Berdkunk () is a village in the Gavar Municipality of the Gegharkunik Province of Armenia.
Etymology The village was previously known as Aghkala or Aghgala (; ; ), consisting of Turkic agh (ağ, meaning "white") and Arabic gala (qala, meaning "castle" or "tower"). Berdkunk is a combination of two words in Armenian: berd (բերդ, meaning "fortress") and kunk (կունք, meaning "place" or "foundation").
History The village was once a transit point on the ancient road between Dvin and Partev. There are cyclopean fortresses nearby with megalithic tombs. One of the fortresses in particular, Berdkunk Fortress (also known as Ishkhanats Amrots and Spitak Berd ), is located along the eastern edge of the village and was built in the 10th century BC. There is also an 11–12th century church, a 12–20th century cemetery, and 16–17th century tombstones in the village.
Berdkunk, then known as Aghkala, was part of the Nor Bayazet uezd of the Erivan Governorate within the Russian Empire. Bournoutian presents the statistics of the village in the early 20th century as follows: OwnershipTreasuryInhabited space27 desyatinas (0.44 sq km)Unirrigated plowed fields633 desyatinas (10.37 sq km)Yaylaks233 desyatinas (3.82 sq km)Total land893 desyatinas (14.63 sq km)Total households62 (All Tatar (later known as Azerbaijani))Total income1,436.50 rublesTotal land taxes320.12 rublesArmy tax18.87 rublesUpkeep of officials215.39 rublesTotal revenue554.38 rublesLarge livestock620Small livestock990
Economy The population of the village is engaged with animal husbandry, cultivation of forage crops and potatoes.
Demographics The population of the village since 1831 is as follows: YearPopulationNote183139100% Muslim1873191100% Tatar (later known as Azerbaijani)18862531897331100% Muslim19044241914507Mainly Tatar. Also recorded as 448191652019190Formerly Turkish19223431 Armenians, 3 Turkish-Tatars1926224105 Armenians, 76 Turks, 43 others1931368202 Turks, 111 Armenians, 55 others200125320042652011296
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