Արենիի քարանձավ

Areni-1 Cave - Areni Cave - T'rchuneri Cave - Bird Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Areni, 3604, str. 45., #6, RA, Vayots dzor. (39.731570, 45.202740)
Open:	All year daily 10-19. [2021]
Fee:	Adults AMD 1000. [2019]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=20 min.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Areni-1 Cave, Areni, 3604, str. 45., #6, RA, Vayots dzor, Tel: +374-55-514008, Cell: +374-555-14008. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

2007	archaeological excavation by an Armenian-Irish excavation team.
2008	archeologist Diana Zardaryan of the Institute of Archaeology discovers the earliest known shoe.
2010	further excavations.
2011	earliest known winery in the world uncovered in the cave.

Description

Արենիի քարանձավ (Areni Cave) is a complex of three small caves, which are a famous archaeological site. They are located at the foot of a cliff above the Arpa River in southern Armenia near the town of Areni. Copper Age artifacts including the oldest "shoe, brain, and winery" in the world wer found here. The sewn leather shoe from the Copper Age is the oldest example of its kind in existence. Older sandals and other primitive footwear have been discovered though. The findings also included an ancient wine press, which is the earliest proof of wine-making ever found. Also, a number of burial sites dating to the Neolithic (7000-6000 BP) were excavated.