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and came to free her lover. She successfully did so and the two of them escaped with their lives from
Ishkanaberd that night on horseback through a cave and tunnel located close to the fortress. The cave may still be seen to this day and the entrance is quite large. It is said that during those days the tunnel to the cave led from Ishkanaberd to a village some distance away, and that the tunnel which has since collapsed could fit a person sitting on horseback from one end to the other.
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505:" by local residents. The name Khrber is derived from the local dialect of the villages surrounding southeast Lake Sevan and roughly translates to “ruins”. Foundations of stone structures, walls of a church, large tombs and a medieval graveyard may still be seen at ancient Karmrashen which sits nestled in the mountains near Lake Sevan. There is also a late 14th-century monument named
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During the medieval period, one of the lords of the land rebuilt the stone defences to serve as his fortress at the same site and it went by the name
Ishkanaberd meaning "Lord's Fortress". It was taken by the lord of the nearby town of Khrber because of a dispute between the two over his wife. After
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The lord of
Ishkanaberd's wife had also learned of the affair and while he was sleeping, she bound him so that he could not escape and went to let her husband's rival into the walled fortress. The wife of the lord of Karmrashen whom the other lord was having an affair with learned what had happened
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It is also said that what is now a modern cemetery located on a rocky outcrop north of the village of
Tsovinar, was during Urartian times an island with a small village that had been destroyed by lava flow that came up from below the lake. Local residents tell that ancient coins and bones have been
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between 735 and 713 BC, and is considered the best preserved
Urartian fortification in the Sevan basin. Amongst the ruins, stone foundations and portions of the city wall and gates are still visible. There is also an entrance to a small cave located on the western face of the hill within the
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Local folklore tells that the lord of
Karmrashen had a wife, and that the lord of Ishkanaberd sought to have her as his own even though he was already married. An affair ensued between the two, and before long the lord of Karmrashen discovered this and became furious. The ruler declared that he
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Local folklore tells that Lake Sevan was at a much higher elevation during this time, and that the city of
Teyseba had been built along its shoreline. During the Soviet era the lake was lowered 19 meters, and has now stabilized to 20 meters (65 feet) below where it once was. It is said that the
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During the medieval period, the lord of the land rebuilt the ancient stone defences of
Teyseba to serve as his fortress. It went by the name Ishkanaberd, meaning "Lord's Fortress". Ishkanaberd was situated approximately eight kilometers northwest from another fortified town referred to as
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nearby to
Ishkanaberd. During medieval times invasions were a threat in and around the villages, and prevented shepherds from venturing into them to bring their milk. So they instead sent milk from the mountains to the village via a ceramic pipeline.
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cuneiform inscription had been carved into the cliff face to prevent it from being defaced. Due to the water level being so much higher at the time, the location of the inscription would have been virtually inaccessible.
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Ishkanaberd was destroyed by the other lord who proclaimed, “Now nothing shall live in this land except snakes and scorpions!” Therefore the name was referred to henceforth as
Odzaberd meaning “Serpent’s Fortress”.
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destroying the fortress he said, “Now nothing shall live in this land except snakes and scorpions!” It was referred to henceforth as Odzaberd meaning “Serpent’s Fortress”.
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was also found in the inscription and is considered to be the first such mention of the word that now relates to the lake that the ruins are located.
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Carved into the rock face on a low cliff at the base of the hill which the city was built upon (located north and along the road), is an ancient
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Folklore from the village of Tsovinar also tells that there was a ceramic pipe situated subsurface that led from the
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meaning "Seven Wounds Chapel", dedicated to seven lords of seven villages who were killed during the invasions of
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Rediscovering Armenia: An Archaeological/Touristic Gazetteer and Map Set for the Historical Monuments of Armenia
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would destroy Ishkanaberd, which was considered impenetrable because of its very thick defensive walls.
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inscription written by Rusa I. It relates that the city was built in dedication to the god
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and speaks of the conquest by Rusa I of twenty-three nations as well. The etymology of
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found when digging new graves in the cemetery. The island has since dwindled in size.
