Haftvan :: ARMENIAN LOCATIONS

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

Location

The largest village in Salmast, Haftvan once boasted the greatest number of Armenian inhabitants throughout the district. It lies 3 km south of Salmast City, at an altitude of 1,375 to 1,390 metres: “[The village is located] 3.33 versts south-west of the township of Diliman (from the centre of the former to that of the latter) or Dil-makan (meaning heart of the place, namely centre of the district in Persian and Arabic), almost in the centre of the valley of Salmast.” The village is 1.5 km long from the north to the south, and 1.3 km long from the east to the west.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 23.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

Other Names

In Armenian historiography, the earliest records containing reference to the village name date from the mid-16th century: it was mentioned as “the small town of Havtvan” in 1538, “Avtvan” in 1646, and “Havtevan” in 1649. In some other records, the names Havtavan, Haftan and Heftdevan are also found.

Մայր ցուցակ ձեռագրաց Սրբոց Յակոբեանց, հ. 10, կազմ.՝ Պողարեան Ն. [Main List of the Manuscripts of St. Hakob Monastery, vol. 10. Compiled by N. Pogharian] (Jerusalem, 1990), p. 93, ms. 3285.
ԺԷ դարի հայերեն ձեռագրերի հիշատակարաններ, հ. Գ [Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the 17th Century (henceforward: Colophons, 17th century), vol. 3] (Yerevan, 1984), pp. 205, 375
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

As for the origin of the toponym, “the villagers think that it derives from the Persian words haft (meaning seven) and divan (court, judgement). According to another viewpoint, it consists of the words haft and avan [village, settlement], meaning seven villages, and perhaps, alluding to its former largeness [italics added].”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 23-24. Another author offers the following etymology of the toponym, apparently, pursuing not scientific, but political goals: “The locals used to call it Haftvan Tapelari, Tam Tape or Tapetiyan. This hill was once adjoined by a village of the same name, the toponym being composed of two parts: Haft, which may denote a tribe or nation (its meaning remains obscure) and Van, which is a place-indicating suffix quite widespread in Elsaghi Turkish. Anyway, it is evident that the name Haftvan is a Turkish one and has no connection with the Persian word Haft meaning Seven. This comes to prove once again that Atrpatakan has not ever been inhabited by Indo-European tribes [italics added]” (Ahrenjani, p. 240).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167:

Historical Introduction

The available records do not report any information regarding the foundation of Haftvan. The archaeological monuments unclosed during the excavations of a hill located 3.2 km east of the village prove that the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Also, the remnants of some other monuments dating back to the times of Van Kingdom (9th to 6th centuries B.C.) have been unearthed.

Ahrenjani, p. 140.
Dilmaghani, pp. 51-58.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

Besides, Haftvan still preserves numerous funerary memorials and architectural monuments (including the church of St. Gevorg, which was also a scriptorium) tracing back to the late Middle Ages, particularly, to the 17th century, when the village was at the height of prosperity.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

As the most populous Armenian village in the district enjoying a comparatively higher level of development, Haftvan was truly considered to be the capital of Salmast Armenians. It also had an administrative status being the residence of the local meliks and the Prelate.

Ughevor, “Salmast,” Armenia, no. 31, 3 January 1894, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

Haftvan also thrived in the 18th century and in the first quarter of the 19th century, when St. Gevorg Church was embellished with frescoes. The subsequent prosperity of the village was thwarted by the Russo-Persian war of 1826 to 1828, during and after which, a considerable part of the local population emigrated.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

The village saw some revival in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (before the outbreak of World War I).

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

The year 1894 came to mark a significant change in the history of Haftvan, as feudalism was abolished there and the peasants acquired land ownership: “On 1 April the village lands were bought back, shifting from the beys’ into the villagers’ possession. Formerly, the latter used to pay tributes to the private treasury of the Vice-Roy of Atrpatakan, who was also the heir to the Persian throne. However, more than half a century ago, they were exempted from tithe, labour tax, etc., after which they had to pay only some annual tribute so that Havtvan did not share the conditions of the villages under the feudal laws. In 1894 the prince declared the village as his property and put its lands on sale, suggesting that the locals should buy them. The latter, however, refused, and the village was purchased by the mayor of Tabriz, Ghalabeg (he was also the judge of the Armenian quarters of the city), at 4,200 tumans (about 20,000 francs). The new owner wanted to re-introduce feudalism into Havtvan, but this gave rise to protests and a lot of people were arrested. Eventually, with the intercession of the Armenian Prelate, the villagers paid 7,000 tumans (about 35,000 francs) and bought their lands back from Ghalabeg. Now they had to pay only the former tribute to the treasury.”

Mourtj, no. 7, July 1895, p. 1042.
Another record states the following about this significant change: “The village has belonged to the locals since [18]94, when it was bought from its proprietor thanks to the Very Reverend Sukias” (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. 2).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 167.

During this period, the significance of Haftvan considerably grew as it started providing temporary shelter for the groups of Armenian fidayis who used the route Haftvan-Derik-Aghbak to penetrate into Western Armenia and transport arms and ammunition there. At the same time, it also gave refuge to the Armenian fidayi groups which moved to Persia after heavy fights in Western Armenia to have some rest there. Besides, the village also gave asylum to thousands of refugees who had had a narrow escape from the massacres organised in Western Armenia by Sultan Abdul Hamid.

The brave Armenians of Haftvan often joined the groups of fidayis going to Western Armenia. In November 1895, for instance, three young men from the village joined the group of Mkrtich Avetissian, who represented the Armenakan Party: “It was November 1895.... The news spread in Haftvan that Avetissian’s group was planning to move to Yerkir [Western Armenia]. Mkrtich Avetissian was an outstanding intellectual and the founder of the Armenakan Party.... While living in Salmast, particularly in Haftvan, he worked as a teacher and supervisor, enjoying respect and high popularity.... At midnight, when Haftvan was fast asleep, Avetissian’s group set out for Yerkir. They were going to cover the route Derik-Ghotur-Sara-Arjak-Van.... The group was joined by three strong young men from Haftvan ... Avetik, Zakar and Martiros.
“Avetik Isajanian was a carpenter: the spinning tops he had made were in the pockets of all the children of the village. ...Elder boys were very fond of Avetik for his strength and adroitness. He used both these qualities during the fights between the Armenians and Assyrians which were frequent between the villages....
“Zakar Barkhudarian, who came from a well-known local family engaged in farming, was considered as one of its best workers. He was highly appreciated and loved for his sweet and pleasant voice....
“Martiros Soybatian pursued another way of life as he was interested in the world of science. After finishing the village school with honours, he was appointed a teacher of geography in the same establishment. He “created” “seas,” “lakes” and “rivers” in part of the wide school yard by digging hollows there. He also formed mounds of earth reminding of hills, and piled stones on each other to get “mountains” and “mountain chains.” The young children of the village, aged 4 to 5, brought jugs of water and filled the hollows to get the necessary place or part, each with its proper name. Soybatian often held open-air lessons during which even the smallest children learnt a lot of [geographical] names....
“At midnight ... Avetissian’s group set out for Yerkir. In the morning, it became clear that the group had left the village and the three young men had disappeared. Their families started searching for them, but in vain: they had already left Ghotur behind and had entered their ancestral land. At this point, the group found itself in a difficult and dangerous situation: it was severely cold in that region, and in addition, the Kurds wandering in those areas in large numbers could surround them at any time. For this reason, Avetissian had chosen the route Derik-Ghotur-Sara-Arjak-Van, which was longer but comparatively safer. Late at night, the group approached the township of Sara, the capital of Khoshab District.... They found a barn and hid themselves there. Very early in the morning, before sunrise, they were about to continue their way when some Kurds noticed them and immediately encircled the barn.... They set it on fire for the purpose of exterminating the group. Faced with this danger, the young men rushed out and broke through the encirclement while showering bullets here and there. They were able to move away, although two of them were killed and several others were injured (the latter were given some aid and saved from danger). One of those killed was Avetik from Haftvan, and the other was the well-known armourer from Van, master Panos” (Բաբլոյեան Առ., Հեռաւոր անցեալից (Յուշեր) [Ar. Babloyan, “From the Remote Past (Memoirs)”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 114, 4 June 1962, pp. 2-3).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 167-168.

