ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Begum-Sarov 4 Monuments

NKR (Country) / Tartar (District) / Begum-Sarov (Village)

Location

This is a village of rich historical past. The early sources mention it as Sarov or Sarav, later the toponym was compounded by component ‘Begum’. The village is situated 16 km northwest of the famous Partav (Barda) city, and 13 km north of the regional centre Tartar, at a distance of 22 km of the right riverside of the Kura. Vast village quarters extend on the fertile plain with the altitude of 120-140 m above the sea.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 199.

Construction Activity

The village distinguishes by its irregular planning, unprecedented for Armenian (mountain) settlements. Each of the houses is surrounded by fruit gardens (pomegranate, quince, fig, apple, pear, blood-orange, hazelnut, chestnut, nut, corneal, etc.). The entire area of Sarov is approximately 1.5 km by 1.5 km.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 199-200.

Population

As regards the local population, prevailing is the opinion, that the Armenians had always been the aborigines of the village602 although, there are evidences that “the village community consists of the local population called Janibegli, after some Jani-Beg, who moved here from the Aghja-Ghovakh village of the Aresh province situated at the right bank of the Kura, and new comers, who migrated from different places”, or “the residents here are of Armenian Christian confession that migrated from Persia.” Provided for the latter testimony, which is almost implausible (maybe due to some confusion with the Sarov of the Gandzak province), the fact that the residents of this village had been aborigines, is confirmed by all other testimonies. Even if we considered that the residents of Sarov had migrated here from Aghja-Ghovakh of Aresh, which is situated at a distance of 26 km (2 km of the left bank of the Kura), nothing would prevent us of thinking that they were locals, because the migration was insignificant and the local climatic conditions remained unchanged.

"Nor Dar, 1887, N 55, p. 1.
SMDST, VI, Tiflis, 1988, p. 123-132 (in Russian).
"Nor Dar, 1888, N 211, p. 3 (in Arm.).
"Nor Dar, 1890, N 122, p. 3 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

In conformity with the sources the residents of Sarov had been living here since the antiquity: “This village... was inhabited by Armenians since the time when the neighboring Barda village (presently populated by the Turks) was considered to be the Episcopal See of the Albanian land...”

"Nor Dar, 1887, N 55, p. 1 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

Historical Introduction

Or another evidence: “It is assumed that Sarov exists since the most ancient times, later, to discern it from the other Sarov, which is situated at the distance of 3 miles of the former, another component - Begum was added to its name. Begum Sarov changed its name when Azat Begum, the sister of Mehti-Ghuli Khan of Karabakh, received this village as a dowry. Armenians inhabited Sarov since the most ancient times. And this is witnessed by their old cemetery, 2 miles away to the east. The cemetery extends on a hill with rather smooth top. Of all the tombstones on this hill one deserves special attention, as the oldest and containing an Armenian inscription, badly weathered in the course of time and almost illegible, although the aged peasants assured, that the inscription was still legible in the days of their youth, when the Sarov priest read it in their presence and said that this was the last rest of an Armenian melik who died as early as in the 4th century AD. Graves of other peasants of Sarov are grouped round this tomb... The circumstance that Sarov was inhabited by Christians since the antiquity is proved by archaeological findings discovered in the site: wine-presses situated just in the vineyards, most of which were covered by earth, or fragments of huge vessels - karases found on the neighboring hills.”

SMDST, VI, Tiflis, 1888, Sect. 1, p. 123-132.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

Population
1887 — 1888 yy․

In spite of the permanent rise, the number of Sarov residents fell sharply from time to time, for instance in 1887, when beginning with October and up to the end of February 1988 110 infants died of smallpox.

"Nor Dar", 1888, N 26, p. 2. (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.

Construction Activity
1860 y․

Up to the eighteen sixties the village consisted mainly of old dug-out huts, which were little by little replaced by more convenient accommodations: “The houses are built at such a large distance of one another, that to the observer Sarov looks like a small town. The sheds and lofts are mainly adjoined to the houses. Dug outs existing in the village a few years ago are presently disappearing and replaced by stone or brick houses...” Or, “the village stands out for its vast yards: the old dug outs vanish in front of the new stone and brick houses...”

"Nor Dar", 1887, N 55, p. 1 (in Arm.).
"Nor Dar", 1888, N 211, p. 3 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

Historical Introduction

Being always short of land, the Sarov villagers leased the plots of the neighboring Turkish villages.

"Taraz", 1892, N 19, p. 225 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

Construction Activity

In spite of its disposition in the flat countryside, the eastern quarters of Sarov are 10-15 m lower than the western ones and the plain itself is generally slightly sloping towards the northeast. So the two quarters were called respectively the Upper and Lower Sarov. “The village is divided to two parts, upper and lower. The upper part is called Nor-Shen (New settlement). The small channel flowing through the centre of the village takes off the Tartar River and the peasants use it to water the ploughland and the orchards.”

"Nor Dar", 1890, N 122, p. 3 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 200.

Resettlement
1988 y․

Sarov remained a prospering Armenian village up to 1988 - the year of enforced displacement of the Armenian residents of Azerbaijan. Being expelled from their native land the population of Sarov took the option of settling in the plain of Martakert district, then after the fall of Martakert in 1992, spread all over the former Soviet Union (mainly to the North Caucasus).

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.

Armenian-Turkish Fights of 1905 to 1906
1905 y․

By the way, during the mentioned conflict of Nov. 1905, Sarov (as well as Maralian Sarov) being isolated from the main massive of Armenian villages had been surrounded by a huge mob. Even the Cossack squadron with its two mortars wouldn’t approach to the besieged. The critical situation was saved by Davit-Bek Melik-Beglarian. Ahead of the group of Talish men he attacked the Turks and when they retreated, he broke through the siege and saved the Sarov villagers from the massacre, leading them to the Armenian villages of Jvanshir province.

"Horizon", 1913, N 214, p. 2.
"Mshak", 1906, N 20, p. 1 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 202.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Sarov
Sarav

The data below may indicate the shift in the number of the Sarov residents during the XIX-XX centuries:

Dates	Armenian Houses	Armenians (Male)	Armenians (Female)	Total (Armenians)	Notes	Source
1841	39	62	58	120		SCHARA, F. 56, L. 1, c. 305, p. 47 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1851	56	125	103	228		SCHARA, F. 56, L. 1, c. 2596, p.93 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1862	80					"Nor Dar", 1887, N 94, p. 3 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1873	117					SMDST, VI, Tiflis, 1888, Sect. 1, p. 124 (in Russian); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1876				696		SCHARA, F. 56, L 1, c. 6775, p.115-116 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1886	140					SMDST, VI, Tiflis, 1888, Sect. 1, p. 124 (in Russian); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1887	143					"Nor Dar", 1887, N 94, p. 3; Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1889		494	416	910		SCHARA, F. 56, L. 1, c. 8583, p. 45-46 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1891	141	484	440	924		M. Bishop Barkhutariants, Artsakh, Baku, 1895, p. 33; Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1901		761	561	1322		SCHARA, F. 56, L. 14, c. 205, p.241-242 (in Arm.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1908				1344		"Caucasian Calendar for 1910", Tiflis, 1909, p. 360 (in Russian); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.
1976				1113		Azerbaijanian Soviet Encyclopaedia, vol. II, Baku, 1978, p. 140 (in Azerb.); Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 201.