ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Tandzatap 5 Monuments

NKR (Country) / Kovsakan (District) / Tandzatap (Village)

Location

Tandzatap, the name of which had been transformed to Tandzatapa, or Gharababa is an old village situated at the left bank of Torosadzor, barely 2 km away of the borderline of Kapan district, Armenia, 4.5 km south-east of the Armenian Agarak village, at the altitude of 700-740 m above the sea.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

Historical Introduction
18 c․

There are no records relating the village earlier than eighteen twenties.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

To tell the story briefly, the descendant of prince Toros, one of Davit-Bek’s companions-in arms, “the ruler of Agarak, Khdrants, Vzhanis, Zeyva and nowadays completely ruined Guegharkuni, Gharabasa, Grghrkhana and other villages...” whose princely quarters were in the village of Yeghvard (the present-day Kapan district), moved their princely residence from Agarak to Tandzatap.

Anthropological Survey, Book XII, Tiflis, 1905, p. 189.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

Karam, the second son of prince Toros’s junior son Hetom, being a person of extreme physical strength, ruled by the right of a melik over the district of Kapara. Beginning with Melik Karam his successors (Hayrum, the grandson of Karam famous for his courage), the descendants of this principal line were called Melik-Karamian. After the establishment of the Russian rule over the area these meliks continued to rule in their patrimony by the right of the landlords.

For further details about the descendants of prince Toros see the article of mine: "Residence of the Meliks in Oblivion", "Hayastani Hanrapetutyun", daily, 1995, Aug.. 21, N 209, p. 2. (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

1870 y․

By the way, in conformity with the newspaper report of 1906 the village was built up in 1870 (probably, reconstructed). At the beginning there had been only 3 or 4 households but within 30-35 years (as of 1906) the number of the households reached 33-35.

"Mshak", 1906, N 257, Nov. 23, p. 2 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

Population
1897 y․

In 1897 the village was monoethnic and consisted of 29 households (218 residents).

A-Do, Armenian-Turkish Conflict in the Caucasus (1905-1906),Yerevan, 1907, p. 247 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 192.

Armenian-Turkish Fights of 1905 to 1906
1906 y․

We also know, that on 10 August 1906 the village was attacked by a large Turkish mob: “... an awesome Turkish mob attacked Tandzatap. They surrendered to the mob after almost half day’s resistance. The people could hardly escape to Agarak. Rich Tandzatapa was totally plundered and set on fire. The Turks hijacked 300 heads of cattle, hundreds of loads of wheat, barley and other rich household utensils. Those who fled were totally plundered. There were 5 victims and several wounded among the Armenians. Of the Melik-Karamian family -Michael Bek (70 years old), Beglar Bek (65 y. o.), Bahram Bek (45 y. o.), Bakhshi-Bek’s wife (40 y. o.) and Hatam-Bek’s daughter (19 y. o.) were killed. There had been casualties among the Turks too, but their number is uncertain...” To help the destitute relatives the Melik-Karamian brothers sent assistance from Tirmez amounting to 300 rubles.

A-Do, Armenian-Turkish Conflict in the Caucasus (1905-1906),Yerevan, 1907, p. 292.
"Mshak", 1906, N 257, Nov. 23, p. 2 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, pp. 192-193.

Description
1967 y․

Nevertheless, during the following years Tandzatap flourished again. Even during the several decades (till 1967) of the Soviet rule, it remained monoethnically Armenian, the Turks settled here later.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 193.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Tandzatapa
Gharababa