In the days of these slaughters, from 3 until 10 June 1896, two inhabitants of Haftvan, Zakar and Martiros, participated in the self-defence of the city of Van organised by Mkrtich Avetissian, Peto and Martik. On 11 June Mkrtich was forced to leave Van together with his large group, but while retreating, they engaged in fighting against some Kurds and Turks at St. Bardughimeos [Bartholomew] Monastery of Aghbak: “Seeing the desperate situation of the group, Mushegh broke through the enemy encirclement with his comrades-in-arms and hurried to Salmast to bring more forces for aid.... Avetissian ordered the rest of the fidayis to take the monastery. However, hardly had they approached it when the soldiers waiting in ambush for them inside the monastery opened fire and killed all the members of the group on the spot.... That was not a fighting but a bloody massacre.... The following day a grave and a trench were dug close to one of the walls of the monastery: Avetissian was buried in a separate grave as a token of respect ... while the martyred heroes of Vaspourakan, including Zakar and Martiros, were laid side by side in the trench.... The Armenians of Vaspourakan did not forget their brave heroes and composed a song in their memory, mentioning their names at the end of every couplet: ‘...A fierce fighting and three heroes, Avetik, Zakar and brave Martiros.’
“The news of the extermination of Mkrtich Avetissian’s group immediately reached Salmast. The mothers of the three killed fighters from Haftvan went into bitter mourning over their sons’ losses. By the time the first year passed, Avetik’s and Martiros’ mothers had already reconciled themselves to their losses ... while Zakar’s mother Rehan was still unable to overcome her grief.... In order to somehow alleviate her suffering, she thought of something unusual: she had a coffin made and put her son’s belongings (his clothes, parts of weapons, tools and books) into it, after which it was taken to the cemetery. A grave was dug there and the coffin was placed inside, being covered with earth. Then a tombstone was erected at the grave with the following epitaph: ÚÇß³ï³Ï ¿ ³ñÓ³Ýë ¼³ù³ñÇ³ Øáíë¿ë»³ÝÇÝ, 1896 [transl.: This tombstone is in memory of Zakaria Movsessian. 1896 ].”

Բաբլոյեան Առ., Հեռաւոր անցեալից (Յուշեր), [Ar. Babloyan, “From the Remote Past (Memoirs)”], Alik, no. 115, 5 June 1962, pp. 2-3.
Also see Մէն-Սէ /Միքայել Ստեփանյան/, Յիշատակութեան պարտք մը [Men-Se /Michael Stepanian/, “A Duty of Remembrance”], Armenia, no. 8, 24 October 1900, p. 2; Ամանոր, Կարմիր օրեր [Amanor, “Red Days”], «Երիտասարդ Հայաստան» [Yeritasard Hayastan], no. 21, 11 October 1905, pp. 167-168. See pp. 247-248 of the present work for a photo of Z. Movsissian’s tombstone and its epitaph (no. 315).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 168.

In the 1890s, granny Sara’s house was well-known in Haftvan as “a safe haven for those coming from Tabriz and Western Armenia.” Later, when Sara’s daughter Yeranuhi Zohrabian was invited to Ghalasar to work as a teacher there, she moved there, too, to continue sheltering and taking care of the Armenian revolutionaries there.

Մինասյան Է., Հայ հերոսուհի կանայք [E. Minassian, Armenian Heroines] (Yerevan, 2016), pp. 98-99.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 169.

In 1897 to 1898, the Armenians of Salmast, particularly those in Haftvan and Mahlam, were in a very harsh situation because the Persian military forces carried out repeated searches on demand of the Ottoman authorities to find the fidayis and weapons allegedly hidden in the villagers’ houses. These searches were accompanied with severe, even brutal acts of violence: “The search conducted in Havtvan and Mahlam Villages of Salmast proved something terrible: first Havtvan was surrounded by 500 soldiers, after which 200 horsemen who were led by the judge started blowing the trumpets—as if announcing about the outbreak of a war—spreading horror all through the village. All the Armenians’ houses were ransacked, but despite the claims of the Turkish authorities, neither arms nor any fidayis were found anywhere. The search lasted for three days, during which several houses were destroyed in the village, while the soldiers kept plundering the houses and raping the women. Eventually, 90 Turkish Armenian refugees were caught in Mahlam, and 30 others in Havtvan, being taken to Khoy as “fidayis” (many of them died on the way). Even Fati Sultani, who had been sent [to Khoy] to investigate into this matter, declared that the Persians had done all that simply because they did not trust the Armenians. Some search was also carried out last year, after which 200 families of Armenians emigrated into Russia. Now this movement has resumed.”
Such outrages continued in the subsequent years as well. In November 1902 a certain Hakob who practised medicine was heavily wounded in Haftvan, after which eight innocent peasants, including the local teacher, were arrested in connection with this case. The Armenians of Haftvan had either to pay a fine of 400 tumans or give up the assassins to the Government. The quotation that follows below describes the situation of the Armenians of the district in those days: “Today the Armenians of Salmast are in total moral demise and economic collapse. ...instead of supporting the poor people, the Government is only aggravating their conditions, endlessly imposing some fines on them.”

Mourtj, nos. 2-3, February-March 1898, p. 375.
Հրայր, Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Hrayr, “A Letter from Persia”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 189, 14 December 1902, p. 3. Also see «Իրաւունք» [Iravunk], no. 3, 11 January 1903, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 169.

In July 1904 Haftvan went through another tragic incident: “At around 11 o’clock at night, some unidentified villains attacked the watchmen who generally kept walking in the village throughout the night and killed one of the local wealthy men, Margar Ghazariants, who happened to be with them.”

