Shengavit settlement

Location: Yerevan
Date of foundation: IV-II millennium BC e.
Working days: Tue-Sun
Opening hours: 10:30-16:30

Settlement Shengavit is one of the most prominent archaeological monuments of Armenia of early Bronze Age. It is located in the South-Western part of Yerevan city, on the left bank of the Hrazdan River. The hill has surface of 6 ha and is situated 30 m above the Hrazdan River level.
Shengavit has convenient location; first of all it is provided by the River Hrazdan, an inexhaustible source of food and water. Here there was a wide variety of fish, including lake fish. The river was equipped with dams; as a consequence artificial lakes emerged, where the fish inhabited. Shengavit is unique for its food storages. Here depository of whaet, housing 4 tons of crops was found. The storage, opened in the depository, could feed 1000 people during a year.
The very settlement consists of 4 cultural and archaeological layers, built one on the other, with the difference of 4 meters. The 1 level was Late Neolith (3500-3000), the 2 level – Early Eolith (3000-2700), the 3 level – Middle Eolith (2600-2300) and the 4 level Late Eolith (2300-2000).
As a result of the excavations shelters and household buildings without any concrete plan were found, with irregular location and curve passages; a crypt was opened as well. Huge number of spears and hacks were found in the territory; they are made of bones of goats and sheep, which tells about the well-developed cater breeding. The existence of the findings proves that people of this settlement lead sedentary way of life, developed agriculture and reprocessed crops. In the territory remnant of burned corn were found. Of great importance are basalt items and stone equipment for corn milling.
Due to the findings museum Shengavit was opened, a branch of “Erebuni” historical-archaeological museum-reserve. In 2003 the museum was renamed historical-archaeological reserve “Shengavit”. Some part of the materials, found in the territory of the settlement, today is kept in the History Museum of Armenia of Yerevan city.