An international team of researchers has made a remarkable discovery at the Lchashen site in Armenia: the remains of an adult woman and two infants buried beneath a basalt monument known as a “dragon stone.” This finding sheds new light on Bronze Age funerary practices and raises intriguing questions about the significance of these enigmatic monoliths.
Archaeologists have identified three distinct types of dragon stones. First, there are those adorned with carvings resembling fish (known as “piscis”). Second, some dragon stones bear similarities to the remains of bovids—animals like goats, sheep, and cows (referred to as “vellus”). Finally, hybrid dragon stones combine features of both types.
The Lchashen site, already renowned for its wealth of Bronze Age artifacts, yielded an unexpected find: a three-and-a-half-meter-tall stele depicting a sacrificed ox (classified as a vellus-type dragon stone). Remarkably, this monumental stone stood directly above a burial dating back to the 16th century BC.
What makes this discovery truly unique is the proximity of the burial to the dragon stone. In regional funerary contexts, such a link is rare. The presence of two infants—known as Dragon1 and Dragon2—adds to the intrigue. These babies, aged between 0 and 2 months, were interred alongside the revered monument.
Tragically, the woman’s bones have vanished. They were sent to Russia in the 1980s for further examination and remain unaccounted for. However, the well-preserved remains of the two infants allowed for ancient DNA analysis. Surprisingly, they were second-degree relatives with identical mitochondrial sequences, suggesting a close kinship. Their genetic profiles also revealed connections to other Bronze Age populations in the Caucasus.
The burial event, as described by the researchers, is exceptional both genetically and archaeologically. While stelae were occasionally used to mark graves in the South Caucasus, none of the 454 Bronze Age graves excavated at Lchashen were associated with a dragon stone—except for this one. Was it purely decorative, or did it serve a ritual or funerary purpose?
The presence of infant remains beneath this monolithic structure invites speculation about Bronze Age beliefs regarding death and the afterlife. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of Lchashen, we may gain deeper insights into the ancient customs and rituals of Armenia’s past.
Source: arkeonews.net
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