According to Armenia Today, in 2014, Turkey decided to present Georgia with 300 historical monuments of Western Armenia located in Tayk. Members of the Public Council, representatives of the Commission on Diaspora, Religion and International Integration Vahan Ter-Ghazaryan, Ashot Manucharyan, and Zhasmin Asryan were the ones reporting on this.
“Today, Turkey states that the Armenian monuments of the times of Hayk the Great are the historical monuments of Georgians. In total, there are 2000 of such constructions.
We are facing the problem of several dozens of Chalcedonian churches built by Armenians being presented as Georgian only because they have Georgian inscriptions,” a member of the Public Council Ashot Manucharyan said.
Armenian specialists noted that the churches of Oshkvank and Ishkhan are obvious examples of Armenian architecture. They contain all the elements of Armenian architectonics, moreover, they have Armenian names.
“The architecture of the churches in Tayk exactly repeats the ones of the Echmiadzin Monastery and the Zvartnots Temple in Armenia. Oshkvank and Ishkhan churches located in the province of Erzurum are quite large and strong complexes,” a member of the Public Council Vahan Ter-Ghazaryan added.
According to Ashot Manucharyan, the Turkish government tries to ascribe Oshkvank and the nearby Ishkhan churches to the Georgian cultural heritage.
“Once again, Turkey demonstrated its hazardous policy, trying to damage the friendly relations of neighboring countries – Armenia and Georgia. This proves that Turkey has not changed its anti-Armenian policy. Unfortunately, the Georgians are equally aggressive and remain demanding on this issue”.
According to the chairman of the subcommittee Zhasmin Asryan, those churches are either apostolic or Armenian-Chalcedonian. As a result of the Byzantine pressure, they became Chalcedonian, but historically, they are Armenian cathedrals, which is quite important.
“In the Chalcedonian churches, Armenian ritual ceremonies were held, not Georgian or Greek. The owners of this heritage are Armenians,” Zhasmin Asryan thinks. She says that it is difficult to do anything, and relying on the Ministry of Culture of Armenia is pointless. In her view, they must focus on the conventions of international organizations, namely, the UNESCO Convention.
Sourse: golosarmenii.am
7 thoughts on “Turkey’s Present for Georgia, or the Real Image of Turks”
Oshki is a Georgian monastery from the second half of the 10th century located in the Georgian historic province of Tao, which was an integral part of Georgian kingdom. The construction of the monastery was sponsored by the Georgian Kings Bagrat eristavt-eristavi (prince of princes) and David III Bagrationi Kuropalates. There are 12 Georgian inscriptions and none Armenian. Armenian origin of Oshki monastery is not confirmed by any historical source.
As for Ishkhani, the earliest mention of the monastery is found in the Life of Grigol Khandzteli (famous Georgian monk), a Georgian manuscript dating from the year 951. In this manuscript it is stated that Saba, the nephew and follower of the priest Gregory of Khandzta, founded a monastery on the site of an earlier church. Just the earlier church was built by the Armenian catholicos Nerses III, which was destroyed during the Arab invasion and not the current cathedral, built by the Georgian monks. The final face of the cathedral took place in 1032, during the reign of Bagrat IV, king of Georgia, architect was Ivane Morchaisdze. Also there are five old Georgian inscriptions within the church.
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