Researchers who analysed 115 carved pillar monuments across the Armenian highlands argue the vishaps—animal-shaped pillars dating to more than 6,000 years ago—were associated with an ancient cult that venerated water. The pillars, carved from local andesite or basalt and measuring 1.1–5.5 m, cluster near springs, irrigation channels and snowmelt streams. A clear bimodal altitude pattern (around 1,900 m and 2,700 m) and variation in motifs by elevation suggest ritual placement linked to environmental zones and seasonal pastoral movements.
6,000-Year-Old 'Dragon Stones' in Armenia Linked to an Ancient Water Cult, Study Finds
Giant stone monuments older than Stonehenge were built by an ancient ‘water cult’, archaeologists say
New research suggests that the monumental carved pillars scattered across the Armenian highlands were shaped and erected by communities who venerated water. Known locally as vishaps, these animal-shaped monoliths date to more than 6,000 years ago—almost a millennium before Stonehenge—and are found across mountainous areas of Armenia and neighboring regions.
What the Stones Are
The vishaps range from about 1.1 m to 5.5 m in height and were carved from local volcanic rocks such as andesite and basalt. They occur at elevations between roughly 1,000 m and 3,000 m above sea level. Their carved motifs fall into three broad types: fish, stretched cattle hides, and hybrid forms combining those motifs.
What the Study Did
This is the first large-scale, systematic analysis of these monuments across the Armenian highlands. Researchers compiled and analyzed data for 115 vishaps using GIS mapping, 3D modelling and statistical methods to study spatial distribution, elevation patterns, and proximity to environmental features.
Key Findings
The analysis revealed clear placement patterns. Vishaps cluster predominantly near water sources—high-altitude springs, ancient irrigation channels, streams fed by snowmelt and, in some cases, volcanic craters—supporting the interpretation that the monuments are linked to beliefs or rituals centered on water as a vital resource.
Vishap in Armenia (NPJ Heritage Science 2025)
“The findings support the hypothesis that vishaps were closely associated with an ancient water cult as they are predominantly situated near water sources,” the authors write in NPJ Heritage Science.
Researchers also identified a striking bimodal altitude distribution: most pillars fall into two bands, one centered near ~1,900 m and another around ~2,700 m above sea level. Because transporting and erecting massive stones at higher elevations would have required substantial labor, the authors infer that these placements carried strong cultural or ritual significance.
Interpretation
Scientists propose the altitude clustering reflects different environmental zones and the seasonal movements of pastoral communities. For example, fish-shaped vishaps are more common at the highest elevations near springs fed by melting snow, while hide-shaped stones tend to appear lower down where water was used for agriculture and irrigation.
Although how prehistoric communities hauled and set these heavy monoliths across difficult terrain remains uncertain, the study provides the strongest regional evidence yet that water-related ritual practices shaped the location and form of these remarkable prehistoric sculptures.
Publication: The study was published in NPJ Heritage Science and draws on archaeological field records, remote sensing and statistical analysis of vishap distribution across the highlands.
