Archaeologists in Armenia have discovered the remains of an early Christian church at the site of the ancient city of Artaxata.
A preliminary reconstruction of the early Christian church of Artaxata. Image credit: Armenian-German Artaxata Project.
Artaxata, also known as Artashat, was a major city of ancient Armenia that served as the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia from its founding in 176 BCE to 120 CE.
Founded during reign of King Artaxias I (Artashes), the city is located in the Ararat province of modern-day Armenia, on the left bank of the Araks River.
Artaxata was destroyed and rebuilt several times from the 1st to the 5th centuries CE, before finally being abandoned.
“According to legend, Gregory the Illuminator converted the Armenian king Tiridates III to Christianity in Artaxata in 301 CE, making Armenia the first Christian state in the world,” said Professor Achim Lichtenberger, an archaeologist at the University of Münster, and his colleagues.
“The medieval monastery of Khor Virap, just a stone’s throw from the now-discovered church, is a reminder of this tradition.”
“Artaxata served as the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, ruled by the Artaxiad and Arsacid dynasties.”
“The city developed into an important metropolis in the Hellenistic period and was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia for almost six centuries.”
The early Christian church rested on imposing pillars. Image credit: Armenian-German Artaxata Project.
The newly-discovered Christian church is an octagonal building with cruciform extensions.
The building was around 30 m in diameter, and had a simple mortar floor and terracotta tiles.
It was also lavishly decorated with marble imported from the Mediterranean.
In the around 30 m in diameter, extensions, Professor Lichtenberger and co-authors from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster uncovered the remains of wooden platforms, which were radiocarbon dated to the mid-4th century CE.
“The 4th century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country — sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” Professor Lichtenberger said.
“Octagonal churches were unknown here until now, but we are very familiar with them from the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century CE,” added Dr. Mkrtich Zardaryan, an archaeologist at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
“Typologically, the find corresponds to early Christian memorial buildings.”
“We plan to continue the excavations and hope to make new discoveries, including the question of to whom the church was dedicated,” the researchers said.