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TIGRANAKERT, ARTSAKH: STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW KARANIAN
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Posted on July 25, 2013 byMatthew KaranianinBooks &
Art,Featured,Headline// 0 Comments
Layer by layer, the excavated ruins of one of the ancient Armenian
cities of Tigranakert is revealing evidence of a once-thriving Armenian
settlement that dates back to before the time of Christ.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The ruins of Tigranakert of Artsakh (foreground) and the recently
reconstructed castle. Photo © 2013 Matthew Karanian
This Tigranakert is located in Artsakh, and the uncovering of precious
Armenian artifacts,khatchkars, and foundation stones here has fueled
excitement about both the cultural and political significance of
the site.
This isn't the Tigranakert that you studied in Armenian school.
The fabled Tigranakert that most Armenians are familiar with is the
one that's trapped inside the borders of modern Turkey, in historic
Western Armenia.
The unheralded Tigranakert of Artsakh is a world away, and just a
short drive from Karabagh's capital and largest town, Stepanakert.
Unlike its more famous counterpart in historic Armenia, this
Tigranakert had become largely forgotten until about a decade ago.
The site is located in the Askeran region and, as with most places
in Artsakh, the lands nearby were the scene of heavy fighting during
Karabagh's war of independence.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The medieval castle of Tigranakert, in Artsakh. The ancient Armenian
ruins of Tigranakert, located just beyond the castle, date back to
the first century BC. Photo © 2013 Matthew Karanian
A handful of rusted tanks still litter the nearby hills. Aghdam,
a now-abandoned community that had been used by the enemy as a base
from which to attack Armenian towns and villages, lies a short distance
away, opposite a narrow highway.
The international community identifies the sovereignty of the region as
disputed. Azerbaijan, which had laid siege to the region until shortly
after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and which didn't permit
excavations here during the Soviet era, claims the site for itself.
This territorial dispute lends added significance to the antiquity
of the Armenian settlement, since its existence is an overwhelming
counterweight to the Azeri contention that Armenians are new arrivals
to the region.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The excavated ruins of Tigranakert lie at the base of the mountaintop
monastery of Vankasar, in the Askeran region of Artsakh. Photo © 2013
Matthew Karanian
The ruins of Artsakh's Tigranakert are evident today to any visitor.
But the archaeologist Hamlet Petrosyan, Ph.D., recalls the time, not
so long ago, when their existence was little more than a hypothesis.
Petrosyan is the head of the department of cultural studies at Yerevan
State University, and the director of the Archaeological Expedition of
Artsakh. His studies of ancient Armenian history, and of archaeology,
had led him to believe that there might be significant ruins in
this area north of Askeran, and at the base of the mountain where
the Armenian church Vankasar stands. He believed the site might be
one of the lost Tigranakerts. Others weren't so sure. And prior to
Karabagh's independence, scant resources were committed to finding out.
Tigranakert is named for Tigran the Great, a leader revered in Armenian
history for presiding over Armenia's greatest expansion in ancient
time, from 95-55 BC. In Tigran's honor, at least four settlements are
known to have been built and named for him. This shouldn't surprise
anyone. He was, after all, Great.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The mountaintop monastery of Vankasar stands vigil high above the
ruins of Tigranakert, in the Askeran region of Artsakh. The ruins of
the Tigranakert of Artsakh date back to the first century BC. Photo
© 2013 Matthew Karanian
The possibility of a Tigranakert in Artsakh intrigued many, including
Petrosyan. I met with Petrosyan in Artsakh while I was researching
and writing my book, Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel
Guide. He walked the site with me and explained how, years earlier,
he had seen what he believed were remnants of walls.
Even as we hiked amid the ruins and the remnants of the fortress walls,
Petrosyan was scanning the fields for further hints that something
else man-made might lay beneath the soil. He saw large depressions
in the topography that didn't appear to be natural. "We can suppose
that here we will find something," he told me, while pointing to a
field that appeared to be just a field-except for a modest depression
that might hide the long-buried foundations of civic buildings.
Petrosyan and his team of archaeologists from the Armenian Academy
of Sciences Institute of Archaeology began excavating the site in 2005.
They discovered that this Tigranakert had a citadel, a central business
district, churches, suburbs, and cemeteries.
Petrosyan and I walked amid the ruins of one of the Armenian churches
that he had uncovered. The church had been built in the 5th century,
but by the 18th century its stones had been used as a quarry for
materials for the nearby castle. All that remains of the church
structure today is its massive foundation, now exposed, at several
feet below ground level.
The church foundation reveals a structure that was 29 meters long-one
of the largest churches of the Caucasus from this era.
Excavations have revealed Armenian inscriptions on the church, as
well as a primitive khatchkars (Armenian stone cross).
