SEARCH SYSTEM OF THE ARMENIAN HIGHLAND MONUMENTS

Ghalasar 36 Monuments

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

Location

The village site of Ghalasar is situated 6.7 km east of Salmast City, in a plain extending on the left bank of the River Zola, at an average altitude of 1,336 metres. At present it still preserves the semi-ruined church of St. Sargis and a cemetery extending around it, mainly to the west. As for houses and public buildings, they have been destroyed without any vestiges left, orchards and fields extending in their sites now.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 134.

Other Names

Since the 17th century, the village has been mentioned under the names of Ghalasar, Ghalesar, Ghala Hisar and Ghalayhisar (perhaps, the initial form was Kalasar): “The locals interpret the name of their village in the following way: ghala means a fortress, and hasar stands for ramparts, but we do not think this explanation is trustworthy, especially given the fact that the village is not enclosed within any walls. We think the name derives from the words ghala and sar, the latter meaning head as translated from Persian [italics added].”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 38.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 134.

Historical Introduction

The available records do not report any information regarding the establishment of the purely Armenian village which particularly prospered in the second half of the 17th century, when the local church of St. Sargis was an active scriptorium. Judging from the number of the preserved manuscripts, Ghalasar was the most prolific scriptorium in Salmast District, its name being mentioned in a number of manuscripts dating from 1655, 1659, 1661, 1668, 1673, 1676, 1678, 1682, 1701, and 1851 to 1852.

Colophons, 17th century, vol. 3, pp. 680, 864.
Also see Մայր ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անուան Մատենադարանի, հ. Ե, [Main List of the Armenian Manuscripts of M. Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts /Matenadaran/ (henceforward: Main List of the Armenian Manuscripts), vol. 5] (Yerevan, 2009), pp. 569-572, ms. 1586.
Ibid., vol. 3, compiled by O. Yeganian (Yerevan, 2007), p. 938.
Ցուցակ հայերէն ձեռագրաց Վասպուրականի [List of the Armenian Manuscripts of Vaspourakan], compiled by Yer. Lalayan (Tiflis, 1915), pp. 931-932, ms. 403.
«Բանբեր Մատենադարանի» [Banber Matenadarani (Herald of Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts)], no. 10 (1971), p. 402, ms. 66.
Ցուցակ ձեռագրաց Մաշտոցի անվան Մատենադարանի, հ. Բ, [List of the Armenian Manuscripts of Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts /Matenadaran/ (henceforward: List of the Armenian Manuscripts)], vol. 2 (Yerevan, 1970), p. 1098, ms. 10344.
Ibid., vol. 1 (Yerevan, 1965), pp. 1324-1325, ms. 4968.
Ibid., vol. 2, p. 366, ms. 6658.
Ibid., vol. 1, p. 422, ms. 838.
Ibid., vol. 2, p. 176, ms. 5748.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 134.

Apart from the second half of the 17th century, Ghalasar also thrived in the last quarter of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, when an Armenian school (before 1875), a library (at least before 1898) and a theatre (founded in 1900) started functioning there. Besides, a number of remarkable houses and public buildings, including a bath-house, were constructed in the village.
Although Ghalasar had quite a large number of Armenian population, it did not escape the raids of Kurdish bandits. On the night of 23 July 1894, some Kurds killed a local merchant, Smbat Arzumanian, while he was sleeping on the roof of his house: “That murder was a good opportunity for the avaricious government officials to squeeze a lot of money out of the wealthy Armenians of the village. A number of people were immediately arrested, including Alek Jalalian, Smbat’s relative. Indeed, the killed merchant’s brother Avetik paid a bribe of 200 tumans and released that innocent man. Now Ghalasar is in danger: the government keeps arresting guiltless people, making absolutely no efforts to find the actual killer.”

Patrik, “The Latest Events in Salmast,” p. 2. Also see Armenia, no. 9, 29 August 1894, p. 2; no. 23, 17 October 1894, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 134.

