In Armenian mythology, the dragon-like creature represented by ancient vishap stones is the vishap.
Vishaps are supernatural beings in Armenian folklore, commonly described as dragons or large serpents connected with water. Ancient carved stones called vishapakar, or “vishap stones,” were placed near highland water sources, including lakes, springs, and streams.
Many vishap stones date from the Bronze Age and are shaped like elongated fish or other animals. Their exact religious function remains debated, but their locations and imagery strongly connect them with water, fertility, and protective or dangerous supernatural forces.
The word is also related to dragon traditions in neighboring Iranian and Caucasian cultures. Vishap should not be confused with Azhdahak, the Armenian form of the Iranian dragon figure Aži Dahāka, who appears as a separate mythological character.