Levon Melikset-Bek, a specialist in Caucasian Studies, is known to the scientific community as a medievalist and expert in Source studies. As an archaeologist, he studied megalithic monuments, in particular dragon stones. L. Melikset-Bek showed a special interest in archaeology during his studies at Odessa University. After his studies, he was a member of several archaeological societies holding senior positions. In 1923–1930, Melikset-Bek carried out energetic archaeological activity in different parts of Georgia (Kakheti, Kavturi, South Ossetia, Trialeti, Javakheti) studying medieval monuments. However, Melikset-Bek is engaged in real archaeology not in the field of medieval, but prehistoric archaeology: in particular, the author's object of research is megalithic monuments partly in Ossetia, but mainly in Javakheti and Trialeti.

KeywordsLevon Melikset-Bek archaeology Javakheti Trialeti megalithic culture dragon stones researches of 1920s.

In imaginations of many peoples the high mountains appear as the main habitat and field of action of gods, heroes and saints, who not only act in those landscapes, but are also buried (= reborn) there. The omnipresent category for the Armenian mountains is the vishap (= Arm. for dragon). This is visible both in corresponding archaeological and ethnological materials. According to them, the vishap appears both as deity, and as hero (= giant) and saint. Moreover, these functions are either intermingled or contradicted to each other.

Keywordsgods heroes saints vishap high altitude zones archaeological sites folk-tales.