The Noratus Khachkar Field

A khachkar is a slab of stone carved with a cross surrounded by an increasingly elaborate lacework of interlace, rosettes and vegetal ornament, and the art of making them is recognised by UNESCO as intangible heritage; no two are the same, and their carving is one of the defining Armenian art forms. Noratus holds the largest field of them left, roughly nine hundred stones standing in an old cemetery in a meadow above Lake Sevan, ranging from the ninth century onwards, weathered to grey and orange with lichen and leaning at angles. Some carry scenes as well as ornament, including a wedding feast and a man with a wine jug. Sheep graze between them and there is no fence, no ticket and usually nobody there, which is much of the appeal.

What you'll find

• The khachkar field - some nine hundred carved cross-stones in the meadow.
• The carved scenes - stones showing feasts, figures and daily life.
• The lichen and weathering - centuries of orange and grey growth on the stone.
• Lake Sevan below - the great highland lake beyond the cemetery.

When to go

May to October, as this is high country at nearly two thousand metres and winter is severe; the light on the stones is best early and late. It is an easy stop on the way round Lake Sevan and takes an hour or so.

Practical notes

There is no infrastructure at all, no ticket office, signage or facilities, which is either the charm or a frustration; a guide or some reading beforehand is what turns weathered slabs into legible art. The ground is uneven and grazed. Local women sometimes offer knitwear at the gate, which is worth a purchase.

Nearby

Sevanavank monastery is on the lake's northern shore; Dilijan lies over the pass.