Geghama mountains
Gegham Ridge | |
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Geghama from space | |
Elevation | 3,597 m (11,801 ft) |
Location | |
Location | Armenia |
Coordinates | 40°16′30″N 44°45′00″E / 40.275°N 44.75°ECoordinates: 40°16′30″N 44°45′00″E / 40.275°N 44.75°E |
Geology | |
Type | Volcanic field |
Last eruption | 1900 BC ± 1000 years |
The Geghama mountains (or Ghegam Ridge (variously transcribed into English as Gegam, Ghegam, Gegham, Ghegham, ISO 9985: Geġam)), Armenian: Գեղամա լեռնաշղթա (Gyeghama lyernashxt'a) are mountains in Armenia. is a tableland-type watershed basin of Sevan Lake from east, inflows of rivers Araks and Razdan from north and west, Azat and Vedi rivers from south-west and Arpachai river from south. The average elevation of the Geghama mountain range is near 2500m. The range is of volcanic origin including many extinct volcanoes. The range is 70 km length and 48 km width, and stretch between Lake Sevan and the Ararat plain. The highest peak of the Geghama mountains is the Azhdahak, at 3597m. They are formed by a volcanic field, containing Pleistocene-to-Holocene lava domes and cinder cones.
The highest point is the volcano Azhdahak, elevation - 3597.3m above sea level, in the western part of the range. There is a lake in the crater of the volcano Azhdahak that is formed from melting snow.
Bird fauna of Geghama Mountain Range includes about 250 species, what makes 70% of all Armenia’s avifauna.
The South-Eastern slopes of Geghama mountains go across the legendary Khosrov forest in the basin of the Khorov River.
Rock carvings
A great number of petroglyphs - rock-carvings has been found in the area of Geghama Mountains. Most images depict men in scenes of hunting and fighting, and astronomical bodies and phenomena: the Sun, the Moon, constellations, the stellar sky, lightning, etc.
See also
Sources
- "Ghegam Ridge". Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution. http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0104-07-.
External links
- The Mystery of Azhdahak - the highest point of Geghama Mountains
- RockArt in the area og Geghama Mountain Range