Պետրոսեան Յ., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [H. Petrossian, “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 178, 20 August 1904, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 169.

The situation worsened even further in 1906: “A Turk entered an Armenian garden in Haftvan to steal some grapes, but its young Armenian owner injured him with 3 rifle bullets and he died several days later. The Government demands a fine of about 1,000 tumans.”

Ասօ, Նամակ թրքա-պարսկական սահմանագլխից [Aso, “A Letter from the Turko-Persian Borderline”], «Երիտասարդ Հայաստան» [Yeritasard Hayastan], no. 20, 7 November 1906, p. 158.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 169.

A Turkish attack against the Russian barracks in Dilman on the night of 20 April 1914 prompted another search in Haftvan: “During the joint meeting with the Russians, ... they unanimously declared that the Armenians were to blame [for the attack] as only they kept large reserves of arms and ammunition. Perhaps, this was the reason for the unexpected severe search that was carried out in the Armenian-inhabited village of Haftvan on Thursday, 15 May. The locals had gone to a pilgrimage site, located within 10 versts, to celebrate the feast of the Ascension, but their absence did not keep the soldiers from breaking into their houses from the roofs and ransacking every corner. Despite such a circumstantial search, only 2 or 3 Berdan rifles and the same number of pistols were found in the entire village. After the search, some money, valuable items and female jewelry were missing from a number of houses. A poor woman had been robbed of her 20 tumans that her husband had sent her after a year’s work in a foreign country.... The villagers submitted a petition with a request to find what had been stolen from them. They had great hopes that justice would be done.”

Փշուր, Սալմաստի վիճակից [Pshur, “Regarding the Situation in Salmast”], «Ղարադաղ» [Gharadagh], no. 9, 15 June 1914, p. 3. Another record says the following about this incident: “On 15 May [1914], when more than half of the local population was in the remote pilgrimage site of Prishat, Havtvan was surrounded from all sides and subjected to detailed search.... A lot of houses were locked as the owners were absent, but they either got inside from the roofs or just broke the doors open and carried out the search in the forced presence of the neighbours. It was already evening when the news reached the pilgrimage site and the Armenians of Havtvan hurried to the village, but they were subjected to similarly circumstantial search on arriving. All in terror, the inhabitants of the other villages were waiting for such a search to be carried out in their houses, too, but no other places shared Havtvan’s fate, except for some minor cases. Almost nothing was found in Havtvan: only several rifles and pistols, although everything considered a weapon was taken away, including even the hunters’ weapons and the swords used in theatrical performances” (¶áõÉû»³Ý ²õ., ê³ÉÙ³ëï [Av. Gouloyan, “Salmast”], §ÐáñÇ½áÝ¦ [Horizon], no. 82, 17 April 1915, p. 2). During the search in the room of Haftvan Deanery Council, “a rotten dagger was found in the cupboard. The Deanery Council had to postpone its sittings for a while (Gharadagh, no. 9, 15 June 1914, p. 7).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 169.

After the outbreak of World War I, the Armenians of Haftvan took some actions to support their compatriots who were fighting as volunteers. Thus, for instance, they collected 52 roubles during the wedding party of Hovhannes Babayants’ son Artashes and sent it to the editorial office of the Horizon daily.
Apparently, the endless searches during which even hunting weapons were confiscated left the locals absolutely unprotected; that is why they could not organise their self-defence when the Turkish troops crossed the border and invaded the district of Salmast, taking advantage of the chaotic situation that had followed the outbreak of the war. In the meantime, strange as it is, the Persian troops which would encircle the villages with trumpets of war and seize all the weapons of the peasants could not be seen anywhere to secure their protection. Due to this, Salmast became the scene of the same atrocities and barbarities that the Turks were perpetrating throughout Western Armenia: all the Armenian villages of the district, including Haftvan, were plundered and destroyed, the locals being slaughtered.
Later, in August 1916, one of the inhabitants of Haftvan, Gevorg Mkrtchian, who had had a narrow escape from the massacre and found refuge in Yarmeja Village, Old Nakhijevan, recalled the following: “After the retreat of the Russian troops, which took place on 21 December 1914, about 40 families of Havtvan (once it was a purely Armenian village of 500 houses), including children and elderly people, stayed in their places. There were also some refugees (entire families or just individuals) from the neighbouring villages in Havtvan. The Turkish commander declared that the [Turkish] Government had fixed some allowance for those who had not emigrated (they were now considered subjects of this Government) and called on the Armenians sheltered by the Persians to come and get it. However, once the Armenians had gathered together, he ordered his regular troops and the Kurdish mob to divide them into groups and kill them. The people were massacred with arms and axes, many of them dying after being dismembered. All their belongings were stolen away. Some people were kidnapped, and we have not been able to find out their exact number so far. Priest Mkrtich, who went to Havtvan last year, in 1915, saw a large pit with corpses, about 30 arshins long and 15 arshins wide, in the south-eastern part of the village. When our fellow villagers went back there, the Russian commanders had the scattered dead bodies collected together and buried in rows: after each row, some earth was spread on them, and then other lifeless bodies were put over them until there were no more corpses left anywhere.”

Horizon, no. 276, 10 December 1914, p. 2.
The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, p. 377.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 169-170

Late in February 1915, when the Russian troops took Dilman, it turned out that “all the men of Haftvan are slaughtered: within a single day, 200 corpses were taken out of the local wells and buried in a common grave. These bodies show traces of brutal murder: the people were mostly killed with axes, daggers, blunt weapons, etc.”

«Հայաստան» [Hayastan], no. 4, 21 March 1915, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

A record dated 3 March 1915 says: “Three days before our troops took Dilman, Haftvan suffered particularly heavy losses, all the men staying there having been slaughtered. In this village, 200 corpses were taken out of the wells and pits. They were buried in a common grave by our priest as there was no local priest there.”
Below follows an incomplete list of Haftvan Armenians who fell prey to the Turkish predators: Nazar Babloyan, Allahverdi Frangulian, Harutiun Hakhnazarian, Khudaverdi Melkonian, Khalat Stepanian with his wife, Tuma Sahakian, Nikoghos Ghevondian, Vardan Babloyan, Vardan Pokhanian, Mahtesy Abro Babloyan, Sargis Sevoyan with his mother Khorom, Mariam from Tatos’ family, Khatun Khangaldiants, Gyahvar (a vodka maker), Mahtesy Shahbaz Tatossiants with his wife, Mahtesy Lala Sargissian, Hakob Khudaverdian, Mahtesy Khachatur Avagian, Karapet and Mkrtich Babayan, Aram and Vahram Baroyan, Petros Martirossian, Petros Taroyan (also, 2 Armenians from Aghbak District of Western Armenia were killed in his house), Amran Ayvazian’s son, Harutiun Farmanian and Hovhannes Pokhanian. The list also mentions Avet Avetian, Shalo Harutian, Mkrtich Minassian and Aghagyul Minassian from Aghbak, but it does not contain the names of 14 other Armenians from the same district who were killed during the massacre of Haftvan.

