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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.
[ 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.