The available statistical data on the number of the local population represent the following picture:

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Houses</th><th>Males</th><th>Females</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1886<sup>48</sup></td><td>264</td><td>1,071</td><td>544</td><td>1,615</td></tr><tr><td>1914<sup>49</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2,396</td></tr><tr><td>1976<sup>50</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>6,050</td></tr></tbody></table>

## CHATAKH

Chatakh is situated on the left bank of the river Asrik, 30 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,350 to 1,450 metres above sea level.

A versified colophon by Bishop David Geghametsy mentions it as an Armenian-inhabited village. According to it, during the period between Shah Abbas I's triumphant struggle against the Turks and the famine of 1606, the inhabitants of Chatakh abandoned their birthplace and resettled in the present-day village of Metz Gharamurat in Getabek District. With this respect, a record states, "...When the Turks were finally defeated, they left Chatakh Village for Metz Gharamurat, Nerkin Shen remaining devastated and derelict..."<fnref n="51" />

## CHESHMALI

Cheshmali represents a Turkish village lying in the basin of the river Asrik, 34 kilometres south of the district centre, between 1,480 and 1,550 metres of altitude above sea level.

It was established in the site of an Armenian village in the early 20th century.

## CHOBAN SEGHNAKH

The village is located 27 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,300 to 1,390 metres above sea level.

In the late 19th century, the derelict Armenian village site, that belonged to Turkish landowner Zulghadarov, was inhabited by some Turkish stockbreeders who named it Choban Seghnakh.<fnref n="52" />

A visitor of the late 19th century mentions a monastery situated in the vicinity of the village: "A monastery called Kilisa Darasi can be seen in a village that lies in the gorge of Gharanlekh, south of Choban-Seghnakh. It is presently populated by Turks."<fnref n="53" />

## DONDARLI

Dondarli is situated on the west-facing slope of a gorge lying on the right bank of the stream Yekeghetsajur, 31 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,450 to 1,520 metres above sea level.

It represents a small Turkish village dating back to the Soviet years.

It was established in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the late 18th century.

## DONDAR-GHUSHCHU

The village, that was established in the Soviet years, extends on both banks of the stream Yekeghetsajur, 4 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 460 to 490 metres above sea level.

In 1977 it had a population of 1,921.<fnref n="54" />

## DYUZ-GHEREKHLI

The village, tracing back to the Soviet years, is situated 16.5 kilometres south-east of the district centre, between 360 and 380 metres of altitude above sea level.

## DYUZ-JERDAKHAN

This village, founded in the Soviet years, is located in a large plain 3 kilometres north of the district centre, at an altitude of 380 to 410 metres above sea level.

## GAZKULU

Gazkulu extends on the right bank of the river Akhenji, 2.5 kilometres south of the district centre.

It represents a small, insignificant village established in the Soviet years.

## GHALABOYUN

The village lies 26 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,510 to 1,530 metres above sea level.

In the late 19th century, "...Ghalaboyin and the gorge of Ahmadi Band, located below the village..." belonged to Turkish landowner Zulghadarov.<fnref n="55" />

The present-day Turkish village was founded in the site of a derelict Armenian village.

Its name ('ghala' is the Turkish equivalent for 'castle,' and 'boyun' is that for 'neck'), given by some sedentary stock-breeders, indicates that a medieval stronghold used to be situated nearby.

## GHARABAGHLILAR

The village is situated on the northwest-facing wooded slope of a mountain rising within about a kilometre of the right bank of the river Zakam, 29 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,070 metres above sea level.

It was established in the site of an abandoned Armenian village in the early 20th century.

In 1914 it had a population of 502.<fnref n="56" />

<footnote n="48">48 A Statistical Survey..., pp. 144-145.</footnote>

<footnote n="49">49 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 100.</footnote>

<footnote n="50">50 SAE, vol. 2, p. 218.</footnote>

<footnote n="51">51 Colophons, 17th century, vol. 1, p. 368.</footnote>

<footnote n="52">52 S. Kamalian Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, p. 11.</footnote>

<footnote n="53">53 Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="54">54 SAE, vol. 3, p. 507.</footnote>

<footnote n="55">55 S. Kamalian Fund, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="56">56 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 133.</footnote>
### GHARADASH

The village is located in the basin of the river Akhenji, 34 kilometres south-west of the district centre, between 1,440 and 1,480 metres of altitude above sea level.

It was founded in the site of a derelict Armenian village in the Soviet years.

In 1977 the local inhabitants amounted to 310.<fnref n="57" />

### GHARIBLI

This Turkish village extends 33 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 910 to 950 metres above sea level.

It was founded in the site of a derelict ancient Armenian village in the Soviet years.

A dilapidated mill is preserved on the southern edge of Gharibli.

### GHERAN

The village, dating from the Soviet years, is situated on the watershed of the mountain branch, 21 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,400 to 1,420 metres above sea level.

In 1980 it had a Turkish population of 636.<fnref n="58" />

### GHOSHA

Ghosha represents a Turkish village located in a wooded area 24 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,380 to 1,420 metres above sea level.

It was established in the site of a deserted ancient Armenian village in the Soviet years.

### GHOZDERE

Ghozdere extends on the right bank of the river Zakam, opposite Yankhli (the historical city of Khaghkhagh), 18 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 650 to 670 metres above sea level.

It represents a small village founded in the Soviet years.

### GYUVANDIK

Gyuvandik is situated in the area of the source of the river Asrik, 36 kilometres south of the disteict centre, between 1,720 and 1,780 metres of altitude above sea level.

The foundation of this Turkish village traces back to the Soviet years. It was established in the site of an abandoned Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the late 18th century.

### HAJIHASANLI

This Turkish village lies on a wooded mountain slope, 19 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,250 metres above sea level.

It was founded in the site of a derelict ancient Armenian village in the Soviet years.

### HAJILAR

Hajilar is situated on the left bank of the river Asrik, about a kilometre north of the historical village of Chatakh, 29 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,340 to 1,410 metres above sea level.

The establishment of this Turkish village traces back to the Soviet years. It was founded in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the 1770s.

Hajilar retains the surviving parts of the walls of some old buildings, and the ruins of a mill preserved on its southern edge.

### HASANLI

Hasanli lies 35 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,560 to 1,600 metres above sea level.

It is one of those Turkish villages that were founded in the Soviet years out of certain political considerations, namely in order to turn the Armenian village of Artzvashen into an enclave.

### HATAMLAR

Hatamlar represents a Turkish village extending on the left bank of the river Zakam, 30 kilometres south of the district centre, between 860 and 890 metres of altitude above sea level.

It was founded in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its inhabitants in the 1770s.

The ruins of an old mill are preserved on the southern skirts of the village.

### HATINJAN

This Turkish village is situated on a wooded mountain slope on the right bank of the river Asrik, 24.5 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,490 to 1,510 metres above sea level.

It was established in the site of a deserted Armenian village in the Soviet years.

### IBRAHIM-HAJILI

Ibrahim-Hajili lies 15 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 490 to 520 metres above sea level.

It represents a Turkish village dating back to the late 19th century. It was established in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the late Middle Ages.

In 1979 it had a population of 2,515.<fnref n="59" />

<footnote n="57">57 SAE, vol. 2, p. 218.</footnote>

<footnote n="58">58 SAE, vol. 5, p. 392.</footnote>

<footnote n="59">59 SAE, vol. 4, p. 362.</footnote>
### ISAKEND (ISAKHAN)

The village extends on the left bank of the river Zakam, 27 kilometres south of the district centre, between 1,820 and 1,850 metres of altitude above sea level.

It was founded in the site of an ancient abandoned Armenian village in the Soviet years.

Some records of the late 19th century mention it by the name of *Isakhan*. During the same period, it belonged to Turkish landowner Zulghadarov.<fnref n="60" />

### JIRDEK

The village is situated on the right bank of the river Asrik, opposite Chatakh, 30 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,420 to 1,500 metres above sea level.

Remaining derelict during the period between the 1770s and the Soviet takeover, it was later inhabited by some Turkish stock-breeders.

### KEJAVEND

This small Turkish village, comprising only several houses, lies 21.5 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,250 to 1,270 metres above sea level.

It was established in the site of a derelict Armenian village in the Soviet years.

### KHATINLI

Khatinli is situated in a plain 6 kilometres north-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 360 to 365 metres above sea level.

It represents a Turkish village founded in the late 19th century.

It had 1,510 inhabitants in 1908,<fnref n="61" /> and 1,691 in 1914.<fnref n="62" />

### KHENNAGHERAN

This small Turkish village, founded in the Soviet years, extends on an east-facing mountain slope, 22 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,350 to 1,400 metres above sea level.

It was established in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the late 18th century.

### KOCHDERE

Another small Turkish village dating from the Soviet years, it is located on the right bank of the river Zakam, 26 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 810 to 850 metres above sea level.

### KOVLAR (KOVLAR-SARLI)

Kovlar represents a Turkish village situated on the right side of the Touz-Gandzak Railway, 11 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 410 to 430 metres above sea level.

It was established by some stock-breeding tribes which had changed to a sedentary life in the late 19th century.

In 1906 the local inhabitants amounted to 79.<fnref n="63" />

### KRZEN

**Location.** Krzen is situated not far from the confluence of the rivers Kur and Tavush, within a kilometre of the former, 16 kilometres north-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 170 to 185 metres above sea level.

**A Historical Introduction.** In the course of time, the village changed its location for several times, the sites preserved in its neighbourhood being the living proof of this. Originally, Krzen lay on the right bank of the river Kur, i.e. a kilometre east of its present-day position. Until 1883, it was situated "... in a damp area exactly by the riverside...",<fnref n="64" /> but later its inhabitants founded a new village "in an elevated locality within four versts of the former one."<fnref n="65" />

The new village of Krzen was established after the tragic events of 1905 to 1906, in the early 20th century. It was surrounded by numerous Turkish settlements, being "...the only Armenian village in the plain."<fnref n="66" />

In 1998 the ancient Armenian village of Krzen, then populated by Turks, was renamed *Gyunashli*.

**The Origin and Dialect of Krzen Armenians.** It is commonly presumed that in the remote past, Krzen had over 700 houses<fnref n="67" /> inhabited by resettlers from Ani City

<footnote n="63">⁶³ Caucasian Calendar for 1910, p. 292.</footnote>

<footnote n="64">⁶⁴ "Nor-Dar," 1886, No. 119, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="65">⁶⁵ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="66">⁶⁶ S. *Kamalian* Fund, list 2, part VI, file 62, p. 11. Also see "Ardzagank," 1893, No. 44, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="67">⁶⁷ This information is confirmed by different records some of which are presented below, "Formerly the village had 700 Armenian houses, whose number has dropped to 30 at present..." ("Nor-Dar," 1886, No. 119, p. 2). "Krzen used to comprise 700 families, but today only 30 of them live there. The reason for this is the intolerable summer heat, due to which the annual death rate in the village exceeds the birth rate" (*Barkhutarians*, M. Artsakh, p. 59). "During my visit, the village, once having a population of 700 houses, comprised merely 30 ones, surrounded by 30,000 Turks. According to the locals, who live isolated from the other Armenian villages, their coexistence with their Turkish neighbours became impossible after the Russians had taken possession of these territories and banned the use of arms among common people. Most of the desperate inhabitants of Krzen scattered in all directions, in the aftermath of which, the number of its population plummeted down. However, it is not only the pressure exerted by the Turks that made the Armenians forsake their homes. One of the chief reasons for that was the unhealthy air, the existence of poisonous mosquitoes and the intolerable climate, typical of the areas on the bank of the Kur, where the dreadful heat was unbearable even in the forests..." (S. *Kamalian* Fund, list 2, part 6, file 62, pp. 11-12; "Mshak," 1879, No. 35, p. 2).</footnote>

<footnote n="60">⁶⁰ S. *Kamalian* Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, p. 11.</footnote>

<footnote n="61">⁶¹ Caucasian Calendar for 1910, p. 395.</footnote>

<footnote n="62">⁶² Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 196.</footnote>
of Shirak District, Ayrarat Province, Metz Hayk: “According to the villagers, their forefathers came there from Ani. At first they comprised 700 houses, but in the course of time, some of them proved unable to bear the local climate, as a result of which their number was gradually reduced to 18 families...”<fnref n="68" />

According to another viewpoint, Krzen inhabitants' ancestors moved there from Goghtan, a district that shifted back and forth between Syunik and Vaspurakan Provinces of Metz Hayk: “There exists a close similarity between the dialects of Krzen and Agulis, which comes to suggest that the former inhabitants of the village resettled there from Goghtan District in Shah Abbas' times.”<fnref n="69" />

This presumption is also shared by another source: “...the local people, who are resettlers from Agulis, do not speak the district's vernacular; moreover, their women wear Turkish national costumes...”<fnref n="70" />

The continual Lezghin invasions of the 19th century reduced the rich and prosperous village to a poor settlement with a small number of population. During a church festival held between 1797 and 1871, it was unexpectedly attacked by a gang led by a certain Bulghadar. That raid took a heavy toll on Krzen: the general massacre and plunder were accompanied by the capture and displacement of its inhabitants. Most of the deportees either scattered in different places in Armenia and Georgia, or settled down in the territory of Gandzak,<fnref n="71" /> where they founded Sarov (Gandzak District) and Khandak (Aresh District) Villages.<fnref n="72" />

In the 1840s, Gh. Alishan<fnref n="73" /> suggested that Krzen Armenians were the descendants of the Udi people and spoke the Udi language, although they adhered to the Armenian church and also spoke Armenian. This viewpoint was later shared by Al. Yeritsian,<fnref n="74" /> M. Barkhutarians<fnref n="75" /> and Kajberuny.<fnref n="76" />

The Armenian press of the late 19th century issued numerous publications on the strange dialect of the village's inhabitants, pointing out its resemblance to the Agulis vernacular.<fnref n="77" />

As attested by some other sources, Krzen Armenians' main language was Turkish: “Even their everyday communication is in Turkish so that the Armenian language will soon fall into oblivion there...”<fnref n="78" />

Sargis Kamalian is another researcher to have touched upon the question of Krzen Armenians' vernacular. He thought that they were purely Armenian-speaking: “Now let me dwell upon the dialect of Krzen inhabitants. The epitaphs in both the old and new cemeteries of the village are Armenian-lettered. Those alive speak that language in their own particular manner: their pronunciation is rather rough, but it excludes anything reminding of the Udi language. Krzen Armenians speak very fast so that their speech is almost impossible to understand for a person unaccustomed to it. While talking to them you get the same impression the dialects of Agulis, Zeytun, or Sasun Armenians make on you. Despite this, however, all of these vernaculars represent the Armenian language, do they not? I do not know if the ancestors of the present-day generation spoke the Udi language some hundreds of years ago, but the contemporary villagers' speech absolutely does not admit of that. Now I shall adduce some examples from Krzen dialect and the Udi language to show their discrepancies, but before doing so, I would like to apologize for the mistakes I will possibly make while pronouncing words in the Udi language: it is 36 years since I worked as a teacher in the township of Nizh.”<fnref n="79" />

After some research conducted in Krzen, D. Karbelashvili and V. Ghukasov arrived at the conclusion (in May 1934) that the local dialect actually bore no resemblance to the Udi language. Rather, it represented a peculiar combination of Turkish with the vernaculars of Khoy, Karabakh and Agulis.<fnref n="80" />

As hypothesized by linguist R. Baghramian in 1958, contemporary Krzen vernacular has been preserved in a stage of development that was typical of the “L” and “U” branches of Armenian dialects during the period they became independent of their mother dialect. This may be explained by the fact that it was separated from its sister dialects, being further used in another locality.”<fnref n="81" />

<footnote n="68">⁶⁸ “Mshak,” 1879, No. 35, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="69">⁶⁹ “Nor-Dar,” 1886, No. 119, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="70">⁷⁰ “Ardzagank,” 1893, No. 44, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="71">⁷¹ **Karbelashvili, D. P.** Krzen and Its Inhabitants. In: “Proceedings of the Azerbaijan Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR,” 1937, No. 2, p. 42.</footnote>

<footnote n="72">⁷² “Nor-Dar,” 1886, No. 119, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="73">⁷³ **Alishan, Gh.**, idem.</footnote>

<footnote n="74">⁷⁴ **Yeritsov, A. D.** The Economic Life of State Peasantry in Ghazakh District of Yelizavetpol Province. Tiflis, 1886, p. 44, in Russian.</footnote>

<footnote n="75">⁷⁵ **Barkhutarians, M.**, idem, p. 59.</footnote>

<footnote n="76">⁷⁶ **Kajberuny.** The Destruction of Krzen Village. In: “Ararat,” 1911, p. 954 (see the author’s series of articles consisting of four parts in: “Ararat,” October, November & December 1911, and January 1912).</footnote>

<footnote n="77">⁷⁷ “Nor-Dar,” 1886, No. 119, p. 2. Also see “Ardzagank,” 1893, No. 44, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="78">⁷⁸ “Mshak,” 1879, No. 35, p. 2. According to another statistical source, the village had 27 houses with 160 inhabitants, including 90 males and 70 females (A Statistical Survey..., pp. 144-145).</footnote>

<footnote n="79">⁷⁹ **S. Kamalian** Fund, list 2, part VI, file 62, pp. 13-14. The continuation of the Armenian original of the quotation contains the aforementioned examples, which show the evident differences between both vernaculars (see the Armenian original of the present work, p. 287).</footnote>

<footnote n="80">⁸⁰ **Karbelashvili, D. P.**, idem, p. 42.</footnote>

<footnote n="81">⁸¹ **Baghramian, R.** About the Studies of Krzen Dialect. In: “Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR,” 1958, No. 6, p. 75, in Armenian. Also see idem, The Dialect of Krzen. Yerevan, 1961, in Armenian.</footnote>
**Population.** The earliest reliable statistical data on the number of Krzen's population trace back to 1840. They reveal that it plummeted down in the aftermath of the Armeno-Turkish fights and the grave financial predicament following them.

The available statistical data on the number of the local inhabitants represent the following picture:

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Houses</th><th>Males</th><th>Females</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1804<sup>82</sup></td><td>25</td><td>57</td><td>55</td><td>112</td></tr><tr><td>1840<sup>83</sup></td><td>31</td><td>78</td><td>76</td><td>154</td></tr><tr><td>1841<sup>84</sup></td><td></td><td>95</td><td>100</td><td>195</td></tr><tr><td>1842<sup>85</sup></td><td></td><td>162</td><td>174</td><td>336</td></tr><tr><td>1844<sup>86</sup></td><td></td><td>198</td><td>179</td><td>377</td></tr><tr><td>1849<sup>87</sup></td><td></td><td>86</td><td>90</td><td>176</td></tr><tr><td>1853<sup>88</sup></td><td></td><td>37</td><td>26</td><td>63</td></tr><tr><td>1857<sup>89</sup></td><td></td><td>65</td><td>68</td><td>133</td></tr><tr><td>1862<sup>90</sup></td><td>20</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1866<sup>91</sup></td><td>22</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1879<sup>92</sup></td><td>18</td><td>67</td><td>76</td><td>143</td></tr><tr><td>1882<sup>93</sup></td><td></td><td>115</td><td>70</td><td>185</td></tr><tr><td>1883<sup>94</sup></td><td></td><td>117</td><td>76</td><td>193</td></tr><tr><td>1885<sup>95</sup></td><td></td><td>127</td><td>79</td><td>206</td></tr><tr><td>1886<sup>96</sup></td><td></td><td>131</td><td>85</td><td>216</td></tr><tr><td>1887<sup>97</sup></td><td></td><td>137</td><td>88</td><td>225</td></tr><tr><td>1888<sup>98</sup></td><td></td><td>140</td><td>90</td><td>230</td></tr><tr><td>1889<sup>99</sup></td><td></td><td>143</td><td>90</td><td>233</td></tr><tr><td>1890<sup>100</sup></td><td></td><td>143</td><td>88</td><td>231</td></tr><tr><td>1891<sup>101</sup></td><td></td><td>144</td><td>94</td><td>238</td></tr><tr><td>1892<sup>102</sup></td><td></td><td>142</td><td>87</td><td>226</td></tr><tr><td>1893<sup>103</sup></td><td></td><td>144</td><td>89</td><td>233</td></tr><tr><td>1894<sup>104</sup></td><td></td><td>144</td><td>94</td><td>238</td></tr><tr><td>1897<sup>105</sup></td><td></td><td>98</td><td>93</td><td>191</td></tr><tr><td>1898<sup>106</sup></td><td></td><td>124</td><td>111</td><td>235</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><tbody><tr><td>1899<sup>107</sup></td><td>228</td><td>114</td><td>342</td></tr><tr><td>1900<sup>108</sup></td><td>226</td><td>113</td><td>339</td></tr><tr><td>1901<sup>109</sup></td><td>266</td><td>114</td><td>380</td></tr><tr><td>1902<sup>110</sup></td><td>265</td><td>114</td><td>379</td></tr><tr><td>1908<sup>111</sup></td><td>30</td><td>138</td><td>110</td><td>248</td></tr><tr><td>1914<sup>112</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>111</td></tr><tr><td>1934<sup>113</sup></td><td>35</td><td>78</td><td>75</td><td>153</td></tr><tr><td>1961<sup>114</sup></td><td>50</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988<sup>115</sup></td><td>60</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Below follows a “list of the parishioners living in Krzen Village of Ghazakh District in 1862: Abraham Sarukhaniants, Aslan Polatian Levoniants, Movses Gri-gorian Sahakiants, Margar Ghazarian Sahakiants, Ma-chan Antonian, Gevorg Abaziants, David Harutiunian Hovhannissiants, Margar Hovhannissiants, Stepan Ge-vorgian Aghaniants, Vanakan Aghaniants, Khachatur Harutiunian Tarkhaniants, Sargis Movsissian Tarkhan-iants, Sahak Harutiunian Akoniants, Harutiun Abaz-iants, Ghazar Babian Melikiants, Alexan Mayilian Me-likiants, Alexan Ayubiants, Hovhannes Mkrtchian, Ay-vaz Hakobian Sahakiants, Hovhannes Vardanian, Priest Hovakim Rumbariants from Tovuz Village of Ghazakh District.”<fnref n="116" />

Despite the continual changes in the number of its population, Krzen remained purely Armenian-inhabit-ed until the 1960s.<fnref n="117" /> It was during that period that the Azerbaijanization of the village began: thus, in 1961 30 Azerbaijani families lived there side by side with the Armenians.<fnref n="118" />

By the forced deportation of 1988, the number of the Azerbaijanis had doubled, amounting to 60 houses.<fnref n="119" />

In the days of the aforementioned displacement, part of Krzen inhabitants moved to Shamshadin, Ararat (a family in each of Lusarat and Pokr Vedi Villages) and Masis (40 to 45 families in Sis) Districts of the Republic of Armenia. Some of them left for Russia and took up residence in Sochi-Adler (10 to 15 families), Moscow (4 families), Saratov (8 to 9 families), Sverdlovsk (3 families), Omsk (about 10 families) and other large cities.

