There are several felsite quarries in the Vayots Dzor region. Felsite is a mixture of quartzite and other materials, including volcanic ash. The mixture of elements determines the quality, color and pattern of the stone. Locals claim that Vayots Dzor felsite tends to be lighter in color due to its high elevations, where it escapes the mixture of rainwater with sediments produced in lower elevations. Many of Vayots Dzor’s iconic medieval structures are constructed with felsite, including St. Astvatsatsin church in Areni, Spitakavor, St. Astvatsatsin monastery, and structures in the Noravank Monastic Complex. Modern buildings also feature felsite, as seen in the internal and external lamination of Soviet period structures. While most khachkars are constructed from basalt or red tuff, some more valuable versions in Vayots Dzor are made from felsite. Felsite stone is not as porous as tuff or basalt, and thus is more suitable for complicated ornamental patterns. The toughness of the stone lends itself to the creation of smaller ornamentation as the stone chips less easily, decreasing the chance for design mistakes. Additionally, the smooth surface of the stone allows the design to be more visible. Because of its natural features, felsite is expensive and a fragment of about two meters in length (the standard size of a khachkar) costs around $1,000. However, masters sometimes extract small-sized felsite blocks from quarries on their own, and create smaller felsite khachkars at a lower price.
Historical Attractions
Ethnography Story: Felsite