Ghalasar lived through harsh times in the late 19th century, particularly in the years following the massacres of Western Armenians organised by Sultan Abdul Hamid. It was in this village that the Armenian fighters gathered in 1897 to prepare for the operation of Khanasor. In July of the same year “two German missionaries, Hawyer and Fischer, came to Ghalasar, where they saw the armed hayduks. They started encouraging them and made special speeches in honour of the Armenians and their brave fighters.”

Ստեփանեան Յ., Նիկոլ-Դուման (Մահուան 15-ամեակի առթիւ) [H. Stepanian, “Nikol Duman” (on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of his death)], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 5, March 1930, p. 96.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 134.

Having taught a good lesson to the blood-thirsty Kurds during the aforementioned operation, carried out on 25 July 1897, the Armenian fidayis again came to Ghalasar: “Nikol Duman was in Ghalasar together with a large group of hayduks. The armed Persian forces laid siege to the village demanding their surrender. Duman and some of his comrades-in-arms hid themselves in Doctor Christapor Ohanian’s house and started negotiations with the sieging army. Nikol told the Persians abruptly that he was not going to yield up any arms or give away the hayduks, but the Persians should not engage in fighting against them. The local committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party had already announced that the Armenians’ struggle was not against the Persians; therefore, they had better escape any misunderstanding.
“The regular and irregular Persian forces that totaled several hundred (cavalry, infantry and policemen) did not dare to open fire on the Armenian fighters. Instead, they attempted to lay siege to Doctor Ohanian’s house, where Duman and some hayduks had found shelter. However, the doctor declared roughly that he was a Russian subject and the Persians had no right to disturb him: he was ready to apply to the Russian consul with a request to send troops to defend the subject of his country.
“Thanks to this tactics employed by Duman and the doctor, our fighters won time for the hayduks to gradually leave their hiding-places and move to the Caucasus.”

Ստեփանեան Յ., Նիկոլ-Դուման (Մահուան 15-ամեակի առթիւ) [H. Stepanian, “Nikol Duman” (on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of his death)], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 5, March 1930, pp. 98-99. Eventually, “the Persians retreated from Ghalasar and Nikol Duman was able to leave the village together with several of his comrades-in-arms. They moved to Urmia, where they went to an Armenian tailor to have some new clothes made for them. However, that very man gave them away although Duman and one of his companions, Sargis, succeeded in running away to Maragha by ship. Later they went to Tabriz via Dukharghan, but as it was not safe there, they moved to Gharabagh disguised, together with some valads” (ibid., p. 99).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 135.

On 19 July 1899, the people of Ghalasar were to go through another siege by government forces. The following quotation from Grigor Hasratian’s report of 24 July, addressed to the vicar of the Armenian Prelacy of Atrpatakan, Archimandrite Khachik Dadian, provides details about this incident: “On Tuesday morning, 3 hours before sunrise, our village was surrounded by about 700 troops, both infantry and cavalry, under the leadership of the local judge, Mamad Ali Khan, who was also the commander of the cavalry. The locals knew absolutely nothing about this. At first some of the soldiers attacked the threshing floors and robbed the watchmen of their bedding, mats, etc., while their horses freely moved all over the threshing-floors.... Suddenly the horsemen and soldiers started shooting at the village from different directions, but we did not know why. The locals had already realised that the village was encircled by government troops; that is why, no one opened fire in response to their shooting. In the meantime, the troops kept shooting and unfortunately killed one of the local inhabitants. [This incident took place in the following way.] Some of the soldiers and horsemen entered the cabins of three Armenian deportees from Aghbak, at the extremity of the village, to rob them. While they were seizing the clothes of an old woman, she started crying for help. On hearing her shouts, her neighbour Khacho, a native of Salmast, climbed the roof of his house to see what was going on in the street and was shot to death at once, leaving his 5 little children and widow all alone.
“At sunrise we, the merchants of the village, went to see the judge, Mamad Ali Khan Merpanj, and find out the reason for that raid. On seeing us, he started showering swear words on our faith, saying that he had come to carry out a search in the village. The locals who happened to come across his soldiers were being beaten and robbed with obscene words. Then the search started for the purpose of finding the “kachaghs” [namely, fidayis]. ...There were countless cases of house robbery: clothing, money, watches, tools, small items of everyday use, etc. were seized by the soldiers and cavalrymen. Search was also carried out in the church and school.... Failing to find any “kachaghs” in the village, they captured four carpenters and took them away from the village. They, however, were kept in custody for only a night, being set free on the order of the judge of Tabriz thanks to the intercession of the Prelate.”

