Karvajar (Kalbajar) province

TSRTNOT AND KHOLOZANTS

Tsrtnot. Bridge over the Trtu (Tartar) River (XII-XIII Cent.)

These two villages, which are known both by their Turkish and historical Armenian names, are situated in the gorges, respectively 9 and 11 km south of Karvajar, at the right bank of a small tributary flowing to the Trtu. The first of them, situated on the altitude of 1950-2070 m. on the bare ground is renamed by later Kurdish inhabitants to Soyughbulagh (literally 'cold spring'). There is a high probability that it's ancient Tsrtnot (in this case the meaning of the toponym was calqued), 2.2 km far of tile latter there is a village currently called Kholagel-Alkhasli, which may be doubtlessly identified with historical Kholozanls. In this case the toponym was distorted.
Tsrnot was recorded once in the document of Dopian dynasty (probably dating back to the XIV cent.), relating to the donation of this village to some (if the monasteries in the province, and Kholozants was mentioned in the cadastre of Dadi Vank estates compiled in 1763.

Both villages were built up quite densely. The Kurds that settled in the villages later adapted to the existing conditions. They didn't change the planning even during the Soviet period, and built new houses on old foundations. Tsrtnot and Kholozants communicated with each other by a well preserved medieval bridge over the Trtu. It was a single span bridge 2.05 m wide, built of coarse stone (mainly pebbles) and mortar. The length of the span was 7.10 m. Judging from the constructive peculiarities and comparison with other similar bridges it may be dated by XIII-XVIcent. During the eighties it was repaired by local authorities - paved anew by a thick layer of concrete, which has increased the load on the vault. Fortunately the structure remained undamaged.

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