The systematic excavations of the fortress-settlement of Metsamor, located near Yerevan, which started yet in 1965, are ongoing as of today. A number of valuable findings, revealed in the course of the excavations, suggest that the first settlements in this area date back to the Copper Age. It was part of the Kingdom of Van (Urartu) in the 8th century BC. Life continued in Metsamor until the 17th century AD. Amazing objects made of ceramics, jewelry and other luxury items were found here as well. The most interesting of the findings are the agate frog-falcon of the Babylonian King Ulam Burarish (the 16th century BC) and a sardonyx stamp with an Egyptian hieroglyph of another Babylonian ruler - Kurigalso (the 15th century BC).
The “Metsamor” historical-archeological museum-reserve was opened in 1968, and it has a collection of more than 27000 valuable artifacts discovered here.
