Sotk — Mediated Wiki

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Coord|40|12|11|N|45|51|53|E|display=title}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Sotk | native_name = Սոթք | image_skyline = Տեսարան Սոթքի լեռնանցքից 02.jpg | image_caption = Mountains around Sotk | pushpin_map = Armenia#Gegharkunik | mapsize = 150px | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Armenia | subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Armenia|Province]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Gegharkunik Province|Gegharkunik]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Municipalities of Armenia|Municipality]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Vardenis Municipality|Vardenis]] | established_title = Founded | established_date = 15th century | population_footnotes =<ref name="2011census">{{Cite web|url=https://www.armstat.am/file/article/1._bajin_1_182-311.pdf|title=The results of the 2011 Population Census of Armenia|author=[[Statistical Committee of Armenia]]}}</ref> | population_as_of = [[Census in Armenia|2011]] | population_total = 824 | timezone = [[Armenia Time|AMT]] | utc_offset = +4 | coordinates = {{coord|40|12|11|N|45|51|53|E|region:AM|display=inline}} | elevation_m = 2032 | footnotes = {{GEOnet2|32FA881E67703774E0440003BA962ED3}} }}

'''Sotk''' ({{langx|hy|Սոթք}}) is a village in the [[Vardenis Municipality]] of the [[Gegharkunik Province]] of [[Armenia]], well known for its gold mines.<ref name="Kiesling">{{cite book|last1=Kiesling| first1=Brady| first2=Raffi| last2= Kojian| year=2005 |title=Rediscovering Armenia: Guide| edition= 2nd| publisher=Matit Graphic Design Studio| location=Yerevan| page=82| isbn=99941-0-121-8}}</ref>

== Etymology == According to J. Markwart and [[Nicholas Adontz|N. Adonts]], the name Sotk may be connected to the name of a tribe called ''Tsavde'' (''atsvots'') mentioned in ancient Armenian sources,<ref name=HakobyanTCH>Hakobyan T.Ch., Melik-Bakhshyan S.T., Barseghyan H.Ch., ''Hayastani ev harakits shrjanneri teghanunneri bararan (Toponymical Dictionary of Armenia and Surrounding Regions)'', v. 2, 313, Yerevan, 1988–2001.</ref> while others connect it with the toponym ''Suta'' (or ''Shuta'') of the [[Hittites|Hittite]] sources<ref name=HakobyanTCH /> (the presence of the Hittites was proposed in the vicinity of [[Lake Sevan]] in 2009).<ref>Petrosyan A., ''The ‘Eastern Hittites’'' in the South and East of the Armenian Highland? Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies IV/1 (2009), pp. 63–72</ref> According to the 13th century Armenian historian, [[Stepanos Orbelian]], the town and its respective canton were named after the cold and stormy weather.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Աբրահամյան |first=Ա․ Ա․ |title=ՍՏԵՓԱՆՈՍ ՕՐԲԵԼՅԱՆ ՍՅՈՒՆԻՔԻ ՊԱՏՄՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ |publisher=Սովետական գրող |year=1986 |location=Երևան |pages=70 |language=Armenian}}</ref>

==History== [[File:-Սոթք, Սուրբ Աստվածածին եկեղեցի.jpg|thumb|left|7th century St. Astvatsatsin Church in Sotk]] [[File:Arcax.jpg|thumb|Map of Syunik (pink) in the 9th century]] Sotk has been well known for its mines throughout its history. The mines may have been exploited as early as the 2nd millennium BC, evidenced by the discovery of pits, funnels covered with grass, underground workings, wooden tools, stone mortars, washing pots, and more. The mines were used with interruptions until the 14th century AD, and later rediscovered in the 20th century.

===Bronze Age=== Materials, cemeteries, weapons, bones, and everyday life objects, belonging to the early [[Bronze Age]], have been found in complexes of settlements around the Sotk mountain pass.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Arhestnery bronzedaryan Hayastanum (Crafts in Bronze Age Armenia)|last=Xnkikyan O.S.|year=1977|location=Yerevan|pages=14}}</ref> During this time, gold may have been acquired by [[Alluvium|alluvial]] way, while real mining may have begun in the later Bronze Age.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Kalantaryan|last=Gevorgyan A., Zalibekyan М.|year=2007|pages=30}}</ref>

