Unusual Burial of an Adult Individual from the Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Armenia (preliminary announcement)

Anahit Yu. Khudaverdyan and Nyura G. Hakobyan

Published: 2025/06/01

Abstract

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has served as the administrative headquarters of the Armenian Church. During restoration work in June 2019, human remains from an ancient burial were discovered within the Cathedral, in an archaeological context dating back to the 4th century AD. The bones were examined using both macroscopic and microscopic analyses. One notable feature was the extensive burning observed on much of the individual's remains, although the cause of the burning remains unknown. The coloration of the burns ranged from black to white, indicating varying degrees of heat exposure, with some areas showing signs of calcination. Additionally, white, furry or "bloom"-like crystal formations were found on the bone surfaces. These are believed to result from salts carried by groundwater into the pores of the bone during burial, which then crystallize as the water evaporates.

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