Over the last 7 days I have added the following blogs:

·        ‘6000 – 8000 year old monuments in Armenia – the ancient Hartashen Avenue & Carahunge.’ – I discovered Hartashen & Carahunge by chance during a lunch-break. Some of the megalithic stones at the site weigh over 10 tons. My understanding is that a large group would have been needed, possibly hundreds, for dragging the stones even a short distance from where they had been locally quarried, or less with water lubrication and levers. This implies organisation and leadership. The precise layout of the stones also appears to demonstrate a knowledge of geometry. The Hartashen Megalithic Avenue is located in a remote area within Armenia’s Shirak Province, described as a ‘remote corner’ and ‘hidden deep in Armenia’s rugged terrain’. It is situated in the secluded village of Hartashen, which contributes to its seldom-known status. So, why far back in Antiquity was this site, which is in the middle of nowhere, chosen for the building of a megalithic stone monument, who built it, and why? The name ‘Carahunge’ is sometimes translated from Armenian as ‘Speaking Stones’. This name likely comes from the unique quality of some of the stones, which create whistling sounds when the wind blows through their holes. The presence of stones with holes has led to comparisons with Stonehenge’s unique features. However, Carahunge is thought to be older than Stonehenge, with some estimates placing it around 5,500 BC.

·        ‘Vast areas of Ancient Armenia have not yet been explored by archaeologists.’ – Ancient Armenia was the cradle of early wine-making. So, I wondered if it had also been at the centre of an ancient network of international trade? Today, what was Ancient Armenia remains largely unexplored by archaeologists.

·        Noah’s Ark [‘NA’] & Gobekli Tepi [‘GT’].’ – GT is obviously not NA, i.e. it is not a boat. However, look at the animals that appear on the ancient stones at GT. They are not indigenous to the region in which GT is located. So, do the ancient stones at GT record any evidence, of the occurrence of a catastrophic flood in Antiquity. In other words, is GT linked to ancient accounts of Noah’s Ark, which according to ancient texts, came finally to rest, somehwere on Mount Ararat, which is located in the same region as GT?

·        ‘The 1,500 year old Sacred Zoroastrian Fire.’ – Zoroastrianism which preceded the three Abrahamic Religions is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion. In contrast to the three Abrahamic Religions, is also dualistic. Yet in the West, my guess is that most people know more about the wedding plans of Taylor Swift than they do about Zoroastrianism, even though a 1,500 year old Sacred Flame still burns in a Zoroastrian Temple today. The Sacred Zoroastrian Fire has never gone out since it was first lit in Antiquity. So, arguably this sacred flame, connects the present of humanity with our past.