Karakoyun Ancient Settlement
Karakoyun, also known as “Black Sheep,” is an abandoned medieval settlement located about 32 km east of Aygevan Village in the Vedi Community of Ararat Province. Situated on a picturesque plateau shaped by the ravines of the Vedi River, the site forms part of the historic Urts district and represents one of its long-standing settlements. The surviving remains suggest that Karakoyun was once a relatively large and active rural community, rather than a small or temporary settlement.
The monuments found across the site span several centuries, from the 9th to the 17th century. Among its most important features are two extensive medieval cemeteries, which contain numerous khachkars, as well as inscribed and ornamented tombstones. Thirteen of the preserved khachkars bear inscriptions, while five are dated to 1205, 1213, 1233, 1525, and 1551. A number of additional carved and inscribed cross-stones can be found south of the settlement, along the route leading toward Khachi Dzor. Together, these remains make Karakoyun one of the notable concentrations of medieval khachkars in the Ararat region.
Two basalt khachkars dating to 1551 are particularly significant. They were erected during the rebuilding of the settlement and are associated with the skilled stoneworker Khachatur. One of them measures approximately 1.57 meters in height and preserves a twelve-line inscription. The inscription mentions Hasan Pahchah and identifies Khachatur as the craftsman responsible for carving the monument. Scholars have interpreted Hasan Pahchah as Hasan Bek and have connected the term “savulghar” appearing in the inscription with a form of landholding known in the East between the 14th and 18th centuries.
The second 1551 khachkar is about 1.8 meters high and bears the name Marg ar on its upper section. Marg ar has traditionally been regarded as the founder of the settlement, although researchers suggest that he may have actually been responsible for its reconstruction or revival. Interestingly, both of the 1551 khachkars are attributed to the same craftsman, Khachatur, creating a direct link between the monuments and the period of Karakoyun’s rebuilding.
Beyond the cemeteries and khachkars, the archaeological remains provide evidence of everyday life in the settlement. The site contains traces of a spring, a watermill, an oil press, and the ruins of residential and agricultural buildings dating mainly to the 12th–13th centuries. These structures offer an insight into the community’s domestic life and the agricultural activities that supported it.
Karakoyun was eventually abandoned as part of a broader settlement-consolidation process in the 20th century. Official sources give slightly different date ranges for the abandonment, placing it between 1925–1945 and 1945–1952. Today, the settlement is officially referred to as Jghan (Jghin) following a 2004 government decision, although the historical name Karakoyun remains widely associated with the archaeological site.
The site has also been the subject of more recent preservation efforts. In 2018, five khachkars at Karakoyun were re-erected and stabilized as part of a heritage conservation initiative known as “New Life for Khachkars.” This work reflects the continuing efforts to preserve the settlement’s surviving stone monuments and protect an important part of Ararat Province’s medieval cultural landscape.