<footnote n="82">82 Collected Acts..., vol. 2, p. 597.</footnote>

<footnote n="83">83 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3800, p. 7.</footnote>

<footnote n="84">84 Idem, file 3802, pp. 57-58.</footnote>

<footnote n="85">85 Idem, file 3805, pp. 84-85.</footnote>

<footnote n="86">86 Idem, file 3809, pp. 73-74.</footnote>

<footnote n="87">87 Idem, file 3818, pp. 75-76.</footnote>

<footnote n="88">88 Idem, file 2743, pp. 102-103.</footnote>

<footnote n="89">89 Idem, file 3830, p. 292.</footnote>

<footnote n="90">90 Idem, file 3841, p. 193.</footnote>

<footnote n="91">91 Idem, file 3848, p. 86.</footnote>

<footnote n="92">92 Idem, file 3870, p. 90. Also see “Mshak,” 1879, No. 35, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="93">93 Idem, file 3874, pp. 129-130.</footnote>

<footnote n="94">94 Idem, file 3875, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="95">95 Idem, file 3877, p. 8.</footnote>

<footnote n="96">96 Idem, file 3879, p. 127.</footnote>

<footnote n="97">97 Idem, file 3880, p. 31.</footnote>

<footnote n="98">98 Idem, file 3882, p. 136.</footnote>

<footnote n="99">99 Idem, file 3884, p. 12.</footnote>

<footnote n="100">100 Idem, file 3887, p. 155. Another statistical source reports that in the same year, the village had 30 houses with 170 inhabitants, including 90 males and 80 females (Barkhutariants, M., idem, p. 59).</footnote>

<footnote n="101">101 Idem, file 3889, p. 154.</footnote>

<footnote n="102">102 Idem, file 3891, p. 126.</footnote>

<footnote n="103">103 Idem, file 3895, pp. 13-14.</footnote>

<footnote n="104">104 Idem, file 3896, pp. 179-180.</footnote>

<footnote n="105">105 Idem, file 3899, pp. 152-153.</footnote>

<footnote n="106">106 Idem, file 3897, p. 174.</footnote>

<footnote n="107">107 Idem, file 3903, p. 22.</footnote>

<footnote n="108">108 Idem, file 3905, p. 14.</footnote>

<footnote n="109">109 National Archives of Armenia, fund 56, lists 1-2, 205, pp. 145-146.</footnote>

<footnote n="110">110 Idem, file 3907, pp. 28-29.</footnote>

<footnote n="111">111 National Archives of Armenia, fund 35, list 1, file 559, p. 61. Also see Caucasian Calendar for 1910, p. 289.</footnote>

<footnote n="112">112 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 142.</footnote>

<footnote n="113">113 Karbelashvili, D. P., idem, p. 41.</footnote>

<footnote n="114">114 Baghramian, R. The Dialect of Krzen. Yerevan, 1961, p. 5, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="115">115 Karapetian, S. Abandoned Armenian Settlements in Azerbaijan. In: “Hayreniki Dzayn,” No. 2, 19 January 1993.</footnote>

<footnote n="116">116 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3841, p. 193.</footnote>

<footnote n="117">117 Karapetian, S., ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="118">118 Baghramian, R., ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="119">119 Karapetian, S., ibid. Also see Melian, B. The Village of Krzen. In: “Aygabats,” 1991, No. 47, p. 4.</footnote>
**Occupation.** Throughout many centuries, not only did Krzen Armenians secure their existence in their land but they also carved out financial prosperity and welfare. Occupied with viticulture, silkworm breeding and silk weaving from time immemorial, they exported their products to different countries. By the 17th century, the village of Krzen had already grown into a famous commercial centre, the epitaphs of the local cemetery being the eloquent proof of this: "The remains of some merchants from Tabriz, Aleppo, Karin and other cities are interred here."<fnref n="120" />

Krzen inhabitants were distinguished for their bravery, which is attested by the following record, "The villagers, who are famous for their valour throughout the villages of Turkish Tarakamas, spend days and nights walking in their territories, with arms in their hands... The local women are by no means inferior to the men in their heroism. They often take part in their husbands' fights against the tribe of Tarakamas when its members come to steal fruits as well as sheep, horses and other domestic animals from the Armenians."<fnref n="121" />

**The Armeno-Turkish Fights between 1905 and 1906.** Krzen, that actually represented a small, isolated village, proved unable to repel the Turkish attacks at the decisive moments of the grave calamity that had befallen it. Some contemporaries confirm that in the '90s of the 19th century, the local population enjoyed financial prosperity, which "...stirred up their Turkish neighbours' ... and, particularly, Bozal Ghanlu inhabitants' envy. Soon the turmoil reigning in Gandzak and the siege of the adjacent railway station by the Turkish mob gave the latter a golden opportunity to appease their greediness."<fnref n="122" />

Two days after the siege (18 November 1905) of the Zakam-Aghstafa Section of Gandzak-Tiflis Railroad, a 50-member armed detachment appeared in the territory of Krzen, where they killed a shepherd and stole 500 head of cattle.<fnref n="123" /> Panic and tumult permeated through the entire village, which was subjected to another act of aggression the following day: a new group of Turks robbed the village of its horses and property, also threatening its inhabitants with slaughter and the destruction of their houses. Devoid of any means of self-defence, the local people were forced to escape to the neighbouring village of Mansurlu on 23 November. The Armenians having always been on friendly terms with its Turkish population, the latter showed them kind hospitality. Soon, however, a vast multitude of armed Turks came and required that the

Armenians be returned to their native village. The residents of Mansurlu had to meet their compatriots' demand for fear of a conflict. The Armenians who were compelled to go back to Krzen stayed there for a single night:

"...on 27 November<fnref n="124" /> Krzen represented an unspeakably dreadful scene: the village was flooded by people of every age and sex, coming from Bozghanlu, Karakhanlu, Jelovdarlu, Samadbaylu and other adjacent villages... Wandering in the village without any difficulty, that crowd entered any house they liked and took whatever they desired to, laughing at the Armenians ...who stood nearby, bearing all that humiliation in silence."<fnref n="125" />

Later the Armenians of Krzen were divided in two groups and driven away to different Turkish villages, where they stayed until 28 December: 120 people found themselves in Bozalghanlu and 108 in Karakhanlu, their displacement being followed by the plunder of Krzen. Throughout 18 days, the "...Turkish caravans kept carrying oil, cheese, house property, thousands of agricultural tools together with a vast amount

<figure><img src="image_779.png" /><figcaption>KRZEN. The house of the local eight-year school</figcaption></figure>

<footnote n="124">124 The printed sources describing the events of Krzen are not unanimous in mentioning the exact day of the plunder of the village. Thus, the "Mshak" writes, "That happened between 23 and 24 November" (1906, p. 2). Kajberuny thinks it was perpetrated on 27 November (Kajberuny. The Destruction of Krzen Village. In: "Ararat," 1911, pp. 958, 959; "Mshak," 1906, No. 65, p. 3).</footnote>

<footnote n="120">120 *Barkhutariants, M.*, idem, p. 59.</footnote>

<footnote n="121">121 "Nor-Dar," 1886, No. 119, p. 2.</footnote>

<footnote n="122">122 *Kajberuny*, idem, p. 955.</footnote>

<footnote n="123">123 Idem, p. 956; "Mshak," 1906, No. 45, p. 2. According to *A-Do*, the number of the stolen animals amounted to 300 (see his work entitled *The Armeno-Turkish Fights in Caucasia*, p. 363).</footnote>

<footnote n="125">125 *Kajberuny*, idem, p. 958.</footnote>
of wheat, barley, grass and hay, loaded onto hundreds of carts, as well as some wooden and stone parts of dwellings, etc. to their villages. Thus, within several days, the prosperous, rich village was reduced to a devastated, uninhabited area where only the heaps of ruins and neglected gardens reminded of the buildings once standing there.”<fnref n="126" /> Only a single house remained intact in the village, for famous bandit Tanghriverdi’s son had settled there.<fnref n="127" />

In 1906 120 captive Armenians from Krzen, who had been set free through the aid of a Russian detachment in late December, were sent to Tiflis. In February another 24 people were released and taken there, all the deportees settling down in the Armenian quarter of Havlabar. With the active participation of Tiflis Armenians and their leader, Archbishop Garegin Satunian, a Relief Committee was established to render aid to the refugees.

General-Major Levitsky, who arrived in Ghazakh District with a special detachment on 24 January 1906, assured the Armenians that the turmoil had come to an end. In March and April, part of Krzen inhabitants left Tiflis for the railway station of Touz,<fnref n="128" /> their destination being the villages of Shamshadin.

On a Government order on 24 April, the representatives of both peoples set up a commission which was to calculate the extent of the damage Krzen had suffered. The Turks suggested that the work should be conducted on the spot so that the Armenians who had agreed to it were obliged to spend the night in Mansurlu. The following day (25 April), 8 out of the 23 Armenian members of the aforementioned commission were taken to Bozalghanlu under the plea of continuing the work there. On their way to that village, however, 4 of them were killed, while those surviving returned to Touz Station together with the rest of their compatriots.<fnref n="129" /> Some time later, most of Krzen inhabitants settled down in a plain a little far from their former place of residence, between 2 and 3 kilometres south of the right bank of the river Kur, where they founded the village of Nor (New) Krzen. Some of them, however, stayed in Tiflis and different villages of Shamshadin.

The inhabitants of the newly-established village could hardly eke out a bare existence; some of them even died of starvation. In order to somehow alleviate their situation, the session of the Council of the Armenian Charity of Caucasia, convened on 18 February 1912, decided to buy a 100 poods of wheat and deliver it to them.<fnref n="130" /> Accordingly, each of the 200

residents of the village, comprising 30 houses, would be given half a pood, which was not sufficient at all.<fnref n="131" /> On 19 February, the leader of Georgia's Armenian Diocese sent a new portion of wheat, costing 75,253 rubles 64 kopecks, to the famine-stricken Armenians.<fnref n="132" />

Before the deportation of 1988 to 1989, an eight-year Armenian school functioned in Krzen.

The village used to have two churches, one of which was dedicated to St. Hovhannes,<fnref n="133" /> and the other to the Holy Virgin, as attested by some archive documents.

The exact location of Sourd Astvatzatzin Church (mentioned by this name in 1841 and 1882)<fnref n="134" /> is unknown, but presumably, it used to be situated in the older village site of Krzen. By the late 19th century, it had already been reduced to ruins: “...Krzen is adjoined by a large ancient village site and a cemetery rich in finely-carved gravestones. The former retains the ruins of a once magnificent church built of mortar and decorated with reliefs typical of Armenian architecture. The monument is said to have been demolished some 20 to 30 years before by famous gang leader Tanghervert: he had the finely-cut stones of the sanctuary loaded onto carts and carried to his village of Bozal Ghanlu, located near Krzen, for the construction of his house. People say all its walls were covered with inscriptions commemorating the heroic deeds of Krzen Armenians' ancestors, i.e. the village princes, who struggled against the Lezghins and set free their captives, caught in different districts of Artsakh. These inscriptions also reveal that part of the village inhabitants were natives of Ani City, which they had abandoned to escape the Persians' persecutions.”<fnref n="135" />

Although St. Hovhannes Church stood intact, it did not have its own parish priest so that divine service was usually held by some itinerant priests from different villages of Shamshadin District. In November 1905, the sanctuary was totally annihilated:

> “The church was leveled with the ground on the initiative and under the guidance of a certain Turkish merchant named Hajji Amirkhan. That man, who was known as a serious and influential person, took possession of its property together with its books and bells.”<fnref n="136" /> The destruction of the monument is also certified by some archive documents.<fnref n="137" />

<footnote n="126">126 Idem, p. 959.</footnote>

<footnote n="127">127 “Mshak,” 1906, No. 65, p. 3. This information is also reported by Kajberuny (idem, p. 959).</footnote>

<footnote n="128">128 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3764, p. 206.</footnote>

<footnote n="129">129 **Kajberuny**, idem, in: “Ayrarat,” 1912, pp. 60-61.</footnote>

<footnote n="130">130 “Horizon,” 1912, No. 36, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="131">131 “Horizon,” 1912, No. 38, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="132">132 “Ararat,” 1912, p. 197.</footnote>

<footnote n="133">133 The name of the church has come down to us only thanks to M. Barkhutarians (see his work entitled *Artsakh*, p. 59). It is not mentioned in any other sources.</footnote>

<footnote n="134">134 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3798, p. 95, file 3874, pp. 129-130.</footnote>

<footnote n="135">135 Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="136">136 “Mshak,” 1906, No. 65, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="137">137 National Archives of Armenia, fund 35, list 1, file 559, p. 61; fund 53, list 1, file 3874, pp. 129-130.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_780.png" /><figcaption>KRZEN. Partial views of the village cemetery</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_781.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_782.png" /></figure>

**The Local Cemetery.** After the devastation of Hin (Older) Krzen, mass tree-planting was carried out throughout its territory so that no vestiges of the local buildings were preserved. It was only the village's ancient cemetery that remained intact: burials took place in its north-eastern section until the last deportation of Krzen Armenians in 1988.

There existing no available bibliographical records on Krzen, the epitaphs preserved in the aforementioned grave-yard are of great value and significance from the standpoint of conducting thorough investigation into the history of the village.

Between 1985 and 1986, the cemetery still retained 2 17th-century khachkars and more than 50 tombstones trimmed with delicate reliefs, most of them inscribed and dated. The rest of the gravestones date from the 19th to 20th centuries.

In 1985 we copied forty 17th-century epitaphs in the cemetery. All of them, with the exception of a single one, were first published in 1989.<fnref n="138" />

3 lines in the Armenian original engraved on the northern face of a tombstone fragment (112 x 30 centimetres):

...Մամխաթունս կամօ(ք)ն յԱ(ստուծո)կ (ա)նգն(ե)ցի ս(ուր)ք խ(ա)չս քարէխոս Ամիթանին, քվ(հն) ՈԿ (1611):

transl.: ...By the will of God, I, Mamkhatun, erected this Holy Cross in memory of Amirchan in the year 1611.

A single line in the Armenian original engraved on the northern face of a tombstone (120 x 53 x 27 centimetres):

Ս(ուր)ք խաչս քարէխա(տ)ս է Սիրանին. քվ(հն) ՈԿԷ (1618):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Miran. In the year 1618.

Engraved on the northern face and western side of a tombstone (119 x 44 x 23 centimetres):

Ս(ուր)ք խաչս քարէխա(տ)ս է Ասաքին, ...քվ(հն) ՈԿԷ (1618). | (Խ)աչայտիք(ր) | կազմ(ն)ը:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect ...sat. In the year 1618. Sculpted by Khachatur.

Note: Sculptor Khachatur is a "newcomer" among the Armenian masons. Krzen Cemetery retains 7 inscribed tombstones bearing his name and dated 1618, 1620 (two), 1651 and 1652.

5 lines in the Armenian original engraved on the eastern side of a tombstone (112 x 55 to 67 x 26 centimetres):

Թվ(հն) ՈԿԹ (1620) | է(ր). | Նարկիզ(հն) | (խ)աչս քարեխ(աւս). | Խաչատուրս. | կազմող:

transl.: The year was 1620. May this Holy Cross protect Narkiz. Sculpted by Khachatur.

5 lines in the Armenian original carved on one of the sides of a tombstone (120 x 52 to 60 x 27 centimetres):

<footnote n="138">138 **Karapetian, S.** The Armenian Historical and Architectural Monuments in Touz District of the Azerbaijani SSR. In: "Echmiatzin," 1989, part 1, pp. 51-55, in Armenian.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_783.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_784.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_785.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_786.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_787.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_788.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_789.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_790.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_791.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_792.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_793.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_794.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_795.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_796.png" /></figure>
ԹՎ(ին) ՈԿԹ (1620)... / էցեմկս(°)... / ս(ուր)բ խաչս բարեխ(աւս) | (Խաչ)ատուր... / կազմող: transl.: In the year 1620. ... may this Holy Cross protect sculptor Khachatur.

5 lines in the Armenian original incised into one of the sides of a gravestone (89 x 38 to 50 x 20 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խաչ/ս բարեխ(աւս) է / Առաք/էլ(ին), քիս | ՈՀԳ (1624):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Arakel. In the year 1624.

4 lines in the Armenian original engraved on one of the sides of a gravestone (115 x 38 to 55 x 26 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խաչս բար(է)|ս(աւ)ս է (Զ)խսի/կին, քիլ ՈՀԳ (1625):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Zisik. In the year 1625.

Preserved on one of the sides of a gravestone (124 x 63 to 70 x 29 centimetres):

...|նին ք(վին) ՈՀԳ (1625):

transl.: ...in the year 1625.

A single line in the Armenian original carved on a gravestone (132 x 63 to 70 x 27 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խ(ա)չս բարէխաւս է Սէլիքին: Թ(վին) ՈԶԷ (1638):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Melik. In the year 1638.

2 lines in the Armenian original incised into a gravestone (72 x 38 to 50 x 15 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խ(ա)չս բարէխաւս է |... թվ(ին) ՈՂԱ (1642):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect ...in the year 1642.

Engraved on the northern face as well as on the eastern and western sides of a tombstone (101 x 46 x 23 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս |(բար)էխա(տ) է | Յոհանէսի |, Ուպէտ. թվ(ին) ՈՂԳ (1644):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Hovhannes [and] Vospet. In the year 1644.

9 lines in the Armenian original engraved on a rectangular tombstone (137 x 40 x 23 centimetres):

ԹՎ(ին) | ՈՂ/Գ (1644) | ին. Ո-ու/մոհն(°) | կ(ն)-η(ω)կ(φ)g | էքին, | Յու:

transl.: In the year 1644. to... wife ...

2 lines in the Armenian original engraved on a tombstone (111 x 62 x 23 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս բարէխա(տ)ս է Յոհանէսին. | թվ(ին) ՈՂԸ (1649):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Hovhannes. In the year 1649.

3 lines in the Armenian original incised into the northern face of a tombstone (103 x 62 to 74 x 25 centimetres):

ԹՎ(ին) ՈՂԸ (1649). | ս(ուր)բ խաչս բարէ-խաւս է Գոհար/ին, Հրայպէտին:

transl.: In the year 1649. May this Holy Cross protect Gohar [and] Heraypet.

Engraved on both faces as well as on the eastern side of a tombstone (113 x 62 to 70 x 22 centimetres):

ԹՎ(ին) ՈՂԸ (1649). | ս(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս բա(ր)էխա(տ)ս է Ղատումին, Փարուն..., | Հէղինին, Իր... | Այճունին, | ...այսետին, | Չախանիչը:

transl.: In the year 1649. May this Holy Cross protect Ghasum, ...Helen...Ayjun ...

3 lines in the Armenian original engraved in embossed letters on and below the cornice of a cross-stone (155 x 40 to 60 x 24 centimetres):

...Հուումնին / ս(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս բա(ր)էխա(տ)ս է Յուսէփ, |թվ(ին) ՈՂԹ (1650). կ(ա)զմ(ն)ը Ունան:

transl.: ...to Hurum. May this Holy Cross protect Hovsep. In the year 1650. Sculpted by Unan.

Note: Krzen Cemetery retains 4 inscribed tombstones that are the handiwork of sculptor Unan. Three of them are dated 1650, 1652 and 1653.

A single line in the Armenian original carved on a tombstone (63 x 27 x 25 to 35 centimetres):

Թ(վին) ՈԾ (1651):

transl.: In the year 1651.

6 lines in the Armenian original incised into a tombstone (142 to 154 x 52 x 14 centimetres):

Կազմ(ք)η (Խաչ)չ(ա)յ/ոն(տ)ր թվ(ին) ՈԾ (1651): |Այս է հանգ/խոս ...|...քանին:

transl.: Sculpted by Khachatur in the year 1651. In this grave reposes...

3 lines in the Armenian original carved on the northern face of a tombstone (94 x 38 x 20 centimetres):

ԹՎ(ին) ՈԾԱ (1652). | ս(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս (բա)-ր(է)ս(աւ)ս է Թառանին:

transl.: In the year 1652. May this Holy Cross protect Taran.

3 lines in the Armenian original incised into the southern face of a tombstone (96 x 58 x 22 centimetres):

ԹՎ(ին) ՈԾԱ (1652). | ս(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս (բա)-ր(է)ս(աւ)ս է Ղազարին կողա/կցին Հումիճան(ին): Կ(ա)զմ(ն)ը Ունան:

transl.: In the year 1652. May this Holy Cross protect Ghazar [and] his wife Humichan. Sculpted by Unan.

Carved on the southern face as well as on the eastern and western sides of a tombstone (149 x 70 x 27 centimetres):
<figure><img src="image_797.png" /><figcaption>KRZEN. Tombstones</figcaption></figure>

U(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս բարէ/խա(տ)ս է Ծիւա/նշանի.
/ Ծատուր. ք(վին) ՌԾԱ (1652). կազմող Խաչատուր(ք):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Jvansha [and]
Tzatur. In the year 1652. Sculpted by Khachatur.

<figure><img src="image_798.png" /></figure>

3 lines in the Armenian original engraved on one of the sides and
northern face of a tombstone (128 x 65 x 20 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(չ)ս բա/(ք)էխա(տ)ս է. /(կ)ազմող
Խաչատուր(ք):

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect. Sculpted
by Khachatur.
2 lines in the Armenian original incised into the eastern side of a
tombstone (119 x 40 to 50 x 31 centimetres):

Կազմող Խաչատու(ր). ս(ուր)բ խաչս
բարէս/աւս է Սբատին:

transl.: *Sculpted by Khachatur. May this Holy Cross protect Smbat.*

A single line in the Armenian original engraved on the northern
face of a tombstone:

Կազմող Խաչատու(ր):

transl.: *Sculptor Khachatur.*

5 lines in the Armenian original carved on the northern face of a
tombstone (136 x 62 to 75 x 28 centimetres):

Թվին ՌԾԲ (1653). / ս(ուր)բ խս(շ)ս
բ(ա)ր(է)խ(աւ)ս է Թամամին՝ կող/ակցին
Անտոնին. / կազմ(ո)ղ Ունան:

transl.: In the year 1653. May this Holy Cross protect Anton's wife Tamam. Sculpted by Unan.

Preserved on the western side and both faces of a fragmented
tombstone (140 x 80 to 103 x 28 centimetres):

...(կողա)կից Բիրիկ...: Կազմող Ունան:

transl.: ...wife Bibik... *Sculpted by Unan.*

10 lines in the Armenian original incised into one of the sides of
a rectangular tombstone (159 x 45 centimetres):

Թվ(ին) ՌԾԺ (1661). / ես Ասրգիս կա/զմել
ստվի տաս/սան...| կողակցին իմոյ Խար/ունին:

transl.: In the year 1661, I, Sargis, erected this grave[stone] ...in memory of my wife Khatun.

3 lines in the Armenian original carved on a tombstone (127 x 56 to 72 x 33 centimetres):

Թվին ՌԾԻԱ (1672). / ս(ուր)բ խա(շ)ս բարէ-
խա(ı)ս է Հալապէցի խաւճայ Աղուրքարիմին:

transl.: In the year 1672. May this Holy Cross protect Khoja Avdulkarim from Aleppo.

