Kotrats Carvanserai, Harzhis

Name: Tatev monastery complex
Monument type: Church- Monastic Complex
Region: Syunik Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Harzhis carvanserai

Other nominations: ”Kotrats“ (broken) carvanserai, Harzhiq (Yaydji) carvanserai

Monument type: Carvanserai

Region: Syunik

Community: Tatev

Residence: Harzhis village

Location: 3.5 km north of Harzhis, the right side of Sisian- Goris highway

Preservation: Tumbled-down

Coordinates: 39°28’08″N 46°12’58″E

Altitude: 1912 m

Era and chronology: 1343, High Middle Ages

Harzhis Caravanserai:
Echoes of Armenia’s Ancient Trade Routes

As you walk past the rugged landscapes of Armenia’s Syunik region, a silent witness to centuries of trade and cultural exchange emerges from the rocky terrain – the Harzhis Caravanserai.

This historic monument beckons you to step back in time and explore the echoes of a bygone era, where travelers, merchants, and their trusty camels once found refuge beneath its timeworn roof.
This architectural gem stands as a testament to the enduring importance of Armenia’s ancient trade routes and the diverse influences that have shaped its history.

Get ready to embark on a journey to unearth the secrets of the Harzhis Caravanserai, where the whispers of the past linger in the stones and inscriptions, telling tales of commerce, culture, and the resilience of history.

Located just 3.5 kilometers north of Syunik’s Harzhis village, along the right side of the Sisian-Goris highway, Harzhis Caravanserai was once a vital crossroads of the Silk Road. This high-altitude site, sitting at 1912 meters above sea level, offered respite to travelers on the long and arduous journeys from the Ararat Valley to Syunik and from Tabriz to the Caspian Sea.

The caravanserai, dates back to 1343 during the High Middle Age. Its alternate name, “Kotrats,” alludes to the somewhat enigmatic nature of this architectural gem, whose history has been partially obscured by the sands of time.

Intriguingly, Harzhis Caravanserai is one of the few relatively preserved structures of its kind in Armenia, following in the footsteps of the renowned Selim Caravanserai. It served as a vital node on the network of trading paths crisscrossing this region, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas.
While the caravanserai’s walls may now stand partially tumbled-down, its historical importance remains unscathed. A bilingual inscription, written in Armenian and Persian, adorns the entrance’s stone, underscoring the international character of this architectural wonder. The Armenian inscription reveals that the caravanserai was commissioned in 1343, with mention of Beshken, the son of Great Prince Burtel Orbelyan, and his son Ivan (Inanik) recorded in the Arabic inscription.

Its strategic location is a testament to its purpose, serving as a crucial resting point for caravans on the route from Tabriz to the Caspian Sea, traversing the challenging Tsguk province of Syunik. Notably, along the path leading to the Harzhis Caravanserai, one can encounter standing stones known as “tsits qarer” or stake stones, which were used as directional markers on mountainous roads, guiding caravans safely through the winter journeys. These stones hold the secrets of countless merchants and travelers who once sought shelter and sustenance within the caravanserai’s sturdy walls.

The architecture of the Harzhis Caravanserai speaks of a bygone era. Built primarily of unprocessed basalt stones with a lime mortar interlayer, it bears the marks of time and history. Its partially semi-dugout structure has led to its colloquial name, the “broken” caravan, adding an air of mystery to its identity. The main building, orientated in a west-east direction, features a three-nave hall with four pairs of gables, each connected by cylindrical arches.

The caravanserai’s interior once buzzed with the activities of travelers, with mangers nestled between the gables to accommodate animals. A single entrance, located on the eastern side, opens into an adjoining vestibule, which is itself a work of architectural grace. A heavily forged Armenian inscription adorns the semi-circular lintel, while an Arabic inscription can be found outside the stepped frame, hinting at the diverse influences that have shaped the history of this place.

The Harzhis Caravanserai is a testament to the resilience of history, standing as a crumbling yet steadfast witness to the enduring importance of trade and cultural exchange in the region. In its remaining stones and inscriptions, it tells the story of a time when merchants and travelers, their camels and goods in tow, sought shelter under its roof. While its walls may have crumbled, the legacy of the Harzhis Caravanserai endures, etched in stone and whispered through the ages.

