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Murjakhet 13 Monuments

Georgia (Country) / Javakhk (District) / Akhalkalak (District) / Murjakhet (Village)

Location

The village lies on the left bank of the tributary Karasnakn, 4 kilometres south of Akhalkalak in a straight line, at an altitude of 1,740 metres above sea level.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

Historical Introduction
1595 y․

The well-known Turkish tax list of 1595 makes mention of three villages bearing the name of Murjakhet: Metz (Greater) Murjakhet located right of the tributary Karasnakn, Mijin (Middle) Murjakhet and Pokr (Smaller) Murjakhet situated left of the same stream (while translating the text from Ottoman Turkish, the Georgian translator of the Great Register of Gyurjistan Vilayet (გურჯისტანის ვილაიეთის დიდი დავთარი) failed to read the toponym of Metz Murjakhet, like a number of other village names).1

ბერძენიშვილი ნ., idem, p. 59. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

Present-day Murjakhet is identical to Mijin Murjakhet, which paid 3,000 akches to the State Treasury, as attested by the aforementioned Register. The tax levied on Pokr Murjakhet amounted to 2,000 akches.3 This village is mentioned as comprising 6 houses, its inhabitants including Sargis’s son Hanes, his brother Jihanshah and others.

”გურჯისტანის ვილაიეთის დიდი დავთარი”, էջ 236: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

1899 — 1900 yy․

Between 1899 and 1900, the cereal leaf and Hottentot beetles inflicted grave damage on the agriculture of Murjakhet. The Ad Hoc Governmental Committee, set up after this natural disaster, ranked it among the most severely-struck villages, taking into account the losses it had suffered5—particularly 3 of the local houses (with 12 residents) were in bad need of urgent help.

Սալլիւմեան, Անբերրիութիւնը Ախալքալաքի գաւառում եւ նրա հետեւանքները, «Մուրճ», 1901, N 6, էջ 248-249: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

1901 y․

In 1901 Murjakhet was included in the list of the poverty-ridden villages of Javakhk.

«Մշակ», 1901, N 40, էջ 2: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

The village participated in World War II with 47 of its inhabitants, 18 of whom lost their lives on the battle-field.

Դավթյան Ա., Ջավախք, Երևան, 1994, էջ 102: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

Population
1829 — 1918 yy․

From the standpoint of populousness, Murjakhet is one of the small villages in Javakhk. Its present-day residents descend from those Armenian resettlers who moved from Ardahan District in 1829. In 1918 a number of Armenian refugees from Kars came to add to the number of their compatriots living in Murjakhet. During the initial period of their resettlement in the village, the Western Armenians still retained a deplorable feature they had “inherited” from the times of Turkish dominion— the use of the Turkish language. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that their mother tongue was gradually taking root in their midst: “The Armenians of Murjakhet speak Turkish, [although] the elderly people sometimes also use the Armenian language. They are absolutely alienated from the Armenian [Apostolic] Church...”

«Նոր-Դար», 1895, N 108, էջ 3: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

1860 y․

At the time of the Armenians’ resettlement in Murjakhet, the village had a small number of Turkish and Georgian residents. In the late 1860s, it had 21 houses, including 11 Muslim families (38 males and 34 females); 5 houses with Georgian residents (20 males and 18 females), and another 5 belonging to the Armenians (31 males and 33 females).

Сборник материалов для описания Тифлисской губернии, т. 1, вып. 1, Тифлис, 1870, стр. 27. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

By 1895 the Armenians had already reached numerical superiority in the village where they constituted 9 houses. At the same time, the local population also included 7 Georgian and 5 Turkish houses.

«Նոր-Դար», 1895, N 108, էջ 3: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

1918 y․

In 1918 the Muslims left Murjakhet altogether. As for their Georgian neighbours, only several of their families remained in the village as of the early 2000s. It is interesting to note that between 1845 and 1847, most of the Armenians of the village moved elsewhere—a fact which probably explains why the archive documents of the subsequent years mention Murjakhet as having no functioning Armenian church.