On the southern slope of the mine, ruins of a large ancient settlement are visible, from where a grass-covered path led to the mine (in 1954, this path would be turned into a road for miners). The river valley is covered by artificial oval terraces which steep from the side towards the river flow.<ref name="MetallurgyOfAncientArmenia">Aram Gevorgyan, Arsen Bobokhyan [http://armstudies.asj-oa.am/38/1/47.pdf "METALLURGY OF ANCIENT ARMENIA IN CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501224614/http://armstudies.asj-oa.am/38/1/47.pdf |date=1 May 2018 }}, ''[[Armenian National Academy of Sciences]]''. Retrieved on 1 May 2018.</ref> West of Sotk, around the nearby town of modern [[Vardenis]], are some [[Cyclopean masonry|cyclopean]] fortresses, with corresponding cemeteries from the 2nd and 1st millennium BC, among which is [[Tsovak]], where there is a [[Cuneiform script|cuneiform]] inscription by [[Urartu|Urartian]] king [[Sarduri II]]. To the north is a settlement of the [[Kura–Araxes culture|Kura-Araxes culture]]. Many other such ruins can be found near Sotk such as in [[Chambarak]], indicating the Lake Sevan basin was a significant region, controlled from centers like Ishtikuni ([[Lchashen]]) and confederations of chiefdoms, such as the ''Uduri-Etiuni'' and ''Uelikuni'' (both of which seem to have been Armenian etymologically) mentioned in Urartian sources. Elite tombs in Lchashen were rich with gold, which, according to metallurgical analyses, would have derived from Sotk.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Arhestnery bronzedaryan Hayastanum (Crafts in Bronze Age Armenia)|last=Xnkikyan O.S.|year=1977|location=Yerevan|pages=18}}</ref>

===Antiquity to Middle Ages=== At some point during the late [[Iron Age]], the [[Armenian Highlands|highlands]] known as "Urartu" became known as "Armenia" (see [[Urartu#Fall|Urartu § Fall]]). As the [[Satrapy of Armenia|first Armenian political entity]] expanded eastwards, the regions around Sotk were incorporated as core regions of ancient Armenia.

During [[Ancient history|Antiquity]] and the [[Middle Ages]], Sotk was part of [[Syunik (historic province)|Syunik]], one of the [[Historical regions of Armenia|regions]] of the [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|ancient]] and the [[Bagratid Armenia|medieval]] kingdoms of Armenia, where it served as the capital of the region of the same name. Its location on the mountain pass was at a strategic point on the medieval [[Dvin (ancient city)|Dvin]]-[[Barda, Azerbaijan|Partav]] road, connecting the southern and eastern regions of the [[South Caucasus]].<ref name="MetallurgyOfAncientArmenia" />

The 7th century St. Astvatsatsin Church, an Armenian basilica church with 13th century [[khachkars]] in its walls is located in the village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/svetlanadingarac/docs/gegharkunik_guide_book-3|title = Armenia: Gegharkunik Province Guidebook by Svetlana Dingarac – Issuu| date=25 November 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ostarmenia.com/hy/gegharqunik-%D5%A3%D5%A5%D5%B2%D5%A1%D6%80%D6%84%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D5%AB%D6%84/ |title=Գեղարքունիք Գեղարքունիքի մարզ Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն |access-date=9 December 2020 |archive-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024095608/https://ostarmenia.com/hy/gegharqunik-%D5%A3%D5%A5%D5%B2%D5%A1%D6%80%D6%84%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D5%AB%D6%84/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Late modern period=== The modern village was only founded in 1829,<ref name="GegharkunikSotk">{{Cite web |title=ՍՈԹՔ |url=https://gegharkunik.am/node/112 |access-date=17 February 2021 |website=gegharkunik.am |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722054946/https://gegharkunik.am/node/112 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=November 2021}} and its official name was ''Zod'' ({{Langx|hy|Զոդ}}).<ref>Ադամյան, Ն., ed. ''Հայկական ՍՍՌ վարչա-տերիտորիալ բաժանումը: Առ 1-ը մարտի 1964 թ.'' Երևան : Հայաստան , 1964; p. 34, 79</ref>{{Verification needed|date=November 2021}} The village had an [[Azerbaijanis|Azerbaijani]]-majority population before the [[Azerbaijanis in Armenia#Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|exodus]] of Azerbaijanis from Armenia after the outbreak of the [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict]]. From 1988 and onwards, Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan settled in the village.<ref name="GegharkunikSotk"/><ref name="reliefweb">{{cite web |url=http://www2.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64D8TN?OpenDocument |url-status=dead |title=Waiting to go home: The plight of Nagorno-Karabakh's refugees |author= |date=3 June 2003 |website=reliefweb.int |publisher=ReliefWeb |access-date= |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060715020023/http://www2.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ACOS-64D8TN?OpenDocument |archive-date=15 July 2006 }}</ref>

In September 2022, Sotk as well as several other Armenian towns, including [[Vardenis]] (Gegharkunik Province), [[Goris]] ([[Syunik Province]]) and [[Jermuk]] ([[Vayots Dzor Province]]), [[September 2022 Armenia–Azerbaijan clashes|came under attack]] by [[Azerbaijani Armed Forces]]. Many residential houses were damaged as a result of the shelling; people were displaced from their homes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://panarmenian.net/m/arm/news/302541|title=PanARMENIAN.Net – Mobile|website=panarmenian.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.1lurer.am/hy/2022/09/14/Ադրբեջանական-հարձակման-հետևանքով-առնվազն-2570-անձ-տեղահանվել-է-ՄԻՊ/795272|title=Ադրբեջանական հարձակման հետևանքով առնվազն 2570 անձ տեղահանվել է. ՄԻՊ|website=www.1lurer.am|date=14 September 2022 }}</ref>

