Khatchkar

Khatchkar (" Խաչքար " in Armenian, means " stone-croix" ) is a stone of engraved commemoration, which one typically finds in Arménie.

Definition

The form most frequently represented is the cross, seldom accompanied by a Crucifix, with a Rosette or the solar disk in lower part. The remainder of the stone is supplemented by reasons for sheets, bunches or of reasons for abstract nodes. It is occasionally surmounted by a Corniche with biblical characters or saints.

Objective

The most common reason to raise a khatchkar was the safety of the heart, but they were also high to commemorate a military victory, the construction of a church, an unhappy love affair, or like protection against the natural disasters forms.

History

The advanced first khatchkars appeared at the 9th century, during the Armenian rebirth according to the release of the Arab yoke . The typical khachkar oldest dated was carved in 879, even if older and more rudimentary examples exist. Raised to Furnished, it is dedicated to the queen Katranide, woman of the king Ashot I Bagratuni. The apogee of the sculpture khatchkar is between the 12th century and the 14th century. Art knew then an eclipse during the Mongolian invasion at the end of the 14th century, and re-appeared at the 16th century and 17th century, but the artistic tops of the 14th century were not reached any more again. Today, the tradition remains since one can see sculptors of khatchkars carvers in certain parts of Erevan.

There remain still 40 000 khatchkars. The majority are still drawn up, and those reporting a donation are usually included in the walls of the monasteries. The three khatchkars following are recognized as being more the good examples of their form of art:

that of Geghard, carved in 1213, probably by Timot and Mkhitar
the khachkar of the Saint Redeemer to Haghpat, carved in 1273 by Vahram
a khachkar with Gochavank, carved in 1291 by Poghos

Good examples were transferred to the historical museum from Erevan and behind the cathedral from Etchmiadzin. The site which currently counts the most khatchkars in Arménie is the fields of khachkars , an old cemetery of approximately 900 khatchkars of various periods and styles, with Noratus, on the west coast of banks of the Lac Sevan. The oldest collection of the world was previously visible in the ruins of old the Jugha with Nakhitchevan (today in Azerbaïdjan. Reports/ratios (see RFE/RL) and photographs of observers in Iran observed and filmed Azeri soldiers having deliberately destroyed Khatchkar of this zone. The recent photographs show that all the tombs were removed and that a ground of military training was built on the site.

See too

Celtic Node
Kackar

External bonds

{in} Old Jugha Page on Armeniapedia
{in} Destruction of the khachkars of Jugha by soldiers Azeri taken in photographs and video.
{in} Khachkar on Armeniapedia (many photographs)
{in} Photographs off 15th/16th THIS khatchkars close to Bitlis, Turkie
{Fr} Page on the khachkars
{Fr} Many photographs of khachkars

Simple: Khachkar

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