When stones speak: New monograph "Petroglyphs of Armenia" unveils 140  years of rock art history

ArmInfo. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Armenia has announced the publication of a landmark monograph titled "Petroglyphs of Armenia," authored by Karen Tokhatyan, a senior researcher at the Institute of History. It reveals the 140-year history of the discovery and study of rock art in the country.

As reported to ArmInfo by the press service of the NAS of Armenia,  the work serves as a comprehensive culmination of nearly 40 years of  field research, documenting the evolution of rock carvings across the  Armenian Highland from ancient times to the present day. The  monograph meticulously tracks the history of petroglyph studies in  Armenia, which began over a century ago. Tokhatyan's research aims to  illuminate the complex patterns and developmental stages of stone  carving, treating these ancient etchings not merely as art, but as a  vital medium of prehistoric communication.

 "Rock art, which has emerged in Armenia since ancient times, has  been preserved for us as a means of communication, ensuring the  connection between generations, the continuity of life experience,  ways of thinking, and culture, conveying the mystery of the past  through unique iconography," Tokhatyan noted.

The book's documentary historiographical basis includes five primary  sources. It delves into the examination of approximately 6,000  petroglyphs, found at 80 out of the 85 known ancient sites in  Armenia, Artsakh, and Nakhichevan. Nearly 6,000 rock art carvings,  discovered and documented between 1986 and 2025, were examined. Of  these, 3,500 are in the Geghama Mountains, 1,000 are on Aragats, 750  are on the Texara mountain peak, 500 are in the mountains of Syunik  and Karvachar, and about 250 drawings are situated in the flat  lowlands of the Armenian plateau.