The Armenian original published in: *Karbelashvili, D. P.*, idem, p. 42.

Misreading: The publisher deciphers the end of the epitaph as
“...Khoja David and Margaret from Aleppo.”

3 lines in the Armenian original incised into one of the sides of
a tombstone (86 x 32 x 20 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խաչս բ/ա(րէ)խ(աւս) է Թա/ճումին:

transl.: *May this Holy Cross protect Tachum.*

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

2 lines in the Armenian original incised into one of the sides of
a tombstone (86 x 38 x 18 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(շ)ս բա(ր)էխա(ı)ս է:

transl.: *May this Holy Cross protect.*

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

4 lines in the Armenian original carved on one of the sides of a
tombstone (138 x 50 x 23 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(շ)ս (բ)արէխա(ı)ս / Վանա-
կ/անին:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Vanakan.

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

10 lines in the Armenian original incised into one of the sides of
a tombstone (107 x 58 x 18 centimetres), which has a crack in its
middle part and some ornamental reliefs on its southern face:

U(ուր)բ խս/աչս բ/ար(է)խաւ/ս է Իչի/պէկի հն/
գուն |...|...|...|...:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Ichipek's
soul...

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

3 lines in the Armenian original (the last one distorted)incised
into one of the sides of a tombstone (149 x 45 to 65 x 26 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ (խ)աչս բա/(րէ)խաւս է Սամ|...:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect...

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

7 lines in the Armenian original carved on one of the sides of a
tombstone (147 x 53 to 68 x 24 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ (խ)աչս / (բա)րէխա(ı)սէ{ս} / Ու(լ)-
բ/ան Բարին, / որ Սէլ(ի)բէ/բ Թասու/ջին ձորին:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Sultan Bab, who was the Melik of the gorge of Tasuch.

Note: We failed to find out the identity of Melik Sultan Bab ('Bab' is the Persian equivalent for 'father'). M. Barkhutarians saw the tombstone of a certain Melik Jhankir in Krzen Cemetery, which gave him grounds to presume that the village used to be a princely residence (Barkhutarians, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 59).

Also see *Barkhutarians, M*. History of Caucasian Albania, vol. 2, Tiflis, 1907, p. 57 (in Armenian). We failed to find that grave-stone in the cemetery. Nor did we succeed in locating the so-called "gorge of Tasuch."

3 lines in the Armenian original carved on one of the sides of a
tombstone (85 x 42 x 22 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խա(շ)ս բա(ր)էխա(ı)ս է / Խանա-
/պա(հն)....

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Khanapa...

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

Incised into the western side of a tombstone (135 x 41 x 21 centimetres):

Ամիր:

transl.: *Amir.*

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

2 lines in the Armenian original carved on both faces of a tombstone (94 x 42 x 23 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խս(շ)ս բա(ր)էխա(ı)ս է Վանիկին,
/ կազմող Յունան:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Vanik.
Sculpted by Hunan.

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

2 lines in the Armenian original incised into a tombstone (73 x 45 x 19 to 22 centimetres):

U(ուր)բ խս(շ)ս բարէխաւս է Պէկո(ι)մ(ին). /
Յո(հ)ան, Թորիկ:
<figure><img src="image_799.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_800.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_801.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_802.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_803.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_804.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_805.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_806.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_807.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_808.png" /><figcaption>KRZEN. Tombstones and a khachkar</figcaption></figure>

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Pekum.
Hovhan, Totik.

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

Incised into a tombstone (146 x 74 to 88 x 32 centimetres), broken in two parts. The second fragment lies with its face downwards, which makes the epitaph incomplete.

U(ուր)ք խա(չ)ս (քար)էխա(լ)ս է Աւար/ին
կո(ղակցին)...:
transl.: May this Holy Cross protect ...wife
Suar.

Note: The epitaph dates back to the 17th century.

5 lines in the Armenian original carved (partly in embossed letters) on a rectangular tombstone:

Այս է տապան Մարգարեանց Դարքի | եւ Սանդուխտի որդի Վարդազար(ին) | կողակից Զանազան. քիվն | ՌՄՉԸ | 12.3.1839:

transl.: In this grave reposes Vardazar, the
spouse of Zanazan and the offspring of David
Margiants and Sandukht. 12 March 1839.

Incised into a rectangular tombstone:

Այս է տապան Վանականեանց Յակորի կողակից Մարեամին, որ է դուստր Խասիքէկի, Ա(ստուա)ծ ողորմի ասէք. 1847:

transl.: In this grave reposes Hakob Vanakan-
iants' wife Mariam, who is Khasibek's daughter.
May you pray for her. 1847.

5 lines in the Armenian original incised into a rectangular tombstone:

Այս է տապան Վանականեանց | Լեւանի որդույ ներկարար Յարուքիւնի, Ա(ստուա)ծ ողորմի | կողակից Աննային. 1848. | Յովհաննեան:

transl.: In this grave reposes Levan Vanakan-
iants' son, dyer Harutiun. May God have mercy
upon his wife Anna. 1848. Hovhanian.

5 lines in the Armenian original engraved on a rectangular tombstone:

Այս է արձան կրզենեցի Ծատուրեանց | Ան-սոնի որդի Յարուքիւնին, 50 ամաց | վախ. 10.1.1896 ամի, այս արձանս կան/գնեցին իր կին Հերքին եւ որդիքն Խա[չ]ա[յ]տուրն, Սարքիսն, ...ասին, Ա(ստուա)ծ օղ[որմի]...:

transl.: This is the gravestone of Harutiun, the
son of Anton Tzaturiants from Krzen. Died at the
age of 50 on 10 January 1896. Erected by his wife
Herik, his sons Khachatur, Sargis... May God
have mercy...

6 lines in the Armenian original carved on a rectangular tombstone:

Այս է տապան Մօվես գիտացի | Խանումայ Միմօնեան Բաղալեանց, | որ վախճանեցաւ ի գիտն Կոզէն, որ | էր գոքանչ Սարգսի Թարխանեանցի, դուստր տրա ... | ...:

transl.: In this grave reposes Khanum Simonian
Badalants from Movses Village, who died in
Krzen Village. She was Sargis Tarkhaniants'
mother-in-law. Her daughter...

<figure><img src="image_809.png" /><figcaption>KRZEN. The sacred site of Zatki Tzar</figcaption></figure>

A holy tree called **Zatki Tzar**<fnref n="139" /> and representing a giant lignum vitae, stands not far from the village cemetery.

The territory of Krzen retains the remnants of a grave-yard as well as the remains of a village site and an annihilated church.<fnref n="140" />

The ruins of **Hoghaberd** ('Topragh Ghala' in Turkish) are preserved on a hill rising on the right bank of the river Kur, a kilometre north-east of the village: "The top of the hill represents an area of fine surface where different pitchers, old rifles as well as copper articles and earthenware were discovered. About forty years ago, six jugs, full of Arabic and Persian coins, were unearthed there."<fnref n="141" />

KYAZIMLI

This small Turkish village, founded in the Soviet years, is located on the right bank of the river Asrik, 31 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,370 to 1,410 metres above sea level.

KYOHNAGHALA

The village extends in a plain 16 kilometres south-
east of the district centre, between 470 and 490 metres
of altitude above sea level.

A record left by a visitor of the late 19th century states, “Below Memertlu lies the ancient village site of Kyohna Ghala, now inhabited by Turks. In the course of the excavations, some large jugs, weighing up to 150 batmans,<fnref n="142" /> were dug out of its territory. Balasan, an inhabitant of Baden, told me that his uncle’s house retained three inscribed nalbakis found in Kyohna Ghala.”<fnref n="143" />

<footnote n="139">139 ‘Zatik’ is the Armenian equivalent for both ‘Christmas’ and ‘Easter,’ which suggests that the sacred tree (‘tzar’ is the Armenian equivalent for ‘tree’) may be somehow connected with either of these feasts.</footnote>

<footnote n="140">140 Barkhutariants, M., idem, p. 59.</footnote>

<footnote n="141">141 Idem, p. 60.</footnote>

<footnote n="142">142 'Batman' is an ancient unit of weight. 'Nalbaki' is a dialectal word denoting a household article.</footnote>

<footnote n="143">143 **S. Kamalian** Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, p. 3.</footnote>
## KYOKHANABI

This small Turkish village is situated on an east-facing mountain slope, 1.2 kilometres north-east of the monastery of Khoranashat, 13.5 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 900 to 940 metres above sea level.

It was established in the Soviet years.

Until 1988, the surviving parts of a ruined church were preserved in the territory of the village.

## LAZILAR

This Turkish village lies on a lofty mountain slope, 38 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,700 to 1,770 metres above sea level.

It was founded in the site of an Armenian village that had been stripped of its population in the '70s of the 18th century.

## MESHADILAR (TOMAKHLI)

Meshadilar extends on the left bank of the river Zakam, at the north-facing foot of a mountain, 17 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 560 to 620 metres above sea level.

The village, whose historical name has sunk into oblivion, was known by the name of Tomakhli in the second half of the 19th century.

It represents a Turkish settlement established in the site of a deserted Armenian village. Between 1894 and 1895, it belonged to the Kyamranbekovs' family of Turkish landowners.<fnref n="144" />

The available statistical records on the number of the local population represent the following picture:

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Houses</th><th>Males</th><th>Females</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1886<sup>145</sup></td><td>65</td><td>227</td><td>219</td><td>446</td></tr><tr><td>1914<sup>146</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>515</td></tr></tbody></table>

## MOLLA-AYRUM

Molla-Ayrum is situated on the divide between the rivers Zakam and Asrik, 18 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,050 metres above sea level.

It is a small Turkish village established in the Soviet years.

## MUNJUKHLU

The village extends on an east-facing wooded mountain slope, on the left bank of the river Akhenji, 22 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,430 to 1,510 metres above sea level.

It represents a small Turkish settlement dating from the Soviet years.

## MYULKYULYU

This Turkish village lies 11 kilometres south-west of the district centre, within about 1.5 to 2 kilometres of the frontier of the Republic of Armenia, between 590 and 650 metres of altitude above sea level.

It was founded in the site of a derelict Armenian village in the second half of the 19th century.

The available statistical records on the number of the local population represent the following picture:

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Houses</th><th>Males</th><th>Females</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1886<sup>147</sup></td><td>58</td><td>269</td><td>162</td><td>431</td></tr><tr><td>1914<sup>148</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>410</td></tr></tbody></table>

## NAMKHOSH

The village extends on the right bank of the river Zakam, 28 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,330 to 1,410 metres above sea level.

Having been stripped of its Armenian population in the 1770s, it was inhabited by Turks in the Soviet years.

## NASIBLI

Nasibli is located in the area of the source of the river Akhenji, 34 kilometres south-west of the district centre, between 1,590 and 1,630 metres of altitude above sea level.

It represents a small village founded in the Soviet years.

## OSGYAN (VOSKYAN)

The village is situated on the left bank of the river Zakam, 31 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,010 to 1,040 metres above sea level.

The historical name of this once Armenian-inhabited village has survived in a slightly distorted form. In the Soviet years, some Turkish stock-breeders settled down in its site.

## PALEKLI

The present-day Turkish village of Palekli, founded in the Soviet years, lies on the left bank of the river Asrik, 27 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,230 to 1,350 metres above sea level.

It occupies the site of an Armenian village which was stripped of its population in the '70s of the 18th century. Unfortunately, its historical name has sunk into oblivion.

## SAFARLI

This is another Turkish settlement founded in the Soviet years.

It extends in the basin of the river Akhenji, 32 kilometres south-west of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,520 to 1,550 metres above sea level.

<footnote n="144">144 National Archives of Armenia, fund 93, list 1, file 388, pp. 2-3.</footnote>

<footnote n="145">145 A Statistical Survey..., pp. 82-83.</footnote>

<footnote n="146">146 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 189.</footnote>

<footnote n="147">147 A Statistical Survey..., pp. 1150-1151.</footnote>

<footnote n="148">148 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 162.</footnote>
### SARITALA

This Turkish village is situated on the east-facing slope of a gorge lying on the left bank of the stream Yekeghetsajur, i.e. the right tributary of the river Zakam, 30 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,430 to 1,500 metres above sea level.

It was founded in the site of a derelict Armenian village in the late 19th century.

### SHAMLUGH (SHMEGH)

The village is located 1.5 kilometres south-west of the historical village of Chatakh, 31 kilometres south of the district centre, between 1,460 and 1,540 metres of altitude above sea level.

Forced to abandon their birthplace in the 1770s, nineteen families of Shamlugh Armenians<fnref n="149" /> resettled in Shulaver. They gave one of the local quarters the name of their native village, i.e. ‘Shmegh,’ which has been preserved untill today.

### SHAMLUGH BALA (SMALLER SHAMLUGH)

Smaller Shamlugh lies on the left bank of the river Zakam, in the valley of the tributary of the same name, 33 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,060 to 1,100 metres above sea level.

In the late 19th century, the village, mentioned by the name of Kujur Shamlugh, belonged to Turkish landowner Zulghadarov.<fnref n="150" />

In the Soviet years, the site of the devastated Armenian village was inhabited by some Turks.

### SHAMLUGH BEYUK (GREATER SHAMLUGH)

Greater Shamlugh extends on the left bank of the river Zakam, 31 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,070 to 1,180 metres above sea level.

In the late 19th century, the village site belonged to Turkish landowner Zulghadarov.<fnref n="151" />

The foundation of the present-day Turkish settlement dates back to the Soviet years. It occupies the site of an Armenian village that was stripped of its population in the 1770s.

### SHEKHEYBAT

Shekheybat is situated on the divide between the rivers Akhenji and Asrik, 27.5 kilometres south of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,700 metres above sea level.

One of the oldest villages in the district, it was stripped of its native Armenian population in the 1770s and was inhabited by Turks in the Soviet years.

### SOFULAR

The village is located in an elevated, wooded area between the rivers Asrik and Zakam, 23 kilometres south of the district centre, at an average altitude of 1,380 metres above sea level.

It represents a Turkish settlement established in the early 20th century.

In 1914 it had a population of 128.<fnref n="152" />

### TOUZ CITY

The city is situated on Ghazakh-Gandzak Highway and the railroad of the same name extending parallel with it, 24 kilometres south-east of Ghazakh, at an altitude of 430 to 455 metres above sea level.

The present-day administrative centre of the district of the same name, Touz used to be a railway station before 1935. Later it turned into a township and preserved that status until 1947, when it grew into a city.

### VAYITLI

A Turkish village founded in the early 20th century, it lies on the right bank of the river Akhenji, 6.5 kilometres south-west of the district centre, at an altitude of 190 to 530 metres above sea level.

In 1976 the local inhabitants amounted to 815.<fnref n="153" />

### YANKHLI (KHAGHKHAGH, KHILKHINA)

**Location.** Yankhli, i.e. the historical city of Khaghkhagh, is located on the left bank of the river Zakam, 17 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 600 to 650 metres above sea level.

**A Historical Introduction.** One of the oldest villages in the region, it used to serve as a winter residence for the Armenian Arshakids (66 to 428), the following quotations attesting to it: “Then he and his brother... made their way to Armenia. Anak presented himself to King Khosrov at the winter quarters in Khalkhal...”<fnref n="154" />

“...opposite the city of Khaghkhagh, which is the winter residence of Aghvank kings located near the border with Georgia...”<fnref n="155" />

“...Khałkhał was in the land of the Albanians.”<fnref n="156" />

<footnote n="149">149 Aslanian, S., Karapetian, S., idem, pp. 27-28.</footnote>

<footnote n="150">150 S. Kamalian Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, p. 11.</footnote>

<footnote n="151">151 S. Kamalian Fund, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="152">152 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 181.</footnote>

<footnote n="153">153 SAE, vol. 2, p. 424.</footnote>

<footnote n="154">154 The Conversion of Armenia to Christianity. A Retelling of Agathangelos' History. By Valerie Goekjian Zahirsky. New York, 2001, p. 7.</footnote>

<footnote n="155">155 History of the Armenian Nation by Ghazar Parpetsy. Tpghis, 1904, p. 65.</footnote>

<footnote n="156">156 Elishc. History of Vardan and the Armenian War. Translation and Commentary by Robert W. Thomson. London, 1982, p. 127.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_810.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_811.png" /><figcaption>YANKHLI (KHAGHKHAGH). A mosque and tombs</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_812.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_813.png" /></figure>

Records with references to Khaghkhagh can also be found in some Georgian sources, one of which states, “And he crossed the border of Armenia (Somkhit), his destination being the city of Khaghkhagh (Khilkhala), that served as a winter residence for the Armenian kings.”<fnref n="157" />

In 450 the Armenian troops, led by Commander Vardan Mamikonian, won victory over the Persians in a battle fought near Khaghkhagh.<fnref n="158" />

Interestingly enough, ‘Khilkhina,’ which is a slightly distorted version of the village’s historical name, survived until the 20th century.

In the late 19th century, the village belonged to Turkish landowners Allahyar-Bey, Mehrali-Bey and Adil-Bey Zulghadarov.<fnref n="159" />

The local population amounted to 4,458 in 1914,<fnref n="160" /> and 66 in 1981.<fnref n="161" />

In 1890 Sargis Kamalian wrote the following about the village's monuments of antiquity, "...You could see vestiges of different monuments throughout the territory beginning with the northern foot of Mount Tulklu. At present this area, known by the name of

Shehar (‘town’) both among the local Armenians and Turks, belongs to the Zulghadarovs. Among the ancient monuments, a mosque and a bridge can be distinguished. The latter, built by Mama Mirza, has 3 huge arches and some broad-surfaced pillars... There are doors on either side of its middle pier. The bridge, however, is in a dilapidated state and does not function; that is why, the dwellings are located far below it...The Zulghadarovs have magnificent residences surrounded by platans and poplars. This village is called **Khennalu** or **Khelkhana**.<fnref n="162" />

The aforementioned bridge was built of brick, except for its main parts where finely-dressed basalt was used. During our visit to the village in 1980, only its piers were preserved on both banks of the river Zakam.

Bishop Makar, who visited Yankhli in the early 1890s, confirms that once a village existed there: "...The deep valley is surrounded by Mounts Enkuzut (Ghozlu) in the east, and Mamrut (Mamertlu) in the south, as if lying within a natural enclosure along both banks of the river. It abounds in vestiges of different monuments of late antiquity, such as heaps of stones, broken fragments of old, rough vessels, remnants of

<footnote n="157">157 Melikset-Bek, L. M., vol. 1, p. 163.</footnote>

<footnote n="158">158 Ghazar Petpetsy, p. 66. Also see *Chamchiants, M.*, vol. 2, p. 57.</footnote>

<footnote n="159">159 National Archives of Armenia, fund 93, list 1, file 388, pp. 9-10.</footnote>

<footnote n="160">160 Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 197.</footnote>

<footnote n="161">161 SAE, vol. 5, p. 187.</footnote>

<footnote n="162">162 S. Kamalian Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, p. 35. An anonymous article entitled *Studies of the History of Azerbaijan* contains a photo of the standing bridge (“Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR,” 1946, No. 5, p. 95).</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_814.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_815.png" /><figcaption>YANKHLI (KHAGHKHAGH). The remnants of a bridge</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_816.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_817.png" /></figure>

lime and brick walls as well as huge barrels found in some underground ditches. The bricks are thicker, longer and wider than usual, i.e. 31 square centimetres. Some earthenware tubes used to provide the former village with spring water from time immemorial. This is proved by the ruins of the long, rough pipeline, once extending in the west of its present-day site and destroyed by Zulkatarov Hamit Bey. Regretfully, the traces of the church have disappeared altogether."<fnref n="163" />

A brick mosque, built in the late 19th century, is preserved in Yankhli. The ruins of a 17th-century Muslim tomb can still be seen at the western extremity of the village.

## YEGHUNBULAGH

This Turkish village is situated 29 kilometres south-east of the district centre, at an altitude of 1,350 to 1,420 metres above sea level.

Founded in the Soviet years, it occupies the site of an Armenian village that was left derelict in the late 18th century.

## YUKHARI-OKSYUZLYU

One of the most populous villages in the district, Yukhari-Oksyuzlyu extends on the south-facing slope of a gorge lying on the left bank of the river Tavush, 7 kilometres south-west of the district centre, at an altitude of 580 to 660 metres above sea level.

In 1980 it had a population of 4,097.<fnref n="164" />

A mosque, dating from the 19th century, has been preserved in the village.

<footnote n="163">163 Barkhutariants, M., idem, p. 57.</footnote>

<footnote n="164">164 SAE, vol. 5, p. 187.</footnote>
ARTZVASHEN

In the Soviet years, Artzvashen formed an administrative part of Karmir (Krasnoselsk) District of Soviet Armenia, but in fact, it represented an enclave within the Republic of Azerbaijan, bordering on its Touz and Getabek Districts.

<figure><img src="image_818.png" /></figure>
**Location.** Artzvashen is situated 15 kilometres north-east of the former district centre of Karmir (Krasnoselsk), at an altitude of 1,460 to 1,510 metres above sea level.

Originally called Bashgyugh, Bashkyand and Hin Bashkyand to be differentiated from Nor Bashgyugh located in the same district, the village was renamed Artzvashen on 25 January 1978.<fnref n="1" />

**Foundation.** The ancestors of Artzvashen Armenians were natives of Jraberd District of Artsakh Province of Metz Hayk, who left their birthplace in the late 18th century, moving first to Choratan Village of Shamshadin District (the present-day sub-district of Shamshadin, Tavush Marz, Republic of Armenia), and then (in the mid-19th century) to the Armenian village site of Parakert (Paragyugh, Parakyand), where they founded Artzvashen (Bashgyugh).<fnref n="2" /> The existing sources are not unanimous in mentioning the exact date of their resettlement but, apparently, it took place between 1845 and 1859. Some records state the following with that regard, "The village was founded in 1845."<fnref n="3" /> "The village was established in 1852 by some resettlers from Nerkin Choratan..."<fnref n="4" /> "Some 39 families from Choratan... founded Artzvashen in 1854..."<fnref n="5" /> "The village dates back to 1859."<fnref n="6" />

Artzvashen Armenians recall the following legend connected with the establishment of their village: "...The residents of Artzvashen and the Turks inhabiting the nearby plain entered into a conflict, the latter demanding that the former leave the territory serving them as a pasture. The Armenians, however, refused to do so declaring that they were in their native land and had nowhere else to go to. The problem was finally settled through wrestling and a bullfight: the Armenian side won both of them thanks to wrestler Arzuman Dallakian and a bull named Tzaghik that belonged to a certain Sahak's family. Thus, the territorial dispute was resolved in favour of the Armenians."<fnref n="7" />

In the late 19th century, Artzvashen belonged to the Melik-Kalantarians' family of landowners.<fnref n="8" />

**Construction Activity.** The centre of the village, where stood a House of Culture, was surrounded by Nerkin (Lower) or Kachal<fnref n="9" /> Quarter.

Shushaniants' Quarter was located in the neighbourhood of the local secondary school, above which Haram extended.

