Hovhannes H.

Hovsepians
ETHNOGRAPHY OF
THE GHARADAGH ARMENIANS
Hovhannes H. Hovsepian was born in September 1, 1924 in the village of Khanagah of the
Gharadagh historical province in the northwestern Iran. In 1946 he left Gharadagh with his
native community and settled in the Soviet Armenia.
Except the book of E. Frangian (Atrpatakan, Tiis 1905), no other study was known to the
author of the Ethnography of the Armenians of Gharadagh", who explains his dedication to
collection of materials for his work in the following words: it was painful for me to realize that
nobody have written about my homeland, though it was no way less significant than the other
Armenian provinces. I spent many days in Matenadaran, in the National Library, have been in
Baku, Tbilisi and in many Armenian towns, where the scattered Armenian emigrants from
Gharadagh had found a shelter, to collect new facts and to correct details. Now I hope that any
reader will be satised with the results of this work. In 19705 almost no Armenian has remained
in Gharadagh, so i decided to write their history and to introduce their centuries long culture,
everyday life and occupations, their sacred places and beliefs, all details of which are now
provided to the future students of Gharadagh.
The author represents Gharadagh as one of 33 counties of the Vaspourakan province, in the south
of historical Armenia, extending from Arax river in the north to the lake Urmia in the south
west. One of the major passes through this dry mountainous area was named Armenian pass as
early as in the 3-rd century BC. by a Greek author Eratosthenes (c. 280202 B.C.) and
mentioned again by 14-th century Muslim historiographer Hamballah Ghazvini.
After the fall of the Arsacid dynasty in lran and the division of Armenian Kingdom between the
Sasanians and the Roman Empire in 387 AD, the mountains of the Armenian Parspatunik
province became known in historical annals with a Persian name Siah-Kuh (Black Mountains).
In later period the Turkish population of the area renamed it to Gharadagh, thus simply
translating the former place name. As Siah-Kuh, so the Gharadagh embraced an area much larger
than the Armenian historical Parspatunik, adding to it the districts of Armenian Pass proper
(now: Ahar district), Katijk (now: Ouzoundoul) and Koshatagh (now: Ashkambar).
The borders of Gharadagh of modern times are dened by the author in physical geographical
terms as a roughly quadrangle area, extending about 200 kms along the southern banks of the
Arax river, from the Meghrl valley in the west to the junction of Arax and Kura rivers in the east.
The middle line of Gharadagh is about 180 kms as raven flies" from east to west between the
Seghen village of Keyvan county and the Aghaghan village of the Dizmar county. The extension
through the middle line of the area southwards from Arax to Armenian mountains is about 60
kms. On the north-east Gharadagh borders the historical province of Paytakaran or the Mughan
steppe (Aslanduz), separated from it by the hills, known to local inhabitants with the name
Shahtakhti (Royal Seat). On the east the Gharadagh approaches Marand the westernmost
district of historical Vaspouraka'n.
Gharadagh may be divided to three vertical geographical and climatic zones: steppe,
subalpianand alpine, the first embracing the immediate vicinities along the Arax river (Araxpar).
The subalpine zone is predominantly covered with woodlands of oak and hornbeam trees. if
compared with arid Araxpar plain, the nature of this part of Gharadagh is more gorgeous. The

