"Kachkar" redirects here. For the mountain range in Turkey, see Kaçkar Mountains.
A khachkar, also known as a khatchkar or Armenian cross-stone[1] (Armenian: խաչքար, pronounced [χɑtʃʰˈkʰɑɾ], խաչ xačʿ "cross" + քար kʿar "stone") is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes, interlaces, and botanical motifs.[2]Khachkars are characteristic of medievalChristianArmenian art.[1][3]
The famous khachkar at Goshavank, carved in 1291 by the artist Poghos.
The famous 13th century Armenian-inscribed double khachkars of the Memorial Bell-Tower of the Dadivank Monastery
The most common khachkar feature is a cross surmounting a rosette or a solar disc. The remainder of the stone face is typically filled with elaborate patterns of leaves, grapes, pomegranates, and bands of interlace. Occasionally a khachkar is surmounted by a cornice sometimes containing biblical or saintly figures.
Most early khachkars were erected for the salvation of the soul of either a living or a deceased person. Otherwise they were intended to commemorate a military victory, the construction of a church, or as a form of protection from natural disasters.[5]
The most common location for early khachkars was in a graveyard. However, Armenian gravestones take many other forms, and only a minority are khachkars.
History
The first true khachkars appeared in the 9th century,[1] during the time of Armenian revival after liberation from Arab rule. The oldest khachkar with a known date was carved in 879 (though earlier, cruder, examples exist). Erected in Garni, it is dedicated to queen Katranide I, the wife of king Ashot I Bagratuni.[citation needed] The peak of the khachkar carving art was between the 12th and the 14th centuries. The art declined during the Mongol invasion at the end of the 14th century. It revived in the 16th and 17th centuries, but the artistic heights of the 14th century were never achieved again. Today, the tradition still remains, and one can still see khachkar carvers in some parts of Yerevan.[6]
About 40,000 khachkars survive today.[citation needed] Most of them are free standing, though those recording donations are usually built into monastery walls. The following three khachkars are believed[by whom?] to be the finest examples of the art form:
One in Geghard, carved in 1213, probably by master Timot and master Mkhitar
The Holy Redeemer khachkar in Haghpat (see gallery), carved in 1273 by master Vahram
A khachkar in Goshavank, carved in 1291 by master Poghos.
A number of good examples have been transferred to the Historical Museum in Yerevan and beside the cathedral in Echmiadzin. The largest surviving collection of khachkars is in Armenia, at Noraduz cemetery on the western shore of the Lake Sevan, where an old graveyard with around 900 khachkars from various periods and of various styles can be seen. The largest number was formerly located at the Armenian cemetery in Julfa in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, which contained approximately 10,000 khachkars in 1648.[7] The number of khachkars dwindled over time through destruction of various causes until the only 2,700 khachkars remained in 1998,[8] when the Azerbaijani government embarked on a systematic campaign destroying and leveling the entire medieval cemetery between 1998 and 2005.[9]
Present
The art of carving khachkars has witnessed a rebirth as a symbol of Armenian culture in the 20th century.
A large portion of khachkars, which were created in historic Armenia and surrounding regions, in modern times are now located in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran. As a result of systematic eradication of khachkars in Turkey since the Armenian Genocide, today only a few examples survive. Unfortunately these few survivors are not cataloged and properly photographed. Thus, it is difficult to follow up with the current situation.[23] One documented example of such destruction took place in the Armenian Cemetery in Jugha, in Nakhchivan.[24][25][26] The government of Azerbaijan has denied claims that members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces smashed the khachkars with sledgehammers in December 2005.[27] The destruction of khachkars was despite a 2000 UNESCO order demanding their protection, in what has been termed "the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century."[28][29]
One source says that khachkars are being damaged, neglected, or moved in Armenia.[30] Reasons cited for moving these khachkars include; decoration, to create new holy places, or to make space for new burials.
A khachkar behind the cathedral in Echmiadzin, Armenia. Place of origin is unknown.
Types
Amenaprkich (Armenian: Ամէնափրկիչ, meaning Holy Saviour) is a particular type of khachkar in which on the cross is a depiction of the crucified Christ. Only a few such designs are known, and most date from the late 13th century.[citation needed]
Gallery
A modern khachkar at Sourp Kevork church- Beirut, Lebanon (2016)
Preaching cross - Monumental crosses used as open air pulpits
Hill of Crosses - A hill in Lithuania covered with ornamental crosses.