Mshak, no. 48, 5 March 1915, p. 1 (the author means the Catholic priest).
Avagiants, S. The Massacre in Salmast. Tiflis, 1915, p. 22.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

Below follows another record relating to the carnage of Haftvan: “The Turks gathered a lot of Christians in Haftvan and slaughtered all of them. Many others were saved from extermination only thanks to the fact that they had found shelter in the houses of their Muslim friends. When the Russians entered the village, they found 720 corpses, many of them nude and dismembered. Throughout three days, 300 people were busy taking out the dead bodies from the wells and trenches. The women who had lost their husbands and sons were in a terrible state. Some of the victims had been shot to death, while the others’ bodies lay fastened to some steps, their heads cut off. Some bodies lay with the eyes gouged out, and many others were without arms and legs.”

Asparez, no. 348, 9 April 1915, p. 2. The following records offer more details about this massacre: “They were slaughtered, their bodies being thrown into the wells” (Kochnak, no. 20, 1915, p. 375).
“Seven hundred Armenian men were killed and thrown into the wells of Haftvan. Even a greater number of [dead] Assyrians were found in the wells of Khosrova. Two hundred Armenians, fastened to one another, were made to lie close to some huge walls in a forest, a little far from the stream Dilman, on the way leading from Haftvan to Khosrova; then the walls were pulled down and they were crushed. Squashed human skulls were mixed with the mounds of earth, the brains of many of them having splashed all around.... It took a month to collect the martyrs’ bodies and bury them. The testimonies given by some arrested criminals helped find most of the bodies, except those that had been thrown into the River Zola: they were later found on the shores of Lake Urmia” (Vazgen, “Atrpatakan’s Struggle for Existence,” Hayrenik, no. 11, September 1930, p. 152).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

In August 1915, Haftvan still lay in ruins and devastation.
After the Turks had been driven away from Salmast, some of the survivors of the massacre of Haftvan returned to their native village and started rebuilding it. Most probably, its rehabilitation did not take long, as in June 1916 “there are no traces of devastation.”

Hnchak, no. 3, August 1915, p. 19.
Սառաֆեան Յ., Հաւթւան [H. Sarafian, “Havtvan”], «Գաղափար» [Gaghapar], no. 46, 8 June 1916, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

By August 1916, some of Haftvan’s Armenian inhabitants had already returned, while the others were still scattered in Old Nakhijevan, Yerevan, Tiflis and other places.

The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, p. 377.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

During the last months of 1916, the Russian authorities decided to allocate the numerous empty houses of Haftvan to some Kurdish prisoners of war: “On the Russians’ order, 850 peaceful Kurds were moved from Aghbak to Salmast (out of certain considerations, it had been found inexpedient to keep them in Aghbak). The displaced Kurdish families which were hungry and almost without clothes were accommodated in the Armenian village of Haftvan. They were given enough food, medical aid, work and an allowance from the budget of the Russian state. By the way, ... these Kurdish peasants repeatedly applied to Bishop N. Melik-Tangian to be baptised as Armenian Christians.”

Vazgen, “Atrpatakan’s Struggle for Existence,” Hayrenik, no. 11, September 1930, p. 154.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

On 31 March 1918, Haftvan hosted a meeting of Armenians and Assyrians who discussed the possibility and means of the organisation of resistance to the impending Turkish invasion: “The Assyrians, so far considering themselves safe thanks to the existence of the Armenian Government of Van, had now lost this feeling of security. It was for this reason that they participated in the consultation of Haftvan together with Agha Davut (Mar Shimun’s brother), Doctor Davut and other representatives. The meeting was attended by all the local figures and military staff, including the Russian colonel Kuzminski, the commander of the Russians stationed in Urmia. All the participants agreed that sooner or later the Turkish army was going to invade the district. The landowners who had economic ties in the country as well as the influential people who were quite prosperous were absolutely against immigration to the Caucasus. Instead, they suggested waiting and putting up resistance to the enemy with the hope of overcoming the impending danger. On the other hand, some of the representatives of Van Government, Kosti Hambardzumian, Levon Shaghoyan, Bulgharatsy Grigor, A. Maksapetian and others, emphasized the necessity of moving to the Caucasus.”

Vazgen, “Atrpatakan’s Struggle for Existence,” Hayrenik, no. 3, January 1931, p. 119.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 170.

In the 1920s peace was at last restored in Salmast, including Haftvan, but the losses (of course, first of all human) the locals had suffered during the war were so heavy that the village was never able to rehabilitate its pre-war economy and populousness. Anyway, the Armenians continued living in Haftvan for some more decades. The following record, relating to 1931, is of particular interest in this regard: “A significant part of the Armenian families have returned from the North Caucasus to again take possession of their abandoned houses and lands. They have harnessed themselves to the reconstruction of their village.”

Kosoyan, “In Salmast and Derik,” Alik, no. 201, 12 September 1964, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as a Melik Residence. Melik was a hereditary title that passed from a father to his son. The available records mentioning the meliks of Haftvan are only lapidary inscriptions dating from the 17th to the 18th centuries. It should be noted that during this period, not only Haftvan but also some other villages of the district (such as Hin Kaghak, Sarna and Payajouk) were residences of meliks, which suggests that they were not the rulers of the entire district or part of it: each of them was simply the head or governor of this or that village.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as a Melik Residence. The first melik of Haftvan to be mentioned in the available lapidary records is Alexan, whose name is found in two inscriptions of St. Gevorg Church dating from 1652 (it commemorates its construction) and 1660. Melik Alexan was killed by Khan Safi Ghuli, who also murdered the Armenian melik of Hin Kaghak Village, Tatos, in 1652.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as a Melik Residence. Alexan’s title and post passed to his sons Evaz (he died in 1681) and Hakob. Hakob’s son was Melik Vardan, who died at a young age in 1656 (one of the available inscriptions also mentions Melik Hakob’s daughter Sara). Melik Vardan’s sons were Ordukhan and Shahparon Melikian, both of whom had inherited their father’s title (by the way, the Melikians of Haftvan actually descend from this dynasty of meliks).

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as a Melik Residence. The epitaphs of Haftvan also contain the names of Meliks Harutiun and Petros. The latter had two sons, Skandar (he died in 1708) and Harutiun (Mahtesy Seran’s father), both of whom held the title of melik.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as a Melik Residence. One of the donation inscriptions of St. Gevorg Church, dated 1706, bears reference to Melik Shahghuli.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as the Seat of the Armenian Prelacy. After 1828 Bishop Israel, the former prior of the monastery of St. Bardughimeos Arakyal (Bartholomew the Apostle) and the religious leader of Aghbak District, became Prelate of Atrpatakan, where the population had largely decreased after the mass emigration following the Russo-Persian war. He was one of those few Armenian clergymen who were in close friendship with Abbas Mirza (1789 to 1833). Most presumably, it was in the days of Bishop Israel that the seat of the Armenian Prelacy of Atrpatakan was transferred to Haftvan (when he died in 1835, he was buried in the yard of the local church of St. Gevorg): “The Prelate of Atrpatakan, Bishop Israel, was Prince Abbas Mirza’s best friend. The latter set a large salary for the Prelate, apart from which, he also donated large estates to the Prelacy, which was to use the income received from them to cover its expenses. ...The donated lands were located in Havtevan Village of Salmast District, which was the seat of the Armenian Prelacy of Atrpatakan at that time. Later, however, the Prelates sold these estates out of greed.”

