SEARCH SYSTEM OF THE ARMENIAN HIGHLAND MONUMENTS

Khospia 1 Monuments

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

Location

The village is situated opposite Pokr (Smaller) Khospia, on the left bank of the river Parvana, 3 kilometres south of Akhalkalak, between 1,700 and 1,720 metres of altitude above sea level.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

Historical Introduction
1595 y․

In 1595 Khospia had a population of 16 houses (the list of the local house proprietors also includes Armenian names such as Sahak, Husik, etc.) and paid 5,490 akches to the State Treasury.

“გურჯისტანის ვილაიეთის დიდი დავთარი”, էջ 218: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

9 — 17 cc․

Part of the indigenous Armenian inhabitants of the village embraced the Greek faith in the 9th century. In the first half of the 17th century, these people were obliged to yield up to the violence exerted by Safar Pasha of Akhaltskha and convert to Islam, this being the only way for them to continue their existence in their native land.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

1704 — 1705 yy․

In the days of Village Head Mustafa, between 1704 and 1705, the tax paid by the local residents amounted to 30,990 akches.

“ჩილდირის ეიალეთის ჯაბა დავთარი 1694-1732 წწ.”, էջ 110: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

1873 y․

Khospia (also known as Metz, i.e. Greater, Khospia) was the residence of the Palavandovs’ family of landowners. In 1873 the village which occupied an area of 650 dessiatinas was in the possession of one of the representatives of this family, Mutibek-Zati.

«Մեղու Հայաստանի», 1873, N 6, էջ 3: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

Between 1899 and 1900, the agriculture of Metz Khospia suffered heavy harm inflicted by the cereal leaf and Hottentot beetles. The Ad Hoc Governmental Committee, established immediately after this disaster, ranked it among the second-class earthquake-stricken places, taking into account the damage caused by this natural calamity.

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

Population

During World War II, Metz and Pokr Khospia together sent 41 warriors to the battle-field: 14 of them did not return to their homes.

Դավթյան Ա., Ջավախք, Երևան, 1994, էջ 101: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 249.

1830 y․

In 1830 some Armenian and Greek resettlers took up living in Khospia.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 249.

1918 y․

Within a short time after the Muslim inhabitants of the village had moved to Turkey in 1918, its unoccupied houses were re-populated by Georgians and Greeks from Rekha Village, Treghk (Tzalka) District, Gugark Province, Armenia Major.

ბერძენიშვილი ნ., საქართველჳს ისტორის საკითხები II, 1964, էջ 55: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, pp. 249-250.

Earthquakes
1899 y․

In the aftermath of the earthquake which struck the region on 19 December 1899, Metz and Pokr Khospia, which had a total of 67 houses with 573 inhabitants, appeared in the list of the villages in bad need of immediate relief.

«Մշակ», 1901, N 40, էջ 1: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 249.

Etymology

The Georgian word ‘khospio’ is etymologised as a ‘gorge of lentil’ (ხევი ოსპისა).

Ростомов И., Ахалкалакский уезд в археологическом отношении.– Сборник Материалов для Описания Местностей и Племен Кавказа, вып. XXV, 1898, էջ 118: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 248.

Description
19 c․

A visitor of the late 19th century writes: “This village, which extends on the stream Taparvan, is divided in two quarters—Armenian and Turkish—which are connected by a wooden bridge. The former comprises 50 houses, and the latter 30 ones. The Turks are natives of this village, where the wealthy land-owning beys of the Palavandovs’ famous family live. The beys’ houses are built in European taste. The Armenian inhabitants of Khospia Village arrived here from Karin during the resettlement of 1829...”

Նոր-Դար», 1898, N 159, էջ 2: The landowners of the Palavandovs’ family illegally held possession over the territories lying north of Khospia and belonging to Akhalkalak («Մշակ», 1883, N 99, էջ 1). D. Palavandov, who died at a young age in Tiflis in 1903, was buried in his native village in the same year. His father made a number of donations in perpetuation of his son’s memory: “On that occasion, the late Palavandov’s father, Mamad Ali Bey Palavandov, made the following financial contributions: 50 roubles to Akhalkalak’s Armenian church; 25 roubles to the city’s Russian church; 10 roubles to the Jewish synagogue; 50 roubles for the poor pupils of the local school; 50 roubles for the Armenian parish schools of the city; 25 roubles to its Russian parish school; 32 roubles to the prisoners (a rouble to each of them), and 100 poods (an ancient Russian unit of weight equal to 16.38 kgs) of wheat to the penniless inhabitants of Akhalkalak. Besides, donations were also made to the mosque of Khospia Village and the local Armenian church. On the day of the burial, several hundred roubles were allocated to the Armenian and Turkish peasants who had gathered there. Mayor A. Grigorian and Archimandrite Mesrovb Maksudian, who provisionally worked as a preacher in Akhalkalak, personally went to extend their deepest gratitude to Mamad Ali Bey on behalf of the poor inhabitants of the city and the local Armenian church respectively. Archimandrite Mesrovb... addressed a speech of consolation to the grief-stricken parent in the literary vernacular of the Turks of Constantinople, and this made a deep impression upon the Turks present there. It is the second time M. Palavandov has made donations to Christian institutions, and we appreciate it highly. As a wealthy landowner and the relative of the Mufti of Tiflis, Mr. Palavandov enjoys a great influence not only on the Turks of our district, but also on their fellow Muslims living in Cheldr and partly in the district of Akhaltskha—they recognise him as their representative and even religious leader. This is the reason why this example of solidarity is of great educational significance to the entire local population, especially given the fact that Palavandov is held in high esteem by Armenians as well («Մշակ», 1903, N 75, էջ 3). Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, pp. 248-249.

Type Photo
View General
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Colour Negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Metz Khospia
Nerkin Khospia