natural humidity of this belt allows cultivation of cereals without artificial irrigation. The higher
alpine zone, although covered with black soils, is treeless, marked with frequent rocky
landscapes and has extensive snowfalls in cold winter seasons.
Gharadagh is very rich with natural springs, forming the courses of mountain rivers, such as
Seghen and Kalilbar in Keyvan district, Araghna and Gandzar in Hasanov, Kovni and
Oushtoubin in Dizmar. Walnut, vine, plum, pear, apple, almond, cornelian and ordinary cherries,
pomegranate, mulberry and other trees, some of which wild, grow in wet groves and irrigated
valleys. The faunal world of Gharadagh also had been rich and diverse before extensive
deforestation and unlimited hunting, which had obliterated some types of animals. Their names
and descriptions had survived only in memories and sorrowful stories of the aged people of
Gharadagh. Earlier the bears, wild goats and sheep, hares were main chased animals in the
highlands and forests.
Gharadagh was inhabited by Armenians, Turks, Kurds, Tartars, Shamlu people and by one more
people of Muslim faith, completely different in behavior, if compared with Turks.
Gharachi people were settled in two villages near the Arax river. The villages of Kurds were
scattered along the same river from the Iranian Julfa to the junction of Arax and Kura rivers.
Tartars occupied the arid zone of Arax river and the vast areas north and west from the Kura
river, up to the Caspian shores. The Shamlu or Gyoravan people lived in the area rising over the
Araxpar plain, but not reaching the middle belt, inside the Meshapara and Minjevan districts.
The Armenians were settled in the middle belt of Gharadagh. The Turks occupied the higher
lands, extending from east to west direction.
The author had arrived to a conclusion, based on many years of his own study, that the
Armenians had inhabited the entire Gharadagh for long centuries. He suggests as a proof of his
statement the number of the survived Armenian cemeteries and other monuments, traced by him
in at least 101 settlements. In dawn of the XVII century, as a result of the devastating policy of
Shah Abbas, the former Armenian population of Gharadagh was brutally displaced. Those, who
escaped the mass displacements, probably have returned later to the subalpine belt adjacent to
the Arax river. Although the Turks, Kurds and Gyoravans had already populated many former
Armenian villages, the Armenians settled the area again and inhabited the villages in the middle
belt, though never constituted majority in Gharadagh in the upcoming times. The Turks and
Kurds not only finally prevailed in number, but became a permanent threat for Armenian
peasants.
The Armenian village of Khanagah is situated in Dizmar district, in the west of Gharadagh. The
territory of this vast district is equal to the total area of Hasanov, Meshapara and Minjevan
districts. The Khanagah village is placed on one of southern slopes of the Borzi Khut mountain
east of Dizmar, over a naturally defensible and picturesque landscape. Seven Armenian and three
Turkish then ruined villages had existed in adjacent area in the past, the lands of which were later
possessed by peasants of Khanagah. According to a local story, the village was founded by seven
families: Vardanank (Danielyans), Dadonk (Dadyans), Mtsakank (Mnatsakanyans), Abunk
(Abrahamyans), Amunk (Melik-Aghajanyans and Melik-Azaryans), its population in the XlX
century was about 180-200 households, while the census of 1904 had registered 96 households
with 576 members. The school of the village was built in 1898 with the charity of Mr. Mnatsakan
from Tabriz. 100 families or 622 people were registered in Khanagah in 1940. This number
further decreased to 50 families at 1946, when the entire village emigrated to the Soviet Armenia
at one day (August 5).

One of the oldest villages of Gharadagh Sardu was situated on the eastern foothills of the Piz
mountain and had only 60 families in its most prosperous times. Gharibank, Mantsunk,
Jhangirank, Badunk, Misrunk, Azirunk could be mentioned among the oldest families of the
village, which was owned by Armenian meliks. The last of them was Melik Khachi (Khachatur).
The next village is Eergoutin on the abrupt southern footsteps of the Silyan mountain. The
village was founded in 1860 by families from different places. The Tunonk family originates
from Namni, Ohanjanenk were from Mari, Gyoukunk were from Mumudaru, Mejnumank,
Karamank and Zargarank were from Mizkitin.
The Aghaghan village, probany founded in the mid XVlll century, was situated on abrupt western
slopes of the same Silyan mountain. The village was the possession of Melik-Zakaryans. The
founder families were Vardanank, Ashughank, Akopank, Lalayank, Gevayank and others.
The small village of Ghuludi is 67 kms north-west from Khanagah, in a mountainous terrain,
amid an oak grove.
The village Houzh of the Hasanov district is situated on a rocky plain highland, surrounded by
dense woods and deep ravines. A part of its former residents (26 families) had founded the
village Norashen in the same district. Hayrapet, Baba, Abgar Dlukhanyans, Tovmas, Harutyun
Grigoryans, Gabriel, Sahak, Harutyun Bakhtamyans, Zohrap, Akopjan Davtyans, the others from
Khosrovenk, Baghdasarenk, Sahakenk families were heads of these households.
The village Luma, founded in 1880, is placed on the banks of the Houzh river. The village was
abandoned in August 1946, when its population immigrated into the Soviet Armenia and settled
partially in the rural Kapan district, but mostly in the Shahumyan district of Yerevan.
The famous village Ogha is 78 kms west from the Norashen, in a plain terrain on a mountain
slope. Melik Ohanjan, Melik Hovsep and Baghdasar Beg were among those fearless and always
armed villagers, the fame and deeds of which had secured Ogha from the plunder of Muslim
Khans and Begs of the district. The village had survived this way before the emigration in 1919.
The Meshapara district, with its rich meadows and black soils, is the most mountainous part of
Gharadagh. The village of Voghan was considered its center and had been extremely important in
protection and survival of the other Armenian villages. It is situated on the southern side of the
Piz mountain, surrounded by an oak forest. The renown Tumanyan brothers were natives of this
village. They foresaw the survival of Armenian peasantry in Gharadagh in their own private
possession of the Armenian villages and thus purchased 19 villages of Gharadagh from their
former Muslim landowners. These villages paid only insignificant levies to them.
Girminavoun is the most beautiful village of the district, 6 kms south of Voghan, situated
between the forests and cold springs. It was Armenian populated before the emigration of 1919,
then abandoned to Turks.
The village of Vina was the center of Minjavan district, the most populated settlement in the
area. As the aged people of the village tell, its former name was Bina and centuries earlier the
village had been a country place of several wealthy Armenian families of Gharabagh.
The Gindimnan village is not far from Vina in south west direction, on woodlands, covering the
mountain slope. Another village Amradoul is 10 kms south of Vina. its population immigrated
into Soviet Armenia in 1946. The village Sevahogh is 12 kms southeast from Vina, situated on
a forested slope. This village was the only one to carry on a successful resistance against the
Muslim Khans in 1886-1905, never asked for protection, never paid levies and remained