ბერძენიშვილი ნ., საქართველჳს ისტორის საკითხები იი, 1964, էջ 58: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, pp. 404-405.

1989 y․

In 1989 the Georgian authorities intended to build houses for Ajar resettlers in Murjakhet, but they met with resistance on the part of the Village Council of Vachian (Murjakhet was within its jurisdiction) and were obliged to leave their plans unfulfilled.

მაისურაძე კ., ჯავახეთში ქართული სკოლები იხურდება, “Georgian Times”, N 24, 17-24.06.2004. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.

2004 y․

In 2004 Murjakhet had a population of 77 houses, including only 20 Georgian ones (the others were inhabited by Armenians).

მაისურაძე კ., ჯავახეთში ქართული სკოლები იხურდება, “Georgian Times”, N 24, 17-24.06.2004. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.

Description
19 c․

A visitor who saw the village in the late 19th century writes the following about it: “The houses are built of stone and have earthen roofs... the streets are narrow and extremely filthy...”

«Նոր-Դար», 1895, N 108, էջ 3: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 404.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Metz (Greater) Murjakhet
Mijin (Middle) Murjakhet
Pokr (Smaller) Murjakhet

The available statistical records relating to the population of Murjakhet during the 19th and 20th centuries represent the following picture:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1838		45	47	92		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 1361, թ. 6-7: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1840		40	33	73		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3800, թ. 4: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1841		41	33	74		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3802, թ. 64-65: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1842		49	40	89		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3805, թ. 77-78: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1844		56	45	101		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3809, թ. 14-15: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1845		60	52	112		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3811, թ. 70-71: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1847		18	11	29		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3814, թ. 33-34: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1849		19	11	30		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3818, թ. 39-40: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1857		20	18	38		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3830, թ. 52-53: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1861		22	17	39		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3836, թ. 22-23: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1862		22	17	39		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3843, թ. 21-22: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1863		22	17	39		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3846, թ. 8-9: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1864		22	17	39		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3848, թ. 11-14: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1865		22	17	39		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3848, թ. 74: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1866	5	18	19	37		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3851, թ. 21-22: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1867		18	19	37		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3853, թ. 27: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1868		18	19	37		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3856, թ. 10: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1869		18	19	37		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3857, թ. 19-20: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1870		18	19	37		«Մեղու Հայաստանի», 1875, N 44, էջ 2: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1875	4					Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3869, թ. 30-31: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1877		37	31	68		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3872, թ. 89-90: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1880		31	29	60		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3873, թ. 98-99: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1881		34	31	65		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3874, թ. 42-43: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1882		34	31	65		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3875, թ. 47-48: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1883		35	36	71		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3877, թ. 10: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1885	6					Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3880, թ. 39-40: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1887		35	31	66		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3884, թ. 64-65: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1889		36	38	74		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3895, թ. 41-42: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1893		34	36	70		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 22, ց. 1, գ. 298, թ. 21-22: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1894		35	37	72		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 22, ց. 1, գ. 3903, թ. 93-94: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1899		42	46	88		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 22, ց. 1, գ. 3905, թ. 55: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1900		46	42	88		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 22, ց. 1, գ. 3906, թ. 67: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1901		47	43	90		«Արարատ», 1903, էջ 436: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1903	8			98		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3915, թ. 20: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1906		53	50	103		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 35, ց. 1, գ. 559, թ. 42: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1908	8	57	57	114		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3917, թ. 134-135: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1910		62	57	119		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3920, թ. 18-19: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1912		66	62	128		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 56, ց. 6, գ. 1020, թ. 173-174: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1914				151		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 469, ց. 3, գ. 2, թ. 1-4: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1918	12	95	86	181		Հայաստանի ազգային դիվան (National Archives of Armenia), ֆ. 355, ց. 1, գ. 895, թ. 1: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1921		30	25	55		Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան, հ. 8, Երևան, 1982, էջ 100: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1980	72			400		As confirmed by the Village Council. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.
1987	96			366		მაისურაძე კ., ჯავახეთში ქართული სკოლები იხურდება, “Georgian Times”, N 24, 17-24.06.2004. Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 405.