Culture of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) includes artifacts of tangible and intangible culture that has been historically associated with Artsakh (historic province) in the Southern Caucasus, now controlled by Azerbaijan. These include monuments of religious and civil architecture, memorial and defense structures, and various forms of art. In territory, there are around 500 historical sites with about 6000 Armenian monuments.
General information
Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories belonging to historical Artsakh (some of which fell under the Republic of Artsakh's control in 1992–1994) has been called an open-sky treasure-house of various forms of Armenian architecture.A. L. Yakobson. From the History of Medieval Armenian Architecture: the Monastery of Gandzasar. In: "Studies in the History of Culture of the Peoples in the East." Moscow-Leningrad. 1960. pp. 140–158 [in Russian].Jean-Michel Thierry. Eglises et Couvents du Karabagh, Antelais: Lebanon, 1991, p. 4-6 Overall, Nagorno-Karabakh hosts several thousand architectural artifacts and historical monuments in a larger sense. In addition to ecclesiastical structures, this number includes samples of civil architecture, ancient castles and fortresses as well as numerous khachkars.Jean-Michel Thierry. Eglises et Couvents du Karabagh, Antelais: Lebanon, 1991. p. 4
The art and architecture created in Nagorno Karabakh has progressed through the same major stages as did Armenian art in a larger sense. They began developing in the pre-Christian times, proceeded through the adoption of Christianity early in the fourth century, and entered the era of modernity after blossoming in the Middle Ages.Volume 19: Gharabagh. Documents of Armenian Art/Documenti di Architettura Armena Series. Polytechnique and the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Milan, OEMME Edizioni; 1980, John Halajian. Armenian Church Architecture: From Dormancy to Revival. Tate Publishing & Enterprises (August 2006), , p. 28.
The principal expression of Artsakh's art in the Middle Ages was through ecclesiastical architecture: churches, cathedrals, chapels and monasteries. Most other forms of art in that period, including illuminated manuscripts, khachkars (Armenian: խաչքար; unique-to-Armenia stone slabs with engraved crosses) and mural paintings were likewise tied to Artsakh's religious life and its primary institution—the Armenian Apostolic Church.Rev. Hamazasp Voskian. The Monasteries of Artsakh, Vienna, 1953, chapter 1Volume 17: Gandzasar. Documents of Armenian Art Series. Polytechnique and the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Milan, OEMME Edizioni; 1987,
Works of architecture in Nagorno-Karabakh are constructed according to similar principles and with the use of the same techniques as those in the rest of Armenia.Tom Masters, Richard Plunkett. Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan (Lonely Planet Travel Guides). Lonely Planet Publications; 2nd edition (July 2004). Limestone is the principal building materials that form the nucleus for the walls. They are then covered with facing and/or plated with volcanic tuff rock slabs.
In large buildings in cities or in monasteries the exterior facing can consist of carefully cut blocks of tuff. The monasteries of Gandzasar and Dadivank serve as the primary examples of that style. For more modest structures, such as parish churches in provinces, it was common to use less carefully cut stone, a practice which creates a more rustic appearance.Volume 19: Gharabagh. Documents of Armenian Art Series. Polytechnique and the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Milan, OEMME Edizioni; 1980, Boris Baratov. Paradise Laid Waste: A Journey to Karabakh, Lingvist Publishers, Moscow, 1998
Names of monasteries in Nagorno Karabakh, like in the rest of historical Artsakh and Armenia, customarily include the term "vank" (Armenian: վանք), which means "monastery." Examples: Dadivank, Gtichavank, Khunisavank, Khadavank, Khatravank, Yerits Mankants Vank, etc.Robert H. Hewsen. Armenia: a Historical Atlas, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2001, map 10, p. 3 Monasteries are often located in or near settlements that bear the name Vank (Վանք); the most notable cases include Dadivank Monastery, Gandzasar Monastery and Spitak Khach Vank Monastery. Names of castles and fortresses in Nagorno Karabakh like in the rest of historical Artsakh and Armenia, customarily include the term "berd" (Armenian: բերդ) which means "fort." Examples: Jraberd, Handaberd, Mairaberd, Khokhanaberd, etc.Boris Baratov. Paradise Laid Waste: A Journey to Karabakh, Lingvist Publishers, Moscow, 1998, p. 45Volume 19: Gharabagh. Documents of Armenian Art Series. Polytechnique and the Armenian Academy of Sciences, Milan, OEMME Edizioni; 1980, , Preamble
Historical monuments of the pre-Christian era The earliest monuments in Artsakh relate to the pre-Christian era when polytheism was the most widespread form of religion.Jean-Michel Thierry. Eglises et Couvents du Karabagh, Antelais: Lebanon, 1991, p. 11 The most curious art form from that time period is, perhaps, large anthropomorphic stone idols that are found in the eastern lowlands of the northern counties of Jraberd (Armenian: Ջրաբերդ) and Khachen (Armenian: Խաչեն). They date from the Iron Age.
