Wed May 14
We are on our way to Noravank Gorge and Monastery.
Russian influence: Russian troops are in Armenia to patrol the border; Armenia is a member in the Russian sponsored trade zone; a substantial number of Armenians are guest workers in Russia; all Armenians seem to speak Russian. When you fly from Armenia to Moscow, you arrive at the domestic terminal.
Storks:
Iranians: Armenia caters to Iranians who visit from the southern border. They often come to indulge vices banned at home. They patronize the casinos on the edges of Yerevan and drink alcohol. Some, apparently, bring booze back. We saw stands selling wine in Coca Cola bottle along the road for the Iranian trade..
Noravank gorge:
At the end, Monastery church.
Lions were carved onto these tombs as a symbol of strength. But these lions seemed exceptionally unfierce.
The Areni cave was possibly the highlight of the trip. It is a
chalcolithic site (5000-4000BCE). The oldest shoe found to date was found
there. It is in the Archaeological Museum in Yerevan. Also the first wine
making. What made the site so exciting is that the excavations are complete,
and all the jars are still in situ.
We previously talked about fermentation in terra cotta pots in a Georgia post. This is the same method used here. Scads of pots of different sizes are dug into the cave (different social classes?). The wine press is next to the pots.
We remember Boris's dinner lecture suggesting cannabalism. Part of his evidence is butchered bones of teen age girls (which we do not see). DNA shows that they were all of the same family. More interesting is that the residue in the wine pots show DNA for microbes that only grow on humans. Thus, blood and wine were mixed, possibly pressed in the same wine press. It is stressed to us that this wine was clearly only for ritual purposes and not general drinking. Boris also found pieces of a skull that had been burnished. He is wondering whether this was a ritual skull cup.
We look forward to his publication.
We previously talked about fermentation in terra cotta pots in a Georgia post. This is the same method used here. Scads of pots of different sizes are dug into the cave (different social classes?). The wine press is next to the pots.
We remember Boris's dinner lecture suggesting cannabalism. Part of his evidence is butchered bones of teen age girls (which we do not see). DNA shows that they were all of the same family. More interesting is that the residue in the wine pots show DNA for microbes that only grow on humans. Thus, blood and wine were mixed, possibly pressed in the same wine press. It is stressed to us that this wine was clearly only for ritual purposes and not general drinking. Boris also found pieces of a skull that had been burnished. He is wondering whether this was a ritual skull cup.
We look forward to his publication.
Only half the group could visit the cave at one time. So, while we waited, we had a honey tasting. The man cut up a comb and gave us (quite large) pieces on a plate with a spoon. It was wildflower honey and very good. He also had a large Metaxa bottle with a spigot. He assured us it was filed with his own brandy which was very good.
We arrived at our guest house in Sisian, a decrepit town of 16,000 very close to the Iranian Border. It is fairly high up and a bit cool. Bruce managed to get a terrible haircut for about $1.50.
Our guesthouse is a bit bizarre, with a lot of colored neon lighting and furniture from the 70s that looks brand new. The food was not memorable.
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