Noratus

Noratus is a village in Gegharkunik Province, Armenia, located near the shores of Lake Sevan. It is best known for the Noratus Cemetery, a medieval Christian burial ground that contains one of the largest extant collections of khachkars, or carved Armenian cross-stones, in the world. The cemetery spans several centuries, with khachkars dating from the 9th to the 17th centuries. Hundreds of stones survive in a field of graves, arranged in rows that have been preserved through centuries of use and weather. The khachkars exhibit a range of styles and inscriptions, featuring cross motifs, rosettes, geometric patterns, and occasionally representative scenes or texts in Armenian. The site is frequently cited as an important repository of Armenian funerary art and as a resource for studying medieval Armenian ecclesiastical architecture and stone carving.

Beyond the cemetery, Noratus village represents a traditional rural Armenian community. The surrounding area contains additional historic religious structures and rural cultural landscapes that reflect the long association between the local population and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The site draws researchers, students, and visitors interested in khachkars, medieval Armenia, and the Sevan region.