National Archives of Armenia, fund 319, list 1, file 164, pp. 57-58. Another record dating from 20 July of the same year states the following about this raid: “Learning from some officials that 40 Armenian “kachaghs” had come from Ottoman Turkey on horseback, the newly-elected governor of Atrpatakan, Nizami Saltana, ordered to immediately find and imprison them. So, on the 20th of this month, about 800 soldiers of infantry and cavalry sieged the village of Ghalasar and started a useless search there. It was accompanied with shooting during which a villager was killed, and another was heavily injured. Several houses were plundered and 4 people who were guests in the village were arrested and taken to Diliman.” Later these people were set free through the intercession of the Prelate of Atrpatakan, Bishop Sahak Ayvatian. As for the report about the Armenian “kachaghs,” Merat youl-Memalik was sent to Salmast to carry out investigation regarding it (Armenia, no. 12, 9 September 1899, p. 1). According to another author, the attack against Ghalasar took place on 18 July 1899, and the village was encircled by 200 soldiers of infantry and 100 of cavalry (Man. Armen, “Letters from Persian Armenia,” Armenia, no. 29, 8 November 1899, p. 1). A letter dated 27 September (9 October) 1899 said: “In order to prevent further losses, at Priest G. Otian’s suggestion, the inhabitants of Ghalasar convened a meeting and decided to prepare a petition to the Prelate, Bishop Ayvatian, with a request to hurry to Salmast and rescue his suffering flock.” Truly, the search came to an end only after the bishop’s intercession (ibid., p. 2).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 135.

In 1905 a requiem mass was held in Ghalasar for the late Christapor Michaelian, a prominent public and political figure and one of the co-founders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party: “Early in the morning, a large multitude of people started gathering in Ghalasar from different Armenian villages to attend the requiem mass. Salmast had never seen such a large crowd of men and women.”

Droshak, no. 6, June 1905, p. 92.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 135.

Ghalasar was devastated during the Turkish invasion of December 1914: “On the 23rd of December, I left Ghalasar for Khoy.... That village, known as one of the most prosperous ones in Salmast, with a population of more than 200 families, had been reduced to a heap of ruins: the houses were burning, while the Persians and others ... had overcrowded the place, busy with plunder.”

Սասունի Արմենակ, Ատրպատականի հայերի գաղթը [Armenak Sasuny, “The Emigration of the Armenians of Atrpatakan”], «Հորիզոն» [Horizon], no. 8, 12 January 1915, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 135.