The city was built entirely from the local white limestone,
and Petrosyan's research suggests that it was occupied until the
14th century. He and his team of archaeologists also determined that
the site was founded in the first century B.C.
The excavation of the site thus presents evidence of a continuous
Armenian civilization here for more than 2,000 years.
In 2008, the area was designated the Tigranakert Historical-Cultural
Reserve by the government of Karabagh. Vast areas of the 2,136 hectare
site remain unexcavated, however, because of limited funding for
the project.
A medieval-style castle is located within the fortified area of
Tigranakert, and was restored several years ago. Today this castle
is the most prominent part of Tigranakert, and houses the Tigranakert
Museum of Archaeology.
To be sure, the most famous Tigranakert is the one that's located
in historic Western Armenia. But the 2,000-year-old Tigranakert of
Artsakh might just prove to be more significant to the future of
the Armenians, since it demonstrates their ancient and continuous
history here. And if you are already traveling in Yerevan this year,
then the Tigranakert that you'll want to add to your itinerary is
the one that's in nearby Artsakh.
About the Museum
The State Archaeological Museum of Tigranakert is located within the
walls of the castle (open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily). To learn
more, visit www.tigranakert.am. Check at the museum for information
about walking the site and viewing the ruins.
To get there, travel about 35 kilometers north of Stepanakert on the
road that leads past Aghdam. The castle of Tigranakert is on the west
(left) side of the highway. Tigranakert is best visited as a half-day
excursion from either Stepanakert or Shushi, which are the two towns
that have the best selection of tourist-class hotels and which draw
most of Artsakh's overnight visitors.
'Stone Garden Travel Guide'
Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel Guide (Stone Garden
Productions, $24.95) was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times,
which calls the book "a fresh view on ancient Armenia." This 320-page
guide includes essays on nature and conservation, archaeology,
Armenian history, and the cultural sites of Armenia and Artsakh,
as well as comprehensive travel information.
The book is the winner of three national book awards, including an
award for Best Travel Guide by the Independent Publishers Association,
and is available for purchase in Watertown, Mass., from the Armenian
Library and Museum of America (ALMA).
Matthew Karanian practices law in Pasadena, Calif. He is the
author of Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel Guide, the
best-selling English-language guide to Armenia. The third edition of
this book was published this year.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/07/25/tigranakert-artsakh-story-and-photo
s-by-matthew-karanian/
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
Posted on July 25, 2013 byMatthew KaranianinBooks &
Art,Featured,Headline// 0 Comments
Layer by layer, the excavated ruins of one of the ancient Armenian
cities of Tigranakert is revealing evidence of a once-thriving Armenian
settlement that dates back to before the time of Christ.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The ruins of Tigranakert of Artsakh (foreground) and the recently
reconstructed castle. Photo © 2013 Matthew Karanian
This Tigranakert is located in Artsakh, and the uncovering of precious
Armenian artifacts,khatchkars, and foundation stones here has fueled
excitement about both the cultural and political significance of
the site.
This isn't the Tigranakert that you studied in Armenian school.
The fabled Tigranakert that most Armenians are familiar with is the
one that's trapped inside the borders of modern Turkey, in historic
Western Armenia.
The unheralded Tigranakert of Artsakh is a world away, and just a
short drive from Karabagh's capital and largest town, Stepanakert.
Unlike its more famous counterpart in historic Armenia, this
Tigranakert had become largely forgotten until about a decade ago.
The site is located in the Askeran region and, as with most places
in Artsakh, the lands nearby were the scene of heavy fighting during
Karabagh's war of independence.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The medieval castle of Tigranakert, in Artsakh. The ancient Armenian
ruins of Tigranakert, located just beyond the castle, date back to
the first century BC. Photo © 2013 Matthew Karanian
A handful of rusted tanks still litter the nearby hills. Aghdam,
a now-abandoned community that had been used by the enemy as a base
from which to attack Armenian towns and villages, lies a short distance
away, opposite a narrow highway.
The international community identifies the sovereignty of the region as
disputed. Azerbaijan, which had laid siege to the region until shortly
after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and which didn't permit
excavations here during the Soviet era, claims the site for itself.
This territorial dispute lends added significance to the antiquity
of the Armenian settlement, since its existence is an overwhelming
counterweight to the Azeri contention that Armenians are new arrivals
to the region.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The excavated ruins of Tigranakert lie at the base of the mountaintop
monastery of Vankasar, in the Askeran region of Artsakh. Photo © 2013
Matthew Karanian
The ruins of Artsakh's Tigranakert are evident today to any visitor.
But the archaeologist Hamlet Petrosyan, Ph.D., recalls the time, not
so long ago, when their existence was little more than a hypothesis.
