 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2024) |
Moz in the province of Vayots Dzor was an ancient town in southern Armenia that was destroyed by an earthquake and volcanic eruption in the year of 735. It is the oldest historically documented settlement in Vayots Dzor. In the 7th to 8th centuries, the town was a significant trading and craft center on the Silk Road, with several thousand inhabitants. Moz was the main seat of the Armenian princes of Syunik from the House of Orbelian, who relocated it to Yeghegis after the destruction of the town.
Moz is located on a 1,200 meter high hill above the right bank of the Arpa River, three to four kilometers southeast of the village of Malishka. In its heyday, the town was surrounded by fertile lands and dense forests. After the forests disappeared, the area began to be devastated. The place itself has disappeared. However, the ruins, that occupy an area of about 8 hectares,[1] still lie on an important transport route, the M2 highway, the only transit route for cargo from Iran to Yerevan and on to Georgia.