Ghalasar also suffered harsh times early in 1915. The following excerpt from Taguhi Hovhannissian Vardanian’s* memoirs provides details about the horrific events that took place in the village (Taguhi was 38 at that time): “On 5 January 1915, the Russians withdrawing from Bashkale and the Armenian volunteers urged us to join them as otherwise we would be slaughtered by the Turks chasing them. We did not even have time for taking any food for the way and left everything we had in the village which was plundered after our departure. From every family, one, two or more members stayed in the village; 18 beautiful girls and women were kidnapped and raped; nothing is known about the fate of more than 9 men, women and children. When some of our fellow villagers returned to Ghalasar later in the spring of 1915, they found a bloodstained saw on the edge of a well inside which they saw 7 corpses, 4 of men and 3 of women. The saw had been used to cut off their heads, 6 of them lying next to their bodies, and the 7th one missing. The entire field was covered with dead bodies, and bones were scattered all along the road—the remains of the slaughtered inhabitants of Ghalasar and the neighbouring villages. During the emigration, a lot of people died of cold and hunger. I have seen tens of women lying dead on the roads, cold-stricken, with their lifeless babies in their arms. The entire area of the hostilities on the other side of the Araz [Arax], namely Atrpatakan, was emptied of its Armenian inhabitants, those who stayed there being either mercilessly slaughtered or taken captive. Last year a considerable number of people returned to the province. As for the exact number of those killed or alive, it remains obscure. The surviving members of families are scattered here and there, without knowing where their fellow villagers are. People do not even know if their relatives are alive or dead, or where they are now, if living. We are a family of 7, and only one of us works. My brother has gone to Bashkala, the place where my father was killed.”
Another eye-witness of these horrific events, 40-year-old Taguhi Svajian from Ghalasar, recalls the following (she later took up residence in Gharakhanbeklu Village, Old Nakhijevan): “On 24 December 1914, when the Russians returned from the places around Bashkala, Samson told the people of our village about Andranik’s order to retreat together with them [the Armenian volunteers] to escape pogroms. Leaving our cattle, sheep, house utensils and all our fortune in the village, we set out. The road was covered with snow and mud which was so unbearable that many people, especially the children and women who had just given birth, just died there. Six of the people who had stayed in the village, deacon Manuk Ter-Hovnanian, Margar Hasratian (a merchant), Badal Gozalian, Khacho and two women, were killed. Their bodies were thrown into wells, being taken out only some 10 or 12 days after our emigration. The Turks living in the neighbourhood of our village stole away all our movable property.”

The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, vol. 3, pp. 378-379.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 135-136.

Early in March 1915, an eye-witness described the situation in Ghalasar as follows: “Six people have been murdered by killers from the adjacent village of Baghshigyul. Several houses have been burnt, the beehives and firewood have been stolen, etc.”

Սամ., Քանդուած Սալմաստը [Sam., “Salmast in Ruins”], «Արեգ» [Areg], no. 3, 26 March 1915, p. 4.
Also see Haykazoun, “About the Massacres of Salmast,” p. 1 (according to this article, only a woman survived the carnage).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

In August 1915 Ghalasar was described as totally “devastated.”

Hnchak, no. 3, August 1915, p. 19.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

In 1916 some of the former inhabitants of the village started returning, while the rest were still scattered in the cities of New Nakhijevan and Yekaterinodar, Russia.

The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, vol. 3, p. 379.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

In 1916 Tatianian Committee opened a leather-processing factory, a forge and workshops of carpentry and handiwork in Ghalasar for the Armenian refugees.
On 19 November 1916, M. Papajanian, a deputy of the State Duma of Russia, visited Ghalasar to inquire into the problems facing the village.

Ayg, no. 3, 15 January 1917, p. 4.
Ibid., no. 75, 4 December 1916, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

By the way, in 1916 there were also some Assyrian deportees in the village.

Ayg, no. 75, 4 December 1916, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

In July 1918 the first military company of Vaspourakan Armenians entered Ghalasar to find the village destroyed and completely abandoned (on the order of their commander Garegin Hatsagortzian, the soldiers were accommodated in the local school house).

Տ. Մեսրոպեան Յարութիւն քհն., Կեանքի յուշեր, հ. Ա [Priest Harutiun Ter-Mesropian, Memoirs, vol. 1] (Tehran, 1949), pp. 110, 120-121.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

In the 1920s Ghalasar partly recovered from this devastation only to be ruined again by the earthquake of 6 May 1930, which took away the lives of 2 children, also killing 39 head of cattle.

Masis, “Additional Information about the Disaster of Salmast,” p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

Population

In the autumn of 1904 and in the winter of 1905, Ghalasar kept struggling against an epidemic of cholera which took away 4 lives.

