The Zorats‘ Complex. An Archaeological Stratigraphic Description

The fortified monastic complex of Zorats‘, located on a hill east of Yeghegis, stands as a significant architectural and historical landmark. This study analyses its evolution over time, focusing on masonry stratigraphy and structural development. The research identifies the church’s five major construction phases from the late ninth century through its fourteenth-century construction, later modifications, collapse, and restoration in 1971–1972. Stratigraphic analysis of the Zorats‘ Church – an exceptional structure built under the patronage of Prince Burt‘el Ōrbēlean and Bishop Step‘anos-Tarsayich – reveals distinct construction techniques, including methods to achieve stability. This analytic approach, while shedding light on medieval Armenian architectural practices, regional socio-economic dynamics, and the importance of this monastic complex, expands discourse on the conservation of medieval ecclesiastical architecture and heritage.