Ecumenical Genocide Memorial, Berlin: Commemorative Plate for Bitlis (Baghesh) Toponym Baghesh or Bitlis (Grk.: βαλαλείςωυ – Balaleisos, Arabic: Badlis), relates to a town in the Aghdznik (Greek: Arzanene) province of Greater Armenia, 18 km southwest of Lake Van, where tributaries of the river of the same name meet. It corresponds to the main fortress of Salnodzor canton of Aghdznik province, which guarded the most accessible natural mountain pass of the Armenian Taurus, the Dzora pass. It was once called Salnodzor after its fortress. At first there was only a fortress in the Baghesh area. Later the city was founded in the territory [...]
Archives: Regions
Our CPT for the regions
Kaza Motkan / Modgan / Mudg / Mutki
The eponymous village of Motkan (today Mutki) in the county of the same name is at the foot of the Armenian Taurus (Armenian: Toros, Tr.: Toroslar), bordering Mush to the north, Bitlis to the east, Şirvan and Kharzan/Ğarzan to the south, and Sasun to the west. Administration Around 1800, Western Armenia and Kurdistan were subdivided into eight administrative units (pashalik), each governed by a pasha. Through the administrative reform of 1867 the kaza Motkan became part of the Vilâyet Erzurum. The administrative center was Rabat, which was replaced by the village of Açıkalan in 1883. The center was relocated a few more [...]
Kaza Ahlat / Akhlat / Խլաթ – Khlat
Toponym The original Armenian name Khlat Խլաթ (Ottoman Turkish: اخلاط; Kurdish: Xelat; Medieval Greek: Χαλάτα – Chalata) is documented since the year 788. In ancient Armenian literature it was sometimes called Bznunyats city. The Turks usually call it Ahlat, a toponym, borrowed from the Arabs. According to the Arabic chronicler Ibn al-Asir, the city was called Akhlat (‘mixed’) ostensibly because its inhabitants were religiously and linguistically heterogeneous; they spoke Arabic, Persian, and Armenian. Population In 1891 the kaza of Khlat had 23,659 inhabitants, consisting of 16,635 were Muslims, 6,609 Armenians and 415 others. The French geographer Vital Cuinet estimated the population of Ahlat [...]
Erzurum Vilayet / Erzerum / Կարին – Karin / Theodosioupolis
Ecumenical Genocide Memoroal, Berlin: Commemorative Plate for Erzurum / Karin / Theodosioupolis Administrative map of Erzurum Vilayet (Vital Cuinet, 1890; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzurum_Vilayet#/media/File:CUINET(1890)_1.166_Erzurum_Vilayet.jpg) Toponym The Ottoman border province (vilayet) of Erzurum (also called Erzerum) corresponds approximately to the High Armenia (Բարձր Հայք – Bardzr Hayk’/Hayq), or ‘Karnoy ashkharh’ (country of Karin) of ancient Armenia. The city of Erzurum was likewise called in Armenian Karin Kaghak (Karin City) which became Kalikala in Arabic. According to another explanation of the name, the Arabic toponym Kalikala derives from Kali, the wife of a local Armenian king. In about 421 the city of Karin was renovated and officially renamed [...]
Sivas Vilayet (Province) / Σεβάστεια – Sebastaia / Սեբաստիա – Sebastia / Սվաս – Svas / Սրվազ – Srvaz
Ecumenical Genocide Memorial, Berlin: Commemorative Plate for Sivas / Sebastia Vital-Casimir Cuinet: Administrative Map of Sivas Province (Vilayet; 1890; source:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/CUINET%281890%29_1.652_Sivas_Vilayet.jpg) The relief of the Sivas Vilayet is mountainous. Three mountain ranges stretch from west to east: Janik (Canik; north), North Taurus (center) and Inner Taurus (south). The territory is crossed by two large rivers from east to west: Halys (Trk.: Kızıl-ırmak – Red River) and Iris (Turkish: Yeşil-ırmak – Green River). The lakes are few; the largest, Ladik, reaches up to 11 km during snowmelt. The northern part of the province is forested. There are almost all types of coniferous trees. In the [...]