Tsits Kar lay in the north of the village, and Verin (Upper) Quarter adjoined the Saribekiants' Quarter.

Another two quarters, one of them named Chinastagh (Chinastan), and the other ironically called Palkh-Kyand, came into being due to the development and enlargement of Artzvashen.

**Water Supply.** In 1945 Artzvashen inhabitants arranged the conveyance of the water of Varar (the Armenian equivalent for 'abundant') Aghbyur to their village.<fnref n="10" /> With the expansion of the village, Gyagunts Aghbyur joined it to meet the local people's needs. They also received water from the springs of Chamchi, Sevjur, Shinataki, Tsits Kar, Ghazan and Sar.

In 1968 a water reservoir was built in Artzvashen for the irrigation of the village lands that covered 500 hectares. As the construction proceeded, a number of nearby tombs were left buried under it.

**The Armeno-Turkish Fights between 1905 and 1906.** An enclave encircled by Turkish villages, Artzvashen could not escape the Turkish assaults so that it had to resort to self-defence under Michael Astvatzatrian's leadership.<fnref n="11" /> Assisted by Parish Priest Vahan Ter-Ghukassian<fnref n="12" /> and Sahak Ghukassian (commonly known as Nadirants Sahak (i.e. Sahak from the Nadiriants family) and Ofitser Sahak (i.e. Officer Sahak)), an officer of the Tsarist army, he "collected gold and silver jewellery from the local people and obtained fire-arms from Baku and Tiflis at their expense. The blacksmiths cast cannons from the alloy of samovars and different copper articles. Their shells did not explode and injure the enemy, but their formi-

<footnote n="1">1 The Administrative-Territorial Division of the Armenian SSR (as of 1 August 1988). Yerevan, 1988, pp. 74, 89, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="2">2 **Petrossian, A.** The Problems of a Neglected District. In: "Azatamart," September 1991. No. 29, p. 12, in Armenian. Also see **Hovhannissian, H.** The Aerie beyond the Mountains. In: "Hayreniki Dzayn," 12 October 1990, No. 41, pp. 3-4, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="3">3 Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia, vol. 2, p. 297.</footnote>

<footnote n="4">4 "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="5">5 **Petrossian, A.** Artzvashen: Its Past and Present. In: "Azatamart," 1992, No. 1, p. 12, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="6">6 Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories, vol. 1, p. 453.</footnote>

<footnote n="7">7 **Petrossian, A.**, idem.</footnote>

<footnote n="8">8 "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="9">9 The Armenian equivalent for 'bald.' The quarter was so called due to the small number of gardens it comprised.</footnote>

<footnote n="10">10 **Arakelian (Madunts), A.** A Troublesome Spring in "Smaller Artsakh." In: "Avangard," 21 May 1992, p. 2, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="11">11 Public figure Michael Astvatzatrian (1878 to 1939), a graduate of Tiflis' Nersissian School and an accredited representative of Hay Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun in the district of Ghazakh-Shamshadin, published a spate of articles in the contemporary press ("Horizon," "Mshak," "Khariskh," "Vtak," etc.) under the pen-name of Hayk or Hayk Ayunts. A student of folk-lore, he also taught the Armenian language and literature in his native village, in Nersissian School, Akhaltskha as well as Dilijan and Yerevan. Michael Astvatzatrian fell victim to Stalin's repressions on 26 November 1937 (Ayunts, L. Michael Astvatzatrian: A Patriot and a Defender of His Homeland. Yerevan, 2000, in Armenian).</footnote>

<footnote n="12">12 Priest Vahan (1872 to 1921), a graduate of Echmiatzin's Gevorgian Jemaran, was held in high esteem throughout the district. Treacherously arrested in Nor-Saratovka Village of Getabek District, by Rostam Aliyev, First Secretary of Shamkhor's District Committee, he was executed without trial. A memorial erected near the castle of Parisos and a village in Getabek District "commemorate" the "feat" of the former gang leader, who was killed by a revengeful Armenian ("Hayreniki Dzayn," 10 October 1990, No. 41, p. 4). Father Vahan was buried in Artzvashen's cemetery, a village in Karmir District of the Republic of Armenia perpetuating his name.</footnote>
dable thunder created unspeakable panic among them.”<fnref n="13" />

The first attack against Artzvashen (on the whole, the enemy mounted 13 offensives against the village) was launched by the Turkish inhabitants of Ghazakh, Gandzak and Bayazed on 19 January (6 January according to the old calendar) 1906. The contemporary press wrote the following with that regard, “Bashkyand sharded the fate of the other Armenian villages of Shamshadin and did not escape clashes which ended in the victory of the local residents thanks to the heroic self-defence put up by a number of prudent, valorous young fellows who were members of the Dashnakstutiun. During the first assault, launched on 6 January, the Turks, between 4,000 and 5,000 in number, were repelled, suffering great losses.”<fnref n="14" />

Despite that, however, the situation was truly critical, “Bashkend and Chambarak being doomed to most certain annihilation, if only the neighbouring principalities did not immediately come to their rescue.”<fnref n="15" />

Artzvashen Armenians turned to haydook leader Sevkaretsy Sako<fnref n="16" /> for help, but he refused under the excuse that their situation was equally harrowing. He also added that “...if Bashkend fails to defend itself, it will be sacrificed for the sake of the salvation of the other Armenian villages.”<fnref n="17" />

It was only the Armenians of Verin Chambarak who extended a helping hand to their compatriots in Artzvashen by sending an armed detachment there on the eve of the second Turkish attack.<fnref n="18" />

Thanks to a well-organized self-defence, Artzvashen Armenians saved their village from devastation; moreover, they rendered help to a number of Armenian villages in Shamshadin, and also mounted attacks against some neighbouring Turkish villages, their actions mitigating the Turks' furiosity.

**Artzvashen between 1918 and 1920.** The Red Army failing to conquer Artzvashen in 1920, it was only after some negotiations that the Soviet powers took over the village, the only settlement throughout Northern Artsakh to have formed part of the Soviet Republic of Armenia.

**Artzvashen between 1920 and 1930.** Artzvashen was included within the territory of Soviet Armenia until the 1930s: a map of the republic, published by the Central Statistical Department of Armenia in 1927 (cartographer: A. Minassian; editor: Z. Korkotian) shows it linked with Dilijan District like a peninsula.<fnref n="19" />

On 18 February 1929, the Soviet leadership made a decision concerning some border changes the three Transcaucasian republics were to undergo. Under the plea of settling certain frontier disputes and introducing verification into the territories of the aforementioned countries, it was decided to include the lands of Shinikh-Ayrum, covering 11,659 dessiatinas and lying between Karmir District and Artzvashen, in Ghazakh District of the Republic of Azerbaijan. That, however, meant the secession of Artzvashen from Armenia, although the same resolution stated that “...the Armenian village of Bashkend and the territories allocated to it remain part of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia. Since the aforementioned border changes will inevitably result in the inclusion of Artzvashen into Ghazakh District, it has been decided to cede an area, comprising the southern pastures of Shinikh-Ayrum, to Bashkend Village to territorially link it with Dilijan District of Soviet Armenia.”<fnref n="20" />

A map of 1934 shows Artzvashen as still part of Soviet Armenia, but the first volume of the Grand Soviet Encyclopedia (Moscow, 1949, in Russian) men-

<footnote n="13">13 **Petrossian, R.** Artzvashen. In: “Yerekoyan Yerevan,” 13 November 1989, in Armenian.</footnote>

<footnote n="14">14 “Hayrenik,” 10 May 1906; “Haraj,” 24 January 1906. M. Astvatzatrian’s memoirs provide most valuable information concerning these events: “On 19 January 1906, a Turkish mob, led by Mullah Seid, was seen in the distance, some of them on carts and the others on horseback... They were absolutely calm, firmly believing that they would not encounter any resistance. Their conviction grew even stronger when they saw the lifeless village and several wandering animals. Their volleys remaining unanswered, the Turks came closer... Meanwhile, the warriors of Bashkend were impatiently waiting for Hayk’s signal: he had ordered them to save the bullets and open fire only when the enemy had approached their positions within some 50 to 60 steps... The intensity grew with every single passing minute among the Armenian fighters. ...Taken aback by the very first volleys, ...the Turks withdrew, leaving a great number of casualties behind. The unusual thunder of the Armenians’ cannon horrified the enemy into a panic-stricken escape. Overcoming their shock, they resumed the offensive, and the fighting lasted for two days. The enemies who had suffered total defeat placed their victims’ corpses onto carts and left the impregnable settlement of Bashkend: that was the first attack against the village” (*Ayunts, L.*, idem, p. 34).</footnote>

<footnote n="15">15 “Haraj,” 22 January 1906.</footnote>

<footnote n="16">16 Sevkaretsy Sako (Sargis Tzovanian), born in 1870, took an active part in the Armenian liberation struggle. In 1890 he went to Western Armenia and fought in Moosh, Sasun, Van, Erzrum and other places as a member of the local haydook groups. In 1899 he was sentenced to a term of 101 years. In 1900 the Turkish authorities condemned him to death, but he was sent to Russia through the mediation of the Russian authorities. In 1908 Sevkaretsy Sako was to leave for Iran to take part in the Iranian revolution, but he fell prey to cholera (Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia, vol. 10, Yerevan, 1984, p. 329).</footnote>

<footnote n="17">17 **Ayunts, L.**, idem, p. 37.</footnote>

<footnote n="18">18 Isolated from the other Armenian villages like Artzvashen, Verin and Nerkin Chambarak suffered numerous attacks by the Turkish mob, Ayunts-Astvatzatrian taking an active part in the organization of their self-defence as well. In the last days of January, an armed detachment reached Artzvashen from Chardakhlu, but the fighting had already ceased by then.</footnote>

<footnote n="19">19 **Vardanian, S.** A Mystery: No, Usurped Lands. In: “Khorhrdayin Hayastan,” 18 October 1989, p. 3, in Armenian; “Azatamart,” September 1991, No. 29, p. 12; **Grigorian, R.** The Annexation of the Armenian Border Territories by Soviet Azerbaijan between the 1920s and ‘30s. In: “Aeresum,” 1996, No. 16, p. 7.</footnote>

<footnote n="20">20 **Vardanian, S.**, ibid.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_819.png" /><figcaption>ARTZVASHEN. A general view of the village (photo 1992)</figcaption></figure>

tions it as an enclave. This comes to suggest that the aforementioned resolution, if ever put into effect, was valid for only a short time, and the village was surreptitiously annexed to Soviet Azerbaijan between 1934 and 1949.<fnref n="21" />

On 31 May 1945, Saribek Soghomon Chilingarian (born on 18 May 1925), a native of Artzvashen, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his participation in an operation during which a five-member group had conquered a castle in the vicinity of Berlin in April of the same year: it was he who had hoisted the Red Flag over the occupied stronghold.<fnref n="22" />

The year 1992 marked the beginning of another heavy struggle for survival in Artzvashen. The local inhabitants realized that “If anything happens, our situation will be even worse than that of entire Artsakh. They will regret it, but it will be too late: this fight is to be extremely different from the previous one... Absolute indifference reigns everywhere so that you cannot trace even an apology for a state structure to rest upon.”<fnref n="23" />

Artzvashen was surrounded by the members of the Azerbaijani OMON (Russian: Отряд милиции особого назначения; Otryad Militsii Osobogo Naznacheniya, “Special Purpose Detachment of Militaryiya”) armed with the latest military equipment. On the main road leading to the village was established a military outpost with the goal of banning the penetration of any arms and ammunition there. Although the village was being defended by police and the warriors of Yerkrapah,<fnref n="24" /> the forces were incredibly unequal. On 4 August 1992, Artzvashen, a village boasting a glorious history of self-defence, was completely devastated and stripped of its inhabitants.

The available statistical data regarding the local population represent the following picture:

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Houses</th><th>Males</th><th>Females</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1873<sup>25</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1,015</td></tr><tr><td>1882<sup>26</sup></td><td></td><td>549</td><td>416</td><td>965</td></tr><tr><td>1883<sup>27</sup></td><td></td><td>573</td><td>430</td><td>1,003</td></tr><tr><td>1885<sup>28</sup></td><td></td><td>592</td><td>441</td><td>1,033</td></tr><tr><td>1886<sup>29</sup></td><td>114</td><td>791</td><td>639</td><td>1,430</td></tr></tbody></table>

<footnote n="21">21 Some of the local microtoponyms reflect the territorial disputes existing between the Armenians and Azeris: ‘Hoghachapi Aghbyur’ (i.e. ‘Surveyor’s Spring’), ‘Metz and Pokr Vijasarer’ (i.e. ‘Greater and Smaller Mountains of Discord,’ also known by the Russian name of ‘Sporny,’ i.e. ‘Disputed’), etc. Afterwards the latter founded Mtu-Dara Village in the village’s summer pastures.</footnote>

<footnote n="22">22 Soviet Armenian Encyclopaedia, vol. 9, Yerevan, 1983, p. 24.</footnote>

<footnote n="23">23 “Azatamart,” No. 1, 1991, p. 12.</footnote>

<footnote n="24">24 The name, literally meaning ‘Country Guard,’ is used with reference to some volunteer detachments that took an active part in the Liberation Struggle of Artsakh.</footnote>

<footnote n="25">25 Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories, vol. 1, p. 453.</footnote>

<footnote n="26">26 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3874, p. 130.</footnote>

<footnote n="27">27 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3875, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="28">28 National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3877, p. 8.</footnote>

<footnote n="29">29 A Statistical Survey..., pp. 144-145.</footnote>
<table><tr><td>1887<sup>30</sup></td><td></td><td>675</td><td>486</td><td>1,161</td></tr><tr><td>1888<sup>31</sup></td><td>120</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1890<sup>32</sup></td><td>115</td><td>804</td><td>639</td><td>1,443</td></tr><tr><td>1897<sup>33</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>1,847</td></tr><tr><td>1908<sup>34</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2,687</td></tr><tr><td>1909<sup>35</sup></td><td></td><td>1,679</td><td>1,260</td><td>2,939</td></tr><tr><td>1914<sup>36</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3,079</td></tr><tr><td>1926<sup>37</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2,909</td></tr><tr><td>1939<sup>38</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>4,280</td></tr><tr><td>1959<sup>39</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>4,112</td></tr><tr><td>1970<sup>40</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>3,368</td></tr><tr><td>1979<sup>41</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2,771</td></tr><tr><td>1990<sup>42</sup></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>2,750</td></tr></table>

As indicated by the table, the residents of Artzvashen continually increased. In the course of some years, however, certain reduction could be observed in their number due to fighting and resettlement (a considerable part of the inhabitants of Vahan Village and the township of Karmir (in Gegharkunik Marz of the Republic of Armenia) come from Artzvashen). In 1923 some of Artzvashen Armenians abandoned the village under the leadership of Michael Astvatzatrian (Hayk Ayunts) and founded Nor Bashgyugh (the present-day village of Getik in the sub-district of Karmir, Gegharkunik Marz, Republic of Armenia) on the south-western slope of Mount Merghuz, on the bank of the river Getik.

The highly unfavourable socio-economic conditions of Artzvashen gave rise to large-scale emigration into different cities in Armenia (Yerevan, Nor Hajn, Kanaker, Abovian, Charentsavan, Vanadzor, etc.) and the Russian Federation. As a result, by 1990 “the number of the local houses has dropped from 850 to 600, with some 50 to 60 of them standing semi-deserted. The number of the village’s population, once totaling 5,000, has plummeted down to 2,750…, the majority of them aged people. It is growing smaller and smaller with every single passing day.”<fnref n="43" />

**The Local Families.** Artzvashen’s elderly inhabitants remembered that the family of the Madunts living in Nerkin (Kachal) Quarter was from Van, Western Armenia, in origin.

Below follows a list of the other outstanding families of the village: the Ghazariants,<fnref n="44" /> Thorossiants, Tukhaniants, Stepaniants, Saribekiants, Ayunts, Kherzaniants, Gyagunts (Kirakossiants), Tzaturiants, Ghalechiants, Ghulunts, Iskandariants, Yeritsiants, Terteriants, Khechoviants, Ghahermaniants, Tizunts, Damerchiants, Balunts, Brutiants, Shushaniants, Avaliants, etc.

**The Village School.** Beginning with 1907, some attempts were made to provide Artzvashen’s population with education. Between 1915 and 1917, Archimandrite Yeghishe and a married couple (a certain Hovsep and his wife Sofia) carried out that work, the former teaching Religion and Russian, and the latter the Armenian language there. Later Hovsep and Sofia’s pupils, Herik Dallakian, Rafael Sardarian and others, founded their own small private schools in the village.

In 1918/1919, a one-year secondary school of males functioned in Artzvashen.<fnref n="45" />

In 1921 a state school opened there,<fnref n="46" /> its building having been erected by Zemstvo Russian Company. In the autumn of 1922, M. Astvatzatrian was appointed headmaster there. The institution had a children’s theatre which is known to have staged a number of literary works, including a short story entitled Gikor by prominent Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanian.<fnref n="47" />

Later another two schools opened in Artzvashen, the pupils of those three institutions totaling 1,500 together. In the subsequent decades, however, their number was reduced due to mass emigration so that only a single school functioned in the village on the eve of its fall.

The territory of Artzvashen abounds in various ancient **historical and cultural monuments**, including Bronze Age tombs (they were destroyed during the construction of a local pond), medieval churches, cemeteries, sanctuaries, cross-stones, etc.

**St. Minas Church**, standing in the centre of the village and dating back to 1872, represents a structure of rectangular plan with two eastern vestries. A visitor who saw it in 1888 describes it in the following way, “...the church which represents a high building of tiled roof is distinguished for its splendid ornamentation.”<fnref n="48" />

In the ‘30s of the 20th century, the sanctuary turned into a warehouse of agricultural products; moreover,

<footnote n="30">³⁰ National Archives of Armenia, fund 53, list 1, file 3880, p. 31.</footnote>

<footnote n="31">³¹ “Nor-Dar,” 1888, No. 105, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="32">³² **Barkhutariants**, M. Artsakh, p. 311.</footnote>

<footnote n="33">³³ Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="34">³⁴ Caucasian Calendar for 1910, p. 200.</footnote>

<footnote n="35">³⁵ National Archives of Armenia, fund Ω56, list 18, file 764, p. 121.</footnote>

<footnote n="36">³⁶ Caucasian Calendar for 1915, p. 97.</footnote>

<footnote n="37">³⁷ Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="38">³⁸ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="39">³⁹ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="40">⁴⁰ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="41">⁴¹ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="42">⁴² **Hovhannissian**, H., idem, in: “Hayreniki Dzayn,” 10 October 1990, p. 4.</footnote>

<footnote n="43">⁴³ Ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="44">⁴⁴ The local dialect has distorted most of the family names which have the ending of ‘ants’ instead of the customary ‘ian,’ that is more common for Armenian surnames: thus, ‘Ghazariants’ was pronounced as ‘Ghzarants,’ ‘Thorossiants’ as ‘Thorosants,’ etc.</footnote>

<footnote n="45">⁴⁵ **Khudoyan**, S. The East Armenian Schools between 1830 and 1920, p. 485.</footnote>

<footnote n="46">⁴⁶ See Ashot Petrossian’s unpublished article (we are extending our gratitude to him for willingly putting it at our disposal).</footnote>

<footnote n="47">⁴⁷ **Ayunts**, L., idem, pp. 59-60.</footnote>

<footnote n="48">⁴⁸ “Nor-Dar,” 1888, No. 105, p. 3.</footnote>
under the plea of “repairs,” the oaken logs of its roof
were removed and replaced by ordinary boards. The
interior of the former church underwent some
changes,<fnref n="49" /> being adjusted to a hall for funeral feasts.<fnref n="50" />

The monument was planned to go through some
renovation in 1991.

St. Minas Church had the following inscriptions:

Carved above the southern entrance of the church:

Անուն սրբոյն Սինասայ շինեցաւ եկեղեցիս
արդեամբ ժողովրդոց Բաշքեանդի. 1872 ամի
մայիս 5-ին:

transl.: This church, dedicated to St. Minas,
was built through the means of Bashkyand people
on 5 May 1872.

The Armenian original published in: **Barkhutariants, M.**, Artsakh, p. 311; **Petrossian, A.** Artzvashen: Its Past and Present History. In: "Azatamart," No. 1, 1992, p. 12.

Incised into “a square stone” (apparently, a cross-stone) lying in
the southern sacristy:

Յանուն Աստուծոյ, ես Դասիր կանգնեցի
գլխաչս այս ի քարեխօսիւրեանո տէր իմոյ
որդ(ի) Անտիկին, քուին ՉԼԷ (1288):

transl.: In the name of the Lord, I, David, erect
ed this cross in memory of my son Antik in the year
1288.

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3.

Note: The aforementioned decipherment of the inscription con-
tains a misprint. As is known, the letters of the Armenian alphabet
also stand for numerals: thus, the beginning of the year in the
Armenian original is deciphered as ‘Չ’ (6) which should have been
read as ‘Չ’ (900, i.e. 1488) or ‘Ռ’ (1000, i.e. 1588), the last version
being more probable.

A single line in the Armenian original engraved on the cornice of
a cross-stone lying below the southern wall of the church and deco-
rated with two recessed crosses:

[U{n]ı]r] թաչս ք(ա)ք(է)սաւս) Ակորին ...:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Akob...

Published for the first time.

Note: The inscription dates back to the 17th century.

St. Hovhannes, “the church of the former inhabitants of the village,”<fnref n="51" /> was built in 1607 and repaired in 1857. It represented a small, uni-nave vaulted structure of undressed and roughly-finished stone. The sanctuary ceased functioning in the ‘80s of the 19th century.<fnref n="52" />

<figure><img src="image_820.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_821.png" /><figcaption>ARTZVASHEN. St. Minas Church, 1872 (photos 1980)</figcaption></figure>

Some overhaul was planned to be implemented in
the monument in 1991, as “...the section of its base
adjoining the gorge has fallen apart threatening the
entire monument with collapse into this ravine.”<fnref n="53" />

The walls of St. Hovhannes Church bear a number
of finely-adorned khachkars and tombstones dating
back to the 17th century. Some of them are engraved
with inscriptions most of which are distorted so that
only certain years are intelligible:

Carved on a cross-stone set in the western wall of the church,
south of its entrance:

ԹՎ: ՌԾՉ: (1607):

transl.: In the year 1607.

The Armenian original published in: **Barkhutariants, M.**, ibid.

Note: According to this source, the year mentioned in the
inscription marks the foundation of the monument.

<footnote n="49">⁴⁹ **Arakelian (Madunts) A.**, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="50">50 "Azatamart," September 1991, No. 29, p. 12. In the days of self-defence in November 1991, the baptism of more than 60 Artzvashen Armenians, both young and aged, was held in St. Minas Church, with Priest Tirayr Sahratian officiating at the ceremony. Its main goal was to strengthen the local people's devotion to the Armenian Church (Petrossian, A. A Baptism Ceremony in Artzvashen. In: "Yerkir," 19 November 1991, p. 6, in Armenian).</footnote>

<footnote n="51">51 **Barkhutariants, M.**, ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="52">52 "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3.</footnote>

<footnote n="53">53 **Petrossian, A.**, ibid.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_822.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_823.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_824.png" /><figcaption>ARTZVASHEN. St. Hovhannes Church, 1607 (photos 1980)</figcaption></figure>

Incised into the cornice of a khachkar:

Սուրբ խաչս բարեխոս Ա(ա)հակի կին Եղիսաքէքին:

transl.: May this Holy Cross protect Sahak's wife Yeghisabet.

