During excavations near the city of Van, Historical Armenia, archaeologists have found tombs dating to the era of the Kingdom of Van. This ancient Armenian state existed on the territory of the Armenian Highlands in the 9th-6th centuries BC.
Excavations are being carried out at the Sardurikhinili Fortress (Chavushtepe). According to the head of the archaeological expedition professor Rafet Cavusoglu, the approximate age of the tombs is 2750 years.
Based on these finds, scholars found out that there were four ways of burying people in the ancient state:
- The deceased was cremated, and the ashes were buried in a jug.
- The body was stored in the mausoleum.
- The body was placed in crypts with decorated rooms.
- The body of the deceased was buried.
These various rituals testify to the practice of polytheism in the Van kingdom.
The fortress was built during the reign of King Sarduri II. Naturally, all this is presented as the historical and cultural heritage of Urartu which allegedly has nothing to do with Armenian culture. It is noted that the Chavushtepe (Haykaberd) fortress was built during the reign of the ruler of Urartu Sardar II.
Source: ermenihaber.am
