The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-11-03
Y \


n more ago that the Russians,
" " having captured the South
Armenian city of Mush,
had pushed on rapidly and won VIC
tory at Akhlat on the shore of Lake
Van, there were probably not half q
dozen people in the British islands who
received a thrill at sight of that last
name. But those half-doZen, if there
were SO many, had instantly summoned
up to their minds eye one of the most
perfect little buildings in the world,
in its way, which was standing recent
ly-let us hope is still standing-by
the waters of the romantic lake, writes
Sir Martin Conway, in Country Life.
Van and Titicaca are perhaps the two
most romantic lakes in the world. They
people, even of most travellers, both on
high plateaus near great mountains ;
both the sites of great ancient civiliza-
tions; both destined to be the scene of
no little future prosperity; and both,
In these days, rather sorrowful and
fallen. One is the jewel of the Armeni-
an highlands. The other lies far away
between the two great ranges of the
Cordillera of the Andes.
Always a Fortress.
The Importance of ancient Van is
proved by the triumphant cuneiform
inscriptions left upon it's rocks by
proud Assyrian conquerors. The rock
of Van has been a fortress since ever
fOrtresses were. 1t has passed down
the ages from conqueror to conqueror
get when the Russians captured it its
lapse from Ottoman control passed al
most unnoticed. 1t was none the less
considerable event. When the for.
tress of Van changes hands the clock
of history strikes the passing of al
age.
1t is not, however, of Van that we
must here treat, nor even of Akhtha
mar, the island close to the south shore
of the lake, which has been for cen
turies kind of Holy island to the
Armenians cherishing it's old church
still fairly well preserved and in use
before this war burst upon even thai
most secluded retreat. Akhlat alone
will suffice us today, and that not fol
it's Christian, but it's Mussulman as
| sociations.
Tonbs Are Called kumbets.
Half mile inland from the port OF
slightly rising ground was the sit,
| chosen for the mausolea of the prince!
| of Akhlat. 1t was the pleasing fashion
| Of the MoSlemS to erect their tOmb
| amid gardens and to take their pleas
| loved. Hence, for instance, the beau
| tiful garden round the Tai at Agra.
| have heard Mrs. Grundys OF sort
criticizing visitors for making merry IL
that garden, but that was exactly wha
it was made for. There are no gar
dens left at Akhlat, only fertile patel
in the midst of dry and dusty region
| where gardens once We're. Some of th
| mausolea still stand, and one of then
is thing of great beauty.
| A tomb of this kind is called a KUN
| bet. 1t is 4 polygonal or circular build
ing of stone, standing on solid bas
and surmounted by pointed ston
roof like an extinguisher. Evidentl
enough the type was borrowed iron
| the earlier Christian tomb-churches o
the tenth and perhaps preceding cen
turies, whereof ruined examples ma.
be seen at Ami and elsewhere. Their
are, or were, three kumbets at Erzerun
| near or attached to the Chifteh Min
arch. The older kumbet at Erzerun
| is still like q dome crowning part of
church, though the building has shrunl
| together beneath it and is representa-