ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Aghjabedi 8 Monuments

NKR (Country) / Aghjabedi (District)

Historical Introduction
1930 y․

The administrative district of Aghjabedi was established in 1930. For a short period of 1963-1965 it was adjoined to the Aghdam district, later - turned to a separate administrative entity. It covers the area of 1746 sq. km. In 1976 the district comprised 1 town (administrative center) and 44 villages.

Azerbaijanian Soviet Encyclopaedia, vol. 1, Baku, 1976, p. 113 (in Azerb.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 216.

Geographical Environment

The present area of the district coincides with the southern part of the historical Uti Arandznak and north-western part of the Belakan (Baylakan) provinces of Utik, Metz Hayk. In the medieval period, the district was known under the name Beghamej. It deserves a mention that the present geographical and climatic conditions of the area (large and small swampy lakes, swamps and saline lands, surrounding the lake of Aghgol) have not changed since the medieval period. As witnessed by Kyrakos Gandzaketsi, in 1220 when the highlanders came from Darband and invaded the number of Armenian provinces (up to the approaches to Tiflis), they quartered in Beghamej, on their way back home and “fortified their army in the swampy place situated between the city of Partav and the stronghold of Belukan, which is called Beghamej, wherefrom by bold attacks they destroyed numerous provinces.”

Kyrakos Gandzaketsi, History of Armenia, Yerevan, 1961, p. 202-203 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 216.

Description

Generally, the entire area of the present-day Aghjabedi district occupies the space between the Kura and Araxes Rivers, including the part of the vast Aran (Mughan) steppe: “... non irrigable plain of Eran, which is called Mughan.” Being ultimately unfavorable for defence, the steppe was deserted and desolate in the Middle Ages already. The aborigines withdrew and fortified in the rocks of Artsakh before the late Middle Ages leaving the vast steppe in the disposal of various nomadic tribes (Kabirli, Jvanshirli, Otuzinji, Kolani, etc.). That is why the monuments of Armenian culture situated within this area are mainly restricted to the pre-Christian and early-Christian periods.

Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi, History of Armenia, Moscow, 1860, p. 66 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 217.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Beghamej