Հայք եւ ռուս-պարսկական պատերազմը [“The Armenians and the Russo-Persian War”], «Մասիս» [Masis], no. 3861, 1887, p. 60.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 187.

Haftvan as the Seat of the Armenian Prelacy. That Haftvan served as the seat of the Prelacy is also confirmed by the following record of 1892: “Especially renowned are the villages of Havtvan and Payajouk, each with a parish school and a Prelacy (several years ago, the Prelates [of the Diocese of Atrpatakan] resided in these villages).”

Երանեան, Ստեփանոս եպ. Մխիթարեան [Yeranian, “Bishop Stepanos Mkhitarian”], «Արաքս» [Arax], no. 2 (December 1892), p. 55.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Haftvan as the Seat of the Armenian Prelacy. A record of 1905 emphasized that “Haftvan, which is the centre of the Armenians of Salmast, also serves as the seat of the Prelacy where the vicar resides.”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 24.
Սամվել Կարապետյան, Հայաստանի պատմություն, Սալմաստ, հ. Բ, Երևան, 2017, էջ 187:

Haftvan as the Seat of the Armenian Prelacy. In the summer of 1916, the village was again mentioned as the seat of the Vicariate, where “the Very Reverend Melik-Tangian settled down in 1916 to oversee the distribution of relief among the refugees until [19]17.”

Sarafian, H. “Havtvan.” Gaghapar, no. 46, 8 June 1916, p. 3.
Ժամհարեան Ռ., Մեր անզուգական բարեկամը [R. Zhamharian, “Our Unmatched Friend”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 168, 2 August 1953, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

Population

From at least the late Middle Ages onwards, Haftvan was not only the largest Armenian-inhabited village in Salmast (not to count Hin Kaghak) but also the most populous one throughout the district. Indeed, “during the Russo-Persian war of [1826 to] 1828, a large number of people emigrated from this village into the province of Yerevan, just like those of almost all the other villages [of the district,” and this considerably reduced the local population. Anyway, until the outbreak of World War I, Haftvan was still considered as one of the largest Armenian-inhabited villages in Salmast.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 23.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.

As is apparent from the table, by the 1970s, Haftvan’s Armenian population had essentially shrunk. It particularly rapidly decreased during the 1970s and 1980s, when the village suffered a large-scale emigration (according to a record of 1976, “only several Armenian families still live here”).54 In the late 1990s, the last aged Armenians abandoned the village which was totally emptied of its Armenian inhabitants, perhaps, for the first time during its millennia-long existence.

Ուլուհոջյան Գ., Հյուսիսային Իրանի հայկական ճարտարապետական հուշարձանների վիմագրությունը [G. Uluhojian, “The Epigraphy of the Armenian Architectural Monuments of Northern Iran”], «ՊԲՀ» [Patma-Banasirakan Handes (Historico-Philological Journal)], no. 1 (1979), p. 144.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

In 2011 there were absolutely no Armenians in Haftvan: it had a population of 2,200 houses, 2,000 of which belonged to Kurds, and 200 to Iranian Turks.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

Public Health Care

Despite the populousness of Haftvan, the sphere of public health care was mostly neglected, and this attitude had disastrous consequences especially during the outbreaks of infectious diseases. An eloquent, though regrettable, proof of this is the epidemic of cholera which raged in the village from the autumn of 1904 until the winter of 1905, taking away 10 lives.

Mkrtchiants, “Cholera in Salmast,” p. 226.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

The outbreak of measles in Haftvan during the winter of 1906/1907 had truly tragic consequences. As written in a letter of 7 March 1907, “in recent three months, the measles has taken away the lives of about 150 to 160 children in Haftvan Village alone.”

M. S. Piran, Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [“A Letter from Persia”], Mshak, no. 68, 30 March 1907, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

Early in December 1915, when the number of people with serious health problems drastically increased because of the war, Haftvan’s school house was made into a hospital with 100 beds. On 20 December of the same year, some Western Armenian immigrants who had had a narrow escape from the Genocide were mentioned as receiving treatment there. Until March 1916, the hospital was sustained by the Women’s Committee, after which it shifted into the jurisdiction of the Union of Cities. It had only a single doctor, V. Hovhannissian, 2 assistant doctors, 2 nurses, several orderlies and 2 ambulance stations. The hospital also had some itinerant groups which visited the nearby villages to extend medical help on the spot.

Mshak, no. 273, 10 December 1915, p. 3.
Բազեան Ս., Թռուցիկ տպաւորութիւններ. դէպի Սալմաստ [S. Bazian, “Fleeting Impressions: towards Salmast”], «Այգ» [Ayg], no. 62, 4 September 1916, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

In November 1916 the hospital was visited by Michael Papajanian, a deputy of the State Duma of Russia.

Իրազեկ, թղթակցություն [Irazek, “A Letter”], «Հորիզոն» [Horizon], no. 271, 3 December 1916, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

In January 1917 the hospital staff suffered a heavy loss: Doctor V. Hovhannissian’s assistant, Vardan Lachikian, who was from Karin, Western Armenia, was killed by some unidentified bandits on his way back from Khoy to Salmast. The murderers also stole an amount of 10,000 roubles that belonged to the Union of Cities.

Horizon, no. 18, 26 January 1917, p. 3. Also see Ayg, no. 4, 29 January 1917, p. 3; no. 5, 5 February 1917, p. 1. V. Lachikian “was the only survivor from a family of 30 members all of whom were massacred during the recent deportation. He had been saved only thanks to the fact that he lay hidden among their corpses for three days” («Արեւ» [Arev], no. 5, 21 May 1917, p. 3).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

Early in April 1917, “the chief doctor of the Union of Cities has sent a telegram from Havtvan informing that some refugees have died of starvation because of the absence of an allowance.”

Ayg, no. 14, 9 April 1917, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

A record of November 1917 stated the following: “So far the deportees from Mosul have been sustained by the hospital of Haftvan, which has fed a lot of such refugees since its opening. Despite this, however, some evil forces are now making every possible endeavour to have that establishment closed down.”

Շաւան, Ապագայի մղձաւանջը [Shavan, “The Nightmare of the Future”], «Այգ» [Ayg], no. 50, 24 December 1917, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

On 10 November 1917, 17 Turkish Armenians who had been kept as hostages in a settlement called Amkava, within 25 versts of Mosul, managed to somehow get free and reached Salmast: 6 of them were taken to hospital in Haftvan as they had serious health problems.

