Excavations in the territory of Yerevan Children’s Park

At the end of autumn 2021, during construction work on the territory of the Children’s Park, located in the administrative territory of the Kentron community of Yerevan, traces of brick structures, fragments of household and construction ceramics were discovered.
In December 2021, on recommendation of the Ministry of ESCS, the expedition of the Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural Heritage (head of the expedition Meri Safaryan) carried out rescue and research excavations on the territory of the Yerevan Children’s Park. Previously, this part of old Yerevan, “Gantar”, with adjacent shops and buildings. Among the rich archaeological material, smoking pipes occupy a special place (restorer S. Khalikyan, illustrator T. Hmayakyan).
On the mouthpiece of one of the red-brown smoking pipes with a polished surface, Arabic script is tattooed. According to the Arabist Tigran Mikaelyan, this word is pronounced “Razi” in Persian, and “Radi” in Arabic. It is a personal name that means pleasant, beloved or pleased.
The other two, also red-brown, have a polished surface and nut-shaped heads. At the base, in an oval medallion, is a stamping with an inscription in Armenian letters under the sign of honour – (M. T.).
According to the analysis of lithographer Khachik Arutyunyan, this postscript stands for M[AR]T[IROS]. It can be assumed that Martiros was a famous pipe maker in his time, and his products were in great demand.
Considering the chronology of the structures and discovered as a result of excavations in the Children’s Park, we can date our findings to the 19th-20th centuries. The fact that our excavations were carried out in the area of the largest market in Yerevan at that time, Gantar, where food products (including meat products) and household items (imported and local dishes, various household items, luxury items, etc.) were sold in various departments, and small workshops (tinsmiths, metallurgists, etc.) operated, allows us not to exclude the presence of a smoking pipe kiosk here. This explains the presence of smoking pipes with similar stampings found in different parts of Armenia.
Quite a rich material was found in small areas: various fragments of pottery and water jars made of yellowish clay and covered with yellow clay solution, used from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century, fragments of jugs or jars, fragments of quite interesting vessels imported from abroad: earthenware and porcelain.
A silver coin from the Soviet era, dated 1923 (Petrograd), was also found in the area. Fragments of various glazed, earthenware and porcelain vessels are of interest.
The finds and excavations carried out by the expedition of the Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural Heritage were covered in the series of programs “Under the Open Sky”.
Details are presented in the video material.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CuJnOKVbi4