HISTORY

* The most famous trading centers of 18th-20th centuries were Kareen, Van, Yerevan, Alexandropol, Shushi, Tiflis, as well as Constantinople and other cities. Carpet art is the most loved and widespread phenomenon with stable fraditions in Armenian life from ancient times.

* Carpets have been woven as far back as before Christ's birth. Dvin, Ani, Kareen, Kesaria, Sebastia, towns and settlemants in Vaspourakan, Tapon, Goghtan, Syunik and other provinaea were outsfanding centres of the Armenian carpet. Carpets have been woven as far back as before Christ's birth. The historian Herodotus (485 - 425 B. C.) informs us that "the inhabitants of the Caucasus dyed the wool with a number of plants having dyeing qualities and they used it to make woven fabrics covered with drawings which never lose their brilliant color... ". Yakoot, an Arab historian of the XIII century (1178 - 1229) wrote: "The Armenians make huge rugs in the town of Van. The rugs made in Kalikali (Kareen) were called 'khali' after the name of the town". Kareen, Dvin, Ani, Kesaria, Sebastia, towns and settlemants in Vaspourakan, Tapon, Goghtan, Syunik and other provinaea were outsfanding centres of the Armenian carpet. The Armenian rugs exported from Western Armenia (currently occupied by Turkey) were sold mainly in Europe and America where the products of Kareen, Baberd, Manazkert, Moosh, Sassoon, Van, Akhtamar, Norshen, Vostan, Artskeh, Berkri, Moks, Shatakh, Akni, and other towns were given high prices.

* Lace adorned the homes as well as the costumes of Armenian women. Women also donated their lacework for the adornment of churches, where it appeared on the altar and on the vestments of the clergy. Schools of embroidery and lace making developed in prominent cities such as the Van school, the Kareen school and the Cilician school.

Gold medalion found at Armavir. Second to first centuries B.C.

* From the earliest times, Armenia has been one of the most important centres of metalworking in Asia Minor and the Transcaucasus. Four thousand years ago historic Armenia was a metalworking centre excelling in gold, silver, copper and iron. The metal objects obtained from the excavations at Lchashen, Armavir, Metzamor, Karmir Blur, Sisian, Dvin and Ani are witnesses of a high standard of metalworking. Vaspurakan, and specially Van - Cilicia, Sebastia, Kesaria, Kareen, Shirak, Sunik, Artsakh, and the Plain of Ararat were centres for the artistic treatment of metal and the production of ornaments and utensils.

* Henry Morgenthau III plants a tree at the Armenia Tree Project Nursery in Kareen Village with sons, Ben and Kramer and ATP Founder Carolyn Mugar. This tree, as well as one planted by the family at the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, stands as a living memorial to the late Ambassador Morgenthau.