After two days off, we spent most of our time today droning the remaining sites in the northern portion of the survey area. We began at the endangered/salvage sites of the Mirak sand mine cromlechs and the Mirak Medieval church (where human remains are eroding from the recent excavation scarp).
We then moved to Aragatsi Berd, where we droned the entire hill and then visited the kurgan cluster to the south. They are smaller than I remember, but I still believe they are burials. On only one was I able to find a good-looking cromlech, however.
At that point we made an extensive survey trip to examine the Sipan Canyon Road mountain pass to Spitak. There is a known LB/EB site near the village of Lernantsk, on the northern side of the pass, so we were investigating potential sites south of the pass and north of Aragatsi Berd. At the height of the crossing and on the eastern peak, we identified modern military constructions, of stone, and mining of the local andesite. These two features are likely connected. Other sites were not identified.
We completed the day by visiting the in-progress Gegharot Kurgan 06 and this year's lower Gegharot fortress excavations, where the drone was used for additional daily photos.