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Gezelja 31 Monuments

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

Location

The village site of Ghezelja is situated 11.3 km east of Salmast City, “in a low and swampy place on the right bank of the [River] Zola, not far from Akhtakhana,”1 in a plain lying at an average altitude of 1,312 metres.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 43.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 154.

Name Origin

The original name of the village has not come down to our days. References to its Turkish name Ghezelja go back to the 19th century: “It [Ghezelja] means gold, golden, like gold, allegedly emphasizing the prosperous conditions of this place. In fact, however, it is in no better state than the other villages: on the contrary, its conditions are even worse as compared to them.” Ghezelja also means reddish.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 43.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 154.

Historical Introduction

In the 19th century, Ghezelja was the easternmost Armenian village in Salmast, due to which, it suffered raids more frequently than the other places in the district. During one of the major Kurdish attacks, launched in the summer of 1910, a brave hayduk from Mahlam, Jibrael Vardanian (Jibo), and his fellow villagers “came to support Poghos Poloyan from Moush in his lonely struggle against the horde of Tambe-Jando to protect the property and honour of the Armenians of Ghezelja.”

Վազգէն, Մեր զոհերը. Ջիբօ (Ջիբրայիլ Վարդանեան) [Vazgen, “Our Losses: Jibo (Jibrael Vardanian)], «Դրօշակ» [Droshak], no. 1, January 1928, p. 24.

The inhabitants of Ghezelja were in grave economic conditions not only due to such invasions which were rather frequent but also because of the heavy taxes illegally imposed on them by the village owner: “Ghezelja used to belong to different aghas [masters] and shifted from the possession of one owner into that of another. Its last proprietor was Hajji Taghi, who did not treat his subjects the way his predecessors did: thus, instead of 14 ghrans 5 shahies paid formerly, he demanded 23 ghrans.” The situation intensified to such an extent that in 1913 the desperate peasants decided to convert to the Russian Orthodox faith: “Ghezelja Village of Salmast has 46 families 30 of which have submitted petitions for conversion, being no longer able to endure the pressure and violence exerted by their tyrant, Hajji Taghizate Hapip Agha.”

Պատրիկեան Վ., Մասսայական դաւանափոխութիւն [V. Patrikian, “Mass Conversion”], «Հորիզոն» [Horizon], no. 199, 6 September 1913, p. 3.
«Ասպարէզ» [Asparez], no. 273, 31 October 1913, p. 2. Also see Patrikian, ibid. The following excerpt from a press publication provides more details regarding the reasons for the Armenians’ apostasy: “A few days ago, several Armenian and Persian inhabitants of Ghezelja who owned some plots of land were arrested by the proprietor of the village, Habib Agha, for their reluctance to pay the additional wheat tithe (4 roubles 50 kopecks) that had been exacted from them when Hajji Taghi was alive. Infuriated at this, Habib Agha summoned them up and demanded that they should pay all their taxes. However, the peasants refused, after which he beat them, meanwhile also swearing at them, and imprisoned them. Some of the inhabitants of Ghezelja applied to Sedrak Avagian, a lawyer who sent a protesting telegram to the Russian consul of Khoy. In response, the consul telegraphed that the villagers should be set free, but while Sedrak Avagian was on his way to the prison to tell them about this, some people from Ghezelja reached Khosrova. The following day the millet bashi and an Orthodox archimandrite who was a converted Assyrian went to Ghezelja, put down the names of the potential Armenian converts, gave them a lot of promises, threatened the local Persians and left the village. “Twenty-five families were registered as ready to convert to Orthodoxy, although the list also included such people who had neither signed their consent nor entitled others to do so on their behalf. A lot of local men working in different cities of the Caucasus and Russia, their mothers and wives had been either persuaded or forced to agree to apostasy” (Ազգին, Ղըզըլջեցիների կրօնափոխութիւնը [Azgin, “The Conversion of Ghezelja Armenians”], «Հորիզոն» [Horizon], no. 216, 27 September 1913, p. 4).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 154.

