1500 Monuments in Liberated territories of NK

ArmRadio.am
02.08.2006 11:01

At present around 1,500 archeological, architectural and historic
monuments are registered in the liberated territories of Nagorno
Karabakh.Hakob Simonian, the director of the scientific-research
center of historic-cultural heritage at the Armenian Culture and
Youth Affairs Ministry, told Armenpress that during the war the
center organized expeditions during which the members took photos
of the monuments, formed their certificates and made excavations.
Simonian noted that during the first expedition in 1990 surveys were
conducted in Getashen and Martunashen, in 1992 in Kashatagh, Aghdam,
Fizuli, Jabrayil, Zangelan, Kelbajar and Kubatlu.

According to Simonian, the surveys were conducted mainly during war
time as at that time the Armenians were to prove that the territories
belong to them. Simonian said thanks to the conducted survey "at
present we have a ‘tool’ and in case it is used in the diplomatic
way we can prove that these territories belong to Armenians.

>From 1997 to 2001 excavations were conducted in Tsitsernavank,
during which 6 monuments were studied. Simonian also underscored the
excavations of Kerin tomb-field which started in 2003 and continue
up to now.