References
Citations
^ abcThe Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture. — Oxford University Press, 2012. — Vol. 2. — P. 222."'Khatck'ar' [Armen.:'cross-stone'] Typical Armenian stone monument, comprising an upright slab (h. c. 1—3 m) carved with a cross design, usually set on a plinth or rectangular base. "
^"Armenian intellectuals blast 'barbaric' destruction of Nakhchivan monuments." BBC News in BBC Monitoring Central Asia. February 13, 2003. Retrieved April 16, 2007
^"Tragedy on the Araxes". Archaeology. 2006-06-30. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
^. aysor.am. 20 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019.
^"The story behind the Medieval Armenian Cross that's now in the Vatican Museums". ROME REPORTS in English. Mar 29, 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22.
^. Asbarez. March 6, 2019. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019.
^. Armenpress. 5 March 2019. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.
^Rodrigues, Marilyn (December 19, 2018). "Armenian monument unveiled at cathedral". The Catholic Weekly.
^. 18 December 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019.
^"Colorado Governor Unveils America's First State Capitol Khachkar". Asbarez. May 15, 2015.
^(PDF). The Armenian Church & Community in Ireland. April 2017. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. In December 2015 we unveiled the Khachkar Memorial (Stone-Cross) in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide "MEZ YEGHERN" and in dedication to the massive destruction that took place 102 years ago.
^"Toponymie et Monuments arméniens". acam-france.org (in French). Association Culturelle Arménienne de Marne-la-Vallée (France).
^"Azerbaijan: Famous Medieval Cemetery Vanishes". Caucasus Reporting Service, Institute for War and Peace Reporting. April 19, 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
^. The Art Newspaper. 2006-05-25. Archived from the original on 2006-09-11. Retrieved 2006-05-25.
^"Tragedy on the Araxes". Archaeology. 2006-06-30. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
^Castle, Stephen (2006-05-30). . Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
^Womack, Catherine (7 November 2019). "Historic Armenian monuments were obliterated. Some call it 'cultural genocide'". LA Times.
^Sawa, Dale Berning (1 March 2019). "Monumental loss: Azerbaijan and 'the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century'". The Guardian.
Armenian cross-stones art. Symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars
Photos of 15th/16th CE khatchkars near Bitlis, Turkey
Djulfa Virtual Memorial and Museum
May 04, 2023
khachkar, kachkar, redirects, here, mountain, range, turkey, kaçkar, mountains, khachkar, also, known, khatchkar, armenian, cross, stone, armenian, խաչքար, pronounced, χɑtʃʰˈkʰɑɾ, խաչ, xačʿ, cross, քար, kʿar, stone, carved, memorial, stele, bearing, cross, oft. Kachkar redirects here For the mountain range in Turkey see Kackar Mountains A khachkar also known as a khatchkar or Armenian cross stone 1 Armenian խաչքար pronounced xɑtʃʰˈkʰɑɾ խաչ xacʿ cross քար kʿar stone is a carved memorial stele bearing a cross and often with additional motifs such as rosettes interlaces and botanical motifs 2 Khachkars are characteristic of medieval Christian Armenian art 1 3 The famous khachkar at Goshavank carved in 1291 by the artist Poghos The famous 13th century Armenian inscribed double khachkars of the Memorial Bell Tower of the Dadivank Monastery A 15th century khachkar at the Armenian Cathedral of Saint James Jerusalem Two 16th century Julfa khachkars in Etchmiadzin removed from the Julfa graveyard before its destruction by Azerbaijan Khachkars appear in large numbers in the Noratus cemetery A modern day khachkar carver s workshop in downtown Yerevan Since 2010 khachkars their symbolism and craftsmanship are inscribed in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage 4 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Present 4 Endangered khachkars 5 Types 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Citations 8 2 Other sources 9 External linksDescription EditThe most common khachkar feature is a cross surmounting a rosette or a solar disc The remainder of the stone face is typically filled with elaborate patterns of leaves grapes pomegranates and bands of interlace Occasionally a khachkar is surmounted by a cornice sometimes containing biblical or saintly figures Most early khachkars were erected for the salvation of the soul of either a living or a deceased person Otherwise they were intended to commemorate a military victory the construction of a church or as a form of