Yervandashat, Archaeological site in Iğdır Province, Turkey.

Yervandashat is an archaeological site in Iğdır Province, on a rocky hill about 100 m high at the confluence of the Akhuryan and Aras rivers. Sources describe a citadel with high walls and copper gates, and hidden traps between the steps of an iron stair. The photograph shows a cultivated valley and arid slopes below a pointed mountain; no ruins are visible.

The settlement served as one of Armenia's major capitals from 210 to 176 BC under the Orontid dynasty. The site continued to be inhabited and modified after this period, reflecting influences from successive rulers and populations.

The site preserves traces of communities that lived here across different periods, building homes, streets, and defensive structures that shaped the landscape. These remains show how people adapted their lives to this river valley location over time.

The site can be reached through Iğdır Province and attracts visitors interested in ancient architecture and construction methods. The surrounding landscape with rivers and the plateau provides natural landmarks that help orient visitors at the location.

Movses Khorenatsi records that Orontes IV cut passages through the rock from the citadel down to river level so that water could be drawn during a siege. Toros Toramanian noted that the many dwellings inside the walls suggest the king settled a large body of loyal supporters there for his own safety.