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3; **Barkhutariants, M.**, ibid.

Inscribed on another cross-stone:

Ես Թմանս կանգնեցի տորր խաչս բարեխոս որդոյ իմոյ Նաւասարդին. ք(ին) Ո. (1551), որր ընքեռնուր յաղաթս յիշեցէք:

transl.: I, Tman, erected this Holy Cross in memory of my son Navasard in the year 1551. May you who read this pray for him.

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," ibid.

Engraved on a khachkar fragment set north of the church entrance:

...Սիմոն, տէր Սխիթար, զանէ հանգուցեալ իտէր: Թվ(ին): ՈԾԷ: (1609):

transl.: ...Simon, Father Mkhitar who departed to God in the year 1609.

The Armenian original published in: **Barkhutariants, M.**, ibid.

Note: The decipherment of the inscription does not seem trustworthy enough. A photograph of this cross-stone shows the left part of its cornice broken, and the right one retaining some characters which enable us to decipher the word 'Simon.' The embossed letters of the year (never published before) are preserved near the upper wing of the recessed cross the fragment of whose lower part has not survived.

St. Hovhannes Church had a large grave-yard retaining an epitaph dated 1194.<fnref n="54" />

**Artzvashen's cemetery**, occupying a spacious area, extends at the eastern extremity of the village. A special part of it, called Patatz Tun, is allocated to the graves of eight heroes who sacrificed their lives during the fights of 1906: David, Nerses and Saribek Saribekian, Israel Balian, Arakel Arakelian, Vardevan Demirchian, Isayi Danielian and Mukhi Nazarian.

Below follow the epitaphs of five of them:

7 lines in the Armenian original carved on a tombstone:

Ես եմ ի ներքո տապանիս ուստա Վարդան, անդրանիկ որդի Հովհաննեսի Սարքիսեան. | աշխատասեր, բարեվաստակ դարքին գովական. | իմ տարեկան պատարաքս խնդրեմ անեք անխափան. | կոռի դաշտումը եղա նահատակ, | քողեցի անունս ազգիս հիշատակ. | ես փոխվեցա առ Ա(ստուա)ծ, ողիր բարով մնաք: 1906 ք. հունվարի 17:

transl.: Beneath this grave[stone] lie my remains. I am Usta Vardan, the first son of Hovhannes Sargissian and an industrious blacksmith of high merit. I fell on the battle-ground, with my name recorded in the history of my nation. May you hold a memorial service for my soul every year. I left this world; may you enjoy its blessings. 17 January 1906.

<footnote n="54">54 Barkhutariants, M., ibid; “Azatamart,” January 1992, No. 1, p. 12.</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_825.png" /><figcaption>ARTZVASHEN. Khachkars set in the walls of St. Hovhannes Church, and another standing near its wall, 1607 (photos 1980)</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_826.png" /></figure>

The Armenian original published in: **Ayunts, L.** Michael Astvatzianar: A Patriot and a Defender of His Homeland. Yerevan, 2000, p. 39, in Armenian.

3 lines in the Armenian original engraved on a gravestone:

Ես Ներսեսն եմ քաջ, որդին Սարիքեզանց
Սարիքեզի. | հասակս էր 19 տարի, պատերազ-
մի դաշտի վերա | կռուեցի ազգի համար, զոհ-
վեցի 1906:

transl.: I am valorous Nerses, the son of Saribek Saribekiants who fought for his nation on the battle-field [and] lost his life at the age of 19 in 1906.

Published for the first time.

6 lines in the Armenian original inscribed on a tombstone:

Մահարձանս հարգեցեք, Մուխայիլն եմ
Նագարյան, | տանուտեր ի Բաշքենդի, գյուղի
միջի քաջ իշխան. | թշնամի թուրքերը
հարձակվեցին մեզ վրա, ձեռքս առա հրացան,
| մահիս զնդակ ինձ հասավ: Ինձ պես ժիր
սուրհանդակ գյուղի մասին | թողեցի լինի ինձ
այն հիշատակ: | Յիշեցեք Մուխայիլս միշտ
1906 ամի:

transl.: May you respect my memorial. I am Mukhail Nazarian, a courageous prince and the head of Bashkend Village. When the Turkish enemies attacked us, I took up my gun [against them,

but] a lethal bullet shot me dead... my memory liv-
ing. May you always remember Mukhail. 1906.

Published for the first time.

5 lines in the Armenian original incised into a gravestone:

Ես Սարիքեզն եմ որդի | Սարիքեզանց
Սիմոնի մեծ իշխանի | Բաշքենդ գիտի, ի 1906
թիվ թշնամիքը | հարձակվեցին գյուղի վրա,
հայր եւ որդի | կռվանք քաջաքար:

transl.: I am Saribek, the son of Simon Saribekiants, the great prince of Bashkend Village. In the year 1906 the enemy attacked [our] village [and] Father and I fought [against them] bravely.

Published for the first time.

5 lines in the Armenian original carved on a tombstone:

Աստ հանգչի մարմին Դավթի, որդի | Սարի-
քեզեանց Սարիքեզի. | մահս մոտեցավ. թշնա-
մին այստեղ. | ամբողջ օր կռուեցի ազգի հա-
մար, | զոհուեցի 1906:

transl.: In this grave reposes David, the son of Saribek Saribekiants. Death came... fought here for my people all day long. I was killed in 1906.

Published for the first time.

The neighbourhood of Artzvashen retains the fol-
lowing monuments:
<figure><img src="image_827.png" /><figcaption>ARTZVASHEN. Khachkars from the cemeteries located in the vicinity of the village (photos 1980)</figcaption></figure>

The village site of Paragyugh (Parakend), located 1 to 1.5 kilometres east of Artzvashen, comprises a church and a cemetery.

Another church and a grave-yard can be seen in the **village site of Shmegh**, situated in an area of the same

name, west of the village.

A **village site**, located on the road leading to the Turkish village of Kilsali (Yekeghetsashen), northwest of Artzvashen, has preserved a ruined church and a cemetery.
**Tsits Kar**, lying north of the village, included "... two big basalt fragments, resembling broken dragon stones ...in the vicinity of a spring taking its source from under a rock. Apart from cross reliefs, one of them is also engraved with an inscription."<fnref n="55" />

A plain named **Khachi Dyuz** extends on the second road leading to the district centre of Karmir, a kilometre west of the village. It retains some old-styled, simple cross-stones.

A **khachkar** stands on the cross-road between Nor-Saratovka and Karmir. Removed from the site of Jukhtak Kar<fnref n="56" /> when it was buried under a water reservoir, it is a pilgrimage destination for the Muslim inhabitants of the adjacent villages.

Below follow some inscriptions found in the vicinity of Artzvashen. They were published without any reference to the location of the stones bearing them. Unable to make any verification ourselves, we are presenting them without any changes:

Carved on a khachkar:

Ես Գորգի երեցս արարի զխաչս սուրբ Նշանիս:

transl.: *I, Priest Gorgi, created this Holy Sign.*

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," 1888, No. 105, p. 3.

Inscribed on another khachkar:

Թ. ՈՀԴ (1225). Վրթանիսի է. աղաչեմ յաղաւք յիշեցէք:

transl.: *For Vrtanis. May you pray for him.*

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," ibid.

Engraved on a cross-stone:

Ողորմի յիշեցէք` Պապին և Նաւասարդին.
Թ. ՈՀ (1621) ... Ով որ կարդայ ողորմի ասի` Գարանին, հայր Մելիք-բէկին, մայր Լարքունին, եղբարք` Հայրապետին և Մելիքսէք քահանային. Թ. ՈՀԳ (1624):

transl.: *May you remember Pap and Navasard. In the year 1621 ... May those who read this pray for Garan, her father Melik-Bek, her mother Khatun [as well as] her brothers Hayrapet and Priest Melikset. In the year 1624.*

The Armenian original published in: "Nor-Dar," ibid.

<footnote n="55">55 Hovhannissian, H., ibid.</footnote>

<footnote n="56">56 The Armenian equivalent for ‘a pair of stones.’ The name derives from two big, flat stones lying on each other, one of them having a small hole reminding of a horse hoof. They were removed together with the aforementioned khachkar.</footnote>
MEMOIRS ON NORTHERN ARTSAKH

Northern Artsakh, a region remarkable for its diverse centuries-old culture, now lies stripped of its native inhabitants and sunk into oblivion. All of them, now, unfortunately, reduced to the state of depor-tees, miss their birthplace terribly and constantly dream about it. The same is true of me. About 25 years ago, I stepped into this region for the first time and covered hundreds of kilometres there during the period between 1980 and 1989. I visited a great number of villages and ancient sites, these days leav-ing an indelible imprint in my mind so that now I am missing everything I once saw in Northern Artsakh.

I measured, photographed and mapped all the sites and places of living I managed to visit. I also took copies of all the lapidary inscriptions I saw and put down numerous testimonies and stories connected with Northern Artsakh. The large-scale field-work I conducted there as well as the investigation carried out in different libraries and archives throughout thirty years yielded a wide variety of materials which became the basis of the present book.

Now that I have finally achieved the goal I pursued for many, many years by having published this work, my reader will, probably, be interested to know what memories of Northern Artsakh have enriched my inner world. A well-travelled man always has much to tell about. The same is true of me, but I shall confine myself to recollecting only some of my impressions so that my reader will not get bored. All these reminiscences seem remote and vague dreams to me now...

A New Year in the Gorge of Shamkor

...It was a cold sleepless night. I could not get a wink of sleep, but it was not due to the weather; rather, it was the depressive impressions of the experiences of the previous days that haunted me. I could not forget the grief-stricken look in the eyes of an old man from Getishen. The moment I saw him he was sitting with his head stooped in front of the ruins of his ancestors' house he himself had burnt down: it was still smoking. A group of petrified people with emaciated faces stood around him silently. Suddenly I heard one of them say, "We won't leave it to the Turks." These words, uttered almost in a murmur, and that touching scene could not be blurred out in my memory, so that I involuntarily thought that it was not 30 December 1982 and I was not in Getishen Village of Dashkesan District. Instead, I had the impression that the year was 1915 and I was in Western Armenia...

An Armenian village, where life was dying

away with its last inhabitants. A group of aged grannies and grand-dads. The man's burning of his house was the "last tribute" he paid to his nation and native land, that symbolizing his farewell to his homeland and the end of its history. In a word, his action was a kind of suicide...

Thoughts, meditations, visions of falling Armenian villages and abandoned monasteries, intertwined with the shuddering cold that permeated through my bones time and again.

The clear, star-lit sky promised favourable weather for the following day. Even the smallest cloud worried and troubled me, for I would be able to continue my field-work only as long as the region was not covered with snow. I did not know why I was so anxious about weather: was I eager to see another forsaken sanctuary or dying Armenian village?

The 31st of December, the 7th day of my trip, turned out bright and sunny. I was busy measuring and photographing Amenaprkich (Holy Saviour) Monastery, but my thoughts incessantly travelled
around Getishen's last inhabitants and the Armenian's ancestral house set ablaze with his own hands.

This monastery is located in an isolated, remote area, far from inhabited localities. It is surrounded by thick forests, then absolutely naked of foliage and looking almost transparent. In the northwest, the monastery overlooked a magnificent scene, i.e. the large, deep valley of the river Shamkor.

Arranging my belongings in my rucksack, I started descending a small path extending from the monastery. Hardly had I covered 150 metres when I noticed a spring on my right: it ran, or better to say, dripped from below a huge rock into a natural stone basin, from which water poured out and flowed down the gorge. Common people called that spring Tzitzer (the equivalent for 'breasts' in vulgar Armenian) for the simple reason that the rock, hanging over the basin, ended in stone balls of different shape and size whence the water dripped.

Near the basin I saw several khachkars bare of any inscriptions, as if suggesting that the spring was a sacred one.

Filling my flask with water, I continued my way. The path descended endlessly and wound in the forest. When I had already covered between 4 and 5 kilometres, it grew wider and turned into a road at the upper end of Glambar (Gyulambar) Village, lying in a gorge on the right bank of the Shamkor.

I entered the village, which seemed uninhabited, although I could see houses and fenced gardens on both sides of the crooked, bumpy road. At last I reached the village centre...

I saw an old man standing right in my way and staring at me with apparent curiosity. Learning who I was and where I was from, he almost ordered me to go to his house with him. We got acquainted: the man's name was Grigor Dayi (the Persian equivalent for 'uncle') and his family consisted of his wife and himself.

I told Grigor Dayi some details about the way I had covered. When he suddenly learnt that I had a bottle of Tzitzer's water with me, he grew very enthusiastic and immediately asked his old wife to fetch a cup. With his hands trembling, he filled it with water without spilling a single drop, gazed at it for long and finally drank it. He drank a little more water, whispering some words as if talking to himself. Then he decanted the rest into a corked

bottle to keep it as something precious and blessed. My impression was that Grigor Dayi was overwhelmed by memories of past decades and the moments he himself drank that water right from the spring. Evidently, it was already many, many years since he last saw that sacred spring and, perhaps, in the depths of his heart he had already bidden farewell to its precious water, which was of such great significance to him. And now all of a sudden, somebody had brought Tzitzer's water to his house, a fact that made Grigor Dayi grow fond of me at once.

Their house, which bore a close resemblance to a hut, was guarded by their faithful dog, that was always surrounded by its two newly-born pups.

"I'll give them to my grandchildren and they'll be very happy," the old woman said with a smiling face, when she noticed me watching them.

Dusk had already settled over the region. The three of us saw in the New Year, sitting at a "holiday table" decorated with apples and dried fruits. I, however, failed to find out when 1982 came to an end and when the Earth entered upon the year 1983: it was a long time since Grigor Dayi's watch stopped...

They said they had children and grandchildren in Armenia and added that they would certainly come to see their parents the following day.

On 1 January I started wandering in the vicinity of the village and saw the ruins of a multi-span medieval bridge on the river Shamkor as well as those of an early medieval cruciform church located in the north of the village and other vestiges of Armenian culture.

In the evening I returned to Grigor Dayi's, but hardly had I entered when I heard some noise and fuss inside. I thought their children had come to celebrate the New Year with their old parents...

I entered and whom should I see but three Turks who were devouring something like hungry wolves. Having gorged themselves on bread and food that would be sufficient for Grigor Dayi's family for about a week, they went out to the yard. One of them seized the pups and took them away. Meanwhile, the old spouses were standing outside, silent as Zechariah. Chattering incessantly like magpies, sometimes shouting and giggling, the Turks got on a motorcycle standing in front of the house and disappeared.

The old couple looked so very depressed that I
did not dare to say anything for a long time. All of
a sudden Grigor Dayi, who seemed to have
guessed the question reflected in my eyes, said,
"If we don't give whatever they want willingly,
they'll steal or take it by force."

At supper Grigor Dayi's wife said the following
as if to justify her sons before me, "Well, how
could they lock their doors on 1 January and come
here? They must have had many guests today. But
tomorrow they'll come by all means."

Early on the morning of 2 January, I crossed the
Shamkor to go to Jagir and returned when it had
already grown dark.

The aged parents did not utter a single word.
They had spent all day long looking forward to
their children's arrival from Armenia. I could find
no words of comfort...

The morning of 3 January. It had been snowing
since night. Grigor Dayi saw me to the end of the
village.

Besides them, there was another Armenian
"family" in Glambar: it comprised Arshak Dayi,
who was even older and sicker than Grigor Dayi
and his wife and lived all by himself. At different
hours I saw him leaning on the wall of his house,
his eyes directed at his neglected garden, which
had turned into a wilderness.

## Acquaintance with Shahen Meghrian

In 1984 I left for Shahumian District of
Northern Artsakh with unusual luggage: besides
my inseparable rucksack, I had somehow
crammed 12 sheets of thick cardboard firmly fas-
tened together (each of them was 1.2 metres x 1.0
metre) into the Yerevan-Shahumian bus. Each of
them was intended for a village in the district,
with the photos of its historical monuments
accompanied by annotations. I was going to hand
those stands to the History and Geology Museum
located in the district centre of Shahumian: I had
got acquainted with its curator Mamikon
Petrossian the previous year and was of a very
high opinion about him for his conscientious atti-
tude to the work he was doing.

The route which I had covered for so many
times was very long and by the time I reached my
destination the museum had already closed.
Deciding to embark upon my work the following

day, I went to a local hotel whose receptionist was
well-acquainted with me.

I spent the early morning hours in Shahumian's
ancient cemetery, then returned to my temporary
dwelling, took my present and went to the muse-
um. I believed I had prepared a pleasant surprise
for its very respected curator, for the stands I had
taken with me were of higher quality, larger and
greater in number than those he possessed.
However, I was astonished to see Mr. Petrossian
grow anxious at the sight of the photos. Having
looked through all of them, he said to me,
"Indeed, they are great, but we cannot show them
in this museum."

The curator was plunged into deep thoughts,
but in a little while he said, "Well, we shall not
have any difficulty if Mirzoyev gives permission."

Watching the photos for some more time, he
said, this time with greater determination, "Let's
take all these stands and go to Comrade Mirzoyev
right away. We shall show them to him and, per-
haps, he will allow their exhibition."

A little puzzled at such an unexpected course of
events, I took my stands and went to the House of
the District Centre with Mr. Petrossian. Hardly
had we waited for several minutes when the sec-
retary asked us in. I had heard about First
Secretary of Shahumian District Mirzoyev, but I
had had no opportunity to get acquainted with him
by then.

Two men were sitting at a writing-table in the
far end of a large room. Upon our entry, the one
who was older and stouter than the other (he
turned out to be Mirzoyev) came to meet us with
vivacity, shook hands with us and we started talk-
ing about the stands right on the spot, without

<figure><img src="image_828.png" /><figcaption>In the gorge of Kherkhapor with Shahen Meghrian and people from Shahumian</figcaption></figure>
even sitting down. I arranged the sheets of pasteboard devoted to 12 villages along the wall, this making the other person sitting at Mirzoyev's writing-table rise from his seat instantaneously and approach the one representing the monuments of Gyulistan Village. He also watched the others with great interest and joined us in the discussion of the exhibition, encouraging that idea with such high praise and deep enthusiasm that Mirzoyev had no other choice but to welcome our initiative.

Thus, we were granted permission to display the photos. The officials did not even pay attention to the fact that the annotations were not in the Azerbaijanian language.

Learning that I had not seen Zinavori Khach (Zinavor's Cross) located in the gorge of Kherkhapor, the stranger almost ordered me, "Wait for me at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. We'll go to see it and then have a great feast..."

Leaving the House of the District Centre in a triumphant mood, Mamikon Petrossian and I made for the museum.

"Comrade Petrossian, who was that brave patriot whose mediation proved so decisive?"

"He was Shahen Meghrian."

## I can never Forget You, Honourable Mother and Son from Buzlukh!

In 1980 I went on another research trip to Northern Artsakh, which proved the longest among all the previous ones, lasting for 51 days. My starting point being Ijevan City of Tavush Marz, I went to Touz District via the villages of Shamshadin, worked in Getabek, Shamkhor, Dashkesan, Khanlar, Shahumian ... and, eventually, reached the southern villages of Hadrut District.

It was the 21st day of my trip. I was on my way to Buzlukh, where I planned to visit the local church and other important sights. I had already been to Martunashen and Manashid, my next destination being Verishen.

The road leading from Manashid to Buzlukh endlessly ascended up to the last several hundred metres. At a certain point it started descending

into a small gorge to the left of which, i.e. on the south lay the village of Buzlukh.

The road began descending in a section within some 300 to 400 metres of the village. It was there that I came across a boy of about 10, sitting on a stone at the edge of the road and guarding some domestic animals grazing a little farther. In response to my greeting, the child immediately rose to his feet and started asking me questions one after another very politely, without waiting for answer.

"Who are you? Are you coming to our village? Where are you coming from? Are you from Armenia? Let's go to our place."

While I was wondering which question to answer first, the boy went on, "I see you've covered a long way. Please, let's go to our place. You'll have some rest and continue your way."

If the person inviting me to his house had been an adult, I would have accepted his invitation without even thinking, but I flatly refused thinking that the child had no right to lead an unasked guest to their house.

"No, thank you," I said. "I've to finish my work in the village in all haste so that I'll manage to get to Verishen and Nerkishen today."

"Well, but you've to rest down somewhere, don't you? Please, let's go to our place."

While the child was persuading me not to turn down his invitation, we reached Buzlukh.

"Here's our house. Please, come in."

With these words he shouted through the open gate, "Mummy, we've a guest from Armenia."

His mother, a young woman who seemed to be rejoicing at her son's praiseworthy deed, welcomed me even more cordially and asked me in.

There was nobody else in the house and while I was telling the boy about the aim of my visit, the woman put omelette, bread, cheese and matzoon (sour, clotted milk) on the table. We sat at the table and I started eating (the food was delicious). I noticed that the boy was not hungry and partook of the meal out of courtesy.

"Help yourself to everything," said his mother, standing beside her son, who was sitting opposite me. Meanwhile, she was caressing the boy's head, her whole essence breathing gratitude.

About half an hour later, I thanked that family deeply and bade them farewell, having got another very good lesson of patriotism and humanity at the school of life. I saw the boy running towards
the place of our meeting, where their animals were grazing.

My honourable, precious Armenians of Buzlukh! Where are you now that you have been stripped of your native hearths?

## Honourable Grand-Dad Badam from Brajur

Since the deportation of Northern Artsakh (1988), I have met many of the former denizens of the region in the Republic of Armenia. The bitter pain of the loss of their native land and hearths, intertwined with the neutral, almost alien and anti-national position of the Armenian officials, has only deepened their infinite sorrow and despair.

Uprooted from their birthplace as they are, these people retain the most praiseworthy qualities of the region's ethnic population. Invigorated by the power of their native land to which they were so firmly attached, they often shed blood for their survival there. Finding themselves in the Republic of Armenia as refugees, they appeared in an utter spiritual void, absolutely neglected and fruitlessly seeking empathy in a country which had lost all national values under the Soviet regime. The dreadful fate that befell the Armenian deportees from Azat and Kamo Villages of Khanlar District will for ever remain as an indelible brand of crying shame for the Government of the Republic of Armenia. The Azerbaijanian lorries "unloaded" these people right on the Armenian frontier, where they were exposed to the open air throughout more than a month. There was absolutely no difference between the attitude shown by the authorities of their homeland and that of their Azerbaijanian counterparts.

Badam Grigorian is one of our compatriots who lived through the formidable ordeal of deportation together with many of his fellow villagers. Compelled to abandon his native Brajur at the age of 75, he resettled in Tashir District of Lori Marz, but he generally spends winters in Yerevan City. Grand-dad Badam has handed down a rich legacy of recollections of his native land and its denizens to the coming generations.