Petrosyan is the head of the department of cultural studies at Yerevan
State University, and the director of the Archaeological Expedition of
Artsakh. His studies of ancient Armenian history, and of archaeology,
had led him to believe that there might be significant ruins in
this area north of Askeran, and at the base of the mountain where
the Armenian church Vankasar stands. He believed the site might be
one of the lost Tigranakerts. Others weren't so sure. And prior to
Karabagh's independence, scant resources were committed to finding out.
Tigranakert is named for Tigran the Great, a leader revered in Armenian
history for presiding over Armenia's greatest expansion in ancient
time, from 95-55 BC. In Tigran's honor, at least four settlements are
known to have been built and named for him. This shouldn't surprise
anyone. He was, after all, Great.
1x1.trans Tigranakert, Artsakh: Story and Photos by Matthew Karanian
The mountaintop monastery of Vankasar stands vigil high above the
ruins of Tigranakert, in the Askeran region of Artsakh. The ruins of
the Tigranakert of Artsakh date back to the first century BC. Photo
© 2013 Matthew Karanian
The possibility of a Tigranakert in Artsakh intrigued many, including
Petrosyan. I met with Petrosyan in Artsakh while I was researching
and writing my book, Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel
Guide. He walked the site with me and explained how, years earlier,
he had seen what he believed were remnants of walls.
Even as we hiked amid the ruins and the remnants of the fortress walls,
Petrosyan was scanning the fields for further hints that something
else man-made might lay beneath the soil. He saw large depressions
in the topography that didn't appear to be natural. "We can suppose
that here we will find something," he told me, while pointing to a
field that appeared to be just a field-except for a modest depression
that might hide the long-buried foundations of civic buildings.
Petrosyan and his team of archaeologists from the Armenian Academy
of Sciences Institute of Archaeology began excavating the site in 2005.
They discovered that this Tigranakert had a citadel, a central business
district, churches, suburbs, and cemeteries.
Petrosyan and I walked amid the ruins of one of the Armenian churches
that he had uncovered. The church had been built in the 5th century,
but by the 18th century its stones had been used as a quarry for
materials for the nearby castle. All that remains of the church
structure today is its massive foundation, now exposed, at several
feet below ground level.
The church foundation reveals a structure that was 29 meters long-one
of the largest churches of the Caucasus from this era.
Excavations have revealed Armenian inscriptions on the church, as
well as a primitive khatchkars (Armenian stone cross).
The city was built entirely from the local white limestone,
and Petrosyan's research suggests that it was occupied until the
14th century. He and his team of archaeologists also determined that
the site was founded in the first century B.C.
The excavation of the site thus presents evidence of a continuous
Armenian civilization here for more than 2,000 years.
In 2008, the area was designated the Tigranakert Historical-Cultural
Reserve by the government of Karabagh. Vast areas of the 2,136 hectare
site remain unexcavated, however, because of limited funding for
the project.
A medieval-style castle is located within the fortified area of
Tigranakert, and was restored several years ago. Today this castle
is the most prominent part of Tigranakert, and houses the Tigranakert
Museum of Archaeology.
To be sure, the most famous Tigranakert is the one that's located
in historic Western Armenia. But the 2,000-year-old Tigranakert of
Artsakh might just prove to be more significant to the future of
the Armenians, since it demonstrates their ancient and continuous
history here. And if you are already traveling in Yerevan this year,
then the Tigranakert that you'll want to add to your itinerary is
the one that's in nearby Artsakh.
About the Museum
The State Archaeological Museum of Tigranakert is located within the
walls of the castle (open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily). To learn
more, visit www.tigranakert.am. Check at the museum for information
about walking the site and viewing the ruins.
To get there, travel about 35 kilometers north of Stepanakert on the
road that leads past Aghdam. The castle of Tigranakert is on the west
(left) side of the highway. Tigranakert is best visited as a half-day
excursion from either Stepanakert or Shushi, which are the two towns
that have the best selection of tourist-class hotels and which draw
most of Artsakh's overnight visitors.
'Stone Garden Travel Guide'
Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel Guide (Stone Garden
Productions, $24.95) was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times,
which calls the book "a fresh view on ancient Armenia." This 320-page
guide includes essays on nature and conservation, archaeology,
Armenian history, and the cultural sites of Armenia and Artsakh,
as well as comprehensive travel information.
The book is the winner of three national book awards, including an
award for Best Travel Guide by the Independent Publishers Association,
and is available for purchase in Watertown, Mass., from the Armenian
Library and Museum of America (ALMA).
Matthew Karanian practices law in Pasadena, Calif. He is the
author of Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden Travel Guide, the
best-selling English-language guide to Armenia. The third edition of
this book was published this year.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/07/25/tigranakert-artsakh-story-and-photo
s-by-matthew-karanian/