Long-lost Medieval Spring Uncovered at 17th-century Tatev Monastery
Archaeologists have uncovered a medieval water spring at the Great Monastery of Tatev, a structure whose exact location had remained unknown for more than a century, Armenia’s History and Cultural Heritage Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports reported.
The spring was mentioned by 19th-century authors, including ethnographer Yervand Lalayan, but its precise location had long remained uncertain because most of the structure had been buried beneath a thick layer of soil.
The discovery was made during archaeological excavations carried out in 2026 by an expedition of the History and Cultural Heritage Research Center led by Armen Nalbandyan. The excavations were based on the descriptions of architect Murad Hasratyan.
According to the researchers, the medieval spring is notable for both its engineering and artistic design.
The structure has now been fully excavated and is accessible to visitors to Great Hermitage of Tatev, a 17th-century Armenian monastery located in the Vorotan river valley in Syunik Province.
The announcement was made by the History and Cultural Heritage Research Center, a non-commercial organization operating under Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
According to legend the site of the spring appeared as a mircle to a monk who fasted there, praying for a sign the location was worthy for a monestary. The water that burst from the ground formed the spring that sustained the hermitage for centuries. Locals long regarded its waters as holy.
