Javakhk Samvel Karapetian
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SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL OF RESEARCH ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE (RAA) FOUNDATION Dr. A. Mutafian (Prof.), Paris; Dr. M. Hasratian (Prof.), Yerevan; Margrit Bunemann-Haghnazarian (Architect), Aachen; Dr. H. Suruzian (Prof.), Cairo; Dr. L. Zekiyan (Prof.), Venice; Dr. P. Chobanian (Prof.), Yerevan; Dr. A. Ghazarian (Prof.), Moscow; Prof. N. Sargissian, Yerevan; M. Lalayan, Yerevan; J. Manoucharian, Los Angeles, California; Dr. M. Balayan (Prof.), Stepanakert Published with the approval of RAA Scientific Council SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SERIES OF RESEARCH ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE (RAA) FOUNDATION BOOK 9 JAVAKHK SAMVEL KARAPETIAN Critical Study of the Georgian-Language Lapidary Inscriptions and Scientific Literature by ALEXANDRE KANANIAN TRANSLATION OF THE ARMENIAN-LANGUAGE BOOK OF JAVAKHK (2006), THE 9th VOLUME OF RAA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SERIES RESEARCH ON ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE (RAA) FOUNDATION YEREVAN 2011 The present work treats the history of the villages and cultural monuments of Javakhk District of Gugark Province of Historical Armenia on the basis of archive and field material. A special emphasis is laid on the lap- idary inscriptions of the district. Intended for the general reader and those interested in the history and culture of the Armenian and Georgian nations. The author of the majority of the maps, photographs, measurements and traced copies of inscriptions used in this book is Samvel Karapetian. ISBN 978-99941-875-7-7 ¡ Samvel Karapetian 2011 ¡ Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) Dedicated to the 20th anniversary (1991 to 2011) of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) The financial sponsors of this publication are Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Lily Seredian, who are continuous and generous supporters of RAA Foundation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For the publication of the present work, I owe a special debt of gratitude to my dear compatriot from Van Harutiun Sarhadian (Arthur Seredian)—the grandson of Parish Priest of Aygestan Harutiun Sarhadian and the son of national and public figure Sirak Sarhadian, one of the participants of the heroic April self-defence (1915) of Van (the first Armenian capital). Both of them saw meaning in their existence by living in selfless dedication to their homeland and spent their last days in nostalgic suffering for their native soil. It is almost a century since Harutiun’s family was forced to abandon his mother country, and he lives thousands of kilometres away from it, but despite this, he remains attached to his roots, his blood still obtaining nourishment and inexhaustible vigour from his birthplace. I extend my deepest gratitude to all Javakhk Armenians who always supported RAA research team with great willingness and devotion during fieldwork in the region that lasted for almost two decades. Special thanks are due to my dear friend Hakob Avetissian, whose untiring support and boundless enthu- siasm largely promoted the preparation of the present work. CONTENTS 5 CONTENTS A FEW WORDS ........................................................7 Lapidary Inscriptions ..............................................27 PREFACE ..................................................................8 Armenian Lapidary Inscriptions .............................27 Geographical Environment ........................................8 Georgian-Language Inscriptions .............................28 Rivers .........................................................................8 Turkish Inscriptions in the Arabic Script ................28 Lakes............................................................................8 ABUL ......................................................................29 Mountains .................................................................9 AZAVRET ..............................................................36 Forests .........................................................................9 ALATUMAN ..........................................................43 Agriculture ..............................................................10 ALASTAN ..............................................................46 Earthquakes .............................................................11 AKHALKALAK .....................................................53 A HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION ......................12 AKANA (AKN, AGANA) ......................................78 The Origin and Etymology of the Toponym of ASPARA .................................................................82 Javakhk ..................................................................12 ARAKOVA .............................................................84 Javakhk in the Pre-Christian Period .......................12 APNIA .....................................................................89 Javakhk between the 4th and 13th centuries ..........12 BALANTA ..............................................................91 Javakhk between the 14th and 18th centuries ........13 BALKHO ................................................................92 Javakhk between the 19th and 20th centuries ........13 BAVRA ...................................................................95 POPULATION.........................................................15 BARALET ............................................................101 Armenians ................................................................15 BEZHANO (JANJGHA) ......................................111 Armenian Boshas .....................................................16 BZAVET ................................................................116 Georgians .................................................................16 BNELA .................................................................122 Russians ...................................................................18 BOZALI ................................................................123 Turks .......................................................................18 BUGHASHEN ......................................................124 Kurds ........................................................................19 BURNASHET (BURNASHEN) ..........................127 Resettlements ..........................................................19 GANDZA ..............................................................135 EDUCATION...........................................................21 GOGASHEN .........................................................144 HISTORICAL MONUMENTS ...............................22 GOM .....................................................................145 Archaeological Monuments .....................................22 GORELOVKA ......................................................150 Cyclopean Castles....................................................22 DADESH ..............................................................151 Dragon Stones..........................................................22 DAVNIA ................................................................155 Medieval Castles, Towers, Observation Posts ...........23 DILISKA ...............................................................157 Quadrilateral Steles..................................................23 DILIV (DLIVEK) .................................................166 Chapels, Churches, Monasteries..............................23 ZAK ......................................................................170 Khachkars (Cross-Stones) .......................................25 ZRESK ..................................................................175 Armenian Chalcedonian Cross-Stones ....................26 EKHTILA .............................................................178 Cemeteries ...............................................................26 ERINJA .................................................................188 Tombstones .............................................................26 TAKHCHA ............................................................189 Bridges ....................................................................27 TMOK (TMKABERD) .........................................192 Public and Residential Buildings ............................27 TOTKHAM ...........................................................205 Production Buildings ..............................................27 TORIA ...................................................................206 6 JAVAKHK TOK ......................................................................209 CHEKHAROLA ...................................................420 ZHDANOVAKAN ................................................211 CHUNCHKHA .....................................................422 LOMATURTSKH .................................................212 PRTENA ...............................................................424 KHANDO .............................................................215 JGRASHEN ..........................................................425 KHAVET ...............................................................224 SATKHA ...............................................................430 KHERTVIS ...........................................................230 SAGHAMO ..........................................................443 KHEZABAVRA ....................................................234 SAMEBA (TROITSKOYE) .................................450 KHOJABEK .........................................................242 SIRK (POKR KAJO) ............................................451 KHOSPIA