LONG LOST ARMENIAN MONASTERY FOUND INSIDE A ROCK!
People of Ar
Sept 19 2013
The discovery The renown ancient Armenian monastery complex ‘Tzarakar’
has been discovered near the village of Chukurayva, 5 kms south-east of
the fortified town of Kechror, modern-day Turkey (the old Gabeghiank
district, Ayrarat province of Greater Armenia). What remains of it
are the interior cut-in-rock structures, the exterior buildings are
irretrievably lost.
The monastery consists of a church which has several entrances
connected with each other, at least six chapels and other adjoining
buildings. It is remarkable for its very interesting structure and
extended lapidary inscriptions. Despite it, however, until recently
neither specialists nor topographers ever paid any attention to it.
It was only in 1999 that the monument was first visited by
a specialist, namely Scottish researcher Stephen Sim, who took
photographs of it and made its schematic plan. Later it was visited by
seismologist Shiro Sasano, who published a small-scale research work
on it together with several photographs he had taken there in 2009.
In this way, these two foreign researchers discovered the cut-in-rock
monastery and made it known to the scientific world. They, however,
failed to find out its name and called it after the adjacent village
presently inhabited by Kurds.
Understanding the importance of conducting comprehensive studies in
the monastic complex, in 2010 the members of Research on Armenian
Architecture conducted scientific expeditions and revealed a lot of
information relating to it. The available sources attest that this
newly-discovered monument complex is the monastery of Tzarakar, which
is mentioned in medieval records, and the location of which remained
unknown until very recently.
Among others the following facts give grounds for identifying the
newly-found monastery with Tzarakar:
Tzarakar Monastery and Prut (nowadays Chukurayva) Village from space
As is known, Tzarakar was one of the renowned monastic complexes in
medieval Armenia, but in the course of centuries, it lost its glory
and significance and was consigned to oblivion to such an extent that
in our days even its location remained obscure.
Late 19th century, Gh. Alishan used the available sources to point
to the area where the monastery could have possibly been situated:
“…Tzarakar, which is mentioned in some works by historiographers
and geographers, is known to have stood in a naturally impregnable
site in the vicinity of Kechror: first of all, a cut-in-rock monastery
was erected…”
S. Eprikian came to the same conclusion: “Supposedly, a monastery of
this name and a village used to be situated near Kechror, Gabeghenk
District, Ayrarat [Province].”
The colophon of an Ashkharatsuyts (a geographical work), dating
back to 1656, also confirms: “…the district of Gabeghenits and
the castle of Kaput also called Artagereits-the town of Kechror is
situated there together with the cut-in-rock monastery of Tzarakar,
where Archimandrite Khachatur Kecharetsi’s grave is found…”
This passage reveals two facts of the utmost importance: firstly,
Tzarakar Monastery was cut in the rock, and secondly, most presumably,
it was situated not far from the town of Kechror. That Khachatur
Kecharetsi, a worker of education and a poet who lived between the 13th
and 14th centuries, was buried somewhere near Kechror, is also attested
by the following note on a map of 1691 compiled by Yeremia Chelebi
Kyomurjian: “Town of Kechror, bordering on Basen, and Archimandrite
Khachatur’s grave.” These two records clarify that the monastery of
Tzarakar was truly located near the fortress town of Kechror.
Wood-like rings inside the rock, hence the Armenian name Tzarakar
(tree-stone) Monastery.
Besides written records, the etymology of the toponym of Tzarakar was
also of importance to its identification. Every visitor may easily
see that the structures of the monastic complex are cut into quite
friable masses of rock which are naturally striped and have certain
coloring, looking like the parallel circular lines showing the age of
a cut tree-evidently, the name of Tzarakar, the Armenian equivalent
for Tree Stone, is conditioned by this resemblance meaning a monastery
cut into a tree-like stone.
Inscriptions in the monastery The primary sources casting light on
the historical events connected with Tzarakar are three lapidary
inscriptions preserved in the monastery, though they have reached us
in a very deteriorated state.
The first of them is carved on its western facade: it is marked
with irregularity of writing, for its 11 lines and the size of its
letters do not seem to have any order. It is a donation inscription
dated 952 mentioning Tiran, spiritual shepherd of Vanand District,
and Bishop Sahak Amatuny.
An 11-line inscription carved on the western wall of the church of
Tzarakar Monastery
Tracing outline of the 11-line inscription carved on the western
wall of the church of Tzarakar Translation: This is written by Tiran,
spiritual shepherd of Vanand…
shahanshah… gardener… St. Grigor … for my soul’s sake… may
those who object to this writing be cursed by God, as well as …Tiran
and Bishop Sahak Amatuny… Hakob… may he who fulfills the commands
be blessed and he who raises an objection to this writing be damned
and fall into the devil’s hands.
Another extended donation inscription of 17 irregular lines, dating
from the same period, i.e. 10th century, has come down to our days in
a semi-distorted state. It is engraved on the northern wall of the
same church and is especially important as it mentions the founder
of Vanand (Kars) Kingdom, Mushegh.
A 17-line inscription carved on the northern wall of the church of
Tzarakar Monastery.
Tracing of the 17-line inscription carved on the northern wall of
the church of Tzarakar Monastery.
