Yeghegis

Name: Yeghegis
Monument type: Church – Monastic Complex
Region: Vayots Dzor Province
Periods: Medieval

Name: Yeghegis

Monument type: Residence

Region: Vayots Dzor

Community: Yeghegis

Residence: Yeghegis village

Location: Southern foot of the Vardenis mountain range, the Yeghegis river valley.

Preservation: The ruins of the medieval settlement and separate monuments and complexes have been preserved in standing and half-destroyed conditions in the area of the present Yeghegis village and its surroundings.

Coordinates: 39°52’18.1″N 45°21’35.1″E

Elevation: 1580 m

Era and chronology: X-XIV centuries, from the High Middle Ages up to present days

Yeghegis: A Living Chronicle of Armenia’s Mind-Blowing Past

As you wander through its streets, admiring the khachkars and tombstones and the fascinating blend of historical and architectural marvels , you will realize that Yeghegis is more than a village; it’s a testament to the resilience of human creativity and a source of inspiration for generations to come.

In fact, Yeghegis’s historical significance spans centuries, with evidence of habitation dating back to prehistoric times. It experienced periods of prosperity and destruction.
This is a place where the sands of time have preserved the echoes of a thriving medieval settlement, where the legacy of Syunyats Vasakyan and the illustrious Orbelian princes still lingers in the air.

So allow the whispers of the past to guide you through an extraordinary journey in History. And as you stand amidst the ruins and gaze upon the ancient stones, know that you are not just a spectator but a part of the story, a custodian of its legacy.

Nestled at the southern foot of the majestic Vardenis mountain range, within the picturesque Yeghegis river valley, lies Yeghegis, a historical village located in the Vayots Dzor region.

Yeghegis, with its ruins of a medieval settlement and a multitude of historical and architectural wonders, stands as a precious link to a time when this rural town was a bustling urban center during the Middle Ages. It was not merely a place of residence; it was a cultural hub, a crucible of ideas and creativity.

Yeghegis boasts two distinct epochs of prosperity within its annals. The X-XI centuries marked its ascendancy as the administrative and political nucleus of the Syunyats throned princes, only to endure a tumultuous setback with the Seljuk invasions.

However, the resilient spirit of this place was rekindled during the XIII-XIV centuries under the patronage of the Orbelian princely house, which marked a renaissance for the town, leading to the establishment of iconic monuments, some of which still stand today.
The Orbelian Palace, though no longer standing, lives on through the sculptures and inscriptions that bear witness to its grandeur. The Orbelians family cemetery, adorned with intricately carved tombstones and cross-stones, offers a glimpse into the artistic prowess of the era.

In the shadow of the impregnable fortress of Yeghegis, known as Smbataberd, the town flourished. Princes and nobility made Yeghegis their home, shaping its destiny and leaving behind a legacy that still captivates our imagination. Furthermore, you cannot help but be awestruck by the Zorats Cathedral, a true architectural gem, with its Upper Tabernacle and vestibules, an enduring testament to the faith and craftsmanship of its builders.

The resilience of Yeghegis extends to its population, with waves of people settling here over the centuries. From the Jewish community that once thrived on the left bank of the river to the Turkish-speaking population that arrived in the XVIII-XIX centuries, Yeghegis has welcomed diverse cultures and embraced change while preserving its core identity.

As we explore Yeghegis, we are not only stepping back in time but also celebrating the enduring spirit of a place that has weathered the storms of history. The findings housed in the Yeghegnadzor Geological Museum, dating back to the XII-XIV centuries, offer us glimpses of the daily lives and craftsmanship of the people who once called this place home.

FACTS

❈ Yeghegis, nestled in the Vardenis mountain range, is a historical village with rich architectural heritage.

❈ It thrived in the X-XI centuries, declined during Seljuk invasions, and saw a revival in the XIII-XIV centuries under the Orbelian princely house.

❈ Notable sites include the Smbataberd fortress, Zorats Cathedral, and Orbelian family cemetery.

❈ Yeghegis welcomed diverse cultures over centuries, maintaining its core identity.

❈ The Yeghegnadzor Geological Museum holds artifacts dating back to the XII-XIV centuries, offering insights into daily life and craftsmanship.

