9 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

6th-Century BC Houses and Earthquake Evidence Discovered in Davti Blur, an Urartian Fortress City in Armenia

An Armenian-Polish archaeological team has uncovered remnants of 6th-century BC houses, a cremation cemetery, and signs of a significant earthquake at the ancient site of Davti Blur in Armenia.

Excavations at Davti Blur, located in Nor Armavir, resumed in October 2024 after a long hiatus as part of a new Armenian-Polish research project. The initiative is led by Dr. Mateusz Iskra from the Mediterranean Archaeology Center at the University of Warsaw and Hasmik Simonyan from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, along with the Cultural Heritage Protection and Museum Reserves Service.

Translated as “David’s Hill,” this site is a testament to the historical grandeur of the Kingdom of Urartu and offers invaluable insights into the cultural and architectural legacy of a civilization that flourished in the South Caucasus millennia ago.

Davti Blur is part of the ancient settlement of Argisztihinili, established in 774 BC. During the 8th and 7th centuries BC, this site served as a vital administrative and economic hub of the Kingdom of Urartu. Among its remarkable structures are a well-preserved citadel and a residential district, which, according to earlier studies, housed substantial dwellings belonging to the local elite.

General view of excavating the fortress city at Davti Blur, Armenia. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation
General view of excavating the fortress city at Davti Blur, Armenia. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation

Recent excavations have unveiled remnants of houses dating back to the 6th century BC, a period marking the decline of the Kingdom of Urartu. The walls of these structures, impressively thick at nearly 1.5 meters, have been remarkably preserved. Moreover, excavations revealed fragments of floors belonging to two rooms, whose exact purposes remain undetermined.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



 “These were not fortification walls but rather the walls of two residential houses, which turned out to be very well preserved,” Dr. Mateusz Iskra described.

Surprisingly, the archaeologists also discovered evidence of a cremation cemetery. “The deceased were cremated, and their fragmented bones, along with parts of the funeral pyre and ornaments, were placed in urns. These urns were typically covered with a shallow dish and placed in rock niches, covered with a thin layer of soil,” Dr. Iskra detailed.

As a result, such artifacts are relatively easy to uncover, even for amateur treasure hunters. The team found evidence of illegal activity, including scattered and broken urns and smaller artifacts at the former cemetery site.

Remains of houses from the 6th century BC found in the fortress city of the kingdom of Urartu. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation
Remains of houses from the 6th century BC found in the fortress city of the kingdom of Urartu. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation

Despite the damage inflicted by looters and metal detectors, researchers successfully recovered several intact artifacts, including an urn adorned with a decorative plate, which has been preliminarily dated to the first half of the 7th century BC. Additionally, a variety of metal items associated with the clothing of the deceased were also uncovered.

“We managed to find an intact urn covered with a stamped dish. Thanks to the distinctive pottery mark, we can already date this burial to the first half of the 7th century BC,” Dr. Iskra stated.

A team from the University of Warsaw’s Department of Geology, led by Professor Barbara Woronko, also worked on-site. Preliminary investigations revealed fault lines characteristic of an earthquake. Initial data suggest that this was a highly destructive and powerful event, but it is too early to determine its exact timing.

Findings made in the fortress city of the kingdom of Urartu. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation
Findings made in the fortress city of the kingdom of Urartu. Credit: Matthew Iskra / Davti Blur Excavation

The second season of excavations is planned for May and June 2025. Hasmik Simonyan announced that the researchers aim to continue mapping the site.

Simonyan highlighted the ambitious vision of transforming Davti Blur into a vibrant archaeological reserve that welcomes tourists, complemented by educational programs designed to foster a deeper appreciation among the Armenian population for the significance of preserving their rich cultural heritage.

PAP

Cover Image Credit: Dr. Mateusz Iskra. Research at the Davti Blur site.

Related Articles

Famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass Wants to See Hieroglyphs as an İntegral Part of The Curriculum

23 February 2021

23 February 2021

The Egyptian council of ministers is discussing the introduction of archaeological and tourist materials in the education curriculum to help...

The two sarcophagi discovered beneath Notre Dame start to reveal their secrets

12 December 2022

12 December 2022

The owner of one of the two sarcophagi that were found in an excavation at the intersection of Notre Dame...

A 7,500-year-old settlement has been discovered in Turkey’s Domuztepe Mound

11 September 2021

11 September 2021

During the most recent excavations at Domuztepe Mound in the Türkoğlu district of southern Turkey’s Kahramanmaraş province, a settlement and...

New Archaeological Discoveries in Abu Dhabi shed light on Umm an-Nar Bronze Age culture (2700-2000 BCE)

1 February 2024

1 February 2024

New findings demonstrate the resilience and inventiveness of local Bronze Age societies (Umm an-Nar Bronze Age culture), as well as...

Poland’s largest megalithic cemetery discovered

3 March 2021

3 March 2021

Archaeologists excavated in Poland discovered a large megalithic complex, including dozens of tombs dating back 5,500 years. The site was...

Archeologists in Peru find a 1,000-year-old adolescent mummy wrapped in bundle

25 April 2023

25 April 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed a more than 1,000-year-old mummy on the outskirts of Peru’s capital, Lima. The mummified adolescent was wrapped...

More evidence shows Vikings came to North America before Columbus

22 May 2023

22 May 2023

Although the discovery of North America is synonymous with Christopher Columbus, new research reveals that Viking sailors landed on the...

Scientists have discovered an ancient cemetery of flying reptiles roaming the Atacama desert of Chile 100 million years ago

7 April 2022

7 April 2022

In Chile, an unusual cemetery has been discovered that contains the well-preserved remains of prehistoric flying reptiles that flew over...

“Oracle Bone Inscriptions”, the world’s oldest writing system that has not disappeared in history

5 June 2023

5 June 2023

“Jiaguwen,” or the oracle bone inscriptions, are thought to be the earliest fully-developed characters as well as the source of...

Remnants of ancient fire temple discovered in heart of Alborz mountains in Iran

26 June 2021

26 June 2021

An Iranian archaeology team has discovered relics of an ancient fire temple in Savadkuh county, located in the center of...

2,500-Year-Old Burial Site in Negev Highlands Reveals Ancient Trade Routes and Evidence of Human Trafficking

5 February 2025

5 February 2025

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday the discovery of a 2,500-year-old burial site in the Negev Highlands. This significant...

Archaeologists discovered 130 dwellings around the Ringheiligtum Pömmelte monument “German Stonehenge”

15 June 2021

15 June 2021

Archaeologists have unearthed 130 dwellings at an Early Bronze Age monument in Germany, indicating that the ‘Stonehenge’ was once home...

3,000-Year-Old leather Shoe discovered On A Beach In Kent, UK

26 February 2023

26 February 2023

A Bronze Age relic found on a Kent beach is believed to be the oldest shoe ever found in the...

Archaeological excavations unearthed the first great Iberian city in Contestania and the oldest one

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists from the University of Alicante and the University of Murcia “Damas y Héroes. In the project “Tras la Ilici...

Bronze Age Treasure Found in Swedish Forests

30 April 2021

30 April 2021

A man who studied the forest to make a map for the orienteering club in western Sweden made an incredible...