Octagonal Christian Church from 4th Century AD Uncovered in Armenia

Armenia’s storied tryst with Christianity continues. The country that was the first to officially adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 AD, has now added a new discovery from the ancient city of Artaxata, showing a previously unknown early Christian church! The church consists of an octagonal building with cruciform extensions, a design aligning with early Christian memorial structures.

Octogonal Churches and Eary Christian Symbolism

In the cross-shaped extensions, researchers uncovered remnants of wooden platforms that have been radiocarbon dated to the mid-4th century AD, firmly placing this church within a critical period of early Christian history, reports Universitat Munster.

“Octagonal churches were unknown here until now, but we are very familiar with them from the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century AD,” said Dr Mkrtich H. Zardaryan of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

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One of the annexes of the church with a wooden podium. (© Armenian-German Artaxata Project)

Conducting geophysical surveys, the discovery was made by a joint German-Armenian team consisting of archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster.

“The 4th century building is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country – sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” added Professor Achim Lichtenberger of the University of Münster.

The building, with a diameter of roughly 30 meters (98.42 feet), is represented by a simple mortar floor and terracotta roof tiles. From marble fragments found at the site, the archaeologists have learnt that the church was once lavishly adorned with Mediterranean marble.

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An Armenian-German team excavating the ancient city of Artaxata has discovered the oldest archaeologically documented church in Armenia. The octagonal building rested on imposing pillars. (© Armenian-German Artaxata Project)

Christianity Reaches Artaxata: Initial Resistance Paves Way for Adoption

The ancient city of Artaxata, once the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia under the Artaxiad and Arsacid dynasties, was a vital cultural and political hub in the Hellenistic period, reports Arkeonews. It is likely that this church was related to the spread of early Christianity in the period, considering the deep-rooted local traditions tied to the faith.

According to tradition, Christianity first reached this region in the 1st century AD, brought by the apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus. These early missionary efforts were met with both acceptance and resistance, as Armenia was a crossroads between powerful pagan empires such as Persia and Rome.

The spread of Christianity was slow and sporadic during this time, largely confined to small, scattered communities, while majority Armenians practiced paganism. Despite this, Christianity gradually gained followers, and its influence began to grow, particularly through underground networks of believers who practiced their faith in secret due to fear of persecution from local rulers and pagan authorities.

According to Armenian legend, it was in Artaxata that Gregory the Illuminator converted King Tiridates III to Christianity in 301 AD, making Armenia the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The Armenian Apostolic Church, a historical institution, began developing its own unique rites and traditions, while Gregory took over the responsibility of establishing new churches and appointed a formalized clergy.

The new church's location, just a short distance from the medieval monastery of Khor Virap, where Gregory was once imprisoned, accords a greater sense of historical continuity to the site. The archaeological team hopes to learn to whom this church was dedicated – a missing piece of the puzzle for now.

“We are eager to continue our exploration and to better understand the role this church played in early Christian Armenia,” said Professor Lichtenberger. 

This discovery is part of a broader, ongoing exploration of Artaxata’s rich archaeological heritage. Since 2018, the Armenian-German team has been working in the Ararat Plain to unearth the city’s Hellenistic roots, exploring its development over six centuries as the capital of the Armenian Kingdom.

The project, which delves into the settlement archaeology of the ancient metropolis, is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

Top image: A preliminary reconstruction shows the late antique church of Artaxata.   Source: © Armenian-German Artaxata Project

By Sahir Pandey