In 2004 Badam Grigorian (born in 1914), this

precious man enriched with his nation's centuries-old life experience and wisdom, entered upon the 90th year of his life and I cordially congratulate him on this anniversary.

## The Savages of Rustam Aliyev

When my friend Walter, architect Armen Zarian's younger son, and I first went to Rustam-Aliyev Village of Getabek District in late March 1982, I did not know that it bore the name of a "monster" killed by a revengeful Armenian in 1921. Within about half an hour spent there, we came to realize that there was absolutely no difference between the local inhabitants and the killed "monster."

We got off at the last stop of a small bus that had taken us from the district centre to Rustam-Aliyev. We had planned to visit the fort of Parisos towering at the top of a nearby mountain and spend the night in its vicinity. We caught sight of it as soon as we reached the village. We had about three hours at our disposal to buy some bread and sugar and reach the monument before it grew dark.

The small bus having stopped in front of the village's tea-house, that also served as a shop, we immediately attracted the attention of many people gathered there. Finding it expedient to do our shopping right there, we approached the so-called 'chaykhana' (the Turkish equivalent for 'tea-house'), greeted several sullen people in flat caps at the entrance and went in without getting any answer. We were immediately followed by more than 10 Turks, all of them in flat caps, who were whispering something while keeping watchful eyes on us. Almost twice as many as them were sitting inside having tea. We greeted them, too and came up to a window-shaped counter opening into the wall. The tradesman was already standing in his place as if watching us attentively. I saluted him and asked in Turkish, "Have you got bread?"

I immediately repeated my question in Russian to emphasize my limited knowledge of Turkish. While I was wondering what else I could ask him, all of a sudden the small wooden door of the counter banged right in my face so violently that I was all covered with dust and plaster. That brutal attitude was accompanied by the sneer and contemptuous smiles of those sitting and standing in
the tea-house. We silently left it, having already reconciled ourselves to the thought that we were to spend some of the coming days without bread. I decided to at least fill my flask with the water of an abundant spring running within about 15 to 20 metres of the shop. By the time we reached it, however (it took us just a few seconds), all those wearing caps had already gathered at the entrance of the tea-house. My opening of the flask and the cutting off of the water occurred almost simultaneously. Everything was as clear as day. In order to escape further trouble, we took our rucksacks and left the village in the direction of the fort under roars of wild cackle.

The slope of the mountain on the summit of which soared the fort was covered with snow from the side of the village. Walter and I pitched our tent in an isolated place that could remain unnoticed by its inhabitants. We had tea without sugar and left the fort at sunrise, taking the same way that had led us there. We were waiting for a bus when a group of Turks appeared in front of us. Having learnt where we were from, one of them said, "You know there are several churches in the vicinity of our village, but all of them were built by the Greeks."

Then he added the following, looking directly into my eyes, "In ancient times, this village was populated by the Greeks so that all the local churches are Greek."

Realizing that the Turk was merely attempting to engage me in conversation and, perhaps, argument, for I was certainly expected to contradict him, I said, "Perhaps, they are Greek churches, but the scholars of Baku allege they are Albanian. I don't know which of you to believe..."

At last the bus came and my talk with the Turk about the "Greek" and "Albanian" churches was interrupted at a most favourable moment...

## Strangely Enough, I was Encouraged by a Person who had Destroyed a Church

For the first time I visited Garnaker Village of Shamkor District in 1980, during an expedition which lasted for 51 days. Almost 25 years have passed since then, but the pleasant experiences I

had there have not been blurred out in my mind.

Throughout many centuries, Garnaker served as a safe haven for the Armenians of the Shamkor Valley and even remote areas. In 1980, however, it had only 9 inhabitants, all of them advanced in years. It was only through some paths that the village, where every single stone, tree, house, spring and church bore traces of high antiquity, communicated with the outer world.

During my visit, Garnaker represented a rich, magnificent grove of honey-sweet cherries and mulberries. I was looking for Haykaz Aghajanian, a winner of the Medal of Labour Hero. Passing through some paths separating the ancient dwellings that hardly showed any signs of life I was looking for their inhabitants...

At last I got to a house with a small yard that nestled on the Shamkor's slope overlooking the gorge, in the east of the village church. Haykaz Aghajanian, a man of about 80 who was known by the name of Hero all over the district, lived there with his wife.

That night the elderly couple hosted me under their roof. At twilight I sat on a wooden bench in the yard listening to grand-dad Haykaz's stories

<figure><img src="image_829.png" /><figcaption>Garnaker inhabitant Haykaz Aghajanian with his spouse</figcaption></figure>
<figure><img src="image_830.png" /><figcaption>*A hospitable woman from Ghotyul*</figcaption></figure>

about Garnaker and its inhabitants, my eyes enjoying the magnificent scenery surpassing the very paradise in all respects. When we touched upon Dasnovank or Karmir Eghtsy (i.e. Red Church) located near the neighbouring village of Gyulambur, the old man said, “We destroyed that church as young communists. You can hardly find its site now. What has survived of it for you to see it?”

In his youth that honourable man had been a puppet under the influence of certain dark forces and blinded by his fanaticism, he had ruined one of our holy monasteries, where Mkhitar Gosh is known to have written his famous Datastanagirk (a code containing norms and laws settling problems in certain spheres of jurisdiction).

In the morning, when I was bidding farewell to grand-dad Haykaz, he said to me, “Collect all these materials and publish a book if you can so that our children will learn our history.”

I was rather taken aback at Haykaz Dayi's words, which became a kind of commandment for me. I followed that sacred advice and dug out information for about 25 years... We have already

published the book Northern Artsakh “so that our children will learn our history...”

## An Argument over our Dwelling in Ghotyul

This happened in Ghotyul Village of Dashkesan District in 1985, when I was travelling with my friends Vahram and Vano. It took us all day long to cover the deep valley of the river Shamkor, after which we found ourselves in a plain and entered Ghotyul. The village, hardly comprising between 25 and 30 houses, was so small that we immediately appeared in its centre, where we instantaneously became the focus of attention of several peasants standing there. Hardly had they exchanged a few sentences with us when they offered several dwellings for us, the invitations exceeding one another in their sincerity and cordiality. We involuntarily found ourselves in a predicament, for we did not want to hurt any of those exceptionally hospitable villagers. While we stood puzzled, two of the men even started arguing over that matter. A few minutes later, we made for the warm hearth of the villager who had won the argument. In the morning I photographed our kind hostess on her way to the spring and we set out, thanking those people.

## A Slide Show in the Open Air in Banants

In 1986 I left for Banants, accompanied by my friend Martiros Chalumian, who was a native of that village. I had taken a slide projection apparatus and the colour slides of the historical monuments photographed in Banants and its vicinity during my previous trips.

We stopped at the Chalumians' ancestral house and decided to hold a slide show as soon as it grew dark. At the appointed time, my friend, several hundred Banants inhabitants of all ages and I gathered in the centre of the village, known by the name of Poghotsk. The whitened wall of a two-storey shop located at its southern end serving us as a screen, I fixed the slide projection apparatus onto a tripod standing almost in the centre of the
<figure><img src="image_831.png" /><figcaption>Martiros Chalumian in his birthplace Banants</figcaption></figure>

place and started the show after a short speech of introduction.

My audience was devouring the explanations accompanying every monument, but their delight grew to the uttermost when the turn came for the scenery and historical monuments of Banants.

That slide display, accompanied by the sincere, enthusiastic cries of those present, the interesting, valuable additions the inhabitants of Banants made to my explanations right on the spot was something truly extraordinary, especially if we take into account the unusual place we had chosen for it. I always remember that event with the enthusiasm those people were so filled with.

## Imprisoned in Kosh for the Endeavours to Defend Banants

Even a most nonchalant person is imbued with patriotism and aesthetic satisfaction at the sight of the majestic scenery characteristic of Banants. The inhabitants of this village bear the innate praiseworthy qualities of the creative Armenian identity moulded throughout many centuries.

In 1988, when Banants was overtaken by the dreadful calamity that had befallen entire Northern Artsakh, one of the local inhabitants, Martiros Chalumian, decided to procure arms for the defence of his birthplace. They had only several hunting rifles at their disposal and that hindered them from putting up resistance against the enemy.

Having obtained some grenades and bullets, Martiros and two of his friends, each of them carrying a rucksack full of ammunition, passed

through the mountain range of Sevan. They were to reach their destination, i.e. Banants, via numerous Turkish-populated villages, but some Turks caught sight of them in the territory of Getabek District and took them into police custody. Indeed, they were caught red-handed, but Martiros succeeded in convincing the Turks that his friends had been hired as porters and did not even know what the backpacks contained. In that way he saved his friends, but he himself was taken to Gandzak (Kirovabad). The Azerbaijanian court sentenced him to 3 years of incarceration in Gandzak prison, where he was exposed to unspeakable torture for about a year. Indeed, it is not hard to imagine what he would suffer further, but for Igor Muradian's efforts from Yerevan and the mediation of a Russian employee of the prison. By the time Martiros moved to Armenia, both his birthplace Banants and numerous other Armenian-inhabited villages of Northern Artsakh had been totally devastated. Martiros' family (he has three children) and friends consoled themselves by the thought that no danger threatened to his life any more. Strangely enough, the Armenian officials, who were well-aware of the "crime" the Turks had charged Martiros with, did not take any measures to release him. Moreover, he was taken to prison in Kosh (in present-day Aragatzotn Marz of the Republic of Armenia), where he was to serve the remaining 2 years of his term. It goes without saying that any Turk accused of the same "crime" would not only escape jail term but would also be proclaimed national hero...

After having been set free, Martiros told us, his heart deeply insulted, that his fellow prisoners in Kosh were either murderers (one of them had killed his wife out of jealousy, the other his relative) or thieves and drug addicts, whereas he had been convicted for his endeavours to defend his native village.

"I was far more depressed among the Armenian criminals in Kosh prison than in Kirovabad," Martiros said sadly after he had been released.

At present Martiros and his family live in Nor Verishen Village of Karvajar District, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, that has been liberated by the Armenian army. They live in a house he himself has built, the name of Banants decorating its facade.
Everyone eager to enjoy the view of a carefully
cultivated garden together with a yard represent-
ing a true museum of khachkars (cross-stones)
found in the vicinity should certainly visit
BANANTS, i.e. Martiros' house in Nor Verishen.

Munificent on the Verge of Grave

The beginning of November 1989. I was in
Getashen together with my brother and three
friends of ours (one of them was from this village
and the other from Azat). Day by day the grave
political situation was growing still worse and
worse and we felt we were losing our native land
with every single passing day.

At dusk, when I had put down the epitaphs of
the local cemetery and photographed its tomb-
stones, we returned to our temporary dwelling, a
two-storey house adjoined by another and known
by the name of Tzaturants, i.e. ‘Of Tzatur’s fami-
ly’ (both of them had once belonged to four broth-
ers). The one we lived in had been abandoned
comparatively later, with some plates and dishes
still preserved there. Our landlady, who lived all
by herself in a small house opposite, was one of
my friends’ grandmother.

When the granny met us at twilight, she looked
even more anxious than usual and said, “Guys, the
Turks have reached Ablah and Armavir. No
Armenians have survived in these villages. My
dear sons, don’t even think of going there. You
can only go as far as Azat and Martunashen.
Please, don’t try to travel beyond these villages.”

The sinister news of the fall of another two
Armenian villages heavily depressed me: I felt I

had my own share of guilt for that. For a second I
remembered St. Minas Church in the village site
of Hin Ablah (I had been there in 1980 and 1986)
as well as the chapel of St. Hovhannes located
nearby. I had to abandon my secret hope of visit-
ing the latter at least this time...

The Armenian-inhabited villages of Northern
Artsakh were now being consigned to history
before the very eyes of the people who were try-
ing to save the vestiges of their nation’s centuries-
old existence in that land at least on paper.

Day by day still more and more inhabitants of
the region, left to the mercy of fate, were stripped
of their native land and hearths, the fall of their
villages signifying the collapse of the north-east-
ern ramparts of Armenia. I noticed that the peas-
antsof Getashen, famous for their extreme gen-
erosity and hospitality, had become particularly
lavish to their guests, their munificence falling
beyond all reasonable boundaries. Never before
had the villagers slain so many domestic animals
and treated everybody to their meat. That inexpli-
cable generosity was of terribly ill omen: yes, the
people who had a gloomy foreboding of the fall of
Getashen, a village of centuries-old history, had
become munificent just like a person in agony
whose brain is suddenly resuscitated at the very
last seconds of his mundane life...

I photographed and recorded the rich legacy of
that dying village amidst that munificence until 16
November. Hardly had 4 months passed when
Getashen became witness to the fall of its “chil-
dren,” i.e. the villages of Azat and Kamo, and
“yielded up its spirit” a year and a month later,
dying a death of an old forsaken man having no
close people around...
# INDEXES

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**Karapetian, S.** A New Year in the Shamkor Gorge (Travelling Notes). In: "Gardmank," 1996, No. 3.

**Karapetian, S.** The Armenian Historical and Architectural Monuments in Touz District of the Azerbaijani SSR. In: "Echmiatzin," 1989, part 1.

**Karapetian, S.** The Armenian Refugees of Gardmank in Georgia. In: "Gardmank," No. 1.

**Karapetian, S.** The Bloodless Slaughter of Gardman Armenians in Lis. In: "Gardmank," No. 3.

**Karapetian, S.** The Historical Monuments of Northern Artsakh. In: "Lragir," 4 March 1995.

**Karapetian, S.** Truth at least for History. In: "Orer," 1997, No. 16.

**Karapetian, S.** The 8th-11th-century Khachkars of Gardmank. In: "Gardmank," 1996, No. 3.

**Kharatian, H.** Mkrtich and Alexandre Jaghetiants as the Builders of Ghazakh's St. Vardan Church. In: "Echmiatzin," 1994, Nos. 6-7.

**Khojabekian, V.** Artsakh During the Hours of Ordeal. Yerevan, 1991.

**Khojayants, H.** St. Gevorg Church of Gandzak. In: "Mshak," 1915, No. 177.

**Khudoyan, S.** The East Armenian Schools between 1830 and 1920. Yerevan, 1987.

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**Lalayan, Yer.** Gandzak District. In: "Azgagrakan Handes," vol. 5, Tiflis, 1899, No. 1.

Land Deeds and Other Economic Documents compiled by **Har. Abrahamian.** Part 1, Yerevan, 1941.

**Lazariants, S.** Parisos Monastery and the Armenian Kingdom of Parisos. In: "Meghu Hayastani," 1859, No. 13.

**Leo.** A Collection of Works, vol. 3, Yerevan, 1969.

**Mamikoniants, A.** A Historical Event. In: "Ardzagank," 1888, No. 5.

**Manandian, H.** A Critical Theory of the History of the Armenian Nation, vol. 2, part 2, Yerevan, 1960.

**Manandian, H.** A Critical Theory of the History of the Armenian Nation, vol. 3, Yerevan, 1952.

**Manassian, R.** Instruction and Educational Work in the School of Chardakhlu Village of Shamkhor District. Baku, 1964.

**Martirossian, G.** My Heart is in Your Mountains, Chardakhlu. In: "Dashnaktsutiun," 1991, No. 18.

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**Mazhak.** A Letter from Gandzak. In: "Mshak," 1873, No. 14.

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Armenians, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1934; vol. 2, Yerevan, 1936; vol. 3, Yerevan, 1955. Translated from the Georgian original into Armenian by Melikset Bek, L. M.

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**Mkhitar Anetsy.** A Book of Universal History. Yerevan, 1983.

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**Petrossian, R.** Artzvashen. In: "Yerekoyan Yerevan," 13 November 1989.

**Petrossian, A.** The Problems of a Neglected District. In: "Azatamart," September 1991, No. 29.

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**Raffi.** The Melikdoms of Khamsa: A Collection of Works, vol. 10, Yerevan, 1959.

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**Sargissian, M.** Getashen. In: "Kultur-Lusavorakan Ashkhatank," 1988, No. 2.

**Shahnazarian, A.** The Principality of the Vahramians. Yerevan, 1990.

**Smbat M.** Antiquities in the Neighbourhood of Getabek. In: "Nor-Dar," 1893, No. 36.

Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1974; vol. 2, Yerevan, 1976; vol. 3, Yerevan, 1977; vol. 5, Yerevan, 1979; vol. 6, Yerevan, 1980; vol. 8, Yerevan, 1982; vol. 9, Yerevan, 1983; vol. 11, Yerevan, 1985; vol. 12, Yerevan, 1986.

**Ter-Avetikian, St.** "Kap Brnogh." In: "Luma," 1896, part 2; "Mer Ter." In: "Luma," 1897, part 1; "Hayr Surb." In: "Luma," 1897, part 2; "Zpogh." In: "Luma," 1898, part 1.

**Ter-Mkrtchian, G.** Khosrov Gandzaketsy. In: "Ararat," 1896.

**Ter-Michaelian, S.** The Festival of Vardavar in Banants. In: "Ardzagank," 1884, No. 30.

The Administrative-Territorial Division of the Armenian SSR (as of 1 August 1988). Yerevan, 1988.

The Armenian Massacres in the Provinces of Baku and Yelizavetpol (1918 to 1920). A Collection of Documents. Yerevan, 2003.

The Medieval Steles of Armenia: Khachkars of the 9th to 13th centuries. Compiled by **Shahinian, A.** Yerevan, 1984.
The Persian Documents of the Matenadaran: Decrees (15th to 16th cents.). Translated from the original Persian into Armenian by **Papazian, H.** Yerevan, 1959.

The Rebellion of Aghvank by **His Holiness Anania Catholicos of Armenians**. In: "Ararat," 1897.

Topjian, H. A Catalogue compiled by Archimandrite Khachik Dadian, part 1, Vagharshapat, 1898; part 2, Vagharshapat, 1900.

Turkish Sources about Armenia, Armenians and Other Peoples of Transcaucasia. Translated from the Turkish original into Armenian with a foreword and notes by **Safrastian, A.** Vol. 1, Yerevan, 1961; vol. 2, Yerevan, 1964.

Universal History by **Stepanos Taronetsy the Asoghik**. St. Petersburg, 1885.

Universal History by **Stepanos Taronetsy the Asoghik**. Yerevan, 2000.

Universal History by **Vardan Areveltsy**. Yerevan, 2001.

Varandian, M. History of Hay Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun. Yerevan, 1992.

Vardanian, H. A Few Words about the Ayrums. In: "Mshak," 1914, No. 154.

Vardanian, S. A Mystery: No, Usurped Lands. In: "Khorhrdayin Hayastan," 18 October 1989.

Voskian, H. The Monasteries of Artsakh. In: "Handes Amsorea," August to October 1951; July to September 1952.

Voskian, H. The Monasteries of Artsakh. Vienna, 1953.

Works by **Lalayan, Yer**. Yerevan, 1988.

Yeganian, O. S. The Armenian Manuscripts of Targmanchats Monastery. In: "Echmiatzin," 1971, No. 5.

Yeganian, O. S. The Collection of Gandzasar's Armenian Manuscripts. In: "Echmiatzin," 1971, No. 4.

Yerevan Repository of Manuscripts after M. Mashtots: A Collection of Patriarchal Documents, folder 1, document 79.

Zulalian, M. The European Scholars about Certain Issues of the History of the Armenian Nation: 13th to 18th centuries, vol. 1, Yerevan, 1990.

## Works in the Azerbaijanian Language

Narimanov, I. Archaeological Research in the Valley of the River Gandzak. Baku, 1958.

Narimanov, I., Ismayilov, G. Archaeological Excavations in Khachbulagh in 1959. In: "Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR." A serial of social sciences, 1961, No. 3.

Soviet Azerbaijanian Encyclopedia, vol. 1, Baku, 1976; vol. 2, Baku, 1978; vol. 3, Baku, 1979; vol. 4, Baku, 1980; vol. 5, Baku, 1981; vol. 6, Baku, 1982; vol. 7, Baku, 1983; vol. 8, Baku, 1985; vol. 9, Baku, 1986; vol. 10, Baku, 1987.

## Works in the Russian Language

Abelov, N. A. A Study of the Economic Conditions of State Peasantry in Yelizavetpol District of Yelizavetpol Province. A reprint from Materials for the Study of the Economic Conditions of State Peasantry in Transcaucasia, vol. 7, Tiflis, 1887.

A Collection of Materials for the Description of the Tribes and Localities of Caucasia. Part 29, Tiflis, 1901.

A. P. A Day in Yelizavetpol. In: "Kavkaz," 1903, No. 121.

Apresov, S. The Prospects of Copper Industry in Getabek District. In: "Ekonomicheski Vestnik Azerbayjana." Baku, 1926, No. 10.

A Report on the Caucasian Museum for 1914. Tiflis, 1917. Brief Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 1, Moscow, 1933.

Caucasian Calendar for 1846, Tiflis, 1845.

Caucasian Calendar for 1850, Tiflis, 1849.

Caucasian Calendar for 1851, Tiflis, 1850.

Caucasian Calendar for 1852, Tiflis, 1851.

Caucasian Calendar for 1853, Tiflis, 1852.

Caucasian Calendar for 1857, Tiflis, 1856.

Caucasian Calendar for 1859, Tiflis, 1858.

Caucasian Calendar for 1861, Tiflis, 1860.

Caucasian Calendar for 1862, Tiflis, 1861.

Caucasian Calendar for 1863, Tiflis, 1862.

Caucasian Calendar for 1864, Tiflis, 1863.

Caucasian Calendar for 1865, Tiflis, 1864.

Caucasian Calendar for 1866, Tiflis, 1865.

Caucasian Calendar for 1868, Tiflis, 1867.

Caucasian Calendar for 1870, Tiflis, 1869.

Caucasian Calendar for 1871, Tiflis, 1870.

Caucasian Calendar for 1872, Tiflis, 1871.

Caucasian Calendar for 1875, Tiflis, 1874.

Caucasian Calendar for 1879, Tiflis, 1878.

Caucasian Calendar for 1883, Tiflis, 1882.

Caucasian Calendar for 1884, Tiflis, 1883.

Caucasian Calendar for 1886, Tiflis, 1885.

Caucasian Calendar for 1888, Tiflis, 1887.

Caucasian Calendar for 1889, Tiflis, 1888.

Caucasian Calendar for 1890, Tiflis, 1889.

Caucasian Calendar for 1891, Tiflis, 1890.

Caucasian Calendar for 1892, Tiflis, 1891.

Caucasian Calendar for 1894, Tiflis, 1893.

Caucasian Calendar for 1895, Tiflis, 1894.

Caucasian Calendar for 1896, Tiflis, 1895.

Caucasian Calendar for 1897, Tiflis, 1896.

Caucasian Calendar for 1898, Tiflis, 1897.

Caucasian Calendar for 1899, Tiflis, 1898.

Caucasian Calendar for 1900, Tiflis, 1899.

Caucasian Calendar for 1901, Tiflis, 1900.

Caucasian Calendar for 1902, Tiflis, 1901.

Caucasian Calendar for 1903, Tiflis, 1902.
Caucasian Calendar for 1904, Tiflis, 1903.

