Some epigraphic and archaeological documents from Western Anatolia during the late Ottoman ...

26 Pages·2015·2.87 MB·English

Post-Medieval Archaeology 48/2 (2014), 285–310
Some epigraphic and archaeological
documents from Western Anatolia during
the late Ottoman period
By ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
SUMMARY: The focus of this article is on the post-medieval archaeological heritage of (cid:240)zmir,
especially during the 19th century. The material selected consists of Armenian inscriptions from
(cid:240)zmir and its close environs, since there is a paucity of archaeological scholarship for the Armenian
community of the Ottoman Empire. The paper is based on the survey of sixteen Armenian inscrip-
tions across nine locations in and around (cid:240)zmir, with discussion of the Armenian material culture of
the Late Ottoman Period, as well as transcription and translation of these inscriptions, although a
history of Armenia in general is outside the scope of the article. As Armenian grave markers can be
taken as active interventions in social relations, this paper offers a potential for reconstructing the
social complexities of late Ottoman (cid:240)zmir.
POST-MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL whether it had always been an important Byzan-
HERITAGE IN (cid:240)ZMIR AND WESTERN tine city, albeit one that was subject to damaging
ANATOLIA: THE ARMENIAN MINORITY Turkish attacks following the Battle of Manzikert
in 1071 and subsequent decline of Byzantine
Located in the western part of the Anatolian authority in Anatolia.3 Treadgold himself supports
peninsula and lying on the coast of the Aegean the latter view, also listing it as only one of ten 8th-
Sea, (cid:240)zmir (ancient Greek Smyrna; Zmiur’nia or century Byzantine cities with a population over
Zmyur’na — (cid:1455)(cid:1514)(cid:1505)(cid:1515)(cid:1522)(cid:1516)(cid:1495) or (cid:1455)(cid:1514)(cid:1515)(cid:1518)(cid:1528)(cid:1522)(cid:1516)(cid:1505)(cid:1495) — in Arme- 10,000.4
nian) is today Turkey’s third largest city (Fig. 1).
Control of the city’s important port was
The city has a long history, and was already sig-
contested between different Christian and Turkish
nifi cant in the Classical period. One of Herodotus’
groups over the 14th and early 15th centuries, but
several references to the city, for example, describes
it continued as an important and prosperous centre
it as an Ionian Greek city that had previously
of trade after it came under defi nitive Ottoman
belonged to the Aeolians.1 It continued to be a
control in 1426, with a cosmopolitan mix of
signifi cant urban centre under the Roman empire,
Turkish, Greek, Jewish, Levantine, and Armenian
and was also a signifi cant early centre for Christi-
residents. In the late 1600s, its population was
anity, with the important early Christian fi gure St
Polycarp of Smyrna serving as bishop in the 2nd estimated at around 90,000, with Turks forming
century.2 The history of the city in the Byzantine the majority, but with some 15,000 Greek, 8,000
period is subject to disagreement. Treadgold Armenian, and up to 7,000 Jewish residents (not to
summarizes the debate as relating to whether the mention a large European merchant community).5
city fell into post-classical obscurity until a 13th- The demographics did not remain static, and
century change in trade patterns brought about by sources disagree as to whether Turks or Greeks
the Fourth Crusade led to its re-emergence, or were the largest ethnic group immediately before
© Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology 2014 DOI: 10.1179/0079423614Z.00000000058
285
286 ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
FIG. 1
Late Ottoman Western Anatolia: places mentioned in the text (graphics, S. Patacı 2013).
the First World War (with signifi cant Armenian, Armenia was a contested borderland between the
Jewish and foreign populations also present).6 Roman Empire and the Parthian and Sassanian
However, the Greco-Turkish war of 1919–22 Empires; later, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
climaxed with the Great Fire of Smyrna in Septem- played a prominent role in the history of the
ber 1922. The latter destroyed 50–75% of the Crusades due to its strategic position between Con-
city, includ ing all of the Greek, Armenian and stantinople and Antioch.13 In the post-medieval
European quarters.7 Since 1922 the city has been period, the Armenian heartland continued to be
known internationally by its Turkish name (cid:240)zmir a borderland between different empires, this time
instead of its former Greek name of Smyrna. between the Ottoman, Persian and Russian states.
