Speaking Stones

[Dr. Harout]

Rather peculiar name for a topic, but didn't know how to put it.
Could've used it's name, Zorats Karer, but nobody would've understood.
If I used it's other name, Carahunge (which should read: Qar-a-hoonch), it might even get confused,
so I used the meaning SPEAKING STONES (BTW, it is clickable leading to Wikipedia page).

So, it's Car or Kar (or even better Qar) = Stone
and Hoonj (hoonch, hunge) = voice, speak (or even, Henge in English... draw conclusions)

As you might read in Wiki, it is postulated to be around 7600 years old (even more according to some other scientists (non-armenians, to be objective).

But what is it? A necropolis? I doubt it. Probably an observatory or even a Contact platform (if you know what I mean )

All are shot with my dear SAL24F20Z

So here we go:

The holes in the stone are aligned with stars...

[Dr. Harout]

From a whole bunch of shots the following 2 are my favorites:




This one I call it: E.T. Phone Home (just look at the bottom plate)


I hope they will interest you.

[Juanito200]

Great set Doc- I've always been fascinated by areas like this, the Nazca Lines in Peru, Stonehenge, Bermuda Triangle, etc. I had no idea that Armenia had an area like this. I do truly believe that the ancients knew more about the cosmos than we suspect... Regardless of where that knowledge came from. Great stuff, I need to read more about it. Thanks so much for sharing...
John

[sury]

Doc,
I fully agree with John. Great set and more interestingly the narrative. Thank you
for bringing the world a bit closer.

Sury

[Birma]

Fascinating subject Doc, and I love the pictures, especially the ones which show the stones in their environment. A dramatic, sweeping landscape - beautiful

[aster]

Indeed fascinating, Dr. Harout.

The link even talks of the site as a university. A stone with a sky map found in Turkey verifies these stones' purpose of presence; studying the constellations and maybe even worshipping god Ari..

And indeed, maybe a 'touch-down' or 'contact' spot. The landscape being so isolated can still be serving a certain purpose in that line. : )


Thanks for sharing,

Yildiz

[johnstra]

Apologies for being away from the forum for a while. I was not aware of this site, so thanks for the pictures. I have been interested in the stone rows and circles in Britain and Ireland for years now. There are holed stones in Cornwall. I will see if I can find my old (film) pics of these so that you can see them for comparison. Although there are definite solar and lunar alignments in British stone circles the Cornish holed stones could not be used for stellar alignments as the stones are no more than knee height. the Wikipedia article is not very good. it is not enough to say that a 'hole is aligned with the horizon'. There would have to be a definite horizon feature such as a notch to form the foresight.

Bob

[Dr. Harout]

I have just found this interesting article by R. Ney http://www.astrologycom.com/armstone1.html

[Dr. Harout]

More shots of the Armenian "Stonehenge"
Again with my fantastic lens (Sury, are you hearing?) the Zeiss 2/24 ZA SSM

[Greg Beetham]

The photos are very good Doc, excellent detail covering an interesting subject. The case of some kind of astronomical link looks a tad vague too me (especially as one of the links was more involved with astrology than science). I’m not saying they wasn’t some kind of seasonal astronomical/sun alignment association but it’s not obvious too me how one sights accurately just by looking through a hole, you could move your head around and sight on a wide range of things, which would be rather meaningless.
Greg

[Dr. Harout]

Many glass items were found with diameters equaling the holes in the stones. That's all I know. I have no knowledge in astrology. Sometimes when patients ask if their condition or disease is related to food, I reply as: it is as much related to food as I am to astrology...

[johnstra]

Dr. Harout, can you tell us anything more about the glass items? I am intruiged and would really like to know.
P.S. It's astronomy. Astrology is fortune telling using the stars. Don't worry, many British people get this wrong too.

Regards,

Bob

[Dr. Harout]

Thanks for correcting me, Bob. As for the glass items, please read the second link, the article R. Ney: http://www.astrologycom.com/armstone1.html.
It's several days now that I am enjoying a documental series named "Ancient Aliens", where in season 2, episode 4 they speak about the Karhunj (Armenian Stonehenge, as they refer to it too). I still have a couple of episodes to watch to arrive there, but yesterday I gave it a quick glance.

[Almazar80]

I am so glad there are so many more mysteries to explore and thank you for the story so well told by your pictures.

[bakubo]

Doc, I don't know how I missed this thread and your photos. I had never heard of this place so it is interesting to see your photos and read a bit about it. Thanks for posting!