Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

In Qashatagh Region Again Castles Have Been Discovered.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • In Qashatagh Region Again Castles Have Been Discovered.

    IN QASHATAGH REGION AGAIN CASTLES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.

    [ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]

    http://karabakh-open.info/en/societyen/5215-en1086
    Tuesday, 30 July 2013 19:30

    The historical and cultural environment of Qashatagh region, the
    exploration of which began after the liberation, has not been much
    examined and revealed.

    Archeologist Gagik Sargsyan, who during his exploration activities
    in the region discovered six castles so far unknown to us, has been
    engaged in the creation of conservation zones for the historical
    monuments within the NKR territory. What castles they are and how
    they were discovered we tried to find out from Mr. Sargsyan.

    -How did you manage to find the castles, taking into account the
    fact that neither you nor the local inhabitants know the historical
    environment well enough.

    - To tell the truth I know Qashatagh region well enough. Initially
    I familiarized myself with the results of all the archeological
    exploration activities carried out in the region before us. To some of
    the monuments I was taken personally by one of the best specialists of
    the history and monuments of the region, former regional administration
    head of Qashatagh, candidate of historical sciences Alexan Hakobyan,
    I am always accompanied by people who know the local monuments well
    enough such as regional newspaper editor Zorik Yrqoyan, the current
    deputy minister of Culture Lernik Hovhannisyan who has initiated the
    erection of walls round the monuments, and some other specialists. But
    even they knew nothing of these castles. I should say we did not rely
    on the local population in this matter as about the castle on the
    hill in their village and in Mirik village as well they learned from
    us. The main thing is that these castles were discovered through the
    photos of the “Google Earth” system taken from space. After
    having thoroughly examined the pictures of the area taken from space we
    could professionally distinguish the cliffs, the enclosures, the old
    and new roads, the quarries, the artificial and natural promontories,
    observe the relief and water system peculiarities and mark out the
    peaks where theoretically castles might have been built. Castles are
    not built at random. Their location is dictated by the requirements
    of time and the military art.

    I think our people should be well aware of their cultural heritage as
    monuments are of national value and the people represented by their
    national country are their owner.

    Mirik castle is on the western edge of the long mountain branch
    rising above the western side of Mirik village, descending from the
    mountain range of Syunik and standing on the right bank of the River
    Aghavno. The citadel towers above the hill while the residence itself
    spreads along the southern slope up to the edge of Mirik village. The
    total length of the citadel is 200 m, the width is 30 to 50 m. It
    occupies the top of the hill and its eastern part and towers on the
    highest leveled plain which is elliptic in form and 80*50 m in size
    according to the map and on all sides is protected by a Cyclopean
    wall made of unwrought basalt rocks. This part is connected to the
    road leading to the citadel which lies one terrace below the southern
    walls of the citadel and heading 150 meters forwards through a short
    corridor edged by walls on both sides it reaches the main part. The
    central part of the citadel is occupied by a round tower from 7 to 8
    m in diameter, the width of the walls of which is 3 m. It forms part
    of the palace in the citadel. It is a multi-room complex surrounded
    with walls of jutting stones. The latter overlooks an open square.

    >From the central part to the west lies an area of 30 m surrounded
    with walls which ends with Á huge rectangle 15*20 m in sizes. It is
    built in the same Cyclopean way, up to 3 to 4-meter height of it and
    2.5-meter width of the walls have preserved so far. Next to the tower
    there is a small room which leads to the central part of the citadel.

    The southern slope of the hill on which the castle is situated is
    surrounded by numerous artificial terraces the traces of which show
    that the main residence spread in this territory. The breast walls are
    erected in the same way, today 5 meters' height of them have remained
    only. The underground entrance opens in one of the artificial terraces
    on the southern slopes. The tomb valley possibly spread below the
    residence, its traces have been removed from the surface but can
    be seen in the trenches for water supply. The pottery found in the
    castle and the dilapidated tombs refer only to the middle and late
    Bronze Ages. There are also specimen from the early Iron Age.

    Interviewer Armine Hairapetyan.

Working...
X