Scholars Refute Azerbaijani 'Albanization' Claims Over Artsakh
Silence is complicity: Who will protect the sanctuaries of Artsakh?
An article from The Armenian Weekly examines Azerbaijan's "Albanization" thesis, which claims Christian monuments in Artsakh belong to the historical Caucasian Albanian state rather than Armenian civilization. The piece argues this narrative is used to justify the erasure of Armenian cultural heritage following the 2020 war and 2023 displacement of Artsakh's population.
The article cites academic evidence to counter the thesis, including primary ecclesiastical sources showing the Albanian Church operated under Armenian Apostolic Church jurisdiction with Armenian-language liturgies. It also references classical historians like Strabo and Pliny, alongside modern scholars Robert H. Hewsen and Jean-Pierre MahΓ©, documenting that Artsakh's southern provinces were historically Armenian-populated, while Caucasian Albanian tribes inhabited territories north of the Kura River.
The piece frames cultural monument preservation as a critical issue following military conflict and ethnic displacement.
