Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable artifacts at the ancient Metsamor archaeological site in Armenia’s Armavir Province, including gold earrings, a decorative button, a coin depicting Roman Emperor Augustus, and a bronze dagger, according to Armenia’s Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reservations.
The discoveries span several historical periods, from the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age to classical antiquity, revealing the site’s long history of occupation and burial practices.
Excavations conducted in 2026 have exposed multiple burial layers within a large stone tomb surrounded by a circular stone structure approximately 20 meters in diameter. The earliest burial dates to the 14th–13th centuries BC and contains horse bones, pottery fragments, bronze ornaments, and a Lchashen-type dagger.
An additional burial dates to the Iron Age, while an upper burial layer, uncovered during earlier excavations, contained gold jewelry and a coin associated with Augustus, who ruled the Roman Empire from 27 BC to AD 14. Artifacts from this later burial date to the first century AD.
Located approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Yerevan, Metsamor was an important settlement and metallurgical center during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Archaeological excavations have been conducted there since 1965, uncovering evidence of sophisticated metalworking, trade connections, and urban development.
The latest findings provide further evidence that the burial complex was used and reused across many centuries, offering valuable insights into the changing cultural traditions and funerary practices of ancient communities in the Armenian Highlands.