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meaning "Lord's Fortress") is located upon a hill east of the town of
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209:Founded by Rusa I; rebuilt by another lord
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488:Learn how and when to remove this message
336:Learn how and when to remove this message
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254:fortification and named after the god
56:Overlooking the ruins of Odzaberd and
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201:Originally 735–713 BC; rebuilt later
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1174:Archaeological sites in Armenia
550:Odzaberd Altitude and Location
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604:Kiesling, Brady (June 2000).
599:: Matit Graphic Design Studio
593:Rediscovering Armenia: Guide
468:the claims made and adding
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431:Ruins of the ancient city
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403:Cuneiform inscription by
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591:Kiesling, Brady (2005),
125:Show map of Gegharkunik
680:Berdavan (Ghalinjakar)
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217:Urartian-Medieval eras
565:Chahin, Mack (2001),
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233:By the lord of Khrber
907:Levonkla (Yılankale)
366:Gegharkunik Province
272:Gegharkunik Province
39:Gegharkunik Province
842:Adamakert (Başkale)
824:Melik Haykaz Palace
376:Kingdom founded by
156:40.1528°N 45.4950°E
152: /
93:Show map of Armenia
1179:Castles in Armenia
1150:Castles in Armenia
1037:Dashtadem Fortress
1001:Castles in Armenia
725:Kakavaberd (Geghi)
453:possibly contains
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381:ruins of Teyseba.
301:possibly contains
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1102:Sardar's Fortress
1057:Halidzor Fortress
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1012:Akhtala Monastery
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814:Khokhanaberd
756:Sardari Berd
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575:Curzon Press
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193:Site history
1127:Vorotnaberd
1112:Teishebaini
1092:Okon castle
932:Servantikar
781:Vorotnaberd
771:Teishebaini
730:Karmir Blur
260:Ishkanaberd
214:In use
159: /
135:Coordinates
18:Ishkanaberd
1168:Categories
1107:Smbataberd
1097:Proshaberd
1067:Kakavaberd
1052:Ertij Fort
937:Shahapivan
922:Rusahinili
872:Bodrumkale
819:Mayrakahag
791:Azerbaijan
766:Smbataberd
751:Proshaberd
537:References
511:Timur Lenk
478:March 2015
462:improve it
433:Karmrashen
362:Lake Sevan
326:March 2015
310:improve it
268:Lake Sevan
230:Demolished
147:45°29′42″E
144:40°09′10″N
58:Lake Sevan
1147:Also See:
1022:Baghaberd
912:Manazkert
887:Haykaberd
804:Handaberd
690:Dashtadem
675:Baghaberd
530:foothills
466:verifying
386:cuneiform
348:Teyseba (
314:verifying
222:Materials
185:Condition
117:Odzaberd
85:Odzaberd
30:Odzaberd
1122:Ushiberd
1087:Odzaberd
852:Akhtamar
776:Ushiberd
761:Sev Berd
745:Odzaberd
715:Halidzor
615:Archived
423:Folklore
390:Teisheba
374:Urartian
358:Tsovinar
350:Armenian
264:Tsovinar
256:Teisheba
252:Urartian
244:Armenian
240:Odzaberd
175:Fortress
917:Paperon
902:Lampron
882:Daruynk
877:Corycus
695:Erebuni
662:Armenia
559:Sources
460:Please
370:Armenia
364:in the
354:Թեյշեբա
308:Please
282:Teyseba
276:Armenia
270:in the
248:Oձաբերդ
119:Oձաբերդ
87:Oձաբերդ
43:Armenia
32:Oձաբերդ
1072:Khrber
1017:Amberd
942:Tushpa
867:Bagras
862:Artske
847:Akants
834:Turkey
740:Meghri
670:Amberd
581:
503:Khrber
405:Rusa I
378:Rusa I
947:Vahka
927:Sinap
897:Hoşap
720:Horom
710:Garni
705:Ertij
618:(PDF)
611:(PDF)
394:Sevan
225:Stone
198:Built
188:Ruins
685:Bjni
579:ISBN
172:Type
952:Van
857:Ani
464:by
368:of
312:by
274:of
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