St. Vardan Monastery-Pilgrimage Site of Lower Zvartak Monastery

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Mahlam

Location

St. Vardan (Sts. Vardananq) Monastery-Pilgrimage Site of Lower Zvartak is situated 1.1 km west of Mahlam, surrounded by gardens (N 38°07°42.77°°; E 044°43°31.65°°), at an altitude of 1,412 metres.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 349.

Historical Introduction

The locals know this place as Lower Svataqir.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 349.

Architectural Description

The earthen church, trapezoid in plan, was the main construction in the group of monuments. It was covered with a wooden roof and the outer dimensions were the following: 12.21 x 7.61 metres.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 351.

Description

In 1957, the church was already mentioned as a “bent” building.
In the 1980s, it was loose but yet standing.

Tghtakits, “A Brief Report,” Alik, no. 103, 15 May 1957, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 351.

The place had a reputation of a pilgrimage site among the Armenians of Salmast: “There is a pilgrimage site called Vardananq near this village. Every year the Armenian villagers of Mahlam visit this shrine on the Vardanants holiday. There, in memory of Vardananq, the priest holds a requiem; then they kill an animal as a sacrifice; burn incense; and after feasting joyfully, they return home.”

Atjemian, “Ancestral Relics,” Vardzk, no. 11 (2016), p. 50.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 351.

The pilgrimage site was believed to cure fever.

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), p. 30.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 351.

In 1969, the church was measured by W. Kleiss, while in 1976 by the aforementioned Italian expedition.

Kleiss, W. “Report on Two Exploratory Journeys in North-Western Iran.” Archaeological Reports from Iran. Vol. 2 (Berlin, 1969), band 2.
Research on Armenian Architecture: Iran, vol. 1 (17), p. 141.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 352.

In 2011, when we were visiting the church, we saw it almost turned into a mound.

Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 352.

Author Ashot Hakobian
Date 2011 y․

Author Armen Hakhnazarian
Date 1980 y․

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Sts. Vardananq
Lower Svataqir