TOPONYMICS K

KARVACHAR (KELBAJAR) REGION: Karvachar Region covers an area of 1936 km2 of which around 140 km2 were connected to the region in the 1920s' after their disunion from the Soviet Armenia. The region borders on Martakert Region (NKR), Kashatagh, Vardenis, Vaik and Sisian regions (Republic of Armenia), as well as Dashkesan and Khanlar regions (Republic of Azerbaijan).
Judging from the existing data, the political and cultural spheres of the Armenian people encompassed the territory of Karvachar region from the ancient ages. Since the times of Ararat Kingdom the history of the region was closely connected with the processes that took place in Armenia. In the 6th century BC the region was part of the Armenian State.

KARVACHAR AND ITS NEIGHBORING AREAS: Karvachar is one of the remarkable historical villages of Tsar Province. It is situated on the left bank plateau of the deep canyon through which the River Tertu runs. The village is located at an altitude of 180 meters from the level of the Tertu. In the Armenian historiography Karvachar is first mentioned in 1402. Tovma Siunetsi refers to Karvachar as "Karavachar" in his manuscript. In a document dated 1661 Karvachar is mentioned along with the villages of Kachav, Boru, Gomer and Zvar. Assumedly, Karvachar village was inhabited by Armenians until the 1730s' and gradually became deserted together with other settlements of the region. In 1850s' the region as settled by Kurds, and the initial pronunciation of the name underwent certain changes and was suited to the phonetics of the Kurdish language - "Kiarvajar" and later "Kialbajar".
In 1930 Karvachar - Kialbajar became the administrative center of the region. For political purposes of the Azeri authorities the small village of Kialbajar was issued a status of a settlement in 1960, and from 1980 it "became" a town.
Starting from the 1960s' a wide-range campaign on the artificial enlargement of the small village was launched and major resources were allocated for that project. In particular, the construction activities reached an unprecedented level in the course of 1980 - 1992. During the said period the government of Azerbaijan generously disbursed funds for the strengthening and expansion of the administrative center of the Turkish-assimilated Karvachar Region which separated Armenia from MKAO. As the result, for the last 20-25 years the administrative center "grew" 6-7 times both in terms of its area and population. The Karvachar church and the Armenian cemetery were fanatically destroyed by the local Turks and Turkish-assimilated merely for the sake of destroying everything that was of Armenian origin. Nevertheless, a khachkar (stone cross), a unique monument of the ancient ages, was preserved in the local Museum of History and Ethnography until April of 1993. In addition, there are several natural caves in the rocks nearby the eastern suburbs of Karvachar of which was obviously used as a dwelling place in the ancient times.

KASHATAKH ( LACHIN ) REGION: In the Armenian historiography Aghachek Province is referred to as one of the 12 provinces of Siunik region of Great Armenia. The place is first mentioned in "Ashkharatsuits" which was created in the 7th century.
Kashatakh borders on Sisian and Goris regions of the Republic of Armenia, Karvachar and Kubatli regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as Shushi and Hadrut regions of NKR.
Historically Aghachek Province occupied the territory of the present Kashatakh (Lachin) Region of NKR. Its territory covers an area of 1835 km2.

KASHUNIK ( KUBATLI ) REGION: According to "Ashkharatsuits" (7th century), Bakhk was one of the 12 provinces of the historical Suinik Region of Great Armenia. In the Middle Ages the province was divided into western and eastern sections which were assigned individual names.
The territorial-administrative position of the province did nor undergo any major changes until the province was passed under the domination of Russia when it was included in Zangezur District of Yelizavetpol Province. After the establishment of the Soviet power the volosts (small rural districts) created in the territory of historical Kashunik were shared between the republics of Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan. As the result, the western mountainous areas were given to Armenia while Azerbaijan received the eastern fertile lowlands. In 1923 the areas passed to Azerbaijan were included in the newly established Red Kurdistan Autonomous Oblast. However, in 1930, after the dissolution of the said autonomous unit, they were connected to Zangelan region.

KOVSAKAN ( ZANGELAN) REGION: Zangelan region which covers a territory of 707 km2 was established in 1930. It corresponds to Kovsakan, one of the 12 historical Armenian provinces. The borders of Kovsakan have not been precisely defined. However, today Zangelan occupies the central sector of the former province.
In the Middle Ages Kovsakan Province was commonly known by the name of Gerkhamu fortress situated there.
During the determination of the borders of the Soviet republics just Achanan Volost was included in Kapan Region of ArmSSR. Only the western sector was annexed to Armenia while the more fertile eastern lands were connected to the newly established state, i.e., the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. Here administrative region of Zangelan was formed in 1930, and in the course of the following decades the authentic inhabitants, i.e., the Armenians, were forced out from this area.
The western sector of Kovsakan adjoining the Republic of Armenia, as well as the mountainous areas covered with forests are notably rich in historical monuments.

KOTOR ( KODUR ) VILLAGE AND FORTRESS: Kodur Village which still bears its historical name is situated in a deep canyon of one of the main right-side tributaries of the River Dutkhu, at an altitude of 1780 meters. Kodur Fortress is erected on the 0,7 km northeastwards the village, on top of the distant mountain (altitude is 2149 m). The flat top has a sloping northern edge, acicular eastern and southern sides, and there are grottos underneath the western edge of the top. The masonry of the defense walls is typical of the 12th-13th centuries.

KHACHEN Principality was part of Artsakh. Khachen is often mentioned in the historical sources dating back to the 10th century. Khachen encompassed the areas of the modern MKAO and Lachin and Kelbajar regions of AzSSR (as of January 1, 1988). The administrative center of the Principality was based in Khachen Castle (the domain bears the name of the latter). The Principality was administered by Prince Sagel Smbatian Aranshakhik and his descendants.

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