Caucasian Calendar for 1905, Tiflis, 1904.

Caucasian Calendar for 1906, Tiflis, 1905.

Caucasian Calendar for 1907, Tiflis, 1906.

Caucasian Calendar for 1908, Tiflis, 1907.

Caucasian Calendar for 1910, Tiflis, 1909.

Caucasian Calendar for 1915, Tiflis, 1914.

Caucasian Calendar for 1917, Tiflis, 1916.

Collected Acts of the Caucasian Archaeological Commission, vol. 2, Tiflis, 1868; vol. 4, Tiflis, 1870; vol. 11, Tiflis, 1888.

**Dubrovin, N.** Transcaucasia between 1803 and 1806. St. Petersburg, 1866.

**Fatullayev, Sh. S.** Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan between the 19th and the early 20th centuries. Baku, 1986.

Grand Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 1, Moscow, 1929; vol. 24, Moscow, 1932.

**Hofman, E.** A Geological Study of Mount Kyapaz. In: "Izvestya Kavkazskovo Muzeya," vol. 9, part 2, Tiflis, 1915.

**Huseinov, M.** The Musterien Site in the Cave of Dash-Salahli. In: "Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR," 1959, No. 6.

**Ix.** The Principal City of the Province: Yelizavetpol. In: "Kavkaz," 1880, No. 243.

"Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR," 1946, No. 5.

**Jasha, II.** The Russian Village in Yelizavetpol Province. In: "Kavkaz," 1900, No. 285.

**Karakashli, K.** About the Ayrums. In: "Izvestya Obshestva Obsledovaniya i Izucheniya Azerbaijanana," No. 8, Baku, 1929.

**Karpetian, B., Karapetian, S.** The Mysteries of Gandzak (Kirovabad) and Northern Artsakh. Moscow, 1998.

**Karpetian, M. M.** The Dynamics of the Settlement of the Turkic-speaking Nomadic Tribes in the East of the Armenian Plateau in the late 14th and early 19th centuries. In: The Correlation of the Social and Ethnic Factors in Modern and Traditional Culture: A Collection of Articles. Moscow, 1983.

**Karpetian, S.** The Mining District of Dashkesan as the only Economic Bulwark of the Territorial Integrity of Artsakh-Gardman. In: "Gardmank," November-December 1996, No. 3.

**Karbelashvili, D. P.** Krzen and Its Inhabitants. In: "Proceedings of the Azerbaijani Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR," 1937, No. 2.

"Kavkaz," 1859, No. 9; 1865, No. 70; 1870, No. 76; 1894, No. 206; 1903, No. 261; 1904, No. 228; 1905, No. 24.

**Kobichev, V. P.** The Ayrums: The Origin of the Ethnonym. In: "Sovetskaya Etnografiya," 1962, No. 3.

**Lazarev, L.** Ganja. In: "Kavkaz," 1846, No. 37.

**Meves, V.** Articles on Yelizavetpol District. In: "Kavkaz," 1865, Nos. 35, 36, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 85, 88, 95.

**Mnatsakanian, A.** About the Two-Coloured Ceramics of Ljashen. In: "Izvestya," 1957, No. 5.

**Muradian, P. M.** The Armenian Epigraphy of Georgia: Tbilisi. Yerevan, 1988.

**Muravyeva, N. N.** The Transcaucasian War of 1855, vol. 1, part 1. St. Petersburg, 1877.

**Narimanov, I.** Archaeological Excavations in the Settlement Site of the Hill of Saritapa (1956 to 1957). In: "Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR," 1959, No. 3.

**Narimanov, I.** Archaeological Research in the Valley of the River Gandzak. Baku, 1958.

**Narimanov, I., Ismayilov, G.** Archaeological Excavations in Khachbulagh in 1959. In: "Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR." A serial of social sciences, 1961, No. 3.

**Patkanov, S.** Some Remarks on the Article Entitled *Ganja*. In: "Kavkaz," 1846, No. 41.

**Potto, V.** The Caucasian War..., vol. 3, part 1, St. Petersburg, 1886.

**Rajabli, A. M.** Coinage in the Safavid State. In: "Proceedings of the Museum of the History of Azerbaijan," vol. 4, Baku, 1963.

**Resler, E.** Archaeological Research in Transcaucasia. In: "Kavkaz," Tiflis, 1903, Nos. 179-173, 179.

**Sadikhzade, Sh. G.** About the Archaeological Finds Accidentally Unearthed in the Vicinity of Chovdar Village. In: "Izvestya Akademii Nauk Azerbaijanskoy SSR," a series of social sciences, 1963, No. 6.

**Semyonov, I.** People's Daily Life in Yelizavetpol. In: "Kavkaz," 1869, No. 131.

**Semyonov, I.** Yelizavetpol. In: "Kavkaz," 1869, No. 131, 7 (19) November.

**Sharifov, D. M.** Excavations near Chovdar Village of Touz District. In: "Proceedings of the Azerbaijanian Committee of Preservation of Ancient Historical and Natural Monuments," part 4, copy-book 2, Baku, 1929.

Soviet Azerbaijanian Encyclopedia, vol. 1, Baku, 1976; vol. 2, Baku, 1978; vol. 3, Baku, 1979; vol. 4, Baku, 1980; vol. 5, Baku, 1981; vol. 6, Baku, 1982; vol. 7, Baku, 1983; vol. 8, Baku, 1985; vol. 9, Baku, 1986; vol. 10, Baku, 1987.

Tbilisi's Collection of Persian Firmans, vol. 2. Compiled by **Todua, M. A.** and **Shams, I. K.** Tbilisi, 1989.

**Ter-Avetissian, S.** Karabakh's Monuments of Antiquity and the Scythian Problem. Tiflis, 1934.

The Armeno-Russian Relations in the 18th century, vol. 4. Yerevan, 1990.

The Azerbaijanian SSR: Administrative-Territorial Division. Baku, 1979.
The 18th-century Decrees and Other Historical Documents
Relating to Georgia, vol. 1 (1768 to 1774).

Edited by **Tsagareli, A. A.** St. Petersburg, 1891.

"Tifliski Listok," 1896, No. 90; 1909, No. 271; 1912, No. 119.

Tkachev, G. Travel Notes. In: "Kavkaz," 1859, No. 9.

Veydenbaum, E. *A Guide to Caucasia*. Tiflis, 1888.

Voronov, N. A. Collection of Statistical Data on Caucasia, vol. 1, chapter 1, part 4, Tiflis, 1869.

Yelizavetpol Province: A Statistical Survey Based on the Family Lists of Caucasia's Population. Tiflis, 1888.

Yepiskopossov, G. L. On the History of the Present-Day Administrative-Territorial Division of the Transcaucasian Republics and the Ongoing Deviations from the National Policy by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Azebaijan. In: White Book: Documents and Materials. Book 1, vol. 2, Yerevan, 1989.

"Zakavkazye," 1911, No. 181.

## Works in Foreign Languages

Elishé. History of Vardan and the Armenian War. Translation and Commentary by Robert W. Thomson. London, 1982.

Lang D. M. The peoples of the Hills, London, 1971.

Lehmann-Haupt C. F. Armenien Einst und Jetzt, Berlin, 1910.

M. Chantre, A travers l'Arménie russe, Paris, 1893.

Mamiye-Clairac, Histoire de Perse depuis le commencement de ce siecle, t. II, Paris, 1750.

Movsēs Dasxuranči: Appendix by Mkhitar Gosh. Yerevan, 1983.

Patrick Donabedian, Claude Mutafian, Artsakh Histoire du Karabagh, Paris, 1991.

Relation des grandes guerres et victoires obtenues par le roy de Perse Chah Abbas contre les empereures de Turquie Mahomet et Achmet son fils. Par le P. Fr. Anthoine de Gouvea, traduit de l'originale portugais. Rouen, 1646.

The Armenian History attributed to **Sebeos**. Translated by R. W. Thomson. Liverpool University Press, 1999.

The Chronicle of **Abraham of Crete**. Annotated Translation from the Critical Text by George A. Bournoutian. California, 1999.

The Chronicle of **Matthew of Edessa**. Translated from the Original Armenian with a Commentary and Introduction by Ara Edmond Dostourian. University Press of America (Lanham. New York. London), 1993.

The Conversion of Armenia to Christianity. A Retelling of Agathangelos' History. By Valerie Goekjian Zahirsky. New York, 2001.

The History of the Caucasian Albanians by **Movsēs Dasxuranči**. Translated by C. J. F. Dowsett. London, 1961.
PERSONAL NAMES *

A

Abbas I, Persian shah 10, 11, 21, 23,
26, 27, 38 (footnote), 61, 173, 261,
286, 418 (inscr.), 461, 482, 514
(inscr.), 517, 437-438, 530, 533

Abbas Ghuli Ziatkhanov, khan 27

Abbas Junior 157, 167

Abbas Mirza, Persian prince 440, 517,
520

Abelian N. 16, 20

Abgar, president of the Village

Council of Getashen 370

Abkhazava 518

Abraham 31

Abraham, bishop 514

Abraham, priest 455

Abu-Beker, atabek 516

Abu-l-Asuar see Abulsuvar

Abulet, father of Patlun 24

Abulsuvar, emir 23

Abunts Hakob 178 (inscr.)

Achub 467 (inscr.)

Adamov Khachatur, boiler-man 248
(footnote)

Adibekian Vardanush 42

Adibekians Petros, priest 334

Adikhaniants (Dkhanonts), family 105

Adikhaniants Ohan Shakian 105
(inscr.)

Adikhants Hakob 105 (inscr.)

Afanassian Mkrtich 37, 38, 43, 44, 54

Afanassians Sargis 43

Afanassian Simeon 47

Afanassian Yeghisabet 44

Agh Melik see Jalal

Agha 105 (inscr.), 338 (inscr.), 376
(inscr.), 465 (inscr.)

Agha Ali Mahmed Irza oghli, contrac-
tor 38

Agha Mohammed, khan 28

Aghabab 261

Aghabek 396 (inscr.)

Aghabekians Arshak 42

Aghajan 164 (inscr.), 292 (inscr.)

Aghajan, melik 523 (inscr.)

Aghajaniants, family 105

Aghajaniants Abraham 105 (inscr.)

Aghajaniants Hovhannes 105 (inscr.)

Aghajaniants Sargis 105 (inscr.)

Aghajaniants Voskan 488 (inscr.)

Aghasariants Aghabek 249

Aghasi Bey 338 (inscr.), 378 (inscr.)

Aghassiants Hovhannes, priest 443

Aghayants Hovhannes Sargissian 474

Aghazar 332 (inscr.), 375 (inscr.), 513
(inscr.)

Aghbalians (Gyorkhnank-Mushtunk),
family 267

Aghbugh see Aghbugha

Aghbugha 516

Aghbugha, son of Gag prince Vahram
300

Aghsagh Mahmat, khan 27

Aguletsy 432 (inscr.)

Aghvaniants Grigoris, vicar of
Gandzak 13

Ahmat (Tahmaz), vali 330 (inscr.)

Ajam 260 (inscr.)

Akhmet Husein oghli 390

Akhundov 19

Akit 148

Akob 97 (inscr.), 101 (inscr.), 188,
190 (inscr.), 283 (inscr.), 401
(inscr.), 406 (inscr.), 555 (inscr.)

Akob (Hakob) 345 (inscr.)

Akob, priest 101

Alahverdi 16 (footnote)

Alapker 248 (footnote)

Alavka, father of Grigor 24

Alaziz see Khelaziz

Alexandre 85

Alexandre, catholicos 226

Alexandre, son of Ghara-Yusuf 21

Alexandre of Macedonia 21, 519

Alexandre the Great see Alexandre of
Macedonia

Alexandre I 29

Alexandre II, emperor 53 (inscr.)

Alexanos, celibate priest 190 (inscr.)

Alexeyevna Yekaterina, empress 29

Ali-Sultan 493, 517

Alik 81 (inscr.)

Alishan Gh. 533

Aliyev Museib, police officer 247-249
(footnote)

Aliyev Rostam, first secretary of
Shamkhor's District Committee
551 (footnote)

Allahyar, sultan 254

Al-Mansur, caliph 515 (footnote)

Alpaslan 23

Altumov Alexandre, carpenter 249
(footnote)

Altun 203 (inscr.)

Altuniants 519

Alughuli 261

Amir 97 (inscr.), 267 (inscr.), 396
(inscr.) 542 (inscr.)

Amir, khan 517

Amira 503 (inscr.)

Amir Agha 99 (inscr.)

Amir Asat 414 (inscr.)

Amirguna, khan 26

Amirhan, carpenter 249 (footnote)

Amirhasan 487 (inscr.).)

Amirjan 164 (inscr.)

Amirkhan 266 (inscr.)

Amirkhaniants Poghos 190 (inscr.)

Amir Tovlat 99 (note)

Amirov, carpenter 249 (footnote)

Amirpek 261

Amper 412 (inscr.)

Anak 547

Anakhatun 199 (inscr.)

Anane 105 (inscr.)

Anania, archimandrite 365

Anania, bishop 306

Anania Mokatsy, catholicos 256, 280

Ananiants, family 105

Ananiants Ghazar 105 (inscr.)

Ananiants Hakob 105 (inscr.)

Ananiants Mkrtich 105 (inscr.)

Ananiants Petros 105 (inscr.)

<footnote>* We have omitted the names found in the family lists of 1839 and 1862.</footnote>
Ananiants Serob 105 (inscr.)

Andranik, war-lord 139 (footnote)

Andreas 367 (inscr.)

Andronikov Artem, Georgian prince 38

Aniants, family 84

Anna 102, 528 (inscr.), 545 (inscr.)

Antanessiants Hovhannes Karapet 79
(inscr.)

Antaram 367 (inscr.), 381 (inscr.)

Anthoine de Gouvea, Portuguese clerg-
gyman 26

Antik 555 (inscr.)

Anton 232, 542 (inscr.)

Anton, khoja 407 (inscr.)

Anton, priest 219

Apagha Yelch Khan 341 (inscr.)

Apav 369 (inscr.)

Apaz see Abbas I

Apkarian Harutiun S. 167

Apressiants Zakaria, priest 306

Arafelian Nikoghayos, merchant 447

Arakeal 214 (inscr.)

Arakel 90 (inscr.), 179 (inscr.), 188
(inscr.), 179 (inscr.), 540 (inscr.)

Arakel, prior of Khachakap's Targma-
nchats Monastery 188 (inscr.)

Arakel Dandzuttsy 151, 241

Arakel Davrizhetsy, historiographer
226, 270

Arakelants Hosep 106 (inscr.)

Arakelian Arakel 556

Arakelian Movses, youzbashi 370

Arakeliants, family 106

Aram 102

Aram, son of Priest Husik Hovhannis-
sian 51

Araratiants Alexandre 210

Arhan 99 (inscr.)

Aristakes, archimandrite 232

Aristakes, priest 164 (inscr.), 292

Arkeriants Sargis Ter-Sahakian, priest
370

Arkhosh 425 (inscr.)

Armad 124 (inscr.)

Armenian Arshakids 9, 547

Armenian Bagratids 10, 49 (inscr.),
148, 161, 273, 461

Armik 102

Arnold, district head 304

Arranshahiks 9

Arsen 49, 161

Arshak 161

Arsham 151 (inscr.)

Artashes I 9, 102

Artaxiads, dynasty 9

Artem 109 (inscr.), 118 (inscr.)

Arusdam 470 (footnote)

Arustam 381 (inscr.)

Arustam, melik 48 (inscr.)

Arustam, village head 261

Arut 271 (inscr.), 380 (inscr.)

Arutun 380 (inscr.)

Arzuman Youzbashi, son of Sargis 49
(inscr.)

Arzumaniants Hovhannes 42

Arzumaniants Simeon Stepanian 390

Asel 499 (inscr.)

Ashotian G., correspondent 410

Aspa 192

Astghik 121 (inscr.)

Astvatzatrian Michael 551-552 (foot-
note), 554

Astvatzatriants Mkrtich, priest 56

Astvatzatur 99 (inscr.), 161

Astvatzatur, priest 102

Astvatzatur, prior of Charek Monastery
12 (footnote), 230, 237

Atabekiants Grigor Sargissian 483

Atanas 48 (inscr.)

Atanassian Artem 66-67

Atanessian Makich Hovhannes (Bobli)
79

Atanessiants, family 106

Atayan brothers 389

Atayants Sargis Hovhannissian 389

Atayil 380 (inscr.)

Atibekiants Simeon, priest 361

Atom 161 (inscr.)

Atchnerseh the Arranshahik, prince 10

August Haxthausen 13

Aun 261

Avag 46 (inscr.), 109 (inscr.)-110
(inscr.)

Avag, archimandrite 49 (inscr.)

Avag, priest 102

Avagants Barsegh 106 (inscr.)

Avagian Ghazaros Avetis, first lieu-
tenant 159

Avagian Khachatur Vanik (Jojunts) 80

Avagiants, family 106

Avagiants Arakel 453

Avagiants Harutiun 151

Avagiants Sergei Ghukassian 106
(inscr.)

Avagim 105 (inscr.)

Avak 470 (footnote)

Aval 503 (inscr.)-504 (inscr.)

Aval, melik 523 (inscr.)

Avaliants, family 554

Avan 406 (inscr.)

Avanes 380 (inscr.), 499 (inscr.)

Avar Khatun 338 (inscr.)

Avdulkarim, khoja 542 (inscr.)

Avetikian A. T. 78

Avetikian Margaret Vazgen 78

Avetis 81 (inscr.), 103 (inscr.), 123
(inscr.), 330 (inscr.)

Avetis, potter 380 (inscr.)

Avetis, priest 127 (inscr.), 232, 255,
289, 515

Avetis, scribe 271

Avetis Kamaletsy, priest 266

Ayjun 540 (inscr.)

Ayon 93 (inscr.)

Ayunts, family 554

Ayunts Hayk see Astvatzatrian
Michael

Ayvaz 452

Ayvazian Gabriel, archbishop 187
(inscr.)

Azar 407 (inscr.), 418 (inscr.)

Azaria 372 (inscr.), 374 (inscr.), 406
(inscr.), 485

Azaria, archimandrite 243

Azaria, priest 418 (inscr.)

Azariants Sargis Tpkhisetsy (Kyanda-
kirmaz), archimandrite 136, 427
(inscr.)

Azatian V. 78

Aziz 117 (inscr.), 203 (inscr.), 255

Aziz Bey 366 (inscr.)

Aziziants Sergei 50

B

Babajan 345-346

Babajanian Gurgen, lieutenant colonel
473

Babajanian Hamazasp, marshal 473,
477

Babakevkhiyan Simeon 47

Babakevkhiyants Grigor, priest 42, 49

Badalants Grigor 106 (inscr.)

Badalants Hovsep 107 (inscr.)

Badalants Michael 108 (inscr.)

Badalants Movses 108 (inscr.)

Badalian Hovhannes 337 (note)

Badaliants, family 106

Badaliants Ashkhabad 108 (inscr.)

Badaliants Grigor 107 (inscr.)

Badaliants Hakob Hambardzumian 108
(inscr.)

Badaliants Khachatur107 (inscr.)

Badaliants Khanum Simonian 545 (inscr.)

Badaliants Mamikon 78

Badaliants Sargis Petrossian 107
(inscr.)

Baghdasar 458 (inscr.), 513 (inscr.)

Baghdasar, archbishop 485

Baghdasarian Sahak, vicar of Gandzak
13

Baghdasariants (Evetranank, Kotkunk,

Pichunk), family 108

Baghdasariants M. 362

Baghdasariants Matthew 306

Baghdiants Aziz 213 (inscr.)

Baghiants Grigor 500 (inscr.)

Baghian Grigor Karapet, lieutenant
colonel 176
Baghian Isaac Tigran 195 (note)

Baghiants Karapet 500 (inscr.)

Baghramian Hovhannes, marshal 62,
473, 477

Baghramian R., linguist 533

Baghramiants Guerasim 306

Baghramiants Sargis 118 (inscr.)

Baghtasar 91 (inscr.)

Bagrat IV, Abkhazians' King 23, 298

Bagrat IV, Georgian king 294

Bagratids see Armenian Bagratids

Bagrayd 401 (inscr.)

Bahaterian Asri 518

Bakhshi 350

Baklar 91 (inscr.)

Balaghan Harut 116 (inscr.)

Balakhan 190 (inscr.)

Balakhanum 164 (inscr.)

Balapar 380 (inscr.)

Balasan 546

Balasanian Ivan 350

Balasanians (Belsanank), family 267

Balayants Karapet Ter-Hovsepian,
priest 485

Balian Israel 556

Baliants Hovsep, priest 486

Baliants Karapet 66

Baliants Stepanos, archimandrite 136

Balughiants Anna 54

Balughiants Jehanbek 49

Balunts, family 554

Baraghamiants (Baraghamian)
Hovhannes, archimandrite 488-490

Barkhudar 98 (inscr.)

Barkhudarian S. 161 (note), 186
(note), 364 (note), 401 (note)

Barkhudariants, diocese inspector 210

Barkhutariants M., bishop 45 (footnote), 50, 57, 148 (note), 161 (note), 164, 191 (note), 193, 215 (note), 229, 241, 243 (footnote), 252, 260-261, 265 266 (note), 269-270, 275, 317 (note), 342-343, 361, 364 (note), 385 (note), 401, 419, 423, 427, 441, 446, 506, 533, 548

Barkiarukh 23

Barsegh 113 (inscr.), 232

Barsegh, archimandrite 401 (inscr.)

Barsegh, bishop 280, 286

Barsegh, priest 67, 157, 289, 465

Barsegh, scribe 166

Barseghian Atanes 112 (inscr.)

Barseghian Mkrtich, priest 102

Barseghiants, family 108

Baruna 378 (inscr.)

Basiants, family 116 (inscr.)

Batayants Michael 79 (inscr.)

Begian Ziravard Hovakim 81

Beglar 288

Bekichan 88 (inscr.)

Beki Khatun 156 (inscr.)

Beklar, son of Melik Hovsep III of
Getashen 347, 438

Beknazarian Stepan Tigran 79

Beknazariants, family 108

Beknazariants Grigor 79 (inscr.)

Beknazariants Hakob 79 (inscr.)

Beknazariants Michael 108 (inscr.)

Bekumagh 105 (inscr.)

Bekum Agha 254 (inscr.)

Belakhiants Alexandre, watch-maker
248 (footnote)

Belk V., archaeologist 242, 470

Benik, vicar of Gandzak 13

Bernulu (Bernuli), manager 245 (footnote)-246

Beshipat 500 (inscr.)

Beshkan 499 (inscr.)

Beyuk-Bey Aghasi, bey 402

Bibik 542 (inscr.)

Blu Zachare 516

Bluz Zakare (Zakaria) 298-300

Bnichiants (Banuchiants), family 108

Bnichiants Stepan Mkrtchian 109
(inscr.)

Bolton Wilhelm Richard (Richardo-
vich) 245 (footnote)-246, 247
(footnote), 249-250

Boriants Shmavon, priest 49, 250

Boziants Gevorg 481 (inscr.)

