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Archaeological monuments discovered in the district, indicate that the region was inhabited since the most ancient times. This is proved, particularly, by natural caves in the gorge of the Trtu River accommodated for settling and rock carvings on comparatively smooth surfaces of basalt rock fragments on Ayichingil and Perichingil mounts, not far from Lake Zaikha. Stylistic peculiarities and execution technique, the composition and narratives of these rock-carvings resemble or are often similar to those found on the rocks of Vardenis or Syunik ranges, and may be dated accordingly by the IV-III Millennia BC.
Preliminary investigation of numerous and versatile medieval monuments, particularly, the settlements, revealed about 140 small and large settlements, existing over the centuries up to the first quarter of the XVIIIcent. Available monuments of different periods witness to the course of uninterrupted life during two millennia. It is also obvious, that before the thirties of the XVIIIcent. the population of this province consisted mainly of Armenians. In any case, neither historical monuments, nor the available sources provide any data proving the presence of other ethnic minorities in the region till 1730.
Upon the Armenian exodus the access to the vast highland meadows was virtually open for the nomadic tribes". Since the middle of the XVIIIcent. the nomads began to settle (at first only in summer-time) in the territories emptied of Armenians, moving mostly into the abandoned Armenian villages. Actually, the aspiration of nomadic tribes to get hold of the region's heavy meadows was supported and patronized by the khans of Shushi.
Thus, for many long decades (about 80-90 years) the region had no settled population.
When by 1830 Archbishop Baghdassar Hasan-Jalalian trying as hard as he could, finally won the case and the Court action confirmed the legitimacy of Dadi Vank claims and established the borders of estates, many of the nomadic tribes had already been residing there (though not constantly). As a result of Court proceedings, the tribes settling within the boundaries of the estate were obliged to pay tribute to the monastery.
Meanwhile, the situation was desperate and had to be improved whatever the circumstances were, and Levon Ter-Avetikian, former resident of Tbilisi, the nominated manager of the monastery estate, set to it.
A number of documents testify that the first settled tribes occurred in the region after 1850 only, choosing the old villages abandoned by Armenians for their constant settlement.
During the Armenian-Turkish conflict of 1905-06 no manager risked to enter the desolate monastery estates lorded by Turks and Kurds, Dadi-Vank lost all its income then, it was reported that "during the conflict the Turks and Kurds intended to bum the woods, but they were stopped. Nevertheless they managed to cut the trees, the estimated loss constituted about 50.000 rubles, and the fallen trees were left in the forest...". In 1906 50 Kurdish riders armed with the guns of the latest model and led by Askarkhan, head of the Kolani band made attempts to attack such large Armenian villages as Haterk and Vank".
The situation of Dadi Vank itself was also desperate. By 1890 it was totally abandoned both by the monks and the superior. Numerous monastery structures were left to the disposal of a Kolani Seid-molla and his herds, later expelled by Bakhish Bek, owner of the Armenian village Metzshen.
As a matter of fact the anarchy incidental to the Armenian-Turkish conflict - created conditions exceptionally, favorable for the further penetration of the nomadic tribes into the region. New kishlaks were founded just at that period. The number of settled villages in 1910 reached 40, and the number of households reached 1000.
The final shift of nomadic tribes to the settled life was completed only in the Soviet period (before the thirties of the XXcent.)
Immediately after the liquidation of Red Kurdistan (1930) the authorities of Azerbaijan commenced the transfer of the Turkish population of other regions into the area of Karvajar, which was still thinly populated. For this purpose part of the local Kurdish population was deported to remote regions of Azerbaijan. As a result, the remaining population was completed with the Turkish ethnic element, which led to the total assimilation of the Kurds living in the region. As for the Kurds, those who still remained occurred under conditions, which fostered their rapid assimilation and loss of national identity and customs. It deserves mentioning that the Musavat Government began the struggle against the local Kurdish population in 1918-1920 already. Such national policy was further adopted and promoted by Soviet Azerbaijan during the entire period of Soviet rule. If at the beginning of the Soviet period such villages as Zaylik, Aghjakand, Shurtan, Orujlu, Khalanli, Soyughbulagh, etc. were inhabited by the Kurds only", to the end of the twenties only 11 Kurdish villages remained in Karvajar."
However, between 1918-1960 the population of the region was still rather sparse. Intensive growth of the population began before 1980, when the average density of the population reached 21 people per 1 sq. km, and the whole region had in aggregate 40.300 inhabitants living in 122 villages and two towns". Besides, the census indicated to the homogenous Azerbaijanian population, as the Kurds were almost totally assimilated by that time. Up to 1988 the population of the region was still increasing (maximum 42.000 people), but it decreased sharply, before the events of 1993.
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