Պիծի, Նոր ազատ փախստականները [Pitzi, “The Newly-Released Refugees”], «Աշխատանք» [Ashkhatank], no. 59, 23 December 1917, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.

Construction Activity

Perhaps, starting from the late Middle Ages, Haftvan was more like a small town thanks to certain peculiarities of its construction. Below follow some quotations describing the place in the late 19th century: “The houses are solidly built, looking like urban buildings.” “The houses are enclosed within tall walls of unburnt brick that are 2 to 3 sazhens high. Many of them have extensive yards offering all the conveniences of a village life. Every yard has some small area for flowers.”

Գորոյեանց Ն., Պարսկաստանի հայերը [N. Goroyants, The Armenians of Persia] (Tehran, 1968), p. 174.
Ավէրօիս /Հովհաննես վարդ. Բաղչյան/, Ճանապարհորդական յիշողութիւններս Պարսկաստանից և Տաճկաստանից (Ջուղայից մինչև Մուշ) [Averois /Archimandrite Hovhannes Baghchian/, “My Travel Memories of Persia and Turkey (from Jugha to Moush)”], «Արաքս» [Arax], no. 1 (1893), p. 24.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 172-173.

“The streets of the village are narrow and crooked except a large and broad one which traverses it.... The peasants’ gardens are situated in its vicinity, whereas the fields, pastures and orchards lie farther, beyond them.”

Ավէրօիս /Հովհաննես վարդ. Բաղչյան/, Ճանապարհորդական յիշողութիւններս Պարսկաստանից և Տաճկաստանից (Ջուղայից մինչև Մուշ) [Averois /Archimandrite Hovhannes Baghchian/, “My Travel Memories of Persia and Turkey (from Jugha to Moush)”], «Արաքս» [Arax], no. 1 (1893), p. 24.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

The researcher Haykak Kosoyan from Van, who visited Haftvan in 1931, wrote the following: “Haftvan, which is entirely inhabited by Armenians, is the largest village in the district of Salmast. It boasts fertile arable lands, orchards and streets adorned with willows. Thanks to Mkrtich Avetissian from the Armenakans’ Party, the village and all its plots of land belong to the local community, for which they are deeply grateful to him.”

Kosoyan, “In Salmast and Derik,” Alik, no. 201, 12 September 1964, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

One of the inhabitants of Haftvan who had left the village in 1914 visited it in 1943 and later wrote the following: “Old Haftvan was very dear to me with its crooked and narrow streets, but today’s Haftvan is even dearer with its straight streets abounding in trees.... The new village which was built according to a regular plan after the disastrous earthquake of 1930 only does credit to the trustees who stand behind this work. To avoid any deviation from the direction of the streets and the general plan of the village, its present-day Board is to oversee further construction of the houses when the local population grows. Otherwise, the village can gradually go back to its former plain appearance.”

Ա. Թ., Սալմաստ [A. T., “Salmast”], «Ալիք», [Alik], no. 198, 9 November 1943, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

Economic Life

Indeed, gardening was one of the main occupations of the inhabitants of Haftvan, which abounded in orchards. Besides, farming and cattle-breeding were of vital importance to the locals, who also practised crafts as an important source of income. The Armenians of Haftvan were quite prosperous thanks to the development of all these branches, a record of 1889 stating the following in this regard: “Havtvan, which is the most populous and thriving place in Salmast ... is the central Armenian village of the district having about 300 houses. Unlike the inhabitants of the other villages, the locals have permanent occupations to earn their living: many of them, for instance, own gardens and arable lands, some others even having mills and oil mills.”

Ա. Տ. Ե.,Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [A. T. Ye., “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 85, 1 August 1889, p. 3. The following quotation mentions one of the locals who owned a garden: “[They] went to a garden not so far from the village: it belonged to Harutiun Mkrtchian, an inhabitant of Haftvan” (Ռ. Ա., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [R. A., “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 56, 21 May 1891, p. 3).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

Some of the Armenians of Haftvan were quite wealthy: thus, for instance, in 1884 to 1889, Mahtesy Khachatrian and Khosrov Avagian Mahtesy-Karapetian were mentioned as men of large fortune.

Ռուբէն Խան-Ազատ /Նշան Կարապետյան/, Հայ յեղափոխականի յուշերից [Rouben Khan-Azat /Nshan Karapetian/, “From the Memoirs of an Armenian Revolutionary”], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 10, August 1927, p. 60.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

The economic condition of Haftvan Armenians was expected to improve even further thanks to the amendments to the laws on land ownership made in 1894, but the political situation and the repeated acts of search carried out in the village did not allow this; moreover, the economic state of the locals even aggravated.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

In the summer of 1894, Hajji Khan Ghalabek, the head of the Armenian quarter of Tabriz, bought Haftvan from the Government of Persia at 3,600 tumans, also gaining the right of collecting taxes from the local population. However, he started subjecting the peasants to such severe oppression that they had to send a telegram from Dilman to the prince of Tabriz to protest against him. The judge of Dilman drove Ghalabek away from Haftvan, but at the same time, the 14 inhabitants of the village who had gone to the telegraph-office of Dilman were arrested. The following quotation provides more details about this situation: “The purely Armenian village of Havtvan and some others used to belong to the Persian prince and heir to the throne (he resides in Tabriz), who has recently sold the village to a Persian khan.... Becoming the private property of the khan, the village was subjected to unbearable oppression: his servants who stayed there made indecent, improper demands to the locals every day.” Once the inhabitants of Haftvan even beat the khan’s servants, this incident giving rise to a lot of tumult. Eventually the situation was peacefully settled thanks to the Catholics’ intercession although the people of Haftvan had to pay the khan a fine of 300 tumans.

Nor-Dar, no. 130, 5 August 1894, p. 1.
Armenia, no. 11, 5 September 1894, p. 2.
Patrik, “The Latest Events in Salmast,” p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

In April 1899 the persecutions intensified to such an extent that “the inhabitants of Havtvan, constituting 300 houses, have decided to convert to the Russian [Orthodox] Church. They say a bishop ... is to come from Urmia after Easter to [re]baptise them.”

Mshak, no. 68, 13 April 1899, p. 3. Another record states the following in this regard: “Due to the outrages committed by the members of the [Armenian Revolutionary] Federation [Party] and by the Persian authorities, many inhabitants of Haftvan, the most populous Armenian village [in the district] having about 300 families, decided to convert to the Russian Church in large numbers. As reported from Salmast, a Russian bishop is to come [to the village] after the Easter to baptise them according to the ritual of the [Russian] Orthodox Church” (Armenia, no. 78, 13 May 1899, p. 1).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

Judging from a letter of 8 October 1903, some of the people of Haftvan had reached a state of disgrace due to their grave economic conditions. Stating that the district of Urmia exported a large amount of grapes to Salmast, the author of the letter particularly writes: “In the purchase of grapes, especially active is the village of Haftvan, the vineyards of which cover an area of more than fifty dessiatinas [an old unit of measurement]. So far it has bought about 1,500 packs of grapes amounting to about 700 poods; in addition, the village vineyards have yielded about 800 packs (3,800 poods). The wine made from such a large amount of grapes is almost entirely consumed by the locals (except some insignificant percentage that several families sell to the Turks). These quantities show how wine-addicted the locals are, trying to save as much money as possible when it is necessary to spend it for some good initiative, but lavishly wasting it away as far as drinking is concerned. They also make others drink and do everything in a drunken state.”