Translation: …St. Grigor …handwriting… For God’s sake… Armenian
King Mushegh… the monastery and churches on the order of
Father… after my departure… is cursed… those who carry out the
orders… may be blessed…
The third inscription, dated 952 like the first one, is even more
distorted and consists of at least four lines (we are not sure
about the existence of the fifth one). A considerable part of it
has already been irretrievably lost due to natural corrosion and
certain vandalistic actions probably committed by those searching for
treasure in the monastery. At present only the following is legible
from the inscription:
The remnants of an inscription 952AD., originally comprising at least
four lines, preserved on the entrance tympanum of the porch adjoining
the monastic church in the south.
Translation: In the year 401 (952) of the Armenian calendar …Tiran…
The interior and concha of the caved hall located in the north-west
of Tzarakar Monastery Another donation inscription which fully shares
the writing style of the aforementioned ones can be discerned inside a
cut-in-rock hall located north-west of Tzarakar and ending in a concha
(it is decorated with a cross):
Translation: May Lord Jesus Christ have mercy. Amen.
Further history of Tzarakar is elucidated by pieces of scanty
information reported by Armenian historiographers. In 1028 the
monastery was renovated and made suitable for serving as a castle. In
1029 it is mentioned in connection with some construction activity
unfolded there by Prince West Sargis. Kirakos Gandzaketsi writes the
following about the work unfolded in the late 1020s: “In his day the
very distinguished Vest Sargis, after building many fortresses and
churches, built the glorious monastery of Xts’konk’ and a church in
the name of Saint Sargis; and making Tsarak’ar monastery a fortress, he
built stronger walls and glorious churches in it.” Information relating
to this building activity is also reported by Mkhitar Ayrivanetsy.
The next record dates from 1178, when Turkish conqueror Gharachay took
Kechror and the fortified monastery of Tzarakar: “On the same day,
he took Tzarakar from some thieves on the order of Emir Gharachay of
Kechror and sold it to Khezelaslan for much gold. And he settled it
with dangerous men who did not cease bloodshed day and night until
the Christians were exposed to darkness and famine…, with five
clergymen being stabbed crosswise.”
In 1182 Gharachay, who still held Tzarakar under his reign,
destroyed the renowned Gorozu Cross kept there: “In 631 [of the
Armenian calendar] Kharachay, who had conquered Tzarakar, overthrew
the cross named Gorozo with a crane…” Within a short time, in 1186
the Armenians of Ani liberated Tzarakar through united forces: “In 635
[of the Armenian calendar] the inhabitants of Ani took the paternal
estate of Barsegh (the bishop of Ani), mercilessly slaughtering those
who were there, except the women and children.”
The sources of the subsequent centuries make almost no mention of
the monastery. However, taking into account the fact that prominent
poet and worker of education Khachatur Kecharetsy was buried there
in the 14th century, we can suppose that it actively continued its
existence between the 13th and 14th centuries. Presumably, Tzarakar
was finally ruined between 1829 and 1830, after the mass displacement
and emigration of the local Armenian natives.
Architecture
The conchas of the hall and sanctuary of the main church of Tzarakar
Monastery The only surviving parts of Tzarakar Monastery are those of
its structures which are cut in the rock, and therefore, are difficult
to destroy, whereas the others have been irretrievably lost. For this
reason, at present the complex is considered as only a cut-in-rock one
consisting of 6 chapels and a main cruciform church with a pseudo-dome
surrounded with annexes.
It is evident that the rock into which the monastic structures were
cut is quite friable, and for this reason, it was found expedient to
cover the walls with a layer of plaster to make them solid enough to
bear mural paintings and inscriptions.
The next cut-in-rock structure which comes second to the main church
by its dimensions stands near the south-western corner of the latter.
It almost shares the composition of the first church, but it is
smaller. Its only entrance, which opens from the east, also serves
as a means of communication with an adjacent hall. The structure is
illuminated through its only window opening from the south. The chapel
shares the decoration of the church: a relief of an equal-winged cross,
covered with red paint, adorns the central part of the semi-circular
concha, which joins the underdome square through squinches. Reliefs
of equal-winged crosses were wide-spread in many other districts of
Armenia and can be found in numerous monuments of the early Christian
period. Such reliefs were carved throughout the Armenian Highland
after the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Armenia.
The hall situated between the church of Tzarakar Monastery and the
chapel of its south-western corner
The hall situated between the church of Tzarakar Monastery and the
chapel of its south-western corner.
There is a structure (3.98 x 2.82 meters) between the chapel and
the church which serves as an entrance hall for both of them. It
is remarkable for its peculiar architectural features: it has an
octahedral covering which rests on the intersecting semi-arches of
the upper sections of the walls-a similar covering can be particularly
seen in monuments of the 9th to 11th centuries, such as Horomos, etc.
As a result of continual corrosion, the floor of this entrance hall
is at present totally ruined: as a rule, friable rocks rapidly get
weathered and slip downwards like sand.
The western chapel/sacristy (3.37 x 1.80 metres) is remarkable for
its composition, decoration and architectural features. Its bema is
higher than the floor of the prayer hall. It has a cut-in-rock altar
rising at a height of 1.10 meter above the floor of the bema. Another
cut-in-rock monument of the complex is a chapel located near the
southern side of the church bema. Like the other two ones, it may be
regarded as the third vestry of the church.
Source:
Watch images of the monastery at
http://www.raa-am.com/vardsk-4/Vardzk-4E.pdf
http://peopleofar.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/tzarakar-ancient-armenian-monastery-found/