Mkrtchiants, “Cholera in Salmast,” p. 226.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

Construction Activity

The beautifully-built and properly-arranged buildings of Ghalasar made it the most remarkable village in Salmast. Having commercial ties with Russia, a considerable number of the locals often visited Tiflis and other cities to purchase various goods, their income enabling them to build comfortable houses in their village. In this way, before World War I, Ghalasar became one of the most developed villages in the district, as far as construction activities were concerned. This is also confirmed by different visitors one of whom writes: “This is a small village entirely inhabited by Armenians, the cleanest and most beautiful one in Salmast, ranking first among the local villages not thanks to its position, but thanks to its houses, streets and prosperous conditions.”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 37.
Another record (1903) describes Ghalasar as follows: “It is a pleasant and nice village with comparatively better streets and fine-looking houses which are enclosed within walls and have beautiful gardens. In a word, it is the neatest and most beautiful village in Salmast” (Ֆրանգեան Ե., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Yer. Frangian, “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 177, 16 August 1903, p. 3).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.

Another visitor who travelled to Ghalasar in 1908 writes: “[One of the streets] was broad, looking like a square. The two quarters of the village were separated by a stream, Arghav’s Channel, which was edged with willows on both sides. The houses, some of them two-floor, were beautifully-built, had high walls of red brick and were adjoined by orchards and woods with some poplars. There were gardens and fruit-trees in the yards.... Big carts of two wheels could be seen in front of some houses. The people had draught oxen, milch buffalos and cows. It was evident that they were thriving and self-sufficient.”
World War I came to put an end to this prosperity. Some of the former inhabitants of Ghalasar returned to the village more than a decade later, but they were not able to at least partly revive its former image and welfare although they even reopened the local school which had been completely destroyed. The following excerpt describes the state of Ghalasar as follows: “Just like Payajouk, this village that was once dipped in lush vegetation and trees, boasting delicious springs, has not overcome the grave consequences of the devastation caused by the war of [19]14 to [19]18.”

A. A., “With the Eagles,” Alik, no. 180, 13 August 1950, p. 2.
Kosoyan, “In Salmast and Derik,” Alik, no. 201, 12 September 1964, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 137.

Economic Life

Before World War I, the lands in Ghalasar were state-owned, being irrigated by two small springs and the canal of Harzav, which flowed through the village.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 38-39.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 137.

As already mentioned above, “almost all the Armenians of Kalasar are engaged in trade which is almost thoroughly conducted with Russia.”

V. G. G., “The Work of the Gospel in Salmast,” Avetaber, no. 1, 6 January 1880, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 137.

Apparently, the few Armenians who returned to the village after the war had been emptied of most of their lands. In some cases, they had to apply to court to regain them by law (in 1957, for instance, “the national bodies of authority launched legal proceedings against the confiscation” of 5 plots of land).

Tghtakits, “A Brief Report on the Armenian Community of Salmast,” p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 137.

Priests

In 1864, 1875 and 1896 Ghalasar was mentioned as having a parish priest.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102.
Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110.
Palouny, “Statistical Data,” p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 152.

Outstanding Personalities

In 1891 reference was made to Grigor Hasratian Janazizian.

Hakobian, “A Letter from Persia,” p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 152.

Sargis Sarukhanian was born in 1875 and received education at the school of his birthplace. He participated in the hayduks’ fightings on the Persian-Turkish border and in the operation of Khanasor (27 July 1895). Between the 1890s and 1900s, “Sargis selflessly participated in the revolutionary movement, serving as a soldier, bodyguard, depot head, messenger, etc. After the war, when the Armenians of Salmast moved to the Caucasus and other places due to certain political circumstances, Sargis took up residence in Tabriz.” In 1908 he accompanied the hayduks to Khantakht together with his friend, Soghomon Abrahamian from Akhtakhana. In the autumn of 1929, Sargis moved to Hamadan, where he fell victim to a car accident on 18 May 1930.
The monastery of Sourb Tadevos Arakyal (St. Thaddeus the Apostle) preserves an inscription which was left by Sargis in 1905:

[Սա]րգիս | Սարուխանեանց | սալմաստեցի, | հոկ(տեմբերի) 20, 1905:
Transl.: Sargis Sarukhaniants from Salmast. 20 October 1905.
Published in: Hakhnazarian, A. Three Monasteries of Artaz. Yerevan, 2012, p. 165.

