The Older Church Church :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

The Older Church Church 11 c․

Georgia / Javakhk / Akhalkalak / Bavra

Historical Introduction
19 c․

The Armenian Catholics who took up living in the devastated village site of Bavra between 1829 and 1830 were in a grave financial predicament so that they could not afford to erect a new church. This is the reason why they embarked upon the renovation of a ruined one preserved there, and repaired its roof with wood. Most probably, this church, which dates from the 11th century, originally belonged to the Byzantine faith. It served the Armenians of Bavra until 1887, when they were finally able to erect a new, larger sanctuary for their spiritual needs.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 96.

Architectural Description

This monument, which is preserved standing, represents a uni-nave vaulted structure entirely built of finely-dressed stone. In the south, it is adjoined by another church of a similar composition, which is more like a hall-church. The exterior dimensions of both these monuments together are as follows: 8 x 7.9 metres.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 96.

Inscription, Georgian Mesropian, Engraved, Commemoration

Engraved below a window opening from the eastern facade of the church:
ქ(რისტ)ე, ა(დი)დე ს(ო)ფრ(ო)ნ. Transl.: Christ, may You glorify Sopron.

Published in: Brosset M., Mélanges asiatiques. t. II, 2e et 3e1, St. Pétersburg, 1854, էջ 343. Ростомов И., Ахалкалакский уезд в археологическом отношении.– Сборник Материалов для Описания Местностей и Племен Кавказа, вып. XXV, 1898, էջ 39: Джанашвили М., СМОМПК, XVI, էջ 102: Такайшвили Е., Археологическая экспедиция 1971-го года в южные провинции Грузии, Тбилиси, 1952, էջ 29: ცისკარიშვილი ვ., idem, p. 121: “ჯავახეთი. ისტორიულ-ხროთმოძღვრული გზამკვლევი”, էջ 55: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 97. Note: M. Brosset published the inscription without any signs of contraction. V. Tsiskarishvili traces it back to the 10th to 11th centuries, taking into account its stylistic peculiarities.

Type Copied Lapidary Inscription
View `
Source Graphical Drawing

Type Photo
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Type Copied Lapidary Inscription
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Graphical Drawing

Inscription, Georgian Mesropian, Engraved, Construction

Carved on the western wall of the church:
†. სახ[ელითა] ღმრთისაითა ა(ე)გო ესე ეკლესია წ(მიდა)ჲ ს(ო)ფ(რო)ნის ქონქოლ(ა)ს ძ(ი)ს(ა)თა. Transl.: In the name of God, this holy church was built by Sopron Konkolas’s son (Konkolasdze).

Published in: Brosset M., Mélanges asiatiques. t. II, 2e et 3e1, St. Pétersburg, 1854, էջ 343. Ростомов И., Ахалкалакский уезд в археологическом отношении.– Сборник Материалов для Описания Местностей и Племен Кавказа, вып. XXV, 1898, էջ 38: Такайшвили Е., Археологическая экспедиция 1971-го года в южные провинции Грузии, Тбилиси, 1952, էջ 29։ ცისკარიშვილი ვ., idem, p. 122: ბერძენიშვილი ნ., idem, p. 107: სილოგავა ვ., სამცხე-ჯავახეთის ისტორიული მუზეუმის ქართული ეპიგრაფიკული ძეგლები, էջ 46, 118, 134: “ჯავახეთი. ისტორიულ-ხროთმოძღვრული გზამკვლევი”, էջ 55: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 97. Note: According to its style, the inscription is traced back to the 10th to 11th centuries (Такайшвили Е., МАК, вып. XII, էջ 29. ცისკარიშვილი ვ., ჯავახეთის ეპიგრაფიკა როგორც საისტორიო წყარო, თბილისი, 1959, էջ 122). V. Silogava offers more precise dating—11th century. The present publication of this inscription is based on its decipherment by E. Taghayshvili.

Type Copied Lapidary Inscription
View `
Source Graphical Drawing

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the south-east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Type Photo
View Exterior
Direction From the west
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Type Photo
View Partial view
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

A partial view of the section adjoining the bema of the hall church which stands in the south of the sanctuary.

Type Photo
View Interior
Direction From the east
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

An eastward view of the interior of the hall church adjoining the older church of the village from the south.

Type Photo
View Interior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

Its southern facade as seen inwardly.

Type Photo
View Detail
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Black-and-white negative
Date 1988 — 1989 yy․

A Georgian Mesropian inscription preserved on the upper part of the western facade of the monument.

Type Measurement
View Exterior
Author Samvel Karapetyan
Source Sketch