Aghismayil :: ARMENIAN LOCATIONS

1 Monuments

Iran (Country) / Western Atrpatakan (Province) / Salmast (District) / Aghismayil (Village)

Location

Aghismayil is situated 7.7 km south-east of the city of Salmast (now: Salmas), in a plain lying at an average altitude of 1,336 metres, within 1.6 km of the right bank of the River Zola, and 2.7 km of the foot of the hill Prchavush.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

The area occupied by the village is about 320 metres long and 260 metres wide.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Population

Judging from the available records regarding the population of Aghismayil, from at least the late 19th century, it was already predominantly populated by Iranian Turks. In 1905, for example, they constituted about 100 houses, while the Armenians formed only a small number during the same period (the village also had some Assyrian inhabitants).

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 57. Պալունի, Վիճակագրական տեղեկութիւն Սալմաստ գաւառի հայ ազգաբնակութեան [Palouny, “Statistical Data Regarding the Armenian Population in Salmast District”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 216, 10 December 1896, p. 3. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Name Origin

It is named after its founder, a certain Agha (a title used with reference to wealthy, influential people) Ismayil.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ, [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 57. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

The village has also been mentioned as Aghismayel, Agha Ismayil and Agha Smayil.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Economic Life

In the early 20th century, Aghismayil belonged to the local beys, the following excerpt providing details about the obligations of its inhabitants: “The land belongs to the aghas [beys] who receive half of the harvest [as a tribute] although they provide the villagers with half of the seeds. The locals do not pay any other tributes, even to the state: they only have to give the agha five hens a year and buy grass from him at 4 tumans as he has some meadows. If they do not comply with these obligations, the agha will not provide them with half of the seeds and will also exact 15 ghrans [a monetary unit] for every single sown plot of land [italics added].”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 57. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Like the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages, for irrigation the people of Aghismayil used the water of the River Zola, which reached the village through a canal.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 57-58. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Education

Due to the small number of its Armenian population, Aghismayil did not ever have an Armenian school, as a result of which, only a single literate person was mentioned in the village in 1905.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 57. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.

Author Google Earth
Date 2010 y․

Author Sasun Danielian
Date 2017 y․

The site of the church hill where a road was later built

Type Photo
Author Sasun Danielian
Date 2017 y․

The village mosque

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Aghismayel
Agha Ismayil
Agha Smayil

Below follow the available statistical data regarding the Armenians of Aghismayil:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1860	3	8	9	17		Մխիթարեանց Ա., Ցուցակ որքանութեան ազգի հայոց ի վիճակին Ատրպատականի ի Պարսկաստան, ըստ տանց նոցին, ըստ արական և իգական սեռից յիւրաքանչիւր գաւառս [A. Mkhitariants, “A Statistical List of Armenians in the Prelacy of Atrpatakan, Persia, as per Houses, Males and Females in Every District”], «Համբաւաբեր Ռուսիոյ» [Hambavaber Rusio], no. 30, 20 September 1862, p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.
1875	4	14	8	22		«Արարատ», [Ararat], no. 3 (1876), p. 110. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.
1895	2	7	6	13		«Արարատ», [Ararat], no. 2 (1896), p. 94. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.
1896	2	8	5	13	The village also had several houses of Iranian Turks and Assyrians.	Պալունի, Վիճակագրական տեղեկութիւն Սալմաստ գաւառի հայ ազգաբնակութեան [Palouny, “Statistical Data Regarding the Armenian Population in Salmast District”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 216, 10 December 1896, p. 3. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.
1898	2	8	5	13		Ararat, nos. 11-12 (1898), p. 505. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.
1905	5	11	11	22	According to another researcher, in the same year, the village had 4 houses with 19 people, including 10 males and 9 females (M. Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran), G. Hovsepian’s Archives, folder 91, document 14, p. 11).	Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p p. 57, and insert. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 88.