Voskepar :: ARMENIAN LOCATIONS

119 Monuments

RA (Republic of Armenia) (Country) / Tavush (Marz (Region)) / Noyemberian (District) / Voskepar (Village)

Location

Voskepar Village is situated on the left edge of the highway of Ijevan-Noyemberian, almost adjacent to the present-day Armeno-Azerbaijanian borderline, on the slope of a north-facing gorge stretching on the right bank of the stream Voskepar, 22 km north-west of Ijevan, the centre of Tavush Region, Republic of Armenia, in a straight line (32 km along the highway), at an altitude of 740 to 920 metres above sea level: “...built on a steep mountain slope with a rivulet flowing in front of it...”

Քաջիկեան, Ճանապարհորդական յիշատակարան, «Արձագանք», 1888, 3 ապրիլի, N 12, էջ 159: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 1.

Population

The vestiges of the old village sites preserved in the vicinity of Voskepar show that the ancestors of its present-day inhabitants changed their place of living for at least three times under different circumstances, every time resettling comparatively close to their former place of residence. In the Early Middle Ages, Voskepar lay in the neighbourhood of a 7th-century church, which is still preserved standing. In the Middle Ages, namely from the 12th to 13th until the early 19th centuries, it was located right opposite the present-day village, on the south-facing (left) slope of the gorge, after which part of its inhabitants again changed their place of living and came closer to the aforementioned church. Their last resettlement took place in the 1860s due to the insalubrity of the air, as written in the contemporary records: “...from the village site which is within a verst of this one. The reason for the resettlement was the former’s unhealthy air...”

Քաջիկեան, Ճանապարհորդական յիշատակարան, «Արձագանք», 1888, 3 ապրիլի, N 12, էջ 159: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 3.

It should be noted that even the present-day situation of Voskepar was described as not very salubrious in summer-time particularly because of its “...air and climate, which are not so very favourable.”

Բարխուտարեանց Մ., Արցախ, Բագու, 1895, էջ 381: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.

The available statistical records relating to the 19th to 20th centuries show that Voskepar, which was purely inhabited by native Armenians, ranked between the largest and smallest places of the district in terms of populousness:

Բարխուտարեանց Մ., Արցախ, Բագու, 1895, էջ 381: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.

At present the village has 1,050 inhabitants.

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.

Name Origin

It remains obscure when the name of the village came into being; nor do there exist any medieval records bearing reference to it. Despite this, however, it is beyond doubt that its present-day name, which symbolizes fertility and affluence, dates back to the depth of many centuries, and even perhaps, millennia. The Armenian Highland has a number of other places the names of which contain the root ‘voski,’ the Armenian equivalent of ‘gold’: Voskebak in Van-Tosp District; Voskevaz and Voskehat in today’s Aragatzotn Region; Voskevan in Tavush Region, not far from Voskepar, etc.

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 3.

Monuments

Voskepar is truly very rich in a wide variety of centuries-old monuments of material culture. Putting aside its archaeological heritage (it can surely be unclosed in the course of excavations and studies, the results of which are expected to be published in future works), we are presenting below all those monuments which are attributed to the period between the Early Middle Ages and the beginning of the 20th century.

Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the north
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2013 y․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Ashot Hakobian
Source Colour Negative
Date 2013 y․

A view of the valley of the river Voskepar

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 2012 y․

The castle of Gavarzin

The available statistical records show the following pictures:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1844		104	76	180		ՀԱԴ, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3809, թ. 73-74: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1886				229		ՀԱԴ, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3878, թ. 19: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1888		151	105	256		ՀԱԴ, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3882, թ. 134-135: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1889		159	109	268		ՀԱԴ, ֆ. 53, ց. 1, գ. 3882, թ. 132: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1891	35	172	121	293		Բարխուտարեանց Մ., Արցախ, Բագու, 1895, էջ 381: Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1908				606		Кавказский календарь на 1910 г., Тифлис, 1909, с. 176. Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.
1914				725		Кавказский календарь на 1915 г., Тифлис, 1914, с. 85. Karapetian Samvel, The Historical Monuments of Voskepar, Yerevan, 2013, p. 4.