Tsovinar () is a village in the
Martuni Municipality of the
Gegharkunik Province
Gegharkunik (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. Its capital and largest city is Gavar. Gegharkunik is inhabited by approximately 209,669 people and the majority are ethnic Armenian ...
of
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
, located to the south of
Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan () is the largest body of water in both Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest freshwater Alpine lake, high-altitude (alpine) lakes in Eurasia. The lake is situated in Gegharkunik Province, at an altitude of abov ...
.
Etymology
The name "Tsovinar" is derived from
Tsovinar, the
Armenian goddess of water, sea, and rain.
Historical heritage
East of the village is the
Urartian
Urartian or Vannic is an extinct Hurro-Urartian language which was spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu (''Biaini'' or ''Biainili'' in Urartian), which was centered on the region around Lake Van and had its capital, Tushp ...
site of
Teyseba (
Odzaberd) founded by
Rusa I
Rusa I (ruled: 735–714 BC) was a King of Urartu. He succeeded his father, king Sarduri II. His name is sometimes transliterated as ''Rusas'' or ''Rusha''. He was known to Assyrians as ''Ursa'' (which scholars have speculated is likely a mor ...
around 735-713 BC, with a lengthy but worn cuneiform inscription nearby recounting his conquest of twenty-three nations. It is considered to be the best-preserved Urartian fortification in the Sevan Basin. Below the hill of Teyseba is the point where the Arpa-Sevan Tunnel empties into Lake Sevan. On the hill south of the road that is adjacent to the fortress, are boulders that form walls that are especially visible along the southern boundary.
Just outside the village headed southeast are numerous stones scattered across the side of one of the hills. It is all that remains of an old village destroyed during by war long ago. Some human bones and old coins have been found in this area by villagers from Tsovinar, attesting to the story of what had once taken place there. In close proximity are two small single-nave churches. The church of Topi Galugh sits on a hill southeast between Tsovinar and
Artsvanist, while the church of
Surb Sarkis (1100-1200) sits south of the village of Tsovinar on a promontory overlooking a small gorge. Next to Surb Sarkis is a small cemetery, and just below the church in the gorge is a small spring and cave. Further south are the remains of the ancient village of
Karmrashen, which contains the church of Hnevank, the monument of
Yot Verk Matur
Yot Verk Matur () is a small monument erected around the late 14th-century in remembrance of seven lords of seven villages. Local folklore tells that when the Turko-Mongol conqueror Timur Lenk came into Armenia, he made war against the seven lor ...
, numerous
khachkar
A ''khachkar'' (also spelled as ''khatchkar'') or Armenian cross-stone (, , խաչ ''xačʿ'' "cross" + քար ''kʿar'' "stone") is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosette (design), rosettes ...
s, and some tombs.
Gallery
Overlooking Teyseba.JPG, Overlooking Teyseba and Lake Sevan. Tsovinar is located in the distance to the left.
Teyseba Cuneiform.JPG, Cuneiform inscription of Rusa I at the base of the hill of Teyseba, near the road leading towards Artsvanist.
Khrbeh Ruins.JPG, Ruins of Khrbeh
S. Sarkis Grave Tsovinar.JPG, Medieval grave outside of St. Sarkis of Tsovinar
Surb Sarkis of Tsovinar.JPG, St. Sarkis of Tsovinar
Սուրբ Աստվածածին, Ծովինար 113.jpg, St. Astvatsatsin Church in Tsovinar, from 1900
References
External links
*
*
Populated places in Gegharkunik Province
{{gegharkunik-geo-stub