Armenian Cemetery in Shushi Damaged by Azerbaijan, Adding to Series of Cultural Heritage Losses

Between October 5 and November 3, another blow was dealt to the cultural heritage of Armenia with the reported damage to an Armenian cemetery in Shushi, as revealed by Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW) in a recent statement.

The affected site, known as the old Ghazanchetsots cemetery situated southeast of the cathedral, was reportedly marred by the dumping of debris by bulldozers, further imperiling the already fragmented tombstones, CHW reports.

"It appears that bulldozers dumped heaps of debris atop the old Ghazanchetsots cemetery, endangering the already fragmented tombstones," the statement from CHW detailed, citing evidence from maps, publications, and recent photographs substantiating the location of the cemetery. CHW noted that the cemetery, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, had previously suffered severe damage during the Soviet era. By the 1990s, only 45 tombstones remained, with one marking the resting place of Stepan, a blacksmith from Ghazanchi village in Nakhijevan, who passed away in 1758.

Stepan's tombstone not only commemorates his own passing but also echoes the tragic history of Armenian cemeteries. It references the destruction of the Armenian cemetery in his native village, the Old Cemetery of Shahkert. CHW's investigation, "Silent Erasure," delved into the recent destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nakhijevan, documenting the obliteration of the medieval Armenian monastery in Ghazanchi, Stepan's birthplace.

"This is the sixth Armenian cemetery impacted since Nov. 2020, after the destruction of Mets Tagher and Sghnakh, damage to the cemetery near Vazgenashen, and damage to Shushi’s Northern and Yerevan Gates cemeteries," the statement further highlighted, underscoring a distressing trend of cultural heritage losses in the region.

The desecration of yet another Armenian cemetery in Shushi amplifies concerns over the preservation of historical sites and cultural heritage, adding to a series of distressing events that have unfolded since November 2020.

CHW's monitoring report #6, poised for release, is expected to provide additional details and documentation regarding the recent damage inflicted upon the Ghazanchetsots cemetery, shedding further light on the ongoing challenges faced by Armenian cultural heritage sites.