protection from natural disasters 5 The most common location for early khachkars was in a graveyard However Armenian gravestones take many other forms and only a minority are khachkars History EditThe first true khachkars appeared in the 9th century 1 during the time of Armenian revival after liberation from Arab rule The oldest khachkar with a known date was carved in 879 though earlier cruder examples exist Erected in Garni it is dedicated to queen Katranide I the wife of king Ashot I Bagratuni citation needed The peak of the khachkar carving art was between the 12th and the 14th centuries The art declined during the Mongol invasion at the end of the 14th century It revived in the 16th and 17th centuries but the artistic heights of the 14th century were never achieved again Today the tradition still remains and one can still see khachkar carvers in some parts of Yerevan 6 About 40 000 khachkars survive today citation needed Most of them are free standing though those recording donations are usually built into monastery walls The following three khachkars are believed by whom to be the finest examples of the art form One in Geghard carved in 1213 probably by master Timot and master Mkhitar The Holy Redeemer khachkar in Haghpat see gallery carved in 1273 by master Vahram A khachkar in Goshavank carved in 1291 by master Poghos A number of good examples have been transferred to the Historical Museum in Yerevan and beside the cathedral in Echmiadzin The largest surviving collection of khachkars is in Armenia at Noraduz cemetery on the western shore of the Lake Sevan where an old graveyard with around 900 khachkars from various periods and of various styles can be seen The largest number was formerly located at the Armenian cemetery in Julfa in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan which contained approximately 10 000 khachkars in 1648 7 The number of khachkars dwindled over time through destruction of various causes until the only 2 700 khachkars remained in 1998 8 when the Azerbaijani government embarked on a systematic campaign destroying and leveling the entire medieval cemetery between 1998 and 2005 9 Present EditThe art of carving khachkars has witnessed a rebirth as a symbol of Armenian culture in the 20th century There are hundreds of khachkars worldwide many of which are memorials to commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide Khachkars have been placed in various locations including at the Vatican Museums 10 11 Canterbury Cathedral s memorial garden 12 13 St Mary s Cathedral Sydney 14 15 Colorado State Capitol 16 17 Temple of Peace Cardiff 18 Christ Church Cathedral Dublin 19 and elsewhere According to one count there are nearly 30 khachkars on public locations in France 20 Armenian khachkars have been acquired or donated to many museums or temporarily represented at significant exhibitions all around the world such as at the British Museum the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Special Exhibition of the National Museum of Ethnology Osaka Japan 21 22 Endangered khachkars EditA large portion of khachkars which were created in historic Armenia and surrounding regions in modern times are now located in Turkey Azerbaijan Georgia and Iran As a result of systematic eradication of khachkars in Turkey since the Armenian Genocide today only a few examples survive Unfortunately these few survivors are not cataloged and properly photographed Thus it is difficult to follow up with the current situation 23 One documented example of such destruction took place in the Armenian Cemetery in Jugha in Nakhchivan 24 25 26 The government of Azerbaijan has denied claims that members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces smashed the khachkars with sledgehammers in December 2005 27 The destruction of khachkars was despite a 2000 UNESCO order demanding their protection in what has been termed the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century 28 29 One source says that khachkars are being damaged neglected or moved in Armenia 30 Reasons cited for moving these khachkars include decoration to create new holy places or to make space for new burials A khachkar behind the cathedral in Echmiadzin Armenia Place of origin is unknown Types EditAmenaprkich Armenian Ամէնափրկիչ meaning Holy Saviour is a particular type of khachkar in which on the cross is a depiction of the crucified Christ Only a few such designs are known and most date from the late 13th century citation needed Gallery Edit A modern khachkar at Sourp Kevork church Beirut Lebanon 2016 in Gyumri Khachkar at Haghartsin Monastery near Dilijan Armenia The Holy Savior khachkar in Haghpat 1273 Various