კანდელაკი, დალი / Kandelaki, Dali2025-04-232025-04-232025-04-23ივანე ჯავახიშვილის დაბადებიდან 149-ე წლისთავისადმი მიძღვნილი სამეცნიერო კონფერენცია, თეზისები, თბილისი, 2025, გვ.: 79-83 / Scholarly Conference in Honour of the 149th Anniversary of the Birth of Ivane Javakhishvili, Abstracts, Tbilisi, 2025, p: 79-83978-9941-36-345-0 (pdf)https://dspace.tsu.ge/handle/123456789/2627The essay “The Road from Tiflis to Erivan. Erivan in 1839. The Monastery of Etchmiadzin”, written in 1839 by Ekaterina Lachinova (1810–1896), is a unique historical and literary source that reflects the social, political, and cultural environment of the Caucasus region in the late 1830s. The writer resided in the Caucasus between 1836 and 1840 with her husband, General Nikolai Emilianovich Lachinov of the Separate Caucasian Corps. Her close connections with high-ranking civil and military officials allowed her to observe regional events and imperial policies firsthand. Lachinova is also known by her pseudonym, “E. Khamar-Dabanov”, under which she published the novel-pamphlet “Escapades in the Caucasus“in 1844, a kind of chronicle of the military events of the Caucasian War. The essay, originally written in Russian, was translated into French by the author herself and gifted in May 1840 to the English traveler Anne Lister (1791–1840) during her stay in Tbilisi. In 2022, this manuscript was discovered in the British National Archives by Russian art historian Olga Khoroshilova and translated it into Russian. It was subsequently published in 2024 by literary scholar Valentina Malakhova in the book “Gorodishko”. E. Lachinova’s essay has not been translated into Georgian and is unknown to representatives of the scientific field. The writer provides a detailed description of her journey from Tbilisi to Erivan, depicting the natural landscape, settlements, and architectural monuments along the way. Special attention is given to the description of the Sardar’s Palace in Erivan, the Monastery of Etchmiadzin, and Armenia’s historical heritage in general. The author recounts the history of Erivan Fortress, which was captured by the Russians from the Persians in 1827, and extensively characterizes Sardar’s Palace, which at the time housed the Russian imperial administration. Of particular note is the Mirror Hall, decorated with portraits of shahs and Persian heroes. The essay also includes an episode about Emperor Nikolai I’s visit to Erivan: Ekaterina Lachinova discovered a framed inscription embedded in the wall of the former Sardar’s Palace, protected under glass, which read: “Nikolai, October 5, 1837.” She notes that the Armenians preserved this inscription under glass, attributing great significance to it. E. Lachinova describes her visit to Erivan’s mosques, one of which had been converted into an arsenal, while the other remained in use. She was unable to visit Geghard Monastery herself but recounts its description based on local accounts. On her journey to the Monastery of Etchmiadzin, the provincial governor assigned her an escort of twenty Muslim horsemen. The writer provides a detailed description of the monastery’s architecture, library, printing house, theological seminary, refectory and cemetery. She saw portraits of the Russian Emperor, General Golovin, Prince Paskevich, and Baron Rosen displayed in the monastery gallery. Traveler also recounts her meeting with the 80-year-old Catholicos and attended a religious service, which she describes as a blend of Greek Orthodox and Catholic traditions. The essay also mentions the memorial dedicated to Russian officers who perished defending Etchmiadzin from the Persians in 1828. Additionally, the writer describes the region’s economy, noting cotton and rice as the principal products of Armenia’s province. Ekaterina Lachinova’s work is an important source for studying the history of the Caucasus in the 19th century, Russian imperial policy, and the cultural heritage of the region’s peoples. Her text, to some extent, contains elements of imperial propaganda – portraying Russian administration in a positive light while sometimes approaching local culture with a superficial perspective. Nevertheless, this essay occupies a significant place not only in travel literature but also among historical sources on the region. It not only complements other contemporary works about the Caucasus but also highlights Ekaterina Lachinova’s keen observational skills and literary talent.otherAbstracts