Khachkars: The Art of the Armenian Cross-Stone

Ancient Khachkars at Noratus cemetery, near lake Sevan, Armenia

Macro texture of medieval Armenian khachkar carved cross details at Goshavank monastery

A day trip to Lake Sevan, Dilijan, and the Goshavank & Haghartsin monasteries. — Kuo Vadis

Khachkars are among the most distinctive forms of Armenian religious art.

The term literally means cross-stone.

These carved stone monuments usually feature a central cross surrounded by elaborate geometric, floral, and symbolic decoration.

Khachkars became especially widespread from the ninth century onward, although their artistic development continued through subsequent centuries.

They served many purposes, including commemorating the dead, recording donations, marking religious foundations, and expressing prayers.

Their designs vary widely across periods and regions.

Some are relatively simple. Others contain extraordinarily intricate networks of carved ornament.

The khachkars of Noratus in Armenia form one of the largest surviving concentrations of these monuments.

In 2010, UNESCO inscribed Armenian cross-stone art, its symbolism, and craftsmanship on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The destruction of the Julfa cemetery

One of the most serious losses of Armenian stone-carving heritage occurred at the historic Armenian cemetery of Julfa, or Jugha, in Nakhchivan.

The cemetery once contained thousands of khachkars and other Armenian funerary monuments.

Documentation and photographic evidence record extensive destruction, particularly during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

The destruction of the cemetery has become a major issue in international discussions of cultural heritage protection.