Samakhor Village Site :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Samakhor Village Site

Georgia / Javakhk / Akhalkalak / Kartzakh

Location

Within 150 metres of the northern shore of Lake Khozapin, 4.5 kilometres south-west of Kartzakh, the remains of the medieval village site of Samakhor (Avetents Sourb, i.e. Sanctuary of Avet’s Family) can be seen together with the remnants of a necropolis.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 289.

Historical Introduction
1705 — 1706 yy․

In the days of Village Head Hasan, between 1705 and 1706, this village paid 22,000 akches to the State Treasury.

“ჩილდირის ეიალეთის ჯაბა დავთარი 1694-1732 წწ.”, էջ 120: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 289.

1853 y․

During the Russo-Turkish war of 1853, the Ottoman troops advanced in the direction of Samakhor; after the occupation of Kartzakh, they took almost all the villages of the district, reaching Akhalkalak.

Archbishop Karapet wrote the following in a letter dated 5 November 1853 (Akhaltskha): “Two days ago, the news reached the city that on 30 October our enemies from Cheltr and Somakhor—four hundred cavalrymen in number—had unexpectedly made an attack against Kartzakh Village of Akhalkalak Province and robbed our poor peasants of all their belongings. However, as my faithful people have informed me, the police forces of Akhalkalak, led by Vehret Bey Mutibekoghli and Jiprieloghli, were able to counterattack them and liberate the village...” Աղանեանց Գիւտ ա. ք., Դիւան Հայոց պատմութեան. Հարստահարութիւններ Տաճկահայաստանում, գիրք ԺԳ, Թիֆլիս, 1915, էջ 22-23: Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 289.

Description
19 c․

In the late 19th century, a visitor wrote the following about this ancient site: “Between Tzegharistav and Karzakh is situated a ruined village named Samakhor which represents a royal estate and is under the control of Karzakh inhabitants. Amidst the ruins of this site, which is totally levelled with the ground, I saw 6 khachkars and tombstones with Armenian inscriptions which were, unfortunately, beyond decipherment...”

«Մեղու Հայաստանի», 1881, N 191, էջ 3: The inhabitants of Kartzakh possessed lands of 395 dessiatinas in Samakhor (see «Արաքս», 1893, գիրք Բ, էջ 24): Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 289.

15 — 16 cc․

The site of Samakhor retains between 4 and 5 khachkars which are half-buried in the earth and date from the 15th to 16th centuries.

Karapetian. Samvel, Javakhk, Yerevan, 2011, p. 290.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Avetents Surb		Sanctuary of Avet's Family
Avetents Art		Field of Avet's Family