Azhdahak (volcano)

Azhdahak (Armenian: Աժդահակ) is a volcano in Armenia, the highest point of Gegham mountains. It has an elevation of 3,597 m above sea. It is part of the Ghegam Ridge volcanic field, which last erupted at 1900 BC ± 1000 years.[1]

Mount Azhdahak
Mount Azhdahak
Highest point
Elevation3,597 m (11,801 ft)
Coordinates40°13′33″N 44°56′50″E 
Geography
Mount Azhdahak
Location in Armenia
LocationGegharkunik Province, Armenia
Parent rangeArmenian Highlands

There is a lake in the crater of volcano Azhdahak that is formed from melting snow. From the top of the mountain opens the pictorial landscape of mountains Ararat, Hatis, Ara, Aragats, Lake Sevan, the whole Gegham mountains and the Kotayk valley.

In the surroundings of Azhdahak there is a lake, Akna (Armenian: Ակնալիճ Aknalich), of volcanic origin. “Akn” means "spring (water)" in Armenian.

Geology

The compound slag cone of Azhdahak, figures as a large strewn structure up to 1600m in diameter and about 370m high. The total area of volcano lavas, partly eroded and overlapped by the streams of Tar is around 8 square km. The cone is formed with slags, lapilli, sands, ashes, debris, lava boulders, slag, twisting, composite and spindle-shaped volcanic bombs.

Fauna and flora

Bird fauna of Gegham Mountain Range includes about 250 species, what makes up 70% of all Armenia's avifauna. Stony slopes are an irreplaceable habitat for birds of prey, such as:

On the snow-covered slopes, traces of brown bear (Ursus arctos) are often found.

For the area of Gegham Mountains and surroundings of Azhdahak are typically found the following plants:

Rock carvings

A great number of petroglyphs – rock-carvings has been found in the surroundings of Azhdahak. Most images depict men in scenes of hunting and fighting, as well as astronomical bodies and phenomena: the Sun, the Moon, constellations, the stellar sky, lightning, etc.

Settlements near Azhdahak

In Gegham mountains are engaged the cattle breeding people called Yazidi – one of national minorities of Armenia, who move to the mountains for the summer and live in tents with families and even with infants. The Yazidis are an ethno-confessional group, whose main identity is religion; Yazidism or Sharfadin. Nomadic stockbreeding is their major occupation. The Yazidi society is a caste system including three main components: the Shaykhs, the Pirs (clergy) and murids (laymen).

Tourism and hiking

The beauty of the Azhdahak surroundings have long attracted tourists. However, the probability of running across each other different hiking groups is insignificant. It depends on the remoteness from the civilization, orientation complexities, that aggravate with weather condition factors, such as: thunder and lightning, hail and snow, fog with visibility down to 2-3m.

References
  • Top-pliocene of quaternary volcanos of Armenia SSR, Volcanoes of Gegham and Vardenis volcanic areas, A.E. Kocharyan, K.G. Shirinyan.
  • The Ethnic Minorities of Armenia, G. Asatryan and V. Arakelova.
  • Handbook of Birds of Armenia, Martin S. Adamyan and Daniel Klem, Jr., American University of Armenia, 1999, ISBN 978-0965742931; and the article "Khosrov forest reserve" by Martin S. Adamyan
  • The Alpine Vegetative Cover of Armenia, S.A. Baloyan.
  1. "Global Volcanism Program - Ghegam Ridge". Volcano.si.edu. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
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