Yelpin

**Yelpin** (; ; an aw Romanizit as **Yelp’in** an **Elpin**) is a veelage commonty locatit in the soothwast o Armenie in Vayots Dzor (*[[Admeenistrative diveesions o Armenie|marz]]*).  It is locatit 97&nbsp;km awa frae Yerevan an 27&nbsp;km awa frae provincial center Yeghegnadzor. It borders wi Autonomous Republic o Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan) in sooth, wi lands o Zangakatun commonty (Ararat province) in wast, wi Chivagyugh commonty (Vayots Dzor province) in soothwast. Commonty lands stretch frae 1400 tae 2800m, whareas the dounset itsel is locatit at 1545m abuin the sea level.

## History
Yelpin commonty wis established in 1828, efter Russo-Persie War (1826-1828). The foonders (ethnic Armenies) fled frae Persie regions o Khoy an Salmast. The commonty wis foondit in the place o *Nrbuyn* veelage, an inheritit its name, which gradually transformit- *Nrbuyn, Nrbin, Irpin* an feenally *Yelpin*. Famous Armenie historian **[[Stepanos Orbelian]]**, in his beuk *Patmutyun Sisakan*, (History o Sis) mentions *Adopen, Khndzorut, Kechut, Chochanak, Chavadzor, Mokhrot* an ither historical places tae be locatit in the admeenistrative territory o Yelpin. Housomeivver, the territory o Yelpin wis inhabitit syne the Stane Age, evidence o which can be foond in numerous caves in the vicinity. The Bronze Age is the best representit an airchaeological expeditions are vera active in the aurie. Here wur foond numerous airtifacts, such as stane an metal instruments, airms, pottery an mony ithers, which are kept in the Yeghegnadzor ethnographic museum.

## Cultur

The commonty is surroondit bi monasteries an structurs haein cultural value. Tae the northwast frae the veelage, remnants o medieval fortress can be foond, 10&nbsp;km awa thare are numerous auncient decoratit gravestanes. Follaein the auld wey tae *Aghavnadzor*, remnants o *Geshin* dounset can be foond, which haes a famous cave in the nearbi․ Tae the sootheast o the veelage, thare is a 14t century sanctuary o *Toukh Manuk* an medieval *Didivan* monastery in *Gndasar*, preservit frae the times o Bagratuni dynasty. No far awa frae the commonty thare is a Noravank monastic complex (XII c), which is a UNESCO heritage steid an aw.  In 2005 a new kirk wis biggit in the veelage center.

## Natur

**Flora**

The flora o the aurie is quite rich. The vicinities o Yelpin hae always been kent for thair abundance o alpine yerbs an officinal plants. In the auncient times thare wis an alpine dounset o *seyids* (medicine fowk), who practiced phytotherapy an traditional medicine. The maist common uised wur mentha, rosa canina, Armenie ginseng an mony ithers. Thare are numerous endemic an endangered plants registered in the naitional Red Beuk, such as *Pragnos lophoptera,  Seseli leptocladium (endemic),   Cephalorrinhus Kirpicznikovii,  Hieracium pannosum,  Steptorhamphus Czerepanovii,  Acanthophyllum pungens,  Astragalus karakuschensis,  Vicia cappadocica,  Hipericum formosissimum,  Crocus speciosus.  Gladiolus atroviolaceus, Iris caucasicus, Iris pseudocaucasica, Juglans regia, Salvia grossheimii, Allium akkaka, Asphodeline dendroides, Secale Vavilovii, Triticum boeoticum*.

**Fauna**

The vicinities o the Yelpin community are kent for its fauna, especially birds. The Red Beuk ainimals an birds are the follaein: *Ursus arctos syriacus, Capra aegarus aegarus, Accipiter brevipes, Ciraetus gallicus gallicus, Lanius senator niloticus, Silvia hortensis crassirostris, Luscinia svecica accidentalis, Irania gutturalis, Sitta tephronota obscura, Tichodroma muraria, Carposiza brachidactyla, Eumeces schnederi, Mabuya aurata, Vipera raddei.*

## Geografie

## References
*REC Caucasus. 2008. ''Sustainable Development of Mountain Communities in the Caucasus. Local Agenda 21.'' Report. 
*
*World Gazeteer: Armenia &ndash; Warld-Gazetteer.com
*

## Relatit links
*Vayots Dzor Marz
*Yeghegnadzor
*Noravank Monastery
*Magili Caverns
*Arjer Cave
*Mozrov Cave