrtich Zardaryan of the National Academy of Sciences, octagonal churches were previously unknown here, but they are well known from the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century AD.

The view from above shows the foundations of a building with a polygonal plan, its walls highlighted in white.