Classical Armenia was famously the fi rst state
to make Christianity the national religion, with
THE ARMENIANS AND SMYRNA
King Trdat III (also known as Tiridates the Great)
Even though the Greek,8 Jewish9 and Levantine converting his entire country in c. AD 301 follow-
communities10 of (cid:240)zmir and their archaeological ing missionary activity by St Gregory the Illumina-
heritage are relatively well known, the post- tor (himself a distant cousin of the king); the
medieval Armenian archaeology of the city has distinctive Armenian alphabet was designed by the
never been investigated in a scientifi c manner. All scholar-monk St Mesrop about a century after the
previous research on the Armenian population has conversion.14 The Armenian Church is sometimes
been historical,11 and most of the sources have not referred to as the ‘Gregorian’ church on the basis
been treated scientifi cally. In this article we would of its foundation by St Gregory; however, the
like to ‘make a start’ in documenting and assessing Armenian Church itself rejects this term, claiming
post-medieval archaeological evidence in western a fi rst-century foundation by the Apostles St
Turkey in a scientifi c fashion,12 beginning with the Bartholomew and St Thaddeus.15 The Armenian
Armenian heritage. Church split from the Imperial Roman church
The Armenians ((cid:1510)(cid:1495)(cid:1515)(cid:1499)(cid:1526)) emerge from history (that would itself later split into the Catholic and
in the 1st millenium BC, with their earliest states Orthodox Churches in the 11th century) following
based in the Armenian plateau of Eastern Anato- the Christological controversies surrounding the
lia. The history of the various Armenian states is Council of Chalcedon in AD 451.16 The Armenian
complex. For much of the later Classical period Apostolic Orthodox Church ((cid:1465)(cid:1495)(cid:1515) (cid:1450)(cid:1522)(cid:1495)(cid:1530)(cid:1499)(cid:1506)(cid:1495)(cid:1509)(cid:1495)(cid:1516)
EPIGRAPHIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS FROM WESTERN ANATOLIA 287
(cid:1478)(cid:1518)(cid:1528)(cid:1526)(cid:1496) (cid:1454)(cid:1509)(cid:1499)(cid:1512)(cid:1499)(cid:1527)(cid:1505)) has since been one of the Miaphysite wave of Armenians came to (cid:240)zmir from the Julfa
Oriental Orthodox churches, which also include region on the Azerbaijan-Iran borders, fl eeing
the Egyptian Coptic, Ethiopian and Syrian Jaco- Persian persecutions.21
bite churches. The majority of Armenians remain After the 15th century the Armenian quarter
members of the national Church, though there are (Fig. 4) moved closer to the Greek district in the
also smaller Armenian churches affi liated with the Fair Area (today’s Kültürpark); thus it became
Catholic Church and various Protestant groups. incorporated into the downtown area of post-
The 5th-century split, and the subsequent distinc- medieval (cid:240)zmir. This quarter was called ‘Haynots’
tiveness of the Armenian Church, explains why ((cid:1465)(cid:1495)(cid:1515)(cid:1516)(cid:1518)(cid:1527)) on French maps (quartier arménien)
Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian juris- and was indicated on both sides of the so-called
dictions often overlap, with Armenian bishops and ‘Caravan Road’. Armenians chose to settle on the
patriarchs holding offi ces in cities that also contain trade route specifi cally because of their trading
bishops and patriarchs from other churches.17 interests.22 Today Haynots is located in an area
While the Armenian heartland is in eastern between Basmane, i.e. the central train station of
Anatolia, there was a signifi cant medieval Arme- (cid:240)zmir, and the Kültürpark, and very few surface
nian diaspora within the Ottoman Empire (Fig. 2). remains attest to the area’s former Armenian heri-
It is diffi cult to be certain about the date when tage. The harbour of (cid:240)zmir became more important
Armenian immigrants fi rst arrived in (cid:240)zmir. It during the 18th century and Armenian immigra-
seems that this took place in the late medieval tion to (cid:240)zmir from other parts of Ottoman Empire
period: in 1375 c. 30,000 Armenians were expelled (including Istanbul) grew. During the 17th to 18th
by the Mamluks from Cilicia, spreading out to centuries the number of Armenians was 6,000–
Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes, and eventually to 8,000,23 and in 19th century 10,000–12,000.24 Dur-
