Dr. Stone Expedition in Armenia



Tombstone embedded in Water Mill Floor

Stamped design on pottery fragments (13th-14th century)

Report no. 10. 01/05/11 Study of Jewish Cemetery in Eghegis sponsored by Charles and Agnes Kazarian Eternal Fund and support of the Ben Tzvi Institute for Study of Oriental Jewish Communities, the Foundation for Biblical Archeology, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

1. Friday am M. Stone, D. Amit, S. Bishop met with "Virtual Armenia" project team. We examined photographs of tombstones in their collection. Patterns of cooperation were explored and await further execution.

2. Hussig Melkonian returned from the additional day's work in Eghegis. No new finds of tombstones were made. Most of the bank of earth by the third water-mill was excavated. Plans were laid for further excavation by the Armenian team for one month on the site and security and other requirements were considered. The work of the expedition in Armenia is now concluded. Reports will be posted from time to time as work in Jerusalem continues and as the additional month's work by Hussig Melkonian and his team is carried out.



Copying of an inscription off a tombstone

Excavation of 13th-14th century water mill

Poem by Michael Stone:

 
On the Road from Eghegis.

Driving back on a spring evening
past Ararat, through the plain,
where flat fields reach Massis's
foothills blue with flowers.

Cardboard silhouette cows
lead cowherders cross bridges,
And red yellow apple pyramids
vie with leis of small red fruit
at stalls.

On the left Ararat is
cloaked in black grey clouds,
A snowy shoulder peeking out
Of its tenebrous dress.

Ahead, a darkened horizon,
As nightfall comes,
Dark grey clouds enshroud,
with trailing skirts of rain,
And peepholes of golden light
Streaming down.

To the right, Aragats, snowy, round and long,
With its clouds tailing off
From sheets of grey scrim screen,
To blue.
Flat-bottomed white clouds hang glued,
to the right of Ara's mount
And the sky is suddenly blue over the hills.

Yerevan is still invisible.

© M.E. Stone, 2001

 




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