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Past and Current LCO Worksites
Over the past 27 years, more than 1000 LCO Volunteers
from all over the world have worked hand in hand with local villagers
on our historic lands to assist the population and to preserve our culture.
Check out some of our handy work.
Click on a work site for more information:
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Gogaran
Shots of Workers and Volunteers in Gogaran in July 1996
The damage caused by the earthquake is, unfortunately, still
visible and affecting people's lives. LCO worked in Gogaran from 1990 to
1996. Gogaran is a small village of 200 families located 5 miles outside
of Spitak, the epicenter of the December 7, 1988 earthquake. Gogaran is
approximately 1.5 hours north of Yerevan. For six years the LCO was involved
in assisting the local villagers to rebuild their homes which were partially
destroyed by the earthquake. In 1992, the villagers requested that we select
as a project, as a gift to all residents of Gogaran, the reconstruction
of Gogaran's ancient church. |
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Gogaran is
situated approximately 2000 meters above sea level. Thus even though the
days are hot, the nights are quite chilly. The terrain is rather hilly and
quite scenic. Volunteers were housed in a facility formerly used by construction
workers from Russia. Meals were provided daily at the main dining hall of
this facility. Since the LCO has been working in this region since the earthquake,
former volunteers have developed long standing friendships and bonds with
the villagers as they work alongside these people of the Land.
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Opening of the finished church at Gogaran | |
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Saghmosavank, in the Village of Saghmosavan, Armenia
Located in
the village of Saghmosavan, in the Ashtarak region, some 40 minutes to the
northwest of Yerevan on the banks of the Kazakh river is the medieval monastic
complex of Sahmosavank.
Standing on the edge of a ravine and having Mount Aragadz
as a backdrop some distance away, this beautiful structure can be seen
from a distance as one approaches the village of Saghmosavan. The complex
comprises the church of St. Sion, the Gavit, the library, St. Asdvadzadzin
church and the surrounding and interior khatchkars. The monastic complex
was started by the construction of St. Sion church in the early 13th century
(1215) by Prince Vatche Vatchoudian and continued for the remaining structures
ending in 1255 by the building of the library by Prince Kourd Vatchoudian.
In the northwest of the complex is the old cemetery dating from the 13th-14th
centuries with a number of notable khatchkars still standing.
The complex is built of dark colored Tufa stone intermingled
at placed by lighter, cinammon colored Tufa. One of the best examples
of Armenian medieval architecture, Saghmosavank has undergone numerous
renovations throughout the ages. The 1988 earthquake has damaged the main
structure considerably in the form of severe cracks in the walls and the
roof. As a result, leaking water which freezes during the winter months
has aggravated the damage. Our volunteers will work to repair the damage
and renovate the complex over the next 3 years, in time for the celebration
of the 1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia taking place in 2001.
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Ambert, Armenia
In 1989 and 1990, Land and Culture volunteers had the
opportunity to travel back in time by working on the archaeological site
of Ambert, located in the Aragatz mountain range. Armenian men and women
from various parts of the world lived in the quaint resort of Biuragan,
also the site of Armenia's famous observatory. They commuted 15 minutes
on a bumpy ride through time to excavate the tonirs and dwellings of ancestors.
Sounds, sharagans, and songs from the past were heard through the walls
of the 11th century church. Working under the mesmerizing hum of bees,
the cool picnics by the river were rejuvenating. Those who spent their
summer at Ambert will always remember the ride back to the future and
long for the past.
Armenia's geographical position, at the crossroads of
communication between east and west, made it the theater of fierce battles
between the two world's, so profoundly different in their culture and
traditions, and inevitably always in disagreement. Because it was troubled
by this strife, and periodically laid waste by the invasions of powerful
neighbors, Armenia and her princes, built over the centuries, numerous
means of defense in order to survive against warlike adversaries. These
many fortresses, residences of the most important feudatories and at the
same time, bulwarks against external or internal enemies, were undoubtedly
the best weapon; today they are an irreplaceable characteristic of Armenian
countryside as well as invaluable to the study of the history and institutions
of the Armenian people. From this standpoint the Ambert fortress and church,
typical examples of constructions arising in answer to a particular need,
are especially interesting.
Tradition attributes the founding of Ambert and of many
other fortresses along the Armenian border the King Ashot Yerkat, but
this is just a naive and popular tribute to the national hero, a protagonistic
in the struggle for Armenian independence. From a letter written by the
learned stateman Pahlavouni (990-1058, archmandrite of Ani around the
year 1050, and other available documents, the exact founding date of Ambert
can be established proving it belonged to the Pahlavouni princes from
the 10th century to the Seljuk invasion. After its liberation from their
domination in 1196, "Amir Spahsalar" Zakaria handed Ambert over
to Prince Vatche, together with other land. His son, Kourd Vatchoutian
instead, chose as his residence the village of Vardenis facing Mount Ara
after Amberd was conquered by the Mongols in 1236 and destroyed by fire.
It was never rebuilt again. Amberts architectural works are clearly not
from the same period. In fact, construction lasted several centuries.
The fortress was built with the criteria used for military constructions
at that time, for which considerable importance was given the choice of
a site having a good natural defense system in order to reduce the number
and size of fortifications. Hence a rocky promontory at the joining of
two rivers or precipitous rock was usually chosen so that walls only had
to be built at most vulnerable points of approach and where the rocks
had fallen away. Ambert, built exactly according to this technique, is
on a promonitary formed by the narrow valleys hollowed out by the Ambert
and Arkhashian rivers.
