Scattered across a wind-swept hilltop above the Vorotan River gorge, Carahunge — also known as Zorats Karer, meaning "army stones" — is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in the world. Some 223 basalt stones stand or lean across roughly seven hectares, arranged in circles, rows, and a central avenue that aligns with key solar and stellar events. The scale surprises visitors: the main concentration alone stretches over two hundred metres, dwarfing the mental image most people carry from pictures.
What sets Carahunge apart from other megalithic sites is the evidence of deliberate astronomical engineering. Dozens of the stones have holes bored cleanly through them at precise angles — not decorative, but functional, designed to frame specific stars or constellations at particular times of year. Combined with polished obsidian mirrors found nearby, these apertures allowed observers to track celestial bodies with a precision that researchers did not expect to find in the IV–III millennium BC. The site predates Stonehenge by several thousand years, and appears to have been a working astronomical instrument as much as a ceremonial space.
In summer, Armenian university students volunteer at the site both to explain it and to protect it. Petroglyphs and inscriptions have suffered from "New Age" visitors who have attempted to add their own marks to ancient stones, and the volunteers are there in part to prevent that. They are worth talking to — they know the current research and are generally enthusiastic about sharing it. Outside of summer, the site is usually deserted and entirely unguarded, which makes it simultaneously more atmospheric and more vulnerable.
Getting here requires a short detour from the main road near Sisian. The turnoff is signposted, and the last few kilometres are on a rough track. A regular car can manage it in dry conditions; after rain, it can be muddy. Allow a couple of hours to walk the site properly — it is larger than it looks from the entrance, and the outlying stones reward the extra walking.