Azeris fire on archeological camp at ancient site in Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - The archeological camp of Tigranakert in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has been shelled by Azerbaijani army, archaeologist Hamlet Petrosyan said on Thursday, November 5.

Petrosyan said earlier Tigranakert, the major Hellenistic and Armenian archaeological site, has been shelled several times in Azerbaijan’s attack on Karabakh.

Due to the ongoing fighting, his archeological team is finding it largely impossible to get regular assessments of the sites, though they maintain contacts with individuals who have infrequent access to the locations.

“The Tigranakert of Artsakh is one of the cities founded by Tigranes the Great in 95–55 BCE,” Petrosyan explained in an earlier interview. The city has ancient fortifications that occupy seven hectares, surrounded by sophistically-planned urban districts of 70 hectares. According to him, Tigranakert was built to guard the eastern frontiers of ancient Armenia “to prevent invasions by [east-of-Kura] Caucasus tribes.”

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey and terrorist mercenaries deployed by Ankara, started a war against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. Foreign and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support humanitarian efforts in Karabakh.