Archaeological excavations started at Karmir Blur site in 2015, and 281 mausoleums have already been discovered in a short period of time. What do the new findings reveal? 

YEREVAN (ArmRadio,am)—Armenians have had four viceroy seats, one of them in Artsakh. Archaeologists have discovered four viceroy bronze wands during excavations at Karmir Blur, archaeologist Hakob Simonyan, Deputy Head of the Research Center of Historical-Cultural Legacy under the Ministry of Culture, told reporters Thursday. He said the findings unearthed from the site shed light on the pages of Armenian history that others want to dispute.

The excavations that resumed in 2015 have revealed that back in the Urartian period Armenia was divided into provinces, each ruled by a viceroy. After the death of the latter the highest symbol of power – the scepter– has also been laid at the mausoleum.

“What’s most important is that it’s now proven that Artsakh was part of the United Kingdom of Van in the 8th to 7th centuries BC. The excavations come to refute all assertions that Artsakh has never been part of Armenia,” the archeologist said.

According to him, another importance of the findings is that they come to disperse the uncertainty regarding the origin of Urartians. “The Urartians were natives of the Ararat Valley,” he noted.

“I’m deeply confident that Urartu is an Armenian kingdom with its multi-layer population, where the Armenian element has been dominant,” Hakob Simonyan said.

A number of different interesting items have been unearthed during the expedition. These include jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, buttons), also as a whole arsenal of weapons.

The findings comprise a huge material for anthropological research. With DNA tests it’s possible to reveal the illnesses the locals suffered from, calculate their life expectancy, study their beliefs and rituals.