(cid:240)zmir.18 During the late medieval period they set- ing the 19th century Armenians were one of the
tled in (cid:240)zmir in a quarter called ‘Apano Mahallah’, richest and most sophisticated minority groups
which was very close to the Turkish quarter.19 This in (cid:240)zmir. The fi rst Armenian newspaper of the
period can be attested archaeologically. In the gar- Ottoman Empire was ‘(cid:1450)(cid:1526)(cid:1520)(cid:1505) (cid:1450)(cid:1526)(cid:1495)(cid:1526)(cid:1495)(cid:1525)(cid:1505)(cid:1495)(cid:1516)’ (Arp’i
den of St Stephen’s Armenian Orthodox Cathedral Araradian, or The Sun of Ararad); it was fi rst
(Fig. 3) there were burials of the 14th century,20 printed in 1853 in (cid:240)zmir.25 Another was ‘(cid:1450)(cid:1526)(cid:1533)(cid:1506)(cid:1505)(cid:1495)(cid:1516)
which indicate that the fi rst Armenian arrivals to (cid:1469)(cid:1495)(cid:1514)(cid:1518)(cid:1518)(cid:1528)(cid:1506)’ (Arevelian Mamoul, or The Eastern
(cid:240)zmir took place at this date at the latest. A massive Press), fi rst printed in the Armenian alphabet in
1879.26 According to offi cial statistics from 1914,
there were some 400,000 people living in the city
of Smyrna, of whom 20,000 — 5% of the popula-
tion — were Armenians (165,000 were Turks,
150,000 Greeks, 25,000 Jews and another 20,000
were foreigners, half of whom were Italians).27
These Ottoman statistics show that 11,127 of the
20,766 Armenians in the Province (Sancak) of
(cid:240)zmir were living in the town centre; the rest
were living in rural areas. At this time there were
23 religious institutions, two high schools and 27
primary schools belonging to the Armenian minor-
ity.28 Between 1915 and 1922 a large number of
Armenians, especially Armenian Orthodox, left
(cid:240)zmir and went to France and the USA (sometimes
via Greece). Some Catholic and Protestant Arme-
nian converts, however, remained in (cid:240)zmir after the
Great Fire.29
THE ARMENIAN CHURCHES OF SMYRNA
Between the 15th and 20th centuries there were a
dozen locations in (cid:240)zmir where Armenians lived.
Several authors mainly reported on Haynots.30
FIG. 2 In 1845 there was a huge fi re here, and only 37 of
A medieval Armenian gravestone from the Museum of c. 900 houses were saved. In 1850 the quarter was
Adana (photograph, E. Laflı, 2006). renewed and a new urban plan set up. The most
288 ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
FIG. 3
Late 19th-/early 20th-century postcards of Izmir showing Surp Stepanos (St Stephen’s) Cathedral in Basmane/
Haynots; 1. general view; 2. interior view; 3. main gate and the cemetery in the garden; 4. side view with garden;
5. entrance corridor (all from the archive of E. Laflı).
spectacular building in this quarter was Surp took place in 1688 and a second in 1743. The major
Stepanos, or St Stephen’s Church, which seems to fi re in 1845 damaged the church, and the famous
have served as the principal church for the Arme- Armenian architect Melkom Yeramian, from
nian Orthodox minority. It was located on Re(cid:287)adiye Istanbul, restored it in 1858.31 It is unknown
Avenue, on the corner of Bölükba(cid:287)ı Street. This whether the later building of 1858 was constructed
was one of the largest churches of 15th-century on the same site as the previous church and with
(cid:240)zmir; it had a cross-shaped form and was sur- the same name. After the fi re an Italian-type tower
rounded by a large garden and cemetery, where was added to the building. The church served the
most of the graves date to the 16th century (Figs 3, Armenian minority until 1922, at which time it was
4). Most of the graves have an indication of the completely destroyed; today there is no trace of
birthplace of the deceased, who originated in this monumental building. Surp Mesropian Board-
Armenia. Several religious personages, statesmen ing School for Boys (with a laboratory and 2,000-
and authors were buried here. There were various book library; founded in 1886) and Surp Hripsime
grave types — not only simple graves, but also Maiden School (founded in 1883) were located
sarcophagi, which were known in Armenian as adjacent to the church in the Basmane district.32
‘tamparan’. The fi rst renovation of St Stephen’s In the so-called ‘(cid:240)zmir World Trade Centre’
EPIGRAPHIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS FROM WESTERN ANATOLIA 289
FIG. 4
An early 20th-century Izmir postcard with a view of Basmane/Haynots (from the archive of E. Laflı).