🔍 Research history

The settlement and the monuments located in its territory were described by the XIX-XX century topographers (S. Jalalyants, Kajberuni, G. Alishan, Yer. Lalayan, H. Yeghiazaryan). Prominent experts of Armenian art and culture have studied various problems related to religious structures and khachkars. The inscriptions were collected by S. Barkhudaryan. The XIII-XIV century Jewish cemetery located on the left bank of Yeghegis river was studied by the Armenian-Jewish expedition (leaders: H. Melkonyan, M. Stone) in 2001. They excavated a part of the nearby residential complex and mills. In 2006-2007 excavations were carried out under H. Melkonyan’s leadership in the square in front of Zorats Cathedral, where another residential complex was opened.

🧱 Archaeological description

Location
The ruins of the medieval village mainly occupy the territory of the present Yeghegis village. The suburbs of the rural town have spread up to the borders of the historical Vostink (Hostun) settlement located near the village of Shatin. The impregnable fortress of Yeghegis (Smbataberd) is located upon the crest of a hill to west of the village. The stone desert of Chgnavor is in the valley north-east of Yeghegis. Zorats temple, St. Nshan, S. Astvatsatsin, Catholic churches, the Orbelyan Palace (no longer exists), many tombstones, khachkars and tribal cemeteries are scattered around the various parts of the town. You can see many tombstones, khachkars in the streets of the village.

Stratigraphy
Yeghegis is one of the ancient and famous settlements of Vayots Dzor province of historical Syunik. Traces of human habitation can be seen in the caves of the Yeghegis River canyon since prehistoric times. Yeghegis has had two prosperous periods within its long history. In the X-XI centuries it was the administrative and political center of the Syunyats throned princes. After the Seljuk invasions the settlement was destroyed. The new prospering period coincides with the reign period of the Orbelian princely house in the XIII-XIV centuries. The famous monuments of the settlement, such as the Orbelians Palace, the churches with scriptoriums attached to them, were established during this period. Meantime, the Jewish community settled in Yeghegis, on the left bank of the river for about a century. XV-XVIII century references about Yeghegis are fragmentary. A Turkish-speaking population settled in the village in the XVIII-XIX centuries, which caused the village to be called Alayaz. In 1988 the Armenians, emigrated from Azerbaijan after the Sumgait pogroms, live in Yeghegis.

Architecture
Among the historical and architectural monuments located in different parts of Yeghegis, the noteworthy ones are:
Zorats (St. Stepanos) Cathedral, one of the unique churches of Armenian architecture located on the eastern side of Yeghegis, with only Upper Tabernacle and vestibules on its both sides. According to the preserved inscription, it was built by Stepanos, the grandson of Tarsayich Orbelyan in the 1920s, XIV century. It was restored in the early 1970s.
The Orbelians Palace does not exist now, but the front stone of the entrance with Tarsayich Orbelyan and his wife, Mina Khatun’s sculptures and inscription were discovered at the beginning of the XX century.
Yeghegis is home to the Orbelians family cemetery with unique carved tombstones and cross-stones.

🔨 Findings

Over the years, the collection of Yeghegnadzor Geological Museum has been enriched with various findings dating back to the XII-XIV centuries (pottery, metal, glass objects, coins) being found in the extant village resting on medieval village town and its surrounding areas.

🌍 Significance

The rural town of Yeghegis was one of the important urban-type settlements of the Middle Ages, which was the residence and cultural center of Syunyats Vasakyan and then Orbelian princes. It is rich in historical and architectural monuments.

📚 Sources

Stepanos Orbelyan 1986, History of Syunik (translated by A. Abrahamyan), Yerevan, Soviet writer, 615 pages.
Barkhudaryan S. 1967, Diva of Armenian lithography III, Vayots Dzor. Yeghegnadzor and Azizbekov regions, Yerevan, The Academy of Sciences SSR ed., 427 pages.
Yeghiazaryan H. 1955, Cultural monuments of Azizbekov region, Yerevan, “Haypethrat”, 111 pages.
Melkonyan H., Hakobyan N. 2002, Yeghegis 2001 Excavations, Culture of Ancient Armenia, XII, Yerevan, 2002, p. 97-102.
Melkonyan H., Hakobyan N. 2016, Excavations around Yeghegis Zorats Temple, “Echmiadzin”, Э, pp. 144-166.
Kajberuni 2003, Travel notes, Yerevan, “Mughni”, 498 pages.
Amit D., Stone M.E. 2002, Report on the Survey of a Medieval Jewish Cemetery in Eghegis, Vayots Dzor Region, Armenia, Journal of Jewish Studies, N53, pp. 66-106.

List of monuments

Vayots_Dzor
9.2.11 Zorats temple
9.21.9 S. Astvatsatsin Church
9.10.1 Smbatabert fortress
9.21.5. Jewish cemetery