The independent academic platform “Monitoring Artsakh’s Cultural Heritage” presents a unique manifestation of Artsakh khachkar iconography in Armenian khachkar culture.

It represents mortals, their main occupation, expectations, popular ideas about immortality.

Among the many characters and themes, the character of the warrior and the theme of battle are of particular importance. When this remarkable manifestation began, it is not clear to the end.

Judging from the khachkar inscriptions bearing warriors’ images, one can consider their most probable beginning to be the middle of the 12th century, when the authorities of Artsakh started a persistent struggle for the liberation of the territory.

About three years ago, a khachkar was found in the woods of Ptretsik village. The Platform notes that the khachkar does not have an inscription, and its approximate time can be judged based on the dimensional resolution, iconographic features of the individual components of the composition, and the technical performance of the sculpture.

The sculpture also stands out for its simplicity. The rider’s clothes, hat, face, harness, saddle are not shown in detail.

The drawn sword and the scabbard attached to the belt are more plausible.

The listed details provide a basis for attributing the khachkar to the 11th century, considering the beginning of the 12th century as the uppermost limit.

But this simple and schematic presentation is realized with a clear structure: a rosette, the stem of the cross, pendants, clusters descending from the top of the altar, precise and prominent sculpture – features that give a special charm to this unique cross stone.