Nurhan Çetinkaya – Adıyaman and Kahta, located in the shadow of – Nemrut Mountain and on the slopes of the – Toros Mountains
Nurhan Çetinkaya
Armenian traces in Adıyaman / Ադիյամանի հայկական հետքերովվ
Adıyaman and Kahta, located in the shadow of – Nemrut Mountain and on the slopes of the – Toros Mountains.
In the 19th century, schools were established next to Armenian churches in Adıyaman, where both boys and girls received education, and the community made an effort to pass on their language and culture to the younger generation.
These schools and churches were the spiritual and cultural center of Armenian life; however, over time, most of them were either abandoned or demolished.
While Armenians engaged in trades such as tavernkeeping, goldsmithing, knife-making, tailoring, shoemaking, and blacksmithing in the city center, most of those who worked in villages like Kahta and Besni were merchants and farmers.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Adıyaman Province was approximately 15,000; of these, about 6,000 were Armenians. The 1915 event caused a deep fracture in this multi-layered structure. After the expulsion and the closure of churches, schools, and villages, a silence prevailed.
According to official records, in 1971, 52 Armenian families, or approximately 500 people, lived in the city. Today, this number exceeds 1,600, indicating the silent yet resilient traces of the past.
Adıyaman and Kahta are also the birthplaces of the symbol of the French Resistance, Misak Manushyan. Her life symbolizes the extent to which the Armenian story in these lands extends from local to global.
The history of Adıyaman and Kahta is not only about losses; it is also about labor, resistance, and cultural continuity.
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📽️Video Author: Nurhan Çetinkaya
📝Writer: Ermeni Production
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