honorable owners of their lands and property. An active role in organization of the self-defence
had played the representatives of Melik-Mushkambaryan family, especially Agha Avetis,
followed by Tanuter Arsen.
The last village to be mentioned in this district is Karagloukh 5 kms west of Vina. it is known
for extreme scarcity of water, as its main spring in the western outskirts was so tidy, that the
water jugs were arranged in queue at it daily and nightly.
The Keyvan district is in the east of Gharadagh, where it borders with Aslandouz district of the
Moughan steppe. The district has mild and humid climate, fertile agricultural lands. The peasant
population of the district was mainly occupied in wheat agriculture and animal husbandry.
The village of Seghen in the south was the center of the Keyvan district. The Mirzunk,
Sargisank, Melkonank, Karapetank and Sargisbegank were the most ancient and high-ranking
families of the village, which had played an important role in defence of the entire district.
Ghasumashen was the second village of the district in size and was situated in about 4 kms east
of the former. Its vicinities are densely covered with walnut, mulberry, pear trees and groves of
cornelian cherry. The village is mentioned in ancient manuscripts as Isakhani Shen, by the name
of its landowner Melik Isakhan. In honour of one of his heirs it was later renamed to
Ghasumashen. ,
The earliest account on Armenian villages of Gharadagh is found in one of late cOpies of the
Stepanos Orbelians History of Sisakan Province, to which the late medieval scribes had added
the list of villages of the Syounik diocese in 1513 (Matenadaran, no. 14884). The 44 of the
villages mentioned in this manuscript are identied as belonging to the Gharadagh province.
After the destructive forced. displacement of the early XVll century by Shah Abbas, the
Armenians of Gharadagh had left their homeland in waves of mass emigrations of 1828, 1840,
1919-1920 and 1946.
Armenians of Gharadagh were farmers, traditionally cultivating cereals: wheat, barley, linen,
millet, pea, lentil, sesame. The gardening, perfect natural conditions for which existed in many
villages, was another important occupation and source of income. Though the viticulture was
developed only in few villages: Khanagah, Berdin and Sardou, the majority of Armenian families
of the region was advanced in viniculture as well. Many households had their own wine-presses
for this purpose.
The Armenian villages, though scattered through the vast area, were all situated in the subalpine
belt, as a response to their traditionally complex economy, including the cattle breeding. Cows,
sheep and goats were the main livestock of Armenian peasants. The horses, donkeys and oxen
were the main means of transportation in the area where some villages even lacked roads for
wheeled carts or motor vehicles.
The same temperate climate of Gharadagh and wide diversity of its vegetation, richness with
flowers and types of trees, were supportive for extensive apiculture, practiced as by Armenian, so
by many Turk families. Sericulture was an auxiliary occupation in many villages, but especially
in Khanagah, Sardou, Vina, Seghen and Ghasumashen, which were producing silk thread for
external markets. The most advanced crafts of the Armeniansof Gharadagh were the weaving,
metalworking, carpentry, masonry, gold and silver workmanship, tailoring, etc. Many craftsmen
were busy not only in their own villages, but had clients among the neighbouring Muslim
communities.

The houses in different villages were similar, especially in their traditional quadrangle ground
plan and even dimensions: 12x10m and 3m high. These multi-room dwellings had walls of
rusticated stone of different shape, joined with clay mortar mixed with cut straw. The width of
this wall was 60 to 80 cm. The roof usually rested on rows of three columns, two of them erected
along the walls and one lined through the center of the house.
The clothing of the Gharadagh Armenians was simple and modest, always following the same
fashion and patterns as were their ancestors for centuries long. Women traditionally weared long
sleeved shirts, tailored of green or red local textile, and the so called kyullija a type of
female overdress. Men usually were dressed in the suit of white shirt and black trousers, black,
blue or green jacket ("arkhaloukh").
The author had also collected many nice stories of everyday life of the Gharadaghi Armenians.
His own memories, stories of his father Harutyun a local musician, who had been frequent
quest in many villages around Khanagah and Vina, and his uncle Alexan, had long been with him
and, shaped idyllic pictures of the family and community life of the Armenians of Gharadagh
through the pages of this study. Local sites of pilgrimage, festivities and celebrations, wedding,
funeral and mourning rituals are represented with fair attention to details of ethnographic reality,
saved and preserved in this book.