Shurnukh

Shurnukh is first mentioned in Stephen Orbelian's 13th-century work History of the Province of Sisakan as Shornokho ({{langx|hy|Շոռնոխոյ}}), located in the Baghk (or Kashunik) canton of the Syunik province of historic Greater Armenia.{{Cite journal |last=Kumunts |first=Mher |date=October 2020 |title=Պատմական Սիւնիքի Բաղք գաւառի Շոռնոխ բնակավայրը (ստուգաբանութեան փորձ) |trans-title=The settlement of Shornokh of the Baghk district of historical Syunik (an attempt at etymology) |url=https://tert.nla.am/archive/HGG%20AMSAGIR/echmiadzin-vagharshapat/2020/10.pdf |journal=Etchmiadzin |language=hy |volume=ՀԷ [77] |pages=50-66}} According to one theory, the name of the village comes from Old Armenian and originally had the meaning of "running water, a place of running water, a damp area." The date of the destruction of the historic village is unknown; however, it is known that there were ruins at its site at the end of the 19th century, including remnants of a church.{{cite news |last=Aleksanyan |first=Samvel |date=2019-12-28 |title=Այցելություն Սյունյաց աշխարհի Բղեն գավառի սրբավայրեր, որոնց պսակը Նորավանքն է |language=hy |trans-title=Visiting the holy places of the Bghen district of the province of Syunik, the crown of which is Noravank |work=Syunyats Yerkir |url=https://syuniacyerkir.am/aytselutyun-syunyats-ashkharhi-bkhen-gavari-srbavayrer-oronts-psaky-noravanqn-e |url-status=live |access-date=2021-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328162639/https://syuniacyerkir.am/aytselutyun-syunyats-ashkharhi-bkhen-gavari-srbavayrer-oronts-psaky-noravanqn-e |archive-date=2023-03-28}}

Shurnukh and the surrounding area was the sight of fighting during the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict of 1918–1920.{{Cite web |last=Yalanuzyan |first=Mikayel |date=2020-01-29 |title=Դրոյի եւ Նժդեհի հարձակումը Շուռնուխի ուղղությամբ |trans-title=Dro and Nzhdeh's attack in the direction of Shurnukh |url=https://republic.mediamax.am/story/96/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201231947/https://republic.mediamax.am/story/96/ |archive-date=2023-02-01 |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=republic.mediamax.am |language=hy}} The area was strategically important due to its proximity to the road connecting the towns of Goris and Kapan (then called Ghapan). In January 1920, forces under the command of Garegin Nzhdeh attacked and captured Shurnukh and several nearby villages and heights.

The modern village was founded in 1930 on the site of the ruins of the historic village.{{cite news |date=2008 |title=Հայաստանի Հանրապետության բնակավայրերի բառարան |language=hy |page=160 |work=ՀՀ կառավարությանն առընթեր անշարժ գույքի կադաստրի պետական կոմիտե “Գեոդեզիայի և Քարտեզագրության կենտրոն” ՊՈԱԿ |url=http://www.cadastre.am/storage/files/pages/pg_907871769_HH_bnak._bar..pdf |access-date=2021-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912150541/http://www.cadastre.am/storage/files/pages/pg_907871769_HH_bnak._bar..pdf |archive-date=2014-09-12 |quote=Շ. հիմնադրվել է 1930թ. պատմական Շոռնոխո ավերակ գյուղի տեղում:}}{{cite book |last1=Hakobyan |first1=Tadevos Kh. |url=http://nayiri.com/imagedDictionaryBrowser.jsp?dictionaryId=61&query=%D5%B7%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%BC%D5%B6%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%AD |title=Հայաստանի և հարակից շրջանների տեղանունների բառարան |last2=Melik-Bakhshyan |first2=Stepan T. |last3=Barseghyan |first3=Hovhannes Kh. |date=1986 |publisher=Yerevan State University Publishing House |volume=4 |location=Yerevan |page=164 |language=hy |trans-title=Dictionary of Toponymy of Armenia and Adjacent Territories}} In Soviet times, the village council also included the nearby villages of Aghbulagh and Vanand (now both uninhabited) and a settlement attached to a woodworking factory.{{Cite web |last= |date=11 March 2021 |title=Շուռնուխ, Վանանդ, Ձորակ և Աղբուլաղ գյուղերի բնակչությունը․ Գորիսի շրջան |trans-title=Population of the villages of Shurnukh, Vanand, Dzorak and Aghbulagh (Goris district) |url=http://www.aniarc.am/2021/03/11/shurnukh-and-3-villages-population-korkotian/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421085859/https://www.aniarc.am/2021/03/11/shurnukh-and-3-villages-population-korkotian/ |archive-date=21 April 2022 |website=ANI Armenian Research Center |language=hy}}

Shurnukh is located on a scenic, thickly forested mountainside near the river Shurnukh, a small tributary of the Vorotan. It is located on the Goris-Kapan road.

