Armenia
I visited Armenia as part of an IAEA mission to review the seismic hazard assessment for a new plant. It was an interesting place with incredibly interesting and unique geology. Our hosts were warm and generous people. A highlight for me was visiting the site of the 1988 Spitak Earthquake. Even all these years later, the highly linear and localized 1988 fault line, as well as dozens of others from earlier ruptures, is easily visible in the landscape.
Despite its focus on meat as the main part of a meal, it was incredibly easy to be a vegetarian there because they serve the meals in courses, with the first couple being vegetables and grains. They leave all the food on the table, so I would happy just eat the wide variety of veggies and ignore the subsequent red meats and fish. There is a lot of alcohol and toasting at Armenian dinner parties, which even have an official master of ceremonies who calls on people randomly to provide a toast.
Despite its focus on meat as the main part of a meal, it was incredibly easy to be a vegetarian there because they serve the meals in courses, with the first couple being vegetables and grains. They leave all the food on the table, so I would happy just eat the wide variety of veggies and ignore the subsequent red meats and fish. There is a lot of alcohol and toasting at Armenian dinner parties, which even have an official master of ceremonies who calls on people randomly to provide a toast.
- Noravak Monestary
- Yerevan
- Spitak earthquake region
- Lake Sevan
- Temple of Garni
- Countryside, columnar basalt, and Metsamor
Noravak Monestary
Noravank (founded 1205) sits in a narrow tall gorge made by the Amaghu River near Yeghegnadzor. The monastery is best known for its two-storey church named Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), which grants access to the second floor by way of a narrow stone-made staircase jutting out from the face of building. The last of these pictures is of Mount Ararat, which is fabled to be the mountain upon which Noah’s arc landed. I’m not sure I buy the whole arc story. However, the mountain definitely hums with a very special energy.
Noravank (founded 1205) sits in a narrow tall gorge made by the Amaghu River near Yeghegnadzor. The monastery is best known for its two-storey church named Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God), which grants access to the second floor by way of a narrow stone-made staircase jutting out from the face of building. The last of these pictures is of Mount Ararat, which is fabled to be the mountain upon which Noah’s arc landed. I’m not sure I buy the whole arc story. However, the mountain definitely hums with a very special energy.
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Gorge
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Road in
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Monestary map
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Small sanctury
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Small sanctary
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Carving
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Small out-building
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The local tour guide
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Beautify ornament in the small museum
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Grave marker
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Grave markers
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Main church
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Antonio and Tom
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Ornamental stones
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Main church building
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Local traffic
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Mount Ararat
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capitol city of Aremenia and the town in which we stayed. However, we spent most of our time woking and visiting the outlying regions. I found the city nice enough, but it seemed to have an undercurrent of Russian domination. All in all, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.
Yerevan is the capitol city of Aremenia and the town in which we stayed. However, we spent most of our time woking and visiting the outlying regions. I found the city nice enough, but it seemed to have an undercurrent of Russian domination. All in all, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.
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Downtown Yerevan
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Downtown Yerevan
Spitak Earthquake Rupture Zone
The first photo shows my friend, seismologist Tom Rockwell, in front of the 1988 rupture. The landscape is literally striated with multiple rupture planes. There is a massive graveyard (compared to the size of the town) and the town itself really hasn’t recovered. The earthquake occurred when Aremenia was part of the USSR and the lack of help from the Soviets as people literally froze and starved to death was an initiator of the later fight against soviet control. The whole situation makes your heart hurt.
The first photo shows my friend, seismologist Tom Rockwell, in front of the 1988 rupture. The landscape is literally striated with multiple rupture planes. There is a massive graveyard (compared to the size of the town) and the town itself really hasn’t recovered. The earthquake occurred when Aremenia was part of the USSR and the lack of help from the Soviets as people literally froze and starved to death was an initiator of the later fight against soviet control. The whole situation makes your heart hurt.
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Tom at 1988 rupture
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Older ruptures
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Older ruptures
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View of large graveyard
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world. The lake is recovering from soviet era projects that significantly modified it. There is a The ninth-century Hayravank Monastery on the western shore and a handful of small tourist stands on the hike up.
Lake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater high-altitude lakes in the world. The lake is recovering from soviet era projects that significantly modified it. There is a The ninth-century Hayravank Monastery on the western shore and a handful of small tourist stands on the hike up.
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Lake view
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Local painter
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Paintings for sale
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Carvings
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Hayravank Monastery
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Carvings
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Carvings
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Carvings
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Prayer bushes
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Hayravank Monastery
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Outbuildng
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A tiny me
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More venders
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The lake is still recovering
Temple of Garni
According to Wikipedia, the Temple of Garni is a reconstructed classical Hellenistic temple near Garni, Armenia. It is the only "Greco-Roman colonnaded building" in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. It is the best-known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia. Nearby is the columnar basalt region shown in the next gallery.
According to Wikipedia, the Temple of Garni is a reconstructed classical Hellenistic temple near Garni, Armenia. It is the only "Greco-Roman colonnaded building" in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. It is the best-known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia. Nearby is the columnar basalt region shown in the next gallery.
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Temple of Garni
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Temple of Garni
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Temple stones and views
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Altar
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Carvings
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Temple views
Countryside, columnar basalt and Metsamor
This gallery is a mashup of pictures from various field trips and shows some of the unique geology of Armenia. What I wasn’t able to capture is how some of the road cuts sparkle from the obsidian found in many places of the country.
This gallery is a mashup of pictures from various field trips and shows some of the unique geology of Armenia. What I wasn’t able to capture is how some of the road cuts sparkle from the obsidian found in many places of the country.
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Landscape
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Landscape
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Canyons of columnar basalt from above (view of Temple of Garni)
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Columnar basalt
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Columnar basalt
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Columnar basalt
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Me
Photo by Tom Rockwell
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Capers growing wild
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Near Metsamor
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Metsamor from afar