serpent stones armenia
© CC by SA 3.0Standing stones at the ruins of the Metsamor site.
A vishap stele (known also as vishapakar and vishap stone) is a type of stone monument that can be found in Armenia. These steles may be identified by the carvings on them, usually of fishes or snakes. Hence, the vishap steles have also been referred to as 'serpent stones' and 'dragon stones'. The vishap steles are considered a part of the rock art tradition of Armenia, and are therefore treasured as part of the country's rich heritage.

Dating the Vishap Steles

The vishap is said to be the Armenian word for dragon. According to Armenian legends, the vishaps were powerful creatures who lived in high mountains, in big lakes, or in the clouds. Representations of these mythical creatures are not limited to the vishap steles, but are also thought to have been depicted on other rock carvings found in the country.

Whilst it is at present extremely difficult for such petroglyphs to be dated, these images of the vishaps may have been made as early as prehistoric times, perhaps during the Neolithic period. In one source, the vishaps of these petroglyphs are the archetypes of dragons, and were later adopted by other civilizations to the west of Armenia.

The vishap steles seem to be a relatively recent discovery / re-discovery. The first of these steles are reported to have been found during an archaeological excavation conducted in 1909 by N. Marr and J. Smirnov. Since their discovery, these monuments have posed questions that scholars have yet been able to find satisfactory answers to. Thus, the vishap steles are shrouded in an air of mystery. For example, it is unclear as to when the vishap steles were set up. In addition, it is unknown if these steles were set up in one go, or over a longer period of time, perhaps years, decades or even centuries.
vishap stele, dragon stone
© CC by SA 2.5A vishap stele.
Other Symbols and Marks

Based on the crossed and Armenian inscription found on some of the vishap steles, some of these stone monuments may be dated to the 13th century AD. Still, it is entirely possible that the steles were erected at an earlier point of time, and that these carvings were added later on, perhaps as a means of converting these pagan images into symbols of the Christian faith.

It has also been pointed out that early Urartian cuneiform have been found inscribed on a vishap stele unearthed in an Armenian village called Garni. Urartu, known also as the Kingdom of Van, was an Iron Age kingdom centered on Lake Van (situated in modern day Turkey) in the Armenian Highlands. As this kingdom existed during the 1st millennium BC, the vishap steles may have been from this period of time, or even earlier.

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