==Gold mine== [[File:Sotk Gold Mine.jpg|thumb|Sotk Gold Mine]] {{main|Sotk gold mine}} A gold mine near the village, called Sotk (Zod), is one of the largest gold deposits in the [[South Caucasus]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/Kelbajar%C2%A0gold-depositsto-remain-on-territory-of-Azerbaijan.html |title=Kelbajar gold deposits to remain on territory of Azerbaijan |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=Vestnik Kavkaza }}</ref> It is located on the border of [[Kalbajar District]] in Azerbaijan and [[Gegharkunik Province]] of [[Armenia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/azeri/live/azerbaijan-54577122?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5fc0dedf10a1c302d6fbecec%26Az%C9%99rbaycan%20MN%20Zod%20m%C9%99d%C9%99ni%20il%C9%99%20ba%C4%9Fl%C4%B1%20yay%C4%B1lan%20x%C9%99b%C9%99rl%C9%99r%C9%99%20%C5%9F%C9%99rh%20verm%C9%99yib%262020-11-27T11%3A42%3A42.951Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:c9a5197d-4efa-4ec4-b10e-eb521784e57c&pinned_post_asset_id=5fc0dedf10a1c302d6fbecec&pinned_post_type=share |title=Azərbaycan MN Zod mədəni ilə bağlı yayılan xəbərlərə şərh verməyib |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=BBC Azerbaijani Service |language=az }}</ref> Kalbajar District was administrated by the breakaway [[Republic of Artsakh]] from its control by Armenian forces in 1993 after the [[Battle of Kalbajar]], near the end of the [[First Nagorno-Karabakh War]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/176731|title=Resolution 884 (1993) /: adopted by the Security Council at its 3313th meeting, on 12 November 1993.|first=UN Security Council (48th|last=Year: 1993)|date=12 November 1993|via=digitallibrary.un.org}}</ref> until 2020, when the Armenian side handed it over to Azerbaijan according to the [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement|ceasefire agreement]], ending the [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/25/azerbaijani-army-enters-kalbajar-region-returned-by-armenia |title=Azerbaijani army enters Kalbajar, region returned by Armenia |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]] |language=en }}</ref>

Azerbaijani forces entered the district on 25 November,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/international-news-azerbaijan-armenia-f1ce47fea3ecb8f85f9b7670f385343c |title=Azerbaijani leader vows to revive region ceded by Armenia |date=25 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]] |language=en }}</ref> and on 26 November, Armenian media reported that a group of 250 Azerbaijani soldiers had arrived at the gold mine, and demanded its handover,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://armenianreport.com/ru/pubs/266347/ |title=Глава общины Гегамасар: "Азербайджанские ВС отошли назад в районе Сотка в Армении" |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=ArmenianReport }}</ref> establishing a military post at the mine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://armenianreport.com/ru/pubs/266327/ |title=В Генштабе ВС Армении не видят поводов для волнения из-за появления азербайджанских солдат в Сотке |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=ArmenianReport }}</ref> The Armenian defense ministry refuted this account,<ref>{{Cite web |first=Siranush |last=Ghazanchyan |url=https://en.armradio.am/2020/11/26/azerbaijani-troops-have-not-entered-the-area-of-sotk-gold-mine-defense-ministry/ |title=Azerbaijani troops have not entered the area of Sotk gold mine – Defense Ministry |date=26 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=[[Public Radio of Armenia]] }}</ref> stating that Azerbaijani forces, having found an Armenian border checkpoint unacceptable, contacted the Armenian side via loudspeaker and negotiated with Russian peacekeepers over the issue. Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities started to demarcate the border on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Kristine |last=Aghalaryan |url=https://hetq.am/en/article/124762 |title=Azerbaijani troops have not entered the area of Sotk gold mine – Defense Ministry |date=26 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=Hetq.am }}</ref> Armenian military authorities then stated that half of the mine area was now in Azerbaijan, given the new border between the two countries.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Seda |last=Ghukasyan |url=https://hetq.am/en/article/124778 |title=Half of Sotk Gold Mine Now in Azerbaijan, Says Armenian Military Official |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=Hetq.am }}</ref>

== Demographics == === Population === According to [[Statistical Committee of Armenia]] 2011 census, the villages' current population is 824.

== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed" heights="140"> Սոթքի լեռնանցք 02.jpg|Nature around Sotk Սոթքի սուրբ Աստվածածին եկեղեցի 35.jpg|St. Astvatsatsin Armenian Church interior Սոթքի սուրբ Աստվածածին եկեղեցի 37.jpg|Armenian Khachkar in Sotk Սոթքի սուրբ Աստվածածին եկեղեցի 24.jpg|Entrance with [[khachkar]]s to the St. Astvatsatsin Armenian Church Սոթքի լեռնանցք 01.jpg|Mountains around Sotk Railroad station in Sotk (Gegarkunik, Armenia).jpg|Railroad station in Sotk </gallery> ==See also== *[[Yeni Zod]]

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons}} * [http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-17&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=x World Gazeteer: Armenia]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} – World-Gazetteer.com * {{ArmenianCensus|146}} * {{RediscoveringArmenia|82}}

[[Category:Populated places in Gegharkunik Province]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1969]] [[Category:Cities and towns built in the Soviet Union]]