Memories preserved about ‘historical masters’ on former Armenian territory in Iran

 July 25, 2011 - 14:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Residents of historic Armenian lands on the territory of contemporary Iran assert they live on Armenian soil, according to chairman of Armenian Cultural Foundation Samvel Karapetyan.

The specialist for monuments told journalists that Armenians left those lands long ago, mainly kurds and ezids populate the area currently. After a month study, Karapetyan said that there were no problems with the local population. They permitted to explore their houses, cemeteries.

“Even keys from the Church was kept by one Azerbaijani, who opened the door without hesitation and presented the monastery stating that these are primordially Armenian lands,” said Karapetyan for whom the statement of Azeri was a great surprise as this is not the Western Armenia which disappeared 100 years ago, but a different territory, which from the 5th century was deprived of statehood, however memories preserved.

The specialists from the Foundation headed by Karapetyan visited Armenian historical provinces Karadag (Parspatunik), Maku (Artas), Khoy (Ger), Salmast (Zarevand) on the territory of Iran from June 10 to July 10 and studied monuments.

The chairman of the Foundation stressed that there are as many monuments of architecture on that territory as in the modern Armenia’s provinces. Totally 6000 photos have been taken and 4500 monuments were reckoned. According to Karapetyan this is just a third part of monuments on the territory, and the studies will be continued by 2013. Results of studies will be published.