The Ambert river bank is rocky, making access impossible,
and thus defense walls were required only on the lowest part. The slope
descending to the Arkhashian river to the contrary, is steep but practical
so that here, a wall had to be built to its top and extended to the far
end of the promontory and the rocky peak rising above it, a fortified,
three story castle, blocking the entry from the Mount Aragatz side, was
erected. To give an idea of the fortress' secure position, the two gorges
formed by the rivers are about a hundred meters deep, with a vertical
drop of the rocks in some places fifty meters. A domed church built in
1026 by the glorious army leader Vahram Pahlavouni rises between the castle
and the end of the promontory, almost against the wall following the course
of the Arkhashian river.
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Madrasa, Armenia
During the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, hundreds of
thousands of Armenians were displaced from their homes in Azerbaijan and
came to Armenia for safety. Already plagued with those left homeless after
the earthquake, the Armenian government had been struggling to also provide
housing for the refugees.
One of the casualties of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
was a village outside Baku, Azerbaijan called Madrasa. The entire population
of 600 Armenian families was removed in November of 1988 and dispersed
throughout the Soviet Union. The head of this village, in typical Armenian
fashion, was determined not to let this event end an existence and way
of life that he had known since birth. He located 130 of the original
families, who had been housed in temporary accommodations throughout Armenia,
and together decided to recreate their village life-- but on Armenian
soil! In November of 1990 the Refugee Committee allocated a large parcel
of land on which their new village was to be created. This area was initially
named New Madrasa but recently was renamed Dbrevan, the Armenian translation
of Madrasa, which means school in Arabic, Madrasa is located in the Ashdarag
Region of Armenia, approximately 30 miles north of Yerevan.
The area has been divided into approximately 200 family
plots and, over two years, with the help of the LCO, approximately 45
homes have been built. The blockade has made the work very difficult at
times, but Madrasa is now taking on some semblance to a real village.
Villagers have planted trees and gardens. The plot that was given to the
Madrasa villagers, was useless land--dry, rocky, infertile. However, through
the perseverance of these people, greenery and life has been put into
this once arid flat land.
As part of the day's work routine, LCO volunteers have
typically been split into small groups of three and four and assigned
to work side by side with these families as they rebuilt their homes and
tilled their soil. Here, also, shoveling dirt, carrying stone blocks,
mixing cement, were the typical chores our volunteers.
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Datev, Armenia
In the region of Goris, and about 18 kilometers southwest of the town
of Goris, on the right bank plateau of the Vorotan river is the famous
medieval monastery of Datev (9th century). In 1995, with the cooperation
of the Committee on Historic Preservation of Monuments, the LCO adopted
the village of Datev, across from the Datev monastery. Throughout the
pre-independence period, on-going renovations of the various historical
monuments were periodically undertaken in this region. While Etchmiadzin
continues its renovation of the main monastery, LCO has undertaken the
renovation of the Sourp Minas village church dating from the 17th century.
1997 LCO Volunteers restoring the landscape around St. Minas
Last summer's
volunteers renovated the roof of the church; this summer's volunteers
will continue the work and will also undertake the renovation of the interior
and surrounding exterior of the church. This year's August volunteers
will have the pleasure of participating in the rededication of the Church
tentatively scheduled for August 24, 1997. In addition, volunteers will
assist in the renovation of the village hospital.
1996 LCO Volunteers clear away debris before re-setting stones
on the roof of St. Minas church in the village of Datev.
This region
is remote but beautiful. Opportunities to travel may be restricted. This
is not to say, however, that there are no memorable edifices and monuments
to visit in this area, which is considered one of the most beautiful parts
of Armenia. Armenia is an open air museum no matter where you happen to
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Karintak Village
INFORMATION
It is located in the Shoushi region of MKR about half a kilometer south
of Shoushi on the left bank of the Karkar river. It is at an elevation
of 1160-1230 meters.
ORIGIN OF VILLAGE
It known from written sources that the ancestors of the present population
migrated from Khdzabert village located in Hadrout region of Tizak. It is
also known that these immigrants were not the first settlers of this village.
Especially in 1795, during the defense of the village by one of the armies
of Agha Mohammad Khan, they had camped "...on the south side of the
village of Karatak..." This evidence to the fact that the village existed
before the Khdzabert natives migrated there. Its depopulation occurring
during the lengthy siege of Shoushi during the above mentioned date. It
is also very possible that the village existed as far back as medieval times.
Evidence however of this has not been found in written documents.
POPULATION
Karintak has always been inhabited by Armenians. We read in some archives
that in 1841, the village had 42 homes with 411 inhabitants. During the
course of years, the population has increased regularly. In 1873, for
example, 147 homes with 823 inhabitants and in 1886, 165 homes with 943
inhabitants while in 1914, the village had 1446 inhabitants and in 1977
only 862, all Armenian.
ECONOMY AND
PROFESSIONS
On the banks of the Karkar River flowing alongside of the village, there
were 11 water mills during the later years of the 19th century. A stone
bridge was constructed across the river. During the same period ther were
two silk factories whose owners were Shoushi Armenians. In addition to
agriculture and farm work there was some animal husbandry as well as the
the production of lime. "...their principle frofession was to produce
lime from the areas adjacent to the village and supply the whole of Shoushi
with it."
THE CHURCH
19th and 20th century documents testify that Karintak has a church called
St. Asdvadzadzin which was a structure built of stone.
THE SCHOOL
It is known
that in 1908 in the village of Karintak, a one classroom coeducational school
was opened where in the 1908/09 school year, 41 students, of which there
were 10 girls, studied there.
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