Brutiants, family 554

Bugha, Arab commander 10, 12, 23,
148, 515

Bulghadar, gang-leader 533

Buniatov 19

Butalov, governor of Gandzak 388

Buzan see Bugha

C

Chalumian Martiros 102, 138

Chalumian Vardazar 79

Chanechan 199 (inscr.)

Chaplits, major general 439

Charmaghan, war-lord 25, 516

Chelyayev, state counselor 348

Chilingarian Saribek Soghomon 553

Chilingarians, family 360

Chilinkariants, family 109

Chilinkariants Ayvazian 109 (inscr.)

Chilinkariants Mkrtich 109 (inscr.)

Chkhenkeli A. 518

Choli, Seljuk war-lord 24

Chopuriants, family 109

Chopuriants Alexandre 109 (inscr.)

Chopuriants Michael Yesayan 109 (inscr.)

D

Dabagh 452

Dali Ali, gang-leader 31, 509

Dali-Mahtasy 49 (note)

Dallakian Arzuman, wrestler 551

Dallakian Herik 554

Dallakians, family 109

Dalpek 334 (inscr.)

Damerchians, family 554

Danel 107 (inscr.), 110 (inscr.)

Danelants Poghos 109 (inscr.)

Daniel 112 (inscr.), 317 (inscr.)

Danielian Isak Arshak 80

Danielian Isayi 556

Danielian Smbat, guards colonel 473

Danieliants, family 109

Danieliants Grigor 109 (inscr.)

Dastan 503 (inscr.)

Datunts (Tatunts), family 109

Datunts Hakob 109 (inscr.)

Davat 87 (inscr.)

David 277 (inscr.), 331 (inscr.), 406
(inscr.), 526 (inscr.), 555 (inscr.)

David, archbishop 232

David, archimandrite 235 (inscr.)

David, bishop 226, 232, 234 (inscr.),
237-238, 243, 513 (inscr.)-514
(note)

David, khoja 542 (note)

David, monk 280

David, paronter 232

David, priest 102, 127 (inscr.), 166, 254 (inscr.), 406 (inscr.)-407 (inscr.)

David, son of Kyurike I 161

David Anhoghin 298

David Geghametsy, bishop, scribe 27
(footnote), 261, 530

David of Shatakh, scribe 14

David Soslan 516

David the Archimandrite 24

David the Builder, Georgian king 10,
23, 294, 298

David the Landless see David
Anhoghin

David IV, catholicos 280

David VI, catholicos 280

Davidiants Yakhshi Sargissian 408
(inscr.)

Davlatavor 166 (inscr.)

Davtiants Sargis, vicar of Gandzak 12,
202, 236, 238

Demetr, marzpan 298

Demetre I, Georgian king 24

Demirchian Vardevan 556

Donmaz, melik 458 (inscr.)

Donunts (Tonunts), family 110

Donunts Sargis 110 (inscr.)

Doost 99 (inscr.)

Dshkho 114 (inscr.), 117 (inscr.)

Dulkariants Sargis 504 (inscr.)

Dulunts Garegin 371
E

Edgar 396 (inscr.)
Eghpat 165 (inscr.)
Ehdipar 377 (inscr.)
Elizabeth, empress 30
Elm 166 (inscr.)
Enal 372 (inscr.)
Enver, pasha 31
Ern Adolf, engineer 247 (footnote)
Etgayr 372 (inscr.)
Etkar Agha 374 (inscr.)
Etkar, melik 338 (inscr.)
Evaz 260 (inscr.), 274
Eve 270
Evitrina 103 (inscr.)
Eyri Fatih Mohammed Khan, sultan 28
Eyvaz 272 (inscr.)

F

Fahrat, commander 26
Faravon, archimandrite 48 (inscr.)
Farzali Bey Tarughen Murtuza Ghuli, village head 406 (inscr.) lage head 406 (inscr.)
Feodorovich Mikhail Lapik 474
Ferhad, pasha 28

G

Gabriel 270, 487 (inscr.)
Gabriel, archimandrite 480
Gabriel, bishop 102, 135, 136 (inscr.)
Gabriel, melik 438
Gabrielian Khachatur 370
Gabrieliants, family 110
Gabrielants Ghukas 110 (inscr.)
Gagik I the Shahnshah, king 23, 148, 273, 298, 301 (footnote)
Gagik, catholicos 148
Galstians, family 466
Galust 110 (inscr.), 119 (inscr.), 175 (inscr.), 377 (inscr.), 410 (inscr.)
Gamzali Bey 406 (note)
Garan 559 (inscr.)
Gardmanatsy see Mihranians
Garegin 102
Garnik Garnetsy 485
Gaspar 407 (inscr.)
Gegechkori Yev. 518
Georgian Bagratids, kingdom of 10
Gevorg, mahtesy 110 (inscr.)
Gevorg IV, catholicos 51, 53 (inscr.), 187 (inscr.), 239, 408
Gevorg V, catholicos 456, 494, 502
Gevorgian Gabriel 84
Gevorgian Hovhannes Gevorg 79
Gevorgian Vahan, archimandrite 239
Gevorgiants, family 110
Gevorgiants Alexandre, mahtesy 110 (inscr.)

Gevorgiants Hovhannes 111 (inscr.)
Gevorgiants Karapet 110 (inscr.)
Gevorgiants Mayan 110 (inscr.)
Gevorgiants Michael Hovhannissian 131 (inscr.)
Gevorgiants Poghos 110 (inscr.)
Geyushev 19
Ghahermaniants, family 554
Ghalapek 438
Ghalechiants, family 554
Ghalechiants Martiros, sexton 136
Ghamar-Sultan 338 (inscr.)
Gharaman, prince 226
Gharamaniants, family 226
Ghara Murat see Gharamurad, prince
Gharamurad, prince 16, 258, 261
Gharamurad 260 (inscr.)
Ghara-Yusuf, father of Alexandre 21
Ghardashians (Gherdashank), family 267
Gharip 90 (inscr.)
Ghasum 540 (inscr.)
Ghatagha Noyin 223, 243
Ghaval 111 (inscr.)
Ghavalants, family 111
Ghavalian Avetis Grigor 80
Ghazan 203 (inscr.)
Ghazanchiants Michael Sargissian 332 (inscr.)-333 (inscr.)
Ghazanchiants Sargis A. 334 (inscr.)
Ghazar 105 (inscr.), 112 (inscr.), 149 (inscr.), 211 (inscr.), 261, 283 (inscr.), 330 (inscr.)-331 (inscr.), 338, 372 (inscr.), 407 (inscr.), 410 (inscr.), 418 (inscr.), 458 (inscr.), 540 (inscr.)
Ghazar, deacon 157
Ghazar, priest 384 (inscr.), 499 (inscr.), 504 (inscr.)
Ghazarian Nikolai 466-467, 492
Ghazarian Yervand 41
Ghazariants, family 554
Ghazariants Maki 306
Ghazarvan 503 (inscr.)
Ghazvini 21
Ghelpughian Karapet 42
Ghesmat 89 (inscr.)
Ghevand 117 (inscr.)
Ghevond 123 (inscr.)
Ghevond, priest 370
Ghorkhmaz 458 (inscr.), 500 (inscr.)
Ghukas 260 (inscr.)
Ghukas, priest 261, 266
Ghukassian Sahak (Ofitser Sahak) 551
Ghukassants Alexandre 57 (inscr.)
Ghukassants Mariam 57 (inscr.)
Ghukassants Nikolai see Ghukassants Nikoghayos
Ghukassants Nikoghayos Alexandrian 51, 55, 57

Ghukasov V. 533
Ghulunts, family 111, 554
Ghulunts Arutiun 111 (inscr.)
Ghulunts Avetis 111 (inscr.)
Ghulunts Bakrat 111 (inscr.)
Ghulunts Grigor 111 (inscr.)-112 (inscr.)
Ghulunts Harutiun 111 (inscr.)-112 (inscr.)
Giliants Mesrop 114 (inscr.)
Gilingoyl 334 (inscr.)
Giorg 418 (inscr.)
Giorgi III, Georgian king 298, 302 (inscr.), 505
Girikor 369 (inscr.)
Gizal 266 (inscr.)
Gogji 99 (inscr.)
Gohar 99 (inscr.), 190 (inscr.), 540 (inscr.)
Gol 113 (inscr.)
Golitsin, Sergei Dmitriyevich, Russian prince 28, 506-507
Golum 377 (inscr.)
Gorgi, priest 559 (inscr.)
Gorki 214 (inscr.)
Gorki see Giorgi III
Grigor 89 (inscr.), 98 (inscr.), 102, 109 (inscr.), 111 (inscr.)-112 (inscr.), 113 (inscr.)-114 (inscr.), 117 (inscr.), 124 (inscr.), 126 (inscr.), 127 (inscr.), 173, 190 (inscr.), 243, 303 (inscr.), 402 (inscr.), 407 (inscr.), 443 (inscr.), 501, 510 (inscr.)
Grigor, archimandrite 24, 450
Grigor, bishop 266, 384 (inscr.), 418 (inscr.)
Grigor, butcher 288
Grigor, carter 248 (footnote)
Grigor, catholicos 164 (inscr.)
Grigor, mahtesy 50
Grigor, priest 101-102, 167, 203, 255, 266, 272 (inscr.), 456, 518
Grigor, rural dean 480
Grigor, scribe 232
Grigor, son of Alavka 24
Grigor, son of Priest Garegin Ter-Gri-gorian 49
Grigor, son of Priest Husik Hovhan-nissian 51
Grigor Byurakantsy, priest 193
Grigor Narekatsy 192-193
Grigor the Archimandrite, patriarch 226, 238
Grigor the Master 38
Grigorants Grigor 113 (inscr.)
Grigorants Hanes 113 (inscr.)
Grigorants Ivan 113 (inscr.)
Grigorants Mateos 113 (inscr.)
Grigorian Badam 196, 345 (note)
Grigorian Minas Shahmuradiants 120 (inscr.)
Grigorian Mkrtich see Kikian Maki

Grigorian Socrat 44

Grigorian Vahan 210

Grigoriants, family 112

Grigoriants Avag Mkrtchian 113
(inscr.)

Grigoriants Galust 112 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Hosep Zarab 45 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Magtagh 113 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Mkrtich 113 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Mnatsakan Vasakov, father
of Gevorg Vasakov 50 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Sargis 113 (inscr.)

Grigoriants Soghomon Karapetian 108
(inscr.)

Grigoriants Sonichka 113 (inscr.)

Grigoris 377 (inscr.)

Gughin 164 (inscr.)

Gulaghe 260 (inscr.)

Guldane 260 (inscr.)

Gulpash 100 (inscr.)

Gulum 396 (inscr.)

Gulumants Michael 210

Gulunts, family 113

Gulunts Karapet 68

Gulunts Sargis 114 (inscr.)

Gulyan Sergi 81

Gurjunts Hovhan see Gyurjian
Hovhannes

Gyagunts (Kirakossiants), family 554

Gyukan 499 (inscr.)

Gyulab 458 (inscr.)

Gyuliants Galust Poghossian 114
(inscr.)

Gyulum 89 (inscr.)

Gyurjian Hovhannes 84

Gyurjians, family 360

H

Habet 243

Hajiyev Abbas 246

Hajji Amirkhan, merchant 536

Hajji Chalabi Panah, khan 28

Hakhnazar 260 (inscr.), 378 (inscr.),
380 (inscr.), 458 (inscr.)

Hakhnazar, melik 166, 211 (inscr.),
504 (inscr.), 523 (inscr.)

Hakhum 289

Hakhverdiants Hripsime 318

Hakhverdiants Nikoghayos 318

Hakob 16, 107 (inscr.), 232, 254
(inscr.), 289, 303 (inscr.), 330
(inscr.), 380 (inscr.), 466, 503
(inscr.)

Hakob, archimandrite 280

Hakob, catholicos 226

Hakob, priest 270, 340, 450

Hakob, senior priest 255

Hakobian 289

Hakobian H., poet 62

Hakobian Ohan 114 (inscr.)

Hakobiants, family 114

Hakobiants Ghazarian, family 114
(inscr.)

Hakobiants Sargis Virabian 78, 82
(inscr.)

Hakobjan 345 (note)

Haman 95 (inscr.)

Hamaspyurians, family 49

Hamaspyurian Petros 49

Hamaspyurian Poghos 36, 42, 49

Hamaspyurian Taghveran 49

Hamaspyurians Poghos see Hama-
spyurian Poghos

Hamazasp, commander 31

Hamazaspiants Anania, vicar of Gand-
zak 13, 389

Hambardzum 105 (inscr.), 111 (inscr.)

Hambo 362, 434

Hanep Mamat Ali oghli 390

Hanes 120 (inscr.), 260 (inscr.)

Haraymish 190 (inscr.)

Harutiun 78 (inscr.), 112 (inscr.), 117
(inscr.), 378 (inscr.), 380 (inscr.),
444-445, 501, 545 (inscr.)

Harutiun, archimandrite 48 (inscr.),
429, 488

Harutiunian Anna 122 (inscr.)

Harutiunian Ara, architect 139

Harutiunian Hovsep 56

Harutiunian Vardanush Virab (Lka-
nunts) 79

Harutiunian Zar, mahtesy 122 (inscr.)

Harutiuniants Hripsime 101

Harutiuniants Stepan 121 (inscr.)

Hasan 203 (inscr.), 341 (inscr.)

Hasan Husein oghli 390

Hasan, khan 470

Hasaniants, family 330 (inscr.)

Hatam, father of Israel 48 (inscr.)

Hatam Bey 111 (inscr.)

Haupt L., German archaeologist 239,
247, 252

Hayat 416 (inscr.)

Hayk 214, 552 (footnote)

Hayk, son of Priest Husik Hovhan-
nissan 51

Haykanoush 214

Hayrapet 163 (inscr.), 277 (inscr.), 331
(inscr.), 559 (inscr.)

Hayriants Ishkhan 217

Hayrumiants Gevorg Babassian 42

Heghnan 106 (inscr.), 119 (inscr.)

Helen 540 (inscr.)

Heracle (Heraclius), Byzantine emper-
or 466

Heracle II, Georgian king 16 (foot-
note), 29, 257, 282, 347-348, 440,
493, 517

Heraypet 540 (inscr.)

Herik 120 (inscr.), 161, 545 (inscr.)

Hetum 166 (inscr.)

Hormat 254

Horum 396 (inscr.)

Horumsim 112 (inscr.)

Hovan 254 (inscr.)

Hovanis 195 (inscr.)

Hovasap, priest 261

Hovhan 214 (inscr.), 544 (inscr.)

Hovhan (Ivane), prince of Gag 298

Hovhan Mayravanetsy, archimandrite
242, 252

Hovhanian 545 (inscr.)

Hovhannes 58 (inscr.), 89 (inscr.), 102,
106 (inscr.), 109 (inscr.), 111
(inscr.), 119 (inscr.), 121 (inscr.),
157 (inscr.), 195, 233 (inscr.), 381
(inscr.), 385 (inscr.), 396 (inscr.),
402 (inscr.)

Hovhannes, archbishop 38, 280, 493

Hovhannes, archimandrite 489

Hovhannes, bishop 485

Hovhannes, catholicos 12, 45 (inscr.),
148, 215, 286, 485, 505

Hovhannes, celibate priest 505

Hovhannes, mahtesy 489

Hovhannes, priest 157, 274, 286, 289,
455, 516

Hovhannes, scribe 232, 243

Hovhannes Bey 243

Hovhannes Sarkavag 10

Hovhannes Senecherim the Arransha-
hik 10

Hovhannes Shatakhetsy 66, 166

Hovhannes Shirakuny, vicar of
Gandzak 13

Hovhannes Tuetsy, archbishop 516

Hovhannissian 38

Hovhannissian Hovhannes 78

Hovhannissian Sergi 115 (inscr.)

Hovhannissian Seyraniants 80 (inscr.)

Hovhannissian Tevos 84

Hovhannissian Varduhi 80 (inscr.)

Hovhannissiants, family 114, 115 (inscr.)

Hovhannissiants Alexandre Yegorian
42, 115 (inscr.)

Hovhannissants Ghahraman
Sargissian 58

Hovhannissiants Ghahraman Sergei 38

Hovhannissiants Hovhannes, friar 429

Hovhannissiants Kostandin Stepanian
115 (inscr.)

Hovhannissants Michael Virabian 115
(inscr.)

Hovhannissants Stepan Grigorian 78,
115 (inscr.)

Hovhannissants Yagor Grigorian 77-
78, 85

Hovhannissiants Zakar Virabian 115
(inscr.)
Hovnan 100 (inscr.)
Hovsep 85, 161, 494, 540 (inscr.), 554

Hovsep, archimandrite 426-427

Hovsep, melik 347-348

Hovsep I, melik 438

Hovsep III, melik 438-439

Hovsepan 234 (inscr.)

Hrapet 211 (inscr.)

Hrapetants (Varunts), family 115

Hrapetants Ghil 115 (inscr.)

Hripsim 118 (inscr.)

Hripsime 116 (inscr.), 126 (inscr.), 431 (inscr.)

Hripsime, mother superior 262

Hrom 331 (inscr.)

Hrum 91 (inscr.)

Humichan 540 (inscr.)

Hunan, sculptor see Unan, sculptor

Hunanian Michael, engineer 36

Huratskhan 385 (inscr.)

Hurikhan 99 (note)

Hurkhan 164 (inscr.)

Hurum 100 (inscr.), 540 (inscr.)

Hurumsim 91 (inscr.), 107 (inscr.), 271 (inscr.)

Husein, khan 26

Husein I, Persian shah 243

Huseinov M. 297

I

Ibn-al-Asir 24

Ibrahim, khan 29, 343, 517

Ibrahim, pasha 28

Ichipek 542 (inscr.)

Ignatios, archimandrite 167

Ignatios, bishop 365 (inscr.)

Ipak 458 (inscr.)

Irakli see Heracle II, Georgian king

Isahakiants Aghajan, mahtesy 49

Isakhan 164 (inscr.)

Ishkhan 272 (inscr.)

Ishkhaniants Ohanjan 491 (inscr.)

Iskandar 503 (inscr.)

Iskandariants, family 554

Iskenderov 139 (footnote)

Ismayil, shah 26

Ismayil ibn Akut, emir 23

Ismayilov G. 196

Ispatiar 166 (inscr.)

Israel 122 (inscr.), 380 (inscr.)

Israel, bishop 191

Israel, priest 123 (inscr.), 381 (inscr.)

Israel, son of Melik Hatam 48 (inscr.)

Israfil Agha 307

Israyelian (Donunts) Hambardzum
Khachatur 79

Israyelian Hovhannes 142

Israyelian Rafayel, architect 139

Israyelians, family 360

Ivane the Great see Zakarian Ivane

Ivane the Atabak see Zakarian Ivane

Ivanovski A., archaeologist 242, 470

J

Jaghariants, family 381

Jaghariants Mirza 396 (inscr.)

Jaghat, Mongol invader 294

Jaghetian Sasha Makich 80

Jaghetiants, family 304

Jaghetiants Alexandre 306-307

Jaghetiants Ivan 306

Jaghetiants Maki 78, 306

Jaghetiants Simeon G. 80 (inscr.)

Jahanshah, khan 505

Jaladov Ghukas 67

Jalal, prince 254, 272

Jalal-ad-Din, shah 299

Jalal-ed-Din, sultan 25

Jalaliants Baghdasar, archimandrite
232

Jalaliants David, archimandrite 238

Jalaliants Sargis 192-193, 227, 250,
252, 301-302 (note), 441

Jalaviants Abres 381 (inscr.)

Jalladants Grigor 115 (inscr.)

Jalladian Siranush Hovhannes 115 (inscr.)

Jalladiants, family 115

Jalladiants Andreas Stepanian 115 (inscr.)

Jalladiants Grigor Harutiunian 115 (inscr.)

Jalladiants Shushanik 78

Jav 113 (inscr.)

Javad 362

Javad, khan 28-29, 37, 163, 345, 439

Javahir 125 (inscr.)

Javjavadze N. Z., prince 30

Jenemshe 376 (inscr.)

Jevan 341 (inscr.)

Jhankir, melik 542 (note)

Jicha 88 (inscr.)

Jika 88 (note)

Jiljaniants Petros 151

John the Deacon see Hovhannes Sar-
kavag

Jvansha 541 (inscr.)

Jvansher 302 (inscr.)

Jvanshir, prince 148

K

Kajberuny 247 (footnote), 450, 454 (footnote), 458 (note), 533

Kajikian 227, 229-230, 234 (note), 274, 364 (note), 435, 441, 481

Kalantar 255

Kalantarian Mkrtich 455

Kalantarian Shushanik 42

Kamal Bey 347, 364 (inscr.)

Kamal, melik 378 (inscr.)

Kamalian S., folklorist 12, 225 (footnote), 228, 230, 234 (inscr.), 237, 239 (footnote), 253-255, 258 (footnote)-259 (footnote), 260 (note), 263, 266 (note), 269, 277, 287, 406 (note)-407 (note), 416 (note), 449, 455, 458, 481-482, 503, 523 (note), 526, 533, 548

Kamalians (Kmalank), family 267

Kamsarakans, family 324

Kanan 161 (inscr.)

Kapaj 369 (inscr.)

Kaprel 127 (inscr.)

Karapet 107 (inscr.)-108 (inscr.), 116 (inscr.), 120 (inscr.), 122-123 (inscr.), 126 (inscr.)-127 (inscr.), 195 (inscr.), 266 (inscr.), 334, 528 (inscr.)

Karapet, bishop 365 (inscr.)

Karapet, catholicos 226, 238

Karapet, priest 266

Karapetian Poghos, verger 78

Karasungur see Karasunkar

Karasunkar 24

Karbelashvili D. 533

Kas 267 (inscr.)

Kaspariants Hovhannes 58 (inscr.)

Katavnessiants Sargis 380 (inscr.)

Kayina, mother superior 261

Kelle Gustav 246, 249 (footnote)-250

Kemal, melik 523

Keohna Ghalaum 254

Khachatrian 304

Khachatrian Hamazasp, priest 250

Khachatur 31, 124 (inscr.), 126 (inscr.), 161, 166, 232, 243, 267 (inscr.), 338 (inscr.), 380 (inscr.), 545 (inscr.)

Khachatur, archimandrite 154, 157

Khachatur, sculptor 537, 540 (inscr.)-542 (inscr.)

Khachatur, vicar of Gandzak 12

Khachaturian Aghajan, mahtesy 46 (inscr.)-47 (inscr.)

Khachaturian Artem 106 (inscr.)

Khachaturian Kirakos 429 (footnote), 441 (footnote)

Khachaturian Tevan 124 (inscr.)

Khachaturov Petros, carpenter 248 (footnote)

Khachbulaghian David 196

Khacheres 303 (inscr.)

Khachesir 418 (inscr.)

Khachik 496 (inscr.)

Khachikian L. 505 (footnote)

Khachum, sexton 196

Khachumiants Galust Soghomonian 340 (inscr.)

Khadim Hasan, pasha 18

Khalapiants, family 127 (footnote)