DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43337#0337
334 I THE WALL PAINTINGS OF AKHTALA MONASTERY
i.THE HISTORICAL SOURCES
The Akhtala Monastery was originally known as Plindzahank (Arme-
nian for «copper mine»), due to its proximity to a well-known mine
where various metals had been extracted since ancient times. Under
this name it is mentioned several times by 13th-century Armenian his-
torians: Kuirakos Gandzaketsi39, Vardan the Great40 and Stepanos Or-
belian41. The name is also found in the epigraphic monuments42 and
colophons of Armenian manuscripts43.
The name Plindzahank first appears in an inscription on a khatchkar
which stands at the approaches to the Akhtala Monastery. Translated
from the Old Armenian it reads44:
7, [Mariam, daughter ofrKjurike, did erect this holy 'Virgin of''Plindza-
hank. Pet those who revere [the Virgin], remember us in their prayers in
the year 637 [VI. T). 1188].
Mariam is known to historians. A member of the Kjurikid dynasty
which ruled Tashir-Dzoraget for a century and a half, she was a zeal-
ous supporter of the Armenian Monophysite Church and endowed
monasteries in this area. On her orders a large gavit was erected in
Haghbat and the church in Kobair. The «Virgin of Plindzahank» was
39 Kuirakos, pp. 148,155,198,291.
40 Vardan, p. 181.
41 Histoire de la Siounie, pp. 201-203.
42 The epigraphy connected with the
Akhtala Monastery has been stud-
ied in Muradian, Georgian Epigraphy,
pp. 199-222.
43 For a study of colophons, see Akin-
yan N. Symeon of Plindzahank.
44 Quoted from P.N. Muradian’s transla-
tion. The original appeared in Muradi-
an, Georgian Epigraphy, p. 202.
45 Kuirakos, p. 148. He again repeats
this information in his History: «As
Ivane died not long before, he was tak-
en to be buried in Plindzahank, where
he had founded a Georgian monastery
in one taken from the Armenians»
(Ibid., p. 155).
another such building. The inscription on
the khatchkar shows that in the 121Ь century
Plindzahank was a Monophysite monastery.
It remains an open question, however, wheth-
er the date 1188 refers to the building of the
Church of the Virgin or the founding of the
monastery as a whole.
Some most valuable information about the
history of Plindzahank is provided by Kuira-
kos Gandzaketsi45:
Ivane, Zakare’s brother, also died and was
buried in Plindzahank by the entrance to the
church which he himself had built; he did take
it from the VLrmenians and turn it into a Geor-
gian monastery.
i.THE HISTORICAL SOURCES
The Akhtala Monastery was originally known as Plindzahank (Arme-
nian for «copper mine»), due to its proximity to a well-known mine
where various metals had been extracted since ancient times. Under
this name it is mentioned several times by 13th-century Armenian his-
torians: Kuirakos Gandzaketsi39, Vardan the Great40 and Stepanos Or-
belian41. The name is also found in the epigraphic monuments42 and
colophons of Armenian manuscripts43.
The name Plindzahank first appears in an inscription on a khatchkar
which stands at the approaches to the Akhtala Monastery. Translated
from the Old Armenian it reads44:
7, [Mariam, daughter ofrKjurike, did erect this holy 'Virgin of''Plindza-
hank. Pet those who revere [the Virgin], remember us in their prayers in
the year 637 [VI. T). 1188].
Mariam is known to historians. A member of the Kjurikid dynasty
which ruled Tashir-Dzoraget for a century and a half, she was a zeal-
ous supporter of the Armenian Monophysite Church and endowed
monasteries in this area. On her orders a large gavit was erected in
Haghbat and the church in Kobair. The «Virgin of Plindzahank» was
39 Kuirakos, pp. 148,155,198,291.
40 Vardan, p. 181.
41 Histoire de la Siounie, pp. 201-203.
42 The epigraphy connected with the
Akhtala Monastery has been stud-
ied in Muradian, Georgian Epigraphy,
pp. 199-222.
43 For a study of colophons, see Akin-
yan N. Symeon of Plindzahank.
44 Quoted from P.N. Muradian’s transla-
tion. The original appeared in Muradi-
an, Georgian Epigraphy, p. 202.
45 Kuirakos, p. 148. He again repeats
this information in his History: «As
Ivane died not long before, he was tak-
en to be buried in Plindzahank, where
he had founded a Georgian monastery
in one taken from the Armenians»
(Ibid., p. 155).
another such building. The inscription on
the khatchkar shows that in the 121Ь century
Plindzahank was a Monophysite monastery.
It remains an open question, however, wheth-
er the date 1188 refers to the building of the
Church of the Virgin or the founding of the
monastery as a whole.
Some most valuable information about the
history of Plindzahank is provided by Kuira-
kos Gandzaketsi45:
Ivane, Zakare’s brother, also died and was
buried in Plindzahank by the entrance to the
church which he himself had built; he did take
it from the VLrmenians and turn it into a Geor-
gian monastery.