A. A., “With the Eagles,” Alik, no. 180, 13 August 1950, p. 2.
Մասիս, Սարգիս Սարուխանեան [Masis, “Sargis Sarukhanian”], «Յառաջ» [Haraj], no. 1279, 3 June 1930, pp. 2-3. For Sargis Sarukhanian’s memoirs, see Hayrenik, no. 1, January-February 1945, pp. 87-97; no. 2, March-April 1945, pp. 91-100; no. 3, May-June 1945, pp. 101-109; no. 4, July-August 1945, pp. 90-98, and no. 5, September-October 1945, pp. 84-92.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 152.

Miriman Arzumanian, born in 1891, was a famous merchant. He received education first at the school of his native village and then at the State Gymnasium of Tiflis. Later he was actively involved in trade, becoming one of the key figures in organising the commercial relations between Russia and Persia. Arzumanian Commercial House suffered losses due to the 1917 revolution in Russia, but Miriman was able to overcome his grave situation thanks to his brothers’ support. In 1930 he took up permanent residence in Hamburg, Germany, where he opened another commercial company. M. Arzumanian died in this city on 19 September 1953.

Alik, no. 240, 1 November 1953, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 152.

Sahak Sarukhanian (nicknamed Sev Sahak) was born in 1888 and received education at the mixed-sex parish school of his native village. After leaving school, he devoted himself to the national liberation movement: “For a long time, he was the leader of the local group of hayduks, also holding membership of the Sub-Committee, due to which, he often went from one village to another.... He did not have rest even at nights and could be seen in several villages during the same night ...for this reason, the locals and his friends had nicknamed him Gisherva Sahak [Sahak of Nights] or Sev Sahak [Black Sahak] because of the dark colour of his skin. Sahak participated in the 1908 revolutionary movements in Persia.... Besides, he always participated in the fightings against the Kurds who often attacked the Armenian and Turkish villages of Salmast for robbery. ...after 1914 the Kurdish raids acquired a larger scale and Sahak never laid down arms, also participating in the 1918 self-defence of Salmast and Urmi.” In 1919 Sahak Sarukhanian moved to Tabriz, where he started working as a correspondent for the newspaper Minaret. He published a series of articles entitled “School Life in Salmast,” but “noticing the anti-democratic nature of the paper, he immediately terminated his collaboration with it. In 1921, when the Persian authorities demanded that some volunteers from among the Armenians of Atrpatakan should help them take back Salmast and Somayi from Simko, Sahak became the leader of a group of 10 fighters. Two years later, when the Persian authorities had already liberated Salmast and Somayi, he returned to his native village, which had been reduced to ashes, with a group of Salmast Armenians. ... on 3 September 1928, Sahak Sarukhanian fell ill and died on the 17th of the same month [italics added].”

Սարեան /Վահան Սարուխանյան/, Սեւ Սահակ (Սահակ Սարուխանեան) [Sarian /Vahan Sarukhanian/, “Sev Sahak (Sahak Sarukhanian)”], «Դրօշակ» [Droshak], nos. 9-10, September-October 1932, pp. 217-218.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 152.

Amatuny Arzumanian, a national, educational and public figure, was born in 1905 and received primary education at the school of his birthplace. In 1915 his family moved to Tiflis, Georgia, and he continued his education at Nersissian School. In 1921 Amatuny returned to Tabriz and started attending the Central Eparchial School of Atrpatakan, where he studied until 1925. Later he taught at the school of Payajouk for two years. In 1930 Amatuny Arzumanian was the supervisor of the school of Rasht. In 1931 he moved to Ghazvin, where he first worked as a teacher for 2 years and then held the position of a supervisor until the schools closed down. During World War II, Amatuny Arzumanian took up residence in Tehran, where he opened a printing-office. He was also elected as a trustee of Kushesh-Davtian School and acquired membership of Tehran’s Eparchial Council. From 1955 until 1957, Amatuny Arzumanian held the supervisor’s position in Tehran’s Rostom School. From 1957 until his death, he held the same position in Mariamian Female School. Amatuny Arzumanian died on 15 July 1971 and was buried in the cemetery of Dulab on the 18th.