construction site, west of Kültürpark, there was 6. Surp Asdvadzadzin (St Mary) in Kar(cid:287)ıyaka
an Armenian Hospital, dedicated to Surp Krikor 7. Surp Hokekalust (The Coming of the Holy
Lusavorich and founded in 1801.33 The American Spirit) or Surp Yerrortutyun (The Holy
Collegiate Institute of (cid:240)zmir was intended to preach Trinity) in Göztepe
to the Armenians and was therefore resettled to 8. Surp Takavor (Christ the King) in Bayraklı.
Haynots at the end of the 19th/beginning of the
20th century.34 An Armenian cemetery was located The Armenian Catholic churches of (cid:240)zmir were:
in Kemer, near Haynots,35 with a second one in
1. Surp Hovhannes (St John the Evangelist) (?)
Bornova.
in Alsancak/Punta
Between the 15th and 20th centuries there
2. Surp Krikor Lusavorich (?), near the
were eight Armenian Orthodox, two Catholic and
Mekhitarist School in Haynots/Basmane.
one Evangelical (Protestant) Armenian churches in
the metropolitan area of (cid:240)zmir.36 The Armenian
The postulated location of the Armenian Evan-
Orthodox churches of (cid:240)zmir were:
gelical church was in Haynots, close to the Greek
1. Surp Stepanos (St Stephen’s) Cathedral in Orthodox Evangelistria church, which is now in
Basmane/Haynots the Kültürpark of (cid:240)zmir.37 In the second half of the
2. Surp Krikor Lusavorich (St Gregory the 19th century some wealthy Armenians settled in
Illuminator), within its hospital in Basmane/ Karata(cid:287), in the southern part of the city, on the
Haynots (the second largest Armenian coastline. Stones from the Hellenistic and Roman
church) Zeus Akraios Temple were used for the construc-
3. Surp Harutyun (Holy Resurrection) in tion of the Armenian Cathedral in Karata(cid:287),38 where
Basmane/Haynots Armenians had furthermore built a school, called
4. Surp Khatch (Holy Cross) in Bornova ‘Vartanyan’.39
5. Surp Garabet (St John the Forerunner) in There was a large Armenian minority not only
Karata(cid:287) in (cid:240)zmir, but also in the city’s immediate environs,
290 ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
in the Greek hamlets. These were Buca, Bornova in this hamlet after the Levantines.43 Some of them
and Bayraklı. Armenians were living in these ham- converted to Catholicism. In 1862 Surp Khatch
lets, where the middle classes were most prominent, Church was built on the right side of Bornova
preferring the areas for their residential and sum- Stream.44 There was also an Armenian cemetery to
mer homes as they saw it as safe, quiet and healthy the south-west of Paterson’s Mansion in Bornova’s
for their families. Some Armenian Catholics of centre. Some Catholic Armenian gravestones are
(cid:240)zmir, especially those who lived in these hamlets, still visible at the Santa Maria Italian Catholic
were even seen as ‘Europeans’.40 Most of the Church of Bornova. The most infl uential family of
residents of Buca (in French maps ‘Boudjah’ until Bornova Armenians was that of the Bandespanians.
1927) were either Greek or Armenian.41 One of the As Armenian sources report, in the 19th cen-
most important members of the Armenian Catho- tury there were several Armenian (mostly Arme-
lic community of Buca was the Balladur family (or nian Orthodox) communities with their churches
Balladour).42 Since Western missions in the 19th in the territory of (cid:240)zmir. These were at Menemen
century were proselytizing amongst the Armenians (Church of Surp Sarkis in Esatpa(cid:287)a District; Figs
of (cid:240)zmir, Armenian identity in these hamlets 5, 6),45 Ku(cid:287)adası (Surp Asdvadzadzin), Bergama
changed slightly at this time. (Surp Asdvadzadzin), Söke (Surp Asdvadzadzin),
The Armenian minority of Bornova (on Brit- Denizli (Surp Asdvadzadzin), Nazilli (Surp Asd-
ish maps ‘Bournabat’) were the richest community vadzadzin), Aydın (Surp Garabed), Manisa-Yukarı
FIG. 5
Various views and plan of Surp Sarkis Gregorian Church at Menemen; 1. view to the apse from the north-west;
2. side view from the east; 3. side view from the west; 4. apse from the interior; 5. plan of the church (photographs,
E. Laflı, 2012).
EPIGRAPHIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS FROM WESTERN ANATOLIA 291
inscriptions in this article have a funerary charac-
ter and come from graves. In western Anatolia
none of the Armenian cemeteries are preserved and
very little is known about their location, character-
istics, etc. In the existing seven Christian cemeteries
in (cid:240)zmir very few Armenian gravestones are known
in situ.48 These Armenian grave markers are mostly
kept at the local museums because the urban
character of 19th-century (cid:240)zmir has largely been
destroyed.