In the northeastern outskirts of the Republic of Artsakh, and further to the east, so-called sahmanakars (Armenian: սահմանաքար, meaning "border stones") are found.Murad Hasratian. Early Modern Christian Architecture of Armenia. Moscow, Incombook, 2000, p. 5Paul Bedoukian. Coinage of the Artaxiads of Armenia, London, 1978, p. 2-14 They originally appeared during the reign of the Artashessian (Artaxiad) royal dynasty in Armenia (190 BC-53 AD) who used the stones, with inscriptions, to demarcate the kingdom's frontiers for travelers. In Artsakh, the tradition of marking borders with sahmanakars endured throughout the Middle Ages. The largest of such medieval markers stands near the town of Mataghes (Armenian: Մատաղես) in the Mardakert District. An inscription on the stone declares: "Here [the province of] Syunik ends."Walker, Christopher J: "The Armenian presence in mountainous Karabakh," in Transcaucasian Boundaries, John F Wright, Suzanne Goldenberg, Rochard Schofield (eds), (New York, St Martin's Press, 1996), 89–112
Monasteries, churches and chapels in and around Artsakh
In the early Middle Ages, Artsakh and neighboring provinces of Utik and Paytakaran, known together as The Eastern Prefectures of Armenia (Armenian: Կողմանք Արևելից Հայոց) became a target of missionary activities of prominent religious leaders from Armenian mainland. The most distinguished of them were St. Gregory the Illuminator (Armenian: Սբ. Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ, died circa 337 AD), who baptized Armenia into the first Christian state in 301 AD, and St. Mesrob Mashtots (Armenian: Սբ. Մեսրոբ Մաշտոց, 361–440 AD), the scholar who created the Armenian alphabet.Movses Dasxuranci (1961). The History of the Caucasian Albanians (translated by C. F. J. Dowsett). London: (London Oriental Series, Vol. 8).
A number of Christian monuments that are identified with that vital period of the Armenian history belong to the world's oldest places of Christian worship. Among them is the Amaras Monastery (Armenian: Ամարասի Վանք), which, according to ancient authors, such as the forefather of Armenian history Movses Khorenatsi (approx.410–490), was founded in the 4th century AD by St. Gregory himself.History of Armenians by Movses Khorenatsi. Translated from Old Armenian by R. W. Thomson, English translation, 1978 (Harvard, ) The oldest part of the monastery is the martyrium of St. Grigoris (Armenian: Սբ. Գրիգորիս), St. Gregory's grandson and Bishop of Aghvank, who was killed by the pagans, around 338 AD, when teaching Gospel in the land of the Mazkuts (present-day Republic of Dagestan, in Russia).Catherine Butcher. Cox's Book of Modern Saints and Martyrs. Continuum International Publishing Group (July 4, 2006), p. 99, The mausoleum of St. Grigoris is a vaulted burial chamber equipped with two lateral vestibules that serves as the crypt for a church dating from a later period.Armenia & Karabagh. Stone Garden Productions; 2nd edition (September 1, 2006), p. 265. Amaras is an active monastery of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
While traveling in Artsakh and the neighboring provinces of Syunik and Utik, in circa 410 AD, St. Mesrob Mashtots established a school at Amaras where the Armenian script, invented by him in 405 AD, was first introduced for teaching purposes.Rev. Hamazasp Voskian. The Monasteries of Artsakh, Vienna, 1953, p. 12В.А.Шнирельман, "Войны памяти. Мифы, идентичность и политика в Закавказье", М., ИКЦ, "Академкнига", 2003
For 35 years until his death in 440, Mashtots recruited teams of monks to translate the religious, scientific and literary masterpieces of the ancient world into this new alphabet. Much of their work was conducted in the monastery at Amaras ..."National Geographic Magazine. March 2004. p. 43
The description of St. Mesrob Mashtots' journey to Artsakh and the neighboring province of Utik is a focal point of several chapters of the "History of Aghvank" (Armenian: Պատմություն Աղվանից) written in the 7th century by one of Artsakh's most prominent natives—Armenian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi (Armenian: Մովսես Կաղանկատվացի).Movses Dasxuranci (1961). The History of the Caucasian Albanians (translated by C. F. J. Dowsett). London: (London Oriental Series, Vol. 8), chapters 27–29
Another temple whose history relates to the mission of St. Mesrob Mashtots is the Targmanchats Monastery (Armenian: Սբ. Թարգմանչաց Վանք) near Karhat (Armenian: Քարհատ, present-day Dashkesan in Azerbaijan, to the north of the Republic of Artsakh).Jean-Michel Thierry. Eglises et Couvents du Karabagh, Antelais: Lebanon, 1991 The word Targmanchats (Armenian: Թարգմանչաց) meaning "Saint Translators," designates both St. Mesrob Mashtots and St. Sahak Partev (Armenian: Սբ. Սահակ Պարթև), head of the Armenian Church (387–436 AD) who sponsored Mashtots' scholarly and religious expeditions. Using Mashtots' alphabet, St. Sahak Partev translated the Bible from Syriac into Armenian in 411 AD (as testified by Mashtots' pupil Koryun in his biographic work about his teacher).Samvel Karapetian. Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan: Gitutiun Publishing House, 2001. p. 77 The main church of the monastery, reconstructed in 989, consists of one vaulted room (single nave) with an apse on the east flanked by two small rooms.