During the soviet period, research was conducted in late 1960ies and then continued in 1990ies, after the USSR decline. Over the past three years, French and Armenian archeologists have been exploring the territory under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France.

“We are trying to discover the way of life of that period. Erebuni has always been represented as a monumental construction. Now, we are exploring the field which was not given proper attention before,” French archeologist François Fichet Clairfontaine says.

Currently, works are being carried out near the Khaldi Temple (The Temple of Hayk, the supreme deity of Van Kingdom).

“We suppose this section ended with a gate, an additional entrance to the Khaldi Temple, with a pebbled path leading to it. Right to it, we found a drainage system (the beginning of which is still undiscovered). Later, we presume, a wall and a construction (a shed resting on a column) were erected instead of the gate. This is what we are trying to examine. We suppose that it was a kind of ritual spot,” the archeologist continues.

“Possibly, the drainage system had something to do with the offering. Bones of a sheep were found in the wall niche. Several stairs were leading to the table of oblation. We want to restore the picture of the past. Excavations are carried our extremely cautiously. Each artifact is given a detailed examination. The research will be continued next year.”