FACTS

❈ Harzhis Caravanserai, located near Syunik’s Harzhis village, was a vital Silk Road crossroads at 1912 meters above sea level.

❈ Dating back to 1343, it’s one of the few preserved structures of its kind in Armenia.

❈ An Armenian-Persian inscription at the entrance highlights its international significance.

❈ It served as a strategic resting point for caravans traveling between Tabriz and the Caspian Sea, marked by “tsits qarer” stones.

❈ The architecture features unprocessed basalt stones, a semi-dugout structure, and a three-nave hall.

❈ The caravanserai’s inscriptions reveal the diversity of its influences and its historical importance.

❈ Despite its partially tumbled-down state, Harzhis Caravanserai stands as a testament to the enduring importance of trade and cultural exchange in the region.

Research history

There are few sources and studies on the “Kotrats” caravanserai. The architecture was studied by V. Harutyunyan and the lithographs were collected by S. Barkhudaryan in the mid-XX centuries. The Arabic inscription was deciphered (incomplete) by P. Poormohammadi (2012).

Archaeological description

Location
It is located between the Vorotan River and its left tributary Vararakn, on a vast plateau surrounded by volcanic hills, in the vicinity of the historical village of Harzhik: it is mentioned in Stepanos Orbelyan’s “History” as one of the large villages paying taxes to the Tatev Monastery since the X century.

Stratigraphy
Harzhis is one of the caravanserais built in the XIV century having reached us in a semi-destroyed condition. A bilingual inscription, Armenian and Persian, has been preserved on the front stone of the Harzhis caravanserai entrance. The latter was the international language of the time used especially in public buildings, such as Selim’s caravanserai. According to the Armenian record, the caravanserai was built in 1343. Beshken, the son of Great Prince Burtel Orbelyan, is mentioned in the strongly weathered lithograph, and the other son Ivan (Inanik) – in the Arabic inscription.

The Harzhis caravanserai was located on the medieval transit roads serving as a caravan stop on the route from Tabriz to the Caspian Sea, passing through Tsguk province of Syunik. There are 1.2-1.5 m tall standing stones (tsits qarer “stake stones”) both in other parts of the Great Silk Road and on the road leading to Harzhis caravanserai, intended to show the right direction to caravans passing through the mountain roads in winter. Round holes were made on the edges of the landmark stones, through which these monoliths were brought from the quarry to the place of erection with ropes.

Architecture
Harzhis caravanserai is built of unprocessed basalt stones at the base, with a lime mortar interlayer. It is partially semi-dugout structure, which probably caused it to be called “broken” caravan. The complex consists of the west-eastern main building with a square lobby later attached to it on the eastern side. The main building is a three-nave hall with four pairs of gables with internal dimensions of 10.2×18.2 m. The gables are connected to each other and to the longitudinal walls by means of cylindrical arches. The three-aisled hall was covered with a gable roof, which probably had tile-shaped slabs. The mangers are placed between the gables. The only entrance to the hall is on the eastern side and opens into the adjoining vestibule. The entrance hall is incorporated into a stepped frame with a pointed arch at the top. A heavily forged Armenian inscription is engraved on the semi-circular lintel, and an Arabic inscription is outside the stepped frame.

Significance

Harzhis caravanserai is the second more or less preserved structure in RA after the Selim caravanserai. It was an important stop on the roads from the Ararat Valley to Syunik and from Tabriz to the Caspian Sea.

Sources

Stepanos Orbelyan 1986, History of Syunik (translated by A. Abrahamyan), Yerevan, “Soviet Writer”, 615 pages.
Barkhudaryan S. 1960, Diva of Armenian lithography. Goris, Sisian and Ghapan regions, 2, Yerevan The Academy of Sciences SSR ed., 240 pages.
Harutyunyan V. 1960, Caravans and Bridges of Medieval Armenia, Yerevan, “Haypethrat”, 147 pages.
Poormohammadi P., From the history of trade and cultural relations of Armenia (Zhg.-Zhd. dd.), Etchmiadzin, 2012, Э, pp. 64-74.

List of monuments
Syunik 9.56/16