Khachkar

Khachkar (Armenian խաչքար, transliterated Xačk'ar, " Cross Stone " ) is in the tradition of the Armenian Church an artfully hewn memory stone with a cross in relief in the center, surrounded by geometric and plant motifs. The upright rectangular stone slabs are decorated 1.5 to 3 meters high and on a face side, elaborately decorated with bas-reliefs. The oldest ones date back to the 9th century, the creative peak of the Chatschkare was in 12-13. Century and until the late 18th century they were made ​​. Since the end of the 20th century Chatschkare be made again. They represent one of the central cultural symbols of the Armenians dar.

Description

A khachkar is a stele, a monolith engraved with crosses, grapes, palmettes, animals, vines and characters. Chatschkare are memory monuments and artistic objects of a special kind The focus is on the cross, the rest is completely often decorated with fine tracery, palmettes, vines, grapes, animal shapes, abstract knots and rosettes covered and in the bottom half with a sun disk. The stones are usually completely sampled. Occasionally the stone is crowned by a cornice with biblical themes or Holy picture.

The stone slabs, sometimes two or three feet high, are fully machined front and rear provided either plain or with Scripture. Above, the younger Chatschkare are sometimes finished with a kind of crown.

The representations are impressive because of the visual compositions, there is a great harmony of motives. The stone-carved ornaments same goldsmith's work, are becoming finer and more delicate look like with a fine needle stitched plant ornaments. The engravings make the stone look easy, sometimes like an embroidered pillow.

The mood, the aura of the Chatschkare is always positive, cheerful, bright and inspiring optimism. The cross sits in the middle of ornaments, drawings, ornaments and arabesques, and it never seems threatening ( in the sense that it is reminiscent of hell).

History

The first Chatschkare in the modern sense developed in the 9th century after the Armenian territories had south of the Caucasus and in Anatolia freed from Arab rule. It began a cultural heyday, which began in a revival of the Armenian architectural style. The Chatschkare surviving mainly originate from the period until the 13th century. Your changes during the decades and centuries run parallel to the stylistic changes that experienced the Armenian architecture at that time.

Coarse -shaped proto- Chatschkare there were earlier in the Armenian settlement areas. Stone columns, menhirs, pillars, obelisks from pre-Christian times have been found to the east of present-day Turkey. The oldest typical khachkar, which is known to us, was 879 carved. Queen Katranide let him build in Garni. She was the wife of King Ashot I. Bagratouni.

From the 10th century in the form of compositions of Chatschkare are even more varied. It was the time when the Armenian cities in today's Eastern Turkey, particularly Ahlat on Lake Van, and the Caucasus experienced an economic and cultural boom. Many monasteries were built. Architecture, painting, sculpture turned to a new way of religious and secular themes. The culmination of the art of khachkar - carving began in the 12th century. Armenian sculptors were occasionally employed in these buildings Muslim clients. So the khachkar ornamentation influenced forms of decoration on the 1228/29 finished Divriği Mosque.

The invasion of Seljuk Turks and Mongols hindered the development of Armenian art. The following centuries are generally referred to as the " dark period " in Armenian history. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Armenia was divided, one part fell to the Ottoman Empire ( present-day eastern Turkey ), an other part fell to Persia (now Iran). The tradition lives on in so far as one can still find in some areas in Yerevan khachkar carvers today. But the stone carvers have never reached the artistic level of the Middle Ages.

Today there are about 40,000 Chatschkare. Most are outdoors. Chatschkare on which information has been recorded donations were built into the walls of the monasteries. In the following three Chatschkaren are the finest examples of this art form:

• The in Geghard Monastery, carved in 1213, presumably by the masters Timot and Mekhitar
• The in Haghpat, carved in 1273 by Vahram
• A khachkar in Goshavank, 1291 carved by Poghos

Some valuable specimens were brought in the Historical Museum in Yerevan and behind the cathedral in Echmiadzin. The exceptionally valuable monuments were divided into several groups of scientists. However, each of them is unique.

Systematic destruction

In December 2005, reports emerged that demonstrate once again the systematic destruction of works of art by Azerbaijani soldiers. The extent of the damage and destruction is immeasurable. The destruction action testifies to the lack of any respect for the cultural heritage of other nations, it is by supranational authorities as "similar to the Taliban 's demolation of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan " (see "The Independent", 30 May 2006) assessed and at high risk Dimensions of Azerbaijan overtures to the European Union.

Purpose and use

Chatschkare were created as symbols of redemption and crucifixion to distribute as gifts for monasteries and to Christianity. There are Chatschkare reminiscent of military victories, the most important historical events hold or have the purpose to remember the completion of wells, bridges and other structures.

Many Chatschkare were built for the salvation of the soul. In other an unrequited love should be thought of or protection against natural disasters are enabled. Almost it would seem that they were always made ​​and erected when it was necessary to keep the memory of a person or an important event awake. There were even cross-stones, which were ascribed protective effect and thus were regarded as a kind of sacred place.

The place with the largest collection of Chatschkaren in Armenia is now a cemetery with approximately 900 Chatschkaren from different periods and of different kinds, the Chatschkarenfeld in Noratus on the western shore of Lake Sevan. Until the destruction of the ruins of the old Jugha in Nakhichevan ( an autonomous republic in Azerbaijan ) were the largest accumulation.

Historical evidence

Chatschkare are also important because of their inscriptions, which often call Stifter, stonemasons, and events. They are thus documents the history of the Armenians.