Artsakh Was Proven Part of the Kingdom of Van

Siranush Ghazanchyan

 

Armenians had four viceroy seats, one of them in Artsakh. Archeologists have discovered a bronze scepter that belonged to a viceroy during excavations at Teishebani (Karmir Blur), archeologist Hakob Simonyan, deputy head of the Research Center of Historical-Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, told reporters today. He said the findings unearthed from the site shed light on disputed pages of history.

The excavations that resumed in 2015 have revealed that, back in the Urartian period, Armenia was divided into provinces, each ruled by a viceroy. After the death of the latter, the highest symbol of power – the scepter– was also laid at his mausoleum.

[“Similar scepters have been also discovered in Vanadzor, Siunik, and Artsakh (in Arajadzor), and we thought that these were ornaments. However, the scepter founded in the excavations of Karmir Blur proved that the fourth viceroy's scepter had been found,” Simonyan said.

The finding would indirectly show that if the scepter from Karmir Blur belonged to a viceroy, then the others did, including the one found in Artsakh.](*)

“What’s most important, is that it’s now proven that Artsakh was part of the united Kingdom of Van in the 8th to 7th centuries BC.  The excavations come to refute all assertions that Artsakh has never been part of Armenia,” the archeologist said.

According to him, the importance of the findings is also that they come to dispel the uncertainty regarding the origin of the Urartians. “The Urartians were natives of the Ararat Valley,” he noted.

“I’m deeply confident that Urartu is an Armenian kingdom with multi-layer population, where the Armenian element was dominant,” Hakob Simonyan said.

A number of different interesting items have been unearthed during the expedition. These include jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, cuff links, buttons), as well as a whole arsenal of weapons.

These excavations have disclosed huge material for anthropological research. With DNA tests it’s possible to reveal the illnesses the locals suffered from, calculate their life expectancy, study their beliefs and rituals.

Public Radio of Armenia (www.armradio.am), September 15, 2016

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(*) The information between brackets has been added by "Armeniaca" on the basis of the Armenian report on these discoveries, also released by the Public Radio of Armenia.