Shurnukh's population consisted of 84 residents in 1897, 101 residents in 1926, 351 residents in 1939, 363 in 1959 and 1970, 324 in 1979, 0 in 1989, 148 in 2001 and 197 in 2004.{{Cite Republic of Armenia Settlements Dictionary}} The community's population increased to 224 in 2010,{{cite web |title=Report of the Results of the 2011 Armenian Census |url=http://armstat.am/file/doc/99483283.pdf |website=National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia}} but reduced to 207 people in the 2011 census. In 2016, the population was recorded as 153 people.{{Cite web |title=Սյունիքի մարզպետարան |url=http://syunik.mtad.am/about-communities/980/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205737/http://syunik.mtad.am/about-communities/980/ |archive-date=2022-04-21 |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=syunik.mtad.am}}

According to Syunyats Yerkir magazine, Shurnukh was populated by Azerbaijanis from 1930 to 1989 who fled as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, after which the village was repopulated by Armenians who fled from Azerbaijan.

In the late 2010s, an iron cross was erected on the hill in the centre of the village. The cross lights up in the night.

On 24 December 2020, Shurnukh village head Hakob Arshakyan said that Azerbaijanis were in Shurnukh negotiating with a representative of the Armenian National Security Service and Russian border guards. The Azerbaijani representatives demanded that the Armenian side cede twelve houses located on the eastern side of the Goris-Kapan road to Azerbaijan which, according to Soviet-era maps, fall in the Qubadli District of Azerbaijan bordering Armenia's Syunik Province. Most of Qubadli District was captured by Azerbaijani forces during 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, and the remaining parts still under Armenian control were transferred to Azerbaijan according to unwritten provisions of the trilateral agreement which ended the war.{{cite news |author= |title=Protests Force Pashinyan to Cancel Visit to Goris, Kapan and Meghri in Syunik |url=https://asbarez.com/199334/protests-force-pashinyan-to-cancel-visit-to-goris-kapan-and-meghri-in-syunik/ |work=Asbarez |date=21 December 2020 |access-date=22 January 2021}} Further demarcation according to the administrative borders of the Soviet era raised tensions among the villagers living close to the border and residents of Syunik in general. On 21 December residents of Syunik blocked roads to prevent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from entering the region.{{cite news |url=https://jam-news.net/azerbaijani-armed-forces-demand-the-release-of-12-houses-in-the-village-of-shurnukh-demarcation-of-the-armenian-azerbaijani-border/ |title=Armenia says that Azerbaijan laying claims to half of Armenian village |work=JAMnews |location=Yerevan |date=2020-12-24 |access-date=2021-01-03 |quote=Representatives of Azerbaijan have demanded 12 houses located in the village of Shurnukh, in the Syunik region of Armenia be transferred to them }} The 12 houses were ceded to Azerbaijan on 4 January 2021. There is no frontier post yet, just a small sign, and people can cross freely between parts of the village.

On 9 January the Armenian government announced that it would build 12 new houses in the village to compensate the villagers whose homes came under the control of Azerbaijan.{{cite web |url=https://news.am/eng/news/622648.html |title=Armenia government to build 12 houses in Shurnukh village |author= |date=9 January 2021 |website=news.am |access-date=15 January 2021 }} In February 2021, the government announced a compensation package of 300,000 Armenian drams (about US$577) as a single payment followed by a monthly payment of 68,000 Armenian drams (about US$130) for six months, and the start of the construction of a new residential block to provide permanent accommodation to those villagers who lost their homes.{{cite news |last=Բադալյան |first=Սուսան |title=Այս շաբաթ Սյունիքի մարզի Շուռնուխ գյուղում կսկսվի բնակելի նոր թաղամասի շինարարությունը |language=Armenian |trans-title=A new residential block construction will begin this week in Shurnukh village of Syunik province |work=Azatutyun (RFE/RL) |date=2021-02-01 |url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31080613.html |access-date=2021-02-02 |quote=Շուռնուխը պետք է ավելի լավ գյուղ լինի։ Խոսքը նվազագույնը 12 տների մասին է, որոնց շինարարությունը այս տարի կավարտեն։ }}

Shurnukh cross.jpg|The Shurnukh cross

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Category:Populated places in Syunik Province

Category:Former Azerbaijani inhabited settlements