The “King Alan” Sanctuary of Old Harzhis and Epigraphic Heritage (Syunik, Republic of Armenia)
The “King Alan” Sanctuary of Old Harzhis and Epigraphic Heritage (Syunik, Republic of Armenia)

Summary/Abstract: The half-destroyed monument complex of the “King Alan” sanctuary, located in the rural area of Old Harzhis in the Syunik province of the Republic of Armenia, comprises a single-nave vaulted basilica church, a narthex-hall attached to the west, and a mausoleum adjoining them to the north. This complex is being comprehensively studied for the first time. Although manuscript sources do not provide evidence about the monument, more than a dozen epigraphs dating from the 11th to the 15th centuries fill this gap. The architectural and sculptural features of the monument indicate that the complex was built no later than the 10th-11th centuries. The first component of the name “King Alan” is directly connected with the term “free-born” (“ազատածին” - “azatatsin”) mentioned in the 1326 inscription on the ornamented tombstone preserved in the narthex-hall, referring to Alan, who descended from a noble family. It is logical that being “free-born” and the highly artistic tombstone led the local people to refer to Alan as a “king,” which caused the original name of the church to be forgotten and the entire complex to be known as “King Alan.” Unfortunately, this has sometimes led to misunderstandings, particularly the misinterpretation of the name Alan as a tribal name and the deceased as a king of the Alans.

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