Today's work was undertaken under cloudy skies and rather "cool" conditions--60s and 70s F. We are working to complete the northern survey sector next to Aparan (Ar/Ni).
Our transects initially revealed a cyclopean fortress and settlement complex situated 800m northwest of Aparani Berd. Numerous enclosures and terracing walls stitched these two architectural assemblages into a single general component.
As we proceeded eastwards with additional transects, however, we encountered an additional cyclopean fortress (Nigaberd 03, Ar/Ni.AG15.39) and it became clear that almost every E-W ridge in this river-proximate portion of the survey area hosted masoned rooms, terraces, and enclosures, creating a massive fortified landscape that extends from directly east of Aparani Berd across the Kasakh, more than one kilometer to the northwest. Even the very rims of the gorge here featured massive room spaces.
The area south of this region featured a number of Soviet sprinkler heads and other irrigation features, as well as a general archaeological hiatus, suggesting more intensive amelioration. Several burial clusters in this portion of the survey area have yet to be associated with a definitive settlement or fortress.
Tomorrow we should be able to complete this portion of the survey area in the AM.