Khachkar

The remainder of the stone face is typically filled with elaborate patterns of leaves, grapes, pomegranates, and bands of interlace.

The largest number was formerly located at the Armenian cemetery in Julfa in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, which contained approximately 10,000 khachkars in 1648.

[22][23] A large portion of khachkars, which were created in historic Armenia and surrounding regions, in modern times are now located in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran.

[25][26][27] The government of Azerbaijan has denied claims that members of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces smashed the khachkars with sledgehammers in December 2005.

[28] The destruction of khachkars was despite a 2000 UNESCO order demanding their protection, in what has been termed "the worst cultural genocide of the 21st century.

[31] Reasons cited for moving these khachkars include; decoration, to create new holy places, or to make space for new burials.

Amenaprkich (Armenian: Ամէնափրկիչ, meaning Holy Saviour) is a particular type of khachkar in which on the cross is a depiction of the crucified Christ.

[citation needed] One of the few such surviving khachkars today is located in the Sevanavank monastery, which also depicts scenes from the Bible.