In the middle of the 9th century BC, one of the most powerful states of the ancient Near East, known from Assyrian inscriptions as Urartu, came down to the historic scene in the Armenian Highlands. The Urartians called their country Biainili. Urartu is mentioned in the Bible as the kingdom of Ararat. The objects on display testify to a high civilisation of the ancient Eastern type, with a state structure, script, a unique religious system, flourishing cities, crafts and art.

Urartu collapsed in 585 in the struggle against the Medes, Babylonians and Scythians. After the decline of the Urartian statehood, the kingdom of the Armenian Yervandids (Orontids) was formed on the same territory.

The exhibition presents:

• A selection of finds from the Teishebaini fortress (Karmir Blur), which has been excavated almost continuously on the territory of Armenia since 1939, as well as from other archaeological sites on the territory of Armenia: Erebuni, Argishtikhinili-Armavir, Lori Berd, Bjni, Geghhovit, etc.
• Examples of metalwork, jewellery, pottery, wall paintings, bronze, clay and wooden figurines, various types of weapons and armour, cuneiform inscriptions of the Urartian kings Menua, Argishti I, Sarduri II, Rusa I and others, also the one, which states that the city of Yerevan was founded in 782 BC.