Armenian epigraphy is a relatively new fi eld in
post-medieval archaeology,49 and there is a good
potential to practice this fi eld in Turkey because of
the immense amount of material. Armenian grave
monuments are known as khachkar. Gravestones
on open-air Armenian graves were usually placed
FIG. 6
on the eastern side of graves. Since Armenian epig-
Plan of the Surp Sarkis Gregorian Church at Menemen raphy is a relatively recent fi eld, there is no epi-
(plan, S. Patacı, 2013, based on a plan by E. Laflı,
graphic template for publication; we have therefore
2012).
used the epigraphic rules for the publication of
Classical Greek inscriptions.
Köy (Surp Krikor Lusavorich and Surp Sion),
NEW DOCUMENTS: ARMENIAN
Manisa-Kırka(cid:223)aç (Surp Asdvadzadzin) and
INSCRIPTIONS
Ala(cid:287)ehir (Surp Khatch?).46 It seems that Armenian
communities were numerous especially in agricul-
1. SURP ASDVADZADZIN (ST MARY)
turally rich rural areas in the inner part of the
ARMENIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AT
Aegean region, whereas Greeks settled on the
BAYINDIR
coastline.
In this article we present some of the epi- Bayındır, marked on French maps of the 19th
graphic evidence for Armenian heritage in the century as ‘Bayendir’, is a township c. 78km east
region. Epigraphic evidence was chosen from of (cid:240)zmir, on the road between Tire and Ödemi(cid:287) in
among numerous types of material available in the ancient Caystrus Valley. In the post-medieval
western Asia Minor during the late Ottoman peri- period Bayındır was an infl uential Ottoman town,
od because it provides the most concrete evidence concentrating on agricultural output. There was a
for Armenian heritage archaeologically. We have fairly large Armenian community in this city, from
especially studied Armenian gravestones in local the end of the 18th century at the latest until the
museums as well as in selected archaeological beginning of the 20th century.50 Bayındır St Mary
fi nd-spots. Our sampling strategy was to collect (Surp Asdvadzadzin) Armenian Orthodox Church
32 Armenian inscriptions from nine locations in is located in Kurtlar District. A long time after its
and around (cid:240)zmir because of the archaeological abandonment in 1915 it was converted into a cin-
potential of these fi nd-spots to allow a possible ema called ‘Ülkü’, which was active until the 1980s
(re)construction of Armenian identity of the 19th (Fig. 7). There was previously a school in the area.
century in western Asia Minor: Surp Asdvadza- In July 2011 a team from the Dokuz Eylül Univer-
dzin (St Mary) Armenian Orthodox Church at sity visited the ongoing excavations at the Church
Bayındır; Museum of Aydın; Archaeological of Bayındır. Excavations by a private fi rm and sup-
Museum of Ödemi(cid:287); Ethnographical Museum of ported fi nancially by the Municipality of Bayındır
Ödemi(cid:287); Museum of Tire; Archaeological Museum were carried out especially in the storeroom of the
of (cid:240)zmir; British Anglican Cemetery at Bornova; church, principally to restore the building and use
British Anglican Cemetery at Buca;47 Museum of it as a cultural centre or library (Figs 8, 9). More
the Faculty of Letters of Dokuz Eylül University in than eleven inscriptions, most of them in the form
Buca; and the Museum of St John’s at Ala(cid:287)ehir of gravestones, were found and left in front of the
(classical Philadelphia). We will focus here on only building. Most of the stones date from the middle
sixteen inscriptions; the rest will be presented in the of the 19th century, which is a good indication of
near future by the present authors. All of the the date of building for Surp Asdvadzadzin.
292 ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
FIG. 7
View of Surp Asdvadzadzin (St Mary)
Gregorian Church at Bayındır in the
1940s (from the archive of E. Laflı).