The Armenian Prelate of Atrpatakan, Archimandrite Nerses Melik-Tangian, made some efforts to prevent this conversion. On 7 September 1913, he addressed a report to Catholicos Gevorg V, particularly writing the following: “By the time I went to Ghezelja Village of Salmast, 20 local families had already converted to the Russian Church, but I held a divine service there and almost succeeded in converting them back through preaching and kind words.” The Prelate also asked the ecclesiastical authorities to provide these Armenian converts with some financial assistance from the money bequeathed by Lalayan.
The village was plundered and entirely destroyed during World War I.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 57, list 2, file 1931, p. 31. A press material written on 4 November 1913 stated the following in this regard: “The local Turkish agent working for the Russians had received an order from the Russian Orthodox archimandrite of Urmia to demand 25 tumans from each of the 2 Armenian priests of Salmast for their simple request to remove the Armenian converts’ flag from the Armenian church of Ghezelja and return it to them. And because the agent, Mashadi Hasan Agha, went very far in his demand... even threatening to arrest the priests, the Deanery Council of Salmast reported about this to the Prelate, who, in his turn, informed the Russian ambassador in Tehran about all this” (Patrikian, “Current Life,” Horizon, no. 258, 15 November 1913, p. 4). Another record states the following: “Recently the Prelate, Archimandrite Melik Tangian, went to Ghezelja accompanied by the rural dean and another priest. He held some preaching there, after which some families repented their apostasy, apologised to him and returned to the bosom of their Church. ... Following the Council’s decision, the rural dean removed the flag that the converts had raised on the roof of Ghezelja’s Armenian church of St. Hovhan and suggested that they should hoist it on their own roofs. The converts started an argument with the rural dean: they say he had to pay a fine of 50 roubles for having removed the flag, but we do not know if this is true or not” (Azgin, “The Conversion of Ghezelja Armenians,” ibid.).
Hnchak, no. 3, August 1915, p. 19.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 154.

According to a report made late in March 1915, after the Turks’ withdrawal, an Armenian had been killed in Ghezelja during its Turkish occupation. The survivors were only some women and children constituting 10 families.

Haykazoun, “About the Massacres of Salmast,” Mshak, no. 73, 10 April 1915, p. 1. The killed Armenian was Stepan Ter-Mkhitarian (Avagiants, p. 23).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 154.

Population

It is difficult to determine when the history of the Armenian-inhabited village of Ghezelja started. The local church shares some features with other similar structures erected between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, this suggesting that it can be traced back to the same period. This fact shows that the village had an entirely Armenian population at least from these times “until the emigration of 1828.” Those Armenians who had stayed in the village soon had new neighbours, Iranian Turks who came to take possession of the houses left behind by the emigrants. They totaled 51 families in 1896, and about 90 in 1905.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 43.
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. 155.

The earthquake of 6 May 1930 destroyed the village which had 420 Turkish inhabitants (there were 3 casualties among them).

Tchalenko J., M. Berberian. “The Salmas (Iran) Earthquake of May 6th, 1930.” Annals of Geophysics. Vol. 27, nos. 1-2 (1974), p. 156.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

Economic Life

Before World War I, the lands in Ghezelja belonged to private owners (aghas) who received half of the harvest as a tribute.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 43.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.

Priests

Despite the comparatively small number of its Armenian population, Ghezelja almost always had a priest. The spiritual shepherds of the village were particularly mentioned in 1864, 1875 and 1896. In 1907 Priest Sargis Ter-Martirossian’s death was reported.

National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102.
Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110.
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, pp. 156, 159.

Outstanding Personalities

Ghezelja gave birth to Arzuman Avetissian (born in 1889), the founder of Avetis Avetissian Clinic. After having worked in Russia for some time, he returned to his native village and engaged in farming. Sharing the fate of his fellow compatriots, he was forced to abandon his birthplace during the emigration of December 1914 and took up residence in Tiflis. In 1930 Arzuman Avetissian returned to Iran, where he worked in different cities such as Pahlavi, Tabriz and Tehran (from 1933). In 1968 he started the construction of a clinic that was to be named after his late son Avetis (he had died in 1942). The opening of this medical establishment took place on 24 February 1970. Arzuman Avetissian passed away in Tehran on 23 August 1973 and was buried in the cemetery of Dulab.

Alik, no. 193, 30 August 1973, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 162.

Below follow the available data regarding the Armenians of Ghezelja:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1860	35	129	105	234		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. 155.
1864	35					National Archives of Armenia, fund 429, list 1, file 100, p. 102. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1875	39	121	103	224		Ararat, no. 3 (1876), p. 110. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1876	39					Meghu Hayastani, no. 47, 4 December 1876, p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1890	22				Apart from the Armenians, the village also had a Turkish population.	Գորոյեանց Ն., Պարսկաստանի հայերը [N. Goroyants, The Armenians of Persia] (Tehran, 1968), p. 182. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1893	35					Ughevor, “Salmast,” Armenia, no. 31, 3 January 1894, p. 1. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1895	41			251		Ararat, no. 2 (1896), p. 94. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1896	40	136	125	261	By the way, 59 of the locals were in other places for temporary work.	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. 155.
1905	47	139	123	262		G. Hovsepian’s Archives, folder 91, document 14, p. 11. From among the locals, 22 were in other places for temporary work. Also see Atayan, p. 43, and insert; 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. 155.
1912	50					Gouloyan, “Letters from Salmast,” Horizon, no. 147, 11 July 1912, p. 3. This is an approximate number. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1913	46					Patrikian, “Mass Conversion,” p. 3. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1914	60					The Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, vol. 3, p. 376. Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.
1927	1			2	The village was mostly populated by Iranian Turks who constituted 17 houses with 112 inhabitants.	Iranian, “Some Information,” p. 2. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 155.