Ոմն, Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Vomn, “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 237, 29 October 1903, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 173.

On the other hand, as is peculiar to the Armenian reality in general, some individuals did not succumb to the general atmosphere of despair and attempted to change the situation in some way or another thanks to their determination and will-power. Thus, for instance, in 1904 to 1905, a local businessman built a glass factory in the vicinity of Haftvan: “The construction of the glass factory of Salmast has already started on the initiative of a local young man, Mr. Hakob Babloyan, who ... is quite knowledgeable in the factory business. It is being erected on a large plot of land close to Haftvan, almost in the centre of the district. ...It quite looks like a factory, being constructed to resemble a typical Russian one. Most probably, it will have been completed by the coming autumn and will start functioning.”

Frangian, p. 203. Another record states the following about this initiative: “For many years, he [Hakob Babloyan] lived close to the Russian-Austrian border where he got acquainted with the technologies of glassware production. He has begun the construction of a glass factory where all kinds of glass items are to be made, the authorities having already granted him with legal permission for this. The foundations of the factory have already been laid, and tens of builders are working there. The factory covers an area of about half a dessiatina. As stated by Mr. H. M. Babloyan, it will start functioning in the summer of 1905” (Petrossian, “A Letter from Persia,” Mshak, no. 97, 12 May 1904, p. 3).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 173-174.

The economic pressure, all kinds of persecutions and the injustice suffered by the Armenians of Haftvan forced the men of the village to earn their living in other countries. In the early 20th century, a considerable part of them were away from their homes: “The village lands have been in private ownership for already 10 years: ...only the natives cultivate the soil, while the immigrants do not have any share. The harvest yielded is 2 to 10 times as much as the seeds sown, but this is not the only means of existence here and in the other villages of Salmast: the locals earn their living working away from their homes, in Russia. The Armenians of Haftvan mainly go to Tiflis. At the time we were collecting these statistical data, Haftvan had a population of 2,314, 597 of whom (that is to say, more than one fourth of them) were migrant workers.... This is a formidable number, but the percentage is not large as compared to some other villages.”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 26.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

As reported in a record dated 9 December 1906, “a group of Armenians from Haftvan who did not have any arable lands but had a strong desire to engage in agriculture bought some plots in a ruined village called Ajivaj from a Turkish agha who was its legal owner. The act of purchase was completed some 2 or 3 months ago, with the money procured and paid. The inhabitants of Haftvan started ploughing and sewing some part of their land, but the judge found that they had committed a great crime by trying to revive the ruined village and cultivate its soil. Thinking that they pursued some hidden motive, ... he demanded that the poor villagers pay him 500 tumans for the wrong they had allegedly perpetrated or were going to. Some of them hid themselves in the telegraph-office of Dilman, trying to escape imprisonment, while the others went to Tabriz to submit a protest to the anjuman.”

Hovh., “A Letter from Persia,” Mshak, no. 284, 28 December 1906, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

The earthquake of 6 May 1930 was a real disaster for Haftvan, which had been attempting to gradually improve its economic conditions: the village was entirely levelled to the ground, with 4 people killed and 17 others injured. Besides, 16 animals were buried alive under the ruins.

Masis, “Additional Information,” p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

Influenced by the propaganda of “repatriation,” in 1946 the inhabitants of Haftvan started immigrating to Soviet Armenia in large numbers, this sharply decreasing the local population.
Another disaster befell the village on the morning of 14 April 1959: the heavy rain caused severe flooding “which first inundated some houses in the village of Khosrova and then burst into Haftvan, deluging the fields and reaching the houses in ... the direction of the gardens, school, the church street and the road to Khosrova. Flooding the school and church, the rain-water poured into the houses (some soil was accumulated in front of the church door to protect it, but we do not know if water permeated through it or not). Five lorries of soldiers from the nearby barracks rushed to the rescue of the village, but all their heavy efforts proved useless because of the formidable scale of the flood. The inhabitants of the inundated and dangerously damaged houses were evacuated: 21 houses had been deluged, while 9 others and a pigsty had suffered serious harm, a considerable number of pigs having been killed. The flood has been ongoing for already 24 hours although it has abated. The evacuated families will live in some other houses.”

Թղթակից, Հեղեղը Հաֆթւանում [Tghtakits, “The Flooding in Haftvan”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 93, 29 April 1959, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

After this misfortune, the people of Haftvan received some relief and donations from a number of benefactors such as Aghajan Grigorian (his income of 1958 to 1959, 2,813 rials, was given to the village); Priest Ashot Poghossian (1,500 rials); Sargis Sahakian (550 rials, the income of two years yielded by his lands), and Aram Zakarian (500 rials). Besides, Khachatur Harutiunian allocated 180 kg of wheat to be distributed among the poor.
On 18 April 1959 (at 8 o’clock in the evening) and the following day (at 3 o’clock at night), strong earthquake tremors were recorded in Haftvan, but fortunately, the village did not suffer any damage.

Alik, no. 223, 9 October 1959, p. 3.
Թղթակից, Երկրաշարժը Շահփուրում [Tghtakits, “The Earthquake in Shahpoor”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 94, 30 April 1959, p. 3. The article also mentions a local organisation called Shir-o-Khorshid, which provided food for the flood-stricken families of the village.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

Apparently, Haftvan was not able to fully recover from the aforementioned flooding. In the 1960s the poor inhabitants of the village could endure only thanks to some allowances. One of the outstanding donors was Khachatur Harutiunian (Tehran), who gave 1,000 rials in 1961 and 600 kg of wheat late in 1963. In July 1964 Hayrapet and Hayrik Hakhverdian donated 3,000 rials in memory of their mother Mariam. In the same year, Khachatur Harutiunian again made a donation (1,000 rials) together with Lusik Barkhudarian (3,000 rials) and Hayk Hakhverdian (3,200 rials). Early in October 1974, in accordance with the late Mihran Shahgaldian’s wish, 30,000 rials was donated for the poor.

Alik, no. 225, 16 October 1961, p. 3.
Ibid., no. 3, 5 January 1964, p. 4.
Ibid., no. 148, 11 July 1964, p. 3.
Ibid., no. 292, 31 December 1964, p. 5.
Ibid., no. 225, 5 October 1974, p. 7.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

During the years marked with harsh economic conditions for the locals, the distribution of donations was organised by Haftvan’s Board of Trustees (director: Arakel Babloyan; secretary: Suren Margarian; treasurer: A. Babayan).

Alik, no. 292, 31 December 1964, p. 5.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 174.

