Medieval Armenian Site Discovered in Iran
A newly discovered Armenian cemetery in Iran dating to the 13th century predates a famous UNESCO site it was found around.
BBC Image: Situated in the province of Zanjan, Soltaniyeh is often cited as one of the crowning achievements of Persian architecture.
According to the Cultural Heritage News Agency:
Discovery of an Armenian written gravestone within the sphere of Soltanieh dome lead to the discovery of a graveyard of Armenians from the Mongolian era by experts of CHTO and Armenian archeologists.
The result of researches revealed the fact that this gravestone is related to Mongolian time, and there is a strong existence possibility of a graveyard near the mentioned sphere.
According to Ghorban Zadeh, discovery of this Armenian graveyard near Abbas Abaad can help to discover the true history of Soltanieh dome.
Built between 1304 and 1313, Soltanieh (or Sultanieh) is Iran’s largest archaeological site. “It is also the world’s third-largest historical site proceeded by Italy’s Santa Maria Delfiore of Florence and Turkey’s Saint Sufia Mosque, of Istanbul.”
According to Press TV, the tombstone that led to the discovery of the Armenian connection read:
“Jesus, the only born to Father, when the time arrives and you return the sleeping soul of the decedent …”
The rest of the inscription which dates back to the Mongolian age (1206-1405) was not legible.
Historical evidence suggests that Sorghaghtani Beki, wife of Tolui Khan and mother of Hulagu Khan, the Mogul ruler, was a Christian woman.
The inscription on the tombstone strengthened the case for the existence of such hallowed site for Armenian residents of the time.
Soltaniyeh was the capital of the Ilkhanid rulers of Persia in the 14th century.
While native Armenian cemeteries are reduced to dust by the state authorities in Iran’s neighboring Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic instead uses every opportunity – and archaeologists wouldn’t complain – to advertise its tolerance toward Christianity by promoting restoration and discovery of Armenian sites and churches.
A list of Christian churches in Iran can be found here.
Blogian on 04 Dec 2007 at 6:01 pm #
Here is what a reader of Blogian sent from Iran:
According to our information (The Armenian Church of Iran) when Shapour the king of Sasanian moved
many
Armenians to Iran on 4th century, a part of them located at Khuzestan
which
they were living there until Arabs attack to Iran but a part of them
located
at Soltanieh which they kept their religion and nationality until
attack of
Mongols to Iran.
We know that they had been strong community and they built churches but
there was not any evidence up to now.
After time being Mongols due to reasons moved them to Afghanistan and
Mongolia. The group of them how moved to Mongolia massacred after time
being
but the group who moved Afghanistan located at Ghandahar and they built
their church there which was destroyed by Taleban.
Sultan Hamid of Ottoman Empire wrote two letters to Naser Eddin Shah of
Iran
and amir of GHandahar to massacre Armenians look like him. The king of
Iran
did not pay attention to his letter but amir of Ghandahar follow up his
request. The group of Armenian how survived from massacre, escaped to
Kashmir which I do not have information about them.