New research from Yerevan State University (YSU) and the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography is the first large-scale statistical and spatial analysis of 115 known dragon stones – or fish haps – that argues that these monuments were not markers of territory or myth, but deliberately placed totems of an early ‘water cult’ whose rituals were linked to melting snow flows, springs and the seasonal movement of herding groups through the mountains.
The dragon stones have been a topic of debate since scientists began studying them in the 20th century. They are all carved and polished on all sides except the ‘tail’ end, a consistent detail implying that they originally stood upright rather than lying horizontally as most do today. Some are shaped like stretched cattle hides, others resemble stylized fish (and some are a combination of both) – all of which would have required a monumental effort to collect, cut and transport from the most remote and challenging environments in Armenia. The puzzle then became bigger when researchers realized that the stones are consistently positioned next to sources of water – alpine springs, volcanic craters, prehistoric irrigation canals – as if placed to mark the exact points where it flows over land.
“The majority of fish haps have collapsed or placed horizontally on the ground,” the researchers noted. “However, all three typological groups of fish haps show carving and polishing on all faces, with the ‘tail’ invariably left uncarved. This consistent feature strongly suggests that fish haps were originally erect.”
Using radiocarbon dating, elevation mapping, landscape associations, and assessments of the size and typology of the stones, the researchers found that the fish haps were deliberately distributed over two different elevation bands, around 1,900 m (6,200 ft) and 2,700 m (8,900 ft). These zones correspond to different phases in the annual herd cycle and to dramatically different environments. Instead of placing the heaviest monuments in lower, more accessible areas, the ancient builders dragged these barrel stones high into the mountains, where construction would have to be intensive and well-coordinated to get the work done in the few weeks each year when the area is snow-free.
At the highest elevations – closest to natural springs and where the snow melts and flows into the valleys below – the stones are dominated by fish-shaped statues. At lower elevations, where water was used for agriculture, cowhide-shaped stones are more common. And this corresponds to the seasonal movement of people and livestock following the water through the highlands.
In their analysis, the researchers argue that the placement of the stones and the enormous effort required to move them point not only to intentional design, but to a deeper ritual meaning. The vishaps’ consistent ties to water sources, their polished surfaces, and their precise placement in harsh alpine zones indicate a widespread belief system in which water itself was sacred and required such totems of appreciation. Radiocarbon dating from the major archaeological site of Tirinkatar on Mount Aragats has dated as early as 4200 to 4000 BC.
Further separating the dragon stones from those at Stonehenge, the researchers say the fish haps are less about geometric alignment and much more to do with the behavior of water – and placing a carved monolith near a spring was an act of reverence and protection. And because the largest stones would require a serious team effort, this kind of coordinated work and purposeful engineering was most likely carried out under strong communal or spiritual guidance.
“Initial statistical analysis of their height distribution and size shows that their construction was deliberately labor-intensive rather than random,” the researchers noted. “The findings support the hypothesis that vishaps were closely linked to an ancient water cult, as they are mainly located near water sources, including high-altitude springs and discovered prehistoric irrigation systems.
“The clustering of fish haps at different elevations may correlate with seasonal migration patterns or pilgrimages, or both,” they noted.
This study presents the most compelling argument yet for the origin story of these fascinating monuments, revealing that the dragon stones were not random or decorative, but were part of a prehistoric water cult whose objects of worship are still scattered throughout the Armenian Alpine region.
“Their presence at high altitudes suggests important cultural motivations, probably linked to ancient water cults, as fish haps are mainly located near springs and are also represented by fish forms,” the researchers wrote. “Human history shows that the sects are indeed generally associated with significant effort (labor) from their societies.
“These findings advance our understanding of high-altitude archaeological sites and the social structures that formed prehistoric communities,” they concluded.
Source: npj Heritage Science
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