Collection of dolls made by Gohar Marikyan, Ph.D.
Bride from Artsakh known as Gharabagh/Karabakh
Source: Painting of A. Tsatoorian
HISTORY
The area, historically known as Artsakh, was acquired by Russia in 1813. The Soviet Union created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (1,700 square miles) within Azerbaijan in 1924, when over 94 percent of the region’s population was Armenian.
The term Nagorno-Karabakh originates from the Russian for “mountainous Karabakh.” Despite its “autonomous” status, the area, populated by about 180,000 Armenians, has long been controlled by the Azeri government in the capital of Baku. As the Azerbaijani population grew, the Karabakh Armenians chafed under discriminatory rule, and by 1960 hostilities had begun between the two populations of the region.
On February 20, 1988, Armenian deputies to the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh voted to unify that region with Armenia. This act triggered an Azerbaijani genocide of Armenians in the city of Sumgait, Maragha,Kirovabad and Baku. Large numbers of refugees left Azerbaijan as pogroms began against Armenians.
Gorbachev’s 1989 proposal for enhanced autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan satisfied neither Armenians nor Azerbaijanis, and a long and conflict erupted between the two peoples. In September 1989, Azerbaijan began an economic blockade of Armenia’s vital fuel and supply lines through its territory, which until that time had carried about 90 percent of Armenia’s imports from the other Soviet republics. In 1991 full scale war erupted between Armenians and Azeris in and around Karabakh when Azeri Tatars invaded Artsakh. By 1992 Armenians gained control of much of historical Armenia (southwestern Azerbaijan), including Nagorno-Karabakh and territory connecting the enclave with Armenia.
2) Provincial lady from Kemerek, 19th Century.
Source: “Armenian Costumes” published by the Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
HISTORY
The area of Kemerek, Region of Svaz, produced a distinctive style of costume.
The apron is hand-embroidered.
I am interested in an Armenian doll from Bitlits. Do you have one or know where I can buy one?