The remains of a previously unknown church dating back almost 2,000 years have been unearthed in the ancient city of Artaxata. For several centuries, the once-thriving metropolis served as the capital of the Armenian kingdom.
A team of archaeologists from the University of Münster in Germany and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia made the unique discovery.
The team excavated parts of the church and used geophysical methods to study it. The find consisted of an octagonal structure with cross-shaped extensions.
“The 4th-century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country—sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” said Achim Lichtenberger, a professor at the University of Münster.
The timing of the construction of the church found in Artaxata coincides with the construction of Etchmiadzin Cathedral, also in Armenia. It is considered the world’s first cathedral and is often thought of as the oldest cathedral in the world.
The church’s architecture may help researchers learn more about Armenia’s history. Until now, archaeologists did not know that octagonal churches existed in Armenia.
They were common in the eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century A.D., according to Dr. Mkrtich H. Zardaryan of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
The new find resembled early Christian memorial buildings. The research team discovered the remains of wooden platforms in the church’s cross-shaped extensions. They were radiocarbon dated to the mid-4th century A.D.
The octagonal building was almost 100 feet in diameter and contained a mortar floor created mostly from sand and cement, as well as walls made with terracotta tiles, which was a clay that was produced in places like Greece and Italy at the time.
ARAMYAN – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
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