FIG. 8
Excavation and restoration at Surp
Asdvadzadzin Gregorian Church,
Bayındır in 2011; central nave
(photograph, E. Laflı, 2011).
No. 1 (Fig. 10): a three-lined funerary inscription
on a rectangular stone.
Measurements: h. 102cm; w. 49cm; th. 28cm;
letters 3–5cm.
Location: in front of the church; found in 2011
excavations in the storeroom of the Church.
State of preservation: very good; almost intact.
Type of stone: local marble.
Linguistic features: in western Armenian.
FIG. 9 Decorative features: a pair of scissors as well as a
tapeline at the bottom of the stone, both lying in a
A marble block with an Armenian cross, found at Surp
Asdvadzadzin (St Mary) Gregorian Church, Bayındır in horizontal position; perhaps they are the symbols
2011 (photograph, E. Laflı, 2011). of a local Armenian tailor.
EPIGRAPHIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS FROM WESTERN ANATOLIA 293
FIG. 10
Armenian inscription from Surp Asdvadzadzin (St Mary) Gregorian Church, Bayındır (photograph, E. Laflı, 2011).
Transcription: eye without iris at the bottom. The pomegranate is
a common symbol in Armenian funerary art and
(cid:1453)(cid:1450)(cid:1469)(cid:1451)(cid:1450)(cid:1481)(cid:1450)(cid:1471) (cid:1473)(cid:1478)(cid:1464)(cid:1450)(cid:1471)(cid:1460) indicates the wide spread of the Armenian nation
(cid:1473)(cid:1481)(cid:1453)(cid:1460) (cid:1469)(cid:1465)(cid:1460) (cid:1470)(cid:1473)(cid:1465)(cid:1450)(cid:1471) all over the world.
1865 (cid:1471)(cid:1473)(cid:1470) 15 Transcription:
Translation: (cid:1453)(cid:1450)(cid:1469)(cid:1451)(cid:1450)(cid:1481)(cid:1450)(cid:1471) (cid:1471)(cid:1450)(cid:1461)(cid:1475)(cid:1450)(cid:1471)(cid:1480) (cid:1464)(cid:1450)
(cid:1481)(cid:1450)(cid:1475)(cid:1454)(cid:1480)(cid:1460) (cid:1453)(cid:1473)(cid:1483)(cid:1478)(cid:1480)(cid:1481) (cid:1465)(cid:1477)(cid:1460)(cid:1484)
Grave of Voskan,
(cid:1478)(cid:1460)(cid:1469)(cid:1456) 1866 (cid:1470)(cid:1473)(cid:1483)(cid:1461)(cid:1460)(cid:1478) 19
son of Pilgrim Hohan,
November 15, 1865. Translation:
Ligatures: line 1: A and M; V and S; as well as K Grave of farrier Ka-
and A. rabed’s daughter, Hrip-
Onomastics: Hohan and Voskan. sime, July 19, 1866.
Date: 15 November 1865.
Ligatures: line 1: A and M; line 3: S and I.
No. 2 (Fig. 11): a three-lined funerary inscription Onomastics: Garabed (a farrier) and Hripsime.
on an arched stone. Date: 19 July 1866.
Measurements: h. c. 80cm; w. c. 45cm; th. c. 32cm;
letters 4cm. No. 3 (Fig. 12): a fi ve-lined funerary inscription on
Location: in the church; found during the 2011 a rectangular stone.
excavations in the storeroom of the Church. Measurements: h. c. 77cm; w. c. 48cm; th. c. 30cm;
State of preservation: very good; almost intact. letters 4cm.
Type of stone: local marble. Location: in the church; found during the 2011
Linguistic features: in western Armenian. excavations in the storeroom of the Church.
Decorative features: three pomegranates from a State of preservation: very good; almost intact.
single branch in a vase on top of the stone and an Type of stone: local marble.
294 ERGÜN LAFLI and YILDIZ DEVEC(cid:240) BOZKU(cid:286)
FIG. 11
Armenian inscription from Surp Asdvadzadzin (St Mary) Gregorian Church, Bayındır (photograph, E. Laflı, 2011).
FIG. 12
Armenian inscription from Surp Asdvadzadzin (St Mary) Gregorian Church, Bayındır (photograph, E. Laflı, 2011).