Priests

As a populous village, Haftvan always had several parish priests serving together: thus, for instance, in 1864, 1875, 1890 and 1896, the village had three priests at the same time.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102.
Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110.
Գորոյեանց Ն., Պարսկաստանի հայերը [N. Goroyants, The Armenians of Persia] (Tehran, 1968), p. 174.
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. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 191.

In 1899 reference was made to Priest Gevorg Otian (also mentioned as Arsen Hakobian).

Man. Armen, “A Letter from Persia,” Armenia, no. 45, 3 January 1900, p. 2. Priest Gevorg Otian was born in Van in 1867 and received education first at the local parochial school and then at Haykazian and Varzhapetanots Schools. From 1886 until 1891, he was in exile in Konia. In the autumn of 1892, Otian was arrested on charge of having murdered a policeman named Nuri, but in 1893, during Shrovetide, he killed the guards of the Central Prison of Van with the help of his two cousins, the Rshtunians, and ran away. In the same year, Otian left Van for Salmast, where he joined Mkrtich Avetissian and started his activities under the nickname of Arsen Hakobian. In 1896 he was appointed deputy general supervisor of the schools of Salmast. In 1899 Otian was ordained priest under his birth name and surname. Performing his spiritual duties in Haftvan for some time, he was sent to Urmia on the order of the Armenian Prelate of Atrpatakan, Bishop Sahak, and worked as vicar there until his death on 22 January 1902. “With his death, the Persian Armenians lost a noble and devoted shepherd whose loss will long be felt in Urmia like that of Avetissian in Salmast” (Armenia, no. 70, 11 April 1900, p. 2); Մէն-Սէ, Գէորգ քահանայ Օտեանի կեանքից (Արսէն Յակոբեան) [Men-Se, “About Priest Gevorg Otian (Arsen Hakobian)] «Արմէնիա» [Armenia], no. 32, 7 May 1902, pp. 1-2; no. 33, 14 May 1902, pp. 1-2; no. 36, 4 June 1902, pp. 1-2; no. 41, 9 July 1902, p. 2). According to the wish of Urmia Armenians, Gevorg Otian was interred in the yard of the church of Urmia, that being the first ever burial there (Ման-Արմէն, Նամակներ Պարսկահայքէն [Man. Armen, “Letters from Persian Armenia”], «Արմէնիա» [Armenia], no. 23, 5 March 1902, p. 2).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 191.

In 1905 two priests served in the village (there was another priest among the refugees, but he did not work). In 1908 an old man of a venerable age served for the religious needs of the locals. In 1914 Priest Mkrtich was their spiritual shepherd.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 25.
«Արմենուհի» [Armenouhi], nos. 6-7 (11-12) (June-July 1950), p. 9; nos. 7-8 (19-20) (February-March 1951), p. 21.
The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey: Testimonies of Survivors (a Collection of Documents). Vol. 3. Yerevan, 2012, p. 377.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 191.

Judging from the following record of 1888, despite the existence of several priests, the adherents of other religious denominations were sometimes successful in their efforts of trapping the people of Haftvan: “It has already been seven years since some Jesuits settled here. You can hardly find any Apostolic Armenians today as all of them have been ensnared by the Jesuits.”

Nor-Dar, no. 14, 5 February 1888, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 191.

Direction From the south-west
Author Samvel Karapetian
Date 2011 y․

Author Sasun Danielian
Date 2017 y․

Partial view of the village which was surrounded with orchards

Author Archive

The ruins of the glass factory

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Havtvan
Havtavan
Haftan

Below follow the available statistical data regarding the population of the village which was once entirely populated by Armenians:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1860	154	451	407	858		Mkhitariants, “A Statistical List,” p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1864	150					National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1872	184					Գորոյեանց Ն., Պարսկաստանի հայերը [N. Goroyants, The Armenians of Persia] (Tehran, 1968), p. 174. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1875	212	628	545	1173		Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1893	360					A., “The Armenians of Persia,” Armenia, no. 19, 22 November 1893, p. 2. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1895	310	776	963	1739	Other records provide more data which are evidently approximate: thus, 400 houses were mentioned for 1879 (V. G. G., “The Work of the Gospel in Salmast,” Avetaber, no. 4, 27 January 1880, p. 15), and 300 to 350 houses for 1890 (Goroyants, p. 174). In 1893 “Havtvan is the most populous village in Salmast, the inhabitants being only Armenians—about 400 families” (Averois, “My Travel Memories,” p. 24). In 1908 the village was mentioned as having 500 houses (A. A., “With the Eagles,” Alik, no. 197, 4 September 1951, p. 2).	Ararat, no. 2 (1896), p. 94. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 171.
1896	310	905	814	1719		Palouny, “Statistical Data,” p. 2 (268 of the locals were migrant workers). Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1898	325	975	854	1829		Ararat, nos. 11-12 (1898), p. 505. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1905	423	1270	1044	2314	Another author reports 463 houses with 2,600 people (1,355 males, 1,245 females) for the same year (G. Hovsepian’s Archives, folder 91, document 14, p. 12). A population of 400 houses was mentioned for 1906, while their actual number was a little larger (Ասօ, Կապուտանի արեւմտեան ափերից [Aso, “From the Western Shores of Kaputan”], «Երիտասարդ Հայաստան» [Yeritasard Hayastan], no. 1, 27 June 1906, p. 4); Hayrapetian, “Salmast,” Alik, no. 211, 22 September 1969, p. 5.	Atayan, insert (597 of the locals were migrant workers). Also see Materials for the History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party, vol. 4, p. 267. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1912	430					Gouloyan, “Letters from Salmast,” p. 3. According to a press publication, the village had 700 to 800 Armenian families before the war, but this is evidently an exaggeration (A. Bad., “The Life of Salmast Armenians,” Alik, no. 18, 26 July 1931, p. 3). Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1914	650					The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, p. 376. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1927	77			235		Iranian, “Some Information,” p. 2. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1930	126			540		Masis /Hayk Atjemian/. “Additional Information about the Disaster of Salmast: the First Report on the Losses.” Haraj, no. 1277, 31 May 1930, p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1934	170-180			700		Աթան Ա., Հայ կեանքը [A. Atan, “The Armenians’ Life”], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 7, May 1934, p. 170 (“Once having an Armenian population of 700 to 800 houses, today it [Haftvan] is hardly composed of 170 to 180 families (a total of 700 people”). Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1939	151			593		Ալիքի 50 ամեակը. 1931-1981 [The 50th Anniversary of the Alik: 1931 to 1981] (Tehran, 1981), p. 124. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1957	60					Tghtakits, “A Brief Report,” p. 4. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1960	60					Bolatian, “Impressions,” Alik, no. 181, 24 August 1960, p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1964	42			140		Alik, no. 185, 24 August 1964, p. 3. The author of the article stated with deep regret that the Armenians of Haftvan kept leaving their native village for the city. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.
1969	23			87		Hayrapetian, “Salmast,” Alik, no. 211, 22 September 1969, p. 5 (the majority of the local inhabitants were already Iranian Turks). Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 172.