Knights and Daughters of Vartan Host Shengavit Director

WORCESTER, Mass.—On Monday evening, April 29, Vladimir Tshagharyan, the director of the Shengavit Historical and Archaeological Culture Preserve in Yerevan, was hosted at a joint dinner meeting of the Knights of Vartan Arshavir Lodge No.2 and the Daughters of Vartan Santoukht Otyag No. 5. About 100 people attended the illustrated talk at the Armenian Church of Our Saviour in Worcester. Dr. Tigran Dolukhanyan translated Tshagharyan’s comments from Armenian.

Prior to the talk, Worcester’s mayor, Joseph Petty, presented Tshagharyan with the key to the city and praised his efforts to preserve Armenia’s historical heritage and cultural legacy. In return, Tshagharyan presented the mayor with a book on Yerevan, together with a desktop Armenian flag and a flag with Yerevan’s insignia. He invited the mayor to visit Yerevan as his guest.

The oldest layer of the Shengavit archaeological site is a Neolithic (late Stone Age) settlement with the remains of buildings and artifacts that date to 3,500-4,000 B.C. Since that time, the site has been continuously inhabited; it became part of the Urartu Empire, and then part of the early Armenian kingdoms. Excavations have revealed the ancient homes of the inhabitants, and their tools, animal bones, gravesites, and flour, all of which have amazingly remained preserved. Tshagharyan described the history of the site and its importance for the study of regional civilization, as Shengavit maintained cultural and trade relations over a wide area.

Tshagharyan has been the director of the site for nearly three years and has extensive experience in managing Armenia’s ancient historical monuments. Shengavit was originally excavated in the 1930’s, but has been largely ignored by the government. During the last few years, excavations have resumed, but funding for maintaining the site, including its small but interesting museum, is lacking. About two years ago, the Cambridge Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) initiated a plan to financially help with site preservation and renovation. Since that time, much progress has been made but much more needs to be done to make the site visitor friendly.

Following the formal part of the talk, a long and lively question-and-answer session ensued, after which both the Knights and Daughters of Vartan presented details of the many programs they help fund. Both the Avak Sbarabed of the Knights, Nighogos Artinizian, and the Avak Dirouhie of the Daughters of Vartan, Agnes Sahagian, gave reports on recent activities and accomplishments. The Knights of Vartan concluded with a generous donation to Shengavit through the Cambridge Yerevan Sister City Association.