ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Leghan Monuments

Azerbaijan (Country) / Northern Artsakh (Area) / Shamkhor (District) / Leghan (Village)

Historical Introduction

The village, whose exact location is unknown, is mentioned in the available bibliographical sources by the names of Leghan and Gheghan.

The name of Gheghan may be a misprint of the word Leghan. Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 505.

1441 y․

The first record containing a reference to it is the colophon of a manuscript copied in Haghpat Monastery (in present-day Lori Marz of the Republic of Armenia) in 1441 (“...Leghan’s Sourb Nshan...”).

‘Sourb Nshan’ is how the Armenians refer to the Holy Cross. Colophons, 15th century, vol. 1, p. 514.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 505.

Scriptoria
15 — 16 cc․

The village is mentioned as a scriptorium between the 15th and 16th centuries.

Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 505.

15 c․

A Gospel (15th century) copied by Coenobite Stepanos for a certain hermit named Sahak: “...in Leghan’s Sourb Astvatzatzin (Gandzak District) under Bishop Stepanos, Catholicos Hovhannes, Khan Jahanshah and Georgian King Gorki.”

Colophons, 15th century, vol. 2, p. 246.
Voskian, H. The Monasteries of Artsakh. In: “Handes Amsorea,” August to October 1951, p. 342. Taking into account the period of time during which the people mentioned in the colophon lived (Georgian King Georgi VIII - 1446 to 1466; Jahanshah - 1437 to 1467, and Catholicos of Aghvank Hovhannes - 1441 to 1470), L. Khachikian traces the manuscript back to the year 1466 (Colophons, 15th century, vol. 2, p. 245).
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 505.

1650 y․

A Book of Fables copied by scribe Yesayi in 1650: “...in Gheghan’s Sourb Astvatzatzin (where Celibate Priest Hovhannes served), Shamkur570 District...”

Another version of the name of Shamkor. Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the 17th century, vol. 3. Compiled by Hakobian, V. Yerevan, 1984, p. 409.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 505.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Gheghan