Օհանեան Հ., Ամատունի Արզումանեան [H. Ohanian, “Amatuny Arzumanian”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 191, 26 August 1971, pp. 2, 7.
Also see Պատմութիւն Ատրպատականի Հայոց-Թեմական Կենտրոնական դպրոցի. 1909-1936 [History of the Armenian Central Eparchial School of Atrpatakan: 1909 to 1936] (Tehran, 1981), pp. 228-229.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 152-153.

Vahan Sarukhanian, a teacher and a correspondent for the newspapers Haraj and Husaber (pen-name: Sarian), was born on 2 October 1905. At the age of 7, he started attending the school of his birthplace, but his studies were left unfinished due to the outbreak of World War I. Vahan’s family emigrated first to Hamadan, then to Ghazvin and Tabriz, where he first went to a school for refugees and later continued his education at Haykazian-Tamarian School of Lilava and the Central Eparchial School of Atrpatakan. While studying in Tabriz, Vahan became one of the co-founders of the Patriotic Union of Salmast Pupils and managed it for some time. In 1927 he completed his school course and started working as a teacher in Mahlam Village. Vahan Sarukhanian and his sister fell victim to the earthquake of 6 May 1930 (they were in Mahlam at that time). Vahan’s body was taken out of the ruins of his house only on 11 May: “I took out Vahan’s body with the help of a group of people and four Armenian soldiers.”
Vahan Sarukhanian is the author of numerous stories and comedies. He also collected folk songs and published articles on the national and public life of Salmast.
Vahan Sarukhanian “was selflessly devoted to his work. A modest man by nature and an agreeable person, he enjoyed everyone’s liking.”

Զարեան Մ., Վահան Սարուխանեան [M. Zarian, “Vahan Sarukhanian”], «Դրօշակ» [Droshak], nos. 9-10, September-October 1932, pp. 218-219.
Քիրս, Առաջին պաշտօնական տեղեկագիրը Սալմաստի երկրաշարժի մասին [Kirs, “The First Official Report on the Earthquake of Salmast”], «Յառաջ» [Haraj], no. 1270, 23 May 1930, p. 1.
Հ. Ա., Վահան Սարուխանեան [H. A., “Vahan Sarukhanian”], «Յառաջ» [Haraj], no. 1270, 23 May 1930, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 153.

Author Google Earth
Date 2015 y․

The village site from space

Until the 1930s, Ghalasar was always entirely inhabited by Armenians, ranking among the average-size villages in Salmast District as far as its population was concerned. This is also evident from the following table:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1860	21	93	62	155		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. 136.
1864	30					National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1875	38	165	115	280		Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1890	30					Գորոյեանց Ն., Պարսկաստանի հայերը [N. Goroyants, The Armenians of Persia] (Tehran, 1968), p. 181. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1894	54					Ուրագ., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Urag., “A Letter from Persia”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 61, 9 April 1894, p. 3. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1895	62	185	252	418	By the way, 79 of the locals had migrated for work.	Ararat, no. 2 (1896), p. 94. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1896	59	227	212	439		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. 136.
1905	121	353	331	684		Materials for the History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party, vol. 4, p. 267 (in the same year, the village had 100 migrant workers). Also see G. Hovsepian’s Archives, folder 91, doc. 14, p. 12; Atayan, p. 38. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1914	200					The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, vol. 3, p. 376. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1927	13			79		Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 37. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.
1930	17			79		A. A., “With the Eagles,” Alik, no. 180, p. 2. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 136.