khachkars at Makaravank Monastery in Armenia Khachkar in Novi Sad Serbia A modern Amenaprkich type khatchkar with two others at the Sourp Nshan Church in downtown Beirut Lebanon 2001 A modern khackhar at the Armenian Catholicossate of Cilicia in Antelias Lebanon Armenian Khachkar Armenian KhachkarSee also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khatchkars Degirmenalti village in Turkey containing preserved khachkars Trei Ierarhi Monastery a 17th century church in Iași Romania decorated with Khachkar motifs High cross Monumental Celtic crosses Preaching cross Monumental crosses used as open air pulpits Hill of Crosses A hill in Lithuania covered with ornamental crosses References EditCitations Edit a b c The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture Oxford University Press 2012 Vol 2 P 222 Khatck ar Armen cross stone Typical Armenian stone monument comprising an upright slab h c 1 3 m carved with a cross design usually set on a plinth or rectangular base Thierry cover sleeve Thierry 1989 Gough M The Origins of Christian Art London 1973 Armenian cross stones art Symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars UNESCO Culture Sector Retrieved 2010 11 20 Armenian Khatchkars Editions Erebuni 1978 Anatoli L Yakobson Armenian Khachkars Moscow 1986 Aivazian Argam 1983 Ջուղայի գերեզմանատուն The Cemetery of Jugha Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia Volume IX Yerevan Armenian Academy of Sciences p 550 Armenian intellectuals blast barbaric destruction of Nakhchivan monuments BBC News in BBC Monitoring Central Asia February 13 2003 Retrieved April 16 2007 Tragedy on the Araxes Archaeology 2006 06 30 Retrieved 2006 06 30 Medieval Armenian cross stone unveiled in Vatican aysor am 20 September 2014 Archived from the original on 2 July 2019 The story behind the Medieval Armenian Cross that s now in the Vatican Museums ROME REPORTS in English Mar 29 2015 Archived from the original on 2021 12 22 The Canterbury Khachkar A Historic Day in the Heart of the Anglican Church Asbarez March 6 2019 Archived from the original on 4 April 2019 1st Armenian cross stone dedicated to memory of Armenian Genocide victims unveiled in Great Britain s spiritual center Armenpress 5 March 2019 Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Rodrigues Marilyn December 19 2018 Armenian monument unveiled at cathedral The Catholic Weekly Armenian khachkar unveiled at Sydney s St Mary s Cathedral PHOTO 18 December 2018 Archived from the original on 21 June 2019 Colorado Governor Unveils America s First State Capitol Khachkar Asbarez May 15 2015 Colorado Governor Unveils First State Capitol Khachkar on Genocide Centennial The Armenian Weekly May 15 2015 Archived from the original on 2 May 2019 The Armenian Genocide Monument in Wales armenian genocide org Armenian National Institute Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Service of Remembrance PDF The Armenian Church amp Community in Ireland April 2017 p 3 Archived from the original PDF on 14 November 2017 In December 2015 we unveiled the Khachkar Memorial Stone Cross in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide MEZ YEGHERN and in dedication to the massive destruction that took place 102 years ago Toponymie et Monuments armeniens acam france org in French Association Culturelle Armenienne de Marne la Vallee France Khachkar Stone Cross British Museum Collection Der Nersessian S Armenian Art Paris 1978 Azerbaijan Famous Medieval Cemetery Vanishes Caucasus Reporting Service Institute for War and Peace Reporting April 19 2006 Retrieved 2007 04 15 World Watches In Silence As Azerbaijan Wipes Out Armenian Culture The Art Newspaper 2006 05 25 Archived from the original on 2006 09 11 Retrieved 2006 05 25 Tragedy on the Araxes Archaeology 2006 06 30 Retrieved 2006 06 30 Castle Stephen 2006 05 30 Azerbaijan flattened sacred Armenian site Belfast Telegraph Archived from the original on 2018 05 14 Retrieved 2018 05 14 Womack Catherine 7 November 2019 Historic Armenian monuments were obliterated Some call it cultural genocide LA Times Sawa Dale Berning 1 March 2019 Monumental loss Azerbaijan and the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century The Guardian Endangered Khachkars Khachkar am Retrieved 2012 05 06 Other sources Edit Thierry Jean Michel 1989 Armenian Art New York Harry N Abrams ISBN 0 8109 0625 2 External links EditArmenian cross stones art Symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars Photos of 15th 16th CE khatchkars near Bitlis Turkey Djulfa Virtual Memorial and Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Khachkar amp oldid 1148374429, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
