Khachkar
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{{redirect|Kachkar|the mountain range in Turkey|Kaçkar Mountains}}
{| border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse; float:right; margin-left:10px"
|align=center bgcolor=#e7dcc3 colspan=2|''' Khachkar '''
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| [[Image:Khachkar-raffi kojian-IMG 0513.JPG|thumb|300px|center|Khachkar at [[Haghartsin Monastery]], near [[Dilijan]], [[Armenia]].]]
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| [[Image:Sarian khatchkar.jpg|thumb|300px|center|The painter [[Martiros Sarian]] (second from bottom left) pictured beside a monumental medieval khatchkar at the Armenian monastery of [[Sanahin]] in 1902]]
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| [[Image:Jugha-khachkar-CIMG1581.JPG|thumb|300px|center|Two Julfa-type khachkars from the 16th century, removed from the Julfa graveyard before its destruction by Azerbaijan]]
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| [[Image:Raffi kojian-goshavank-IMG 0454.JPG|thumb|300px|center|The famous khachkar at [[Goshavank]], carved in 1291 by the artist Poghos.]]
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| [[Image:Hackar - Novi Sad.jpg|thumb|300px|center|A modern, Amenaprkich-type, khachkar in [[Novi Sad]], [[Serbia]]]]
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A '''Khachkar''' or '''Khatchkar''' ("Խաչքար" in [[Armenian language|Armenian]], meaning ''"cross-stone"'', pronounced as {{IPA2|χɑtʃkɑɹ}}) is a carved memorial stone, typically found in [[Armenia]].<ref>Gough M. The Origins of Christian Art, London, 1973</ref>
==Definition and purpose==
The most common feature is a [[cross]], rarely with a [[crucifix]], with a [[rosette]]
or sun disc below it. The remainder is usually filled with patterns of leaves,
grapes or abstract knotwork patterns. Occasionally it is surmounted by a [[cornice (architecture)|cornice]] with [[Bible|biblical]] or saints' characters.
The most common reason for erecting a khachkar was for votive reasons - for the salvation of the soul of either a living or a deceased person. They were also erected for other reasons, such as to commemorate a military victory, construction of a church, or as a form of protection from natural disasters.<ref>“Armenian Khatchkars” (Editions Erebuni, 1978)
</ref>
The most common location for a khachkar is in a graveyard. However Armenian gravestones take many other forms, and only a minority are khatchkars.
==Amenaprkich==
'''Amenaprkich''' (meaning ''"of the Holy Saviour"'') is a term used to describe a particular type of khachkar, in which on the cross is a depiction of the crucified [[Christ]]. Only a few such designs are known, and most date from the late 13th century.
==History==
The first true khachkars appeared in the 9th century, during the time of Armenian revival after liberation from [[Arab]] rule. The oldest khachkar with a known date was carved in 879 (though earlier, cruder, examples exist). Erected in [[Garni]], it is dedicated to queen [[Katranide]], the wife of king [[Ashot I|Ashot I Bagratuni]]. The peak of the khachkar carving art was between the 12th and the 14th centuries. The art declined during the [[Mongols|Mongol]] invasion at the end of the 14th century. It revived in the 16th and 17th centuries, but the artistic heights of the 14th century were never achieved again. Today, the tradition still remains, and one can still see khachkar carvers in some parts of [[Yerevan]].<ref>Anatoli L. Yakobson. Armenian Khachkars, Moscow, 1986</ref>
About 40,000 khachkars survive today. Most of them are free standing, though those recording donations are usually built into monastery walls. The following three khachkars are believed to be the finest examples of the art form:
*One in [[Geghard]], carved in 1213, probably by ''Timot'' and ''Mkhitar''
*The Holy Redeemer khachkar in [[Haghpat]], carved in 1273 by ''Vahram''
*A khachkar in [[Goshavank]], carved in 1291 by ''Poghos''
A number of good examples have been transferred to the Historical Museum in [[Yerevan]] and beside the cathedral in [[Echmiadzin]]. The location in Armenia with the largest surviving collection of khachkars is the ''field of khachkars'' at [[Noraduz cemetery]], on the western shore of the [[Lake Sevan]], where an old graveyard with around 900 khachkars from various periods and of various styles can be seen. The largest collection in the world was formerly located in [[Julfa, Azerbaijan (city)|Julfa]] in the [[Nakhichevan|Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic]] of [[Azerbaijan]].
==Endangered khachkars==
A large portion of khachkars, which were created in historic Armenia and surrounding regions, in modern times have become the possession of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and partly Georgia and Iran. As a result of systematic eradication of khachkars in [[Turkey]], today only a few examples survive. Unfortunately these few survivors are not cataloged and properly photographed. Thus, it is difficult to follow up with the current situation. <ref>Der Nersessian S. Armenian Art, Paris, 1978.</ref> One documented example is the [[Khachkar destruction in Nakhchivan]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://iwpr.net/?p=crs&s=f&o=261191&apc_state=henh | title = Azerbaijan: Famous Medieval Cemetery Vanishes | work = Caucasus Reporting Service, [[Institute for War and Peace Reporting]] |date=April 19, 2006 | accessdate = 2007-04-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = World Watches In Silence As Azerbaijan Wipes Out Armenian Culture | publisher = [[The Art Newspaper]] | date = 2006-05-25 | url =http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article01.asp?id=281 | accessdate = 2006-05-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Tragedy on the Araxes | publisher = [[Archaeology (magazine)|Archaeology]] | date = 2006-06-30 | url =http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/djulfa/index.html | accessdate = 2006-06-30 }}</ref>
One source says that khachkars are being damaged, neglected, or moved in Armenia.<ref name="Khachkar.am">[http://khachkar.am/en/endangered.php Khachkar.am: Endangered Khachkars]</ref> Reasons sited for moving these khachkars include; decoration, to create new holy places, or to make space for new burials.
==See also==
*[[Celtic knot]]
*[[Kackar]]
*[[Stele]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.armenica.org/cgi-bin/armenica.cgi?=2=h Khatchkar collection at Armenica.org]
*[http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Hin_Jugha Old Jugha page on Armeniapedia]
*[http://www.armenica.org/history/old-jougha/index.html Destruction of Jugha khachkars by Azeri soldiers captured in photos and movie clips.]
*[http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Khachkar Khachkar page on Armeniapedia (many photos)]
*[http://armeniaphotos.info/find/khachkar Photos at Armenia Photos.info]
*[http://www.virtualani.org/por/index.htm Photos of 15th/16th CE khatchkars near Bitlis, Turkey]
*[http://www.khachkar.am Khachkar.am :: Everything about khachkars]
*[http://archive.hetq.am/eng/politics/0605-vandalism.html Triumph of Tolerance or Vandalism? ]
*[http://www.armeniaguide.com/html/_khachkar.html Photos and history of Khachkars]
*[http://www.djulfa.com/ Djulfa Virtual Memorial and Museum]
[[Category:Armenian culture]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Armenia]]
[[Category:Stone]]
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