Armenia 🇦🇲 Day 3 of 4 day trip. Areni Cave, 10th July 2026

The Areni-1 cave complex, also known locally as the "Birds' Cave" ("Trchuneri" in Armenian), is a multi-chambered limestone karst cave system located in the Vayots Dzor Province of southern Armenia. Situated along the Arpa River, it is one of the most significant archaeological sites of the 21st century. A unique internal microclimate—characterized by stable, low humidity and thick layers of sheep dung—has provided exceptional anaerobic preservation of organic materials that are roughly 6,000 years old.

Our guide.

Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods (ca. 6400 BC – 3400 BC):

This was the peak period of activity in the cave. In ca. 4100 BC, early agriculturalists used the complex to establish the world's oldest known winery, complete with a pressing basin, fermentation vats, and grape residue. Archaeologists also found an incredibly well-preserved 5,500-year-old leather shoe, a straw skirt, ancient braided ropes, and woven textiles. The cave also served a sacred, ritualistic function, evidenced by preserved desiccated human brains and skulls placed inside ceremonial clay vessels.

Bronze and Iron Ages (ca. 3000 BC – 8th century BC):

Activity in the cave shifted, but the area surrounding it continued to grow into an important strategic settlement and military point connecting surrounding plains. Fortresses and castles were built on hills adjacent to the cave.

Hellenistic Period (ca. 200 BC – 200 AD): 

The region, a crucial trade junction, maintained active contact with the broader Middle East. Excavations in the complex yielded earrings and fragments of foreign and locally produced vessels from this era.Middle Ages (ca. 5th century AD – 18th century AD): The settlement of Areni was formally documented as early as the 5th century AD. The area flourished as a major military and trade junction. During this time, the cave was periodically used for habitation, storage, and even as a burial site, with Middle Age textile and carpet fragments found in its chambers.