Whisper of the Lost Stone
October 2023 - March 2024
KARS
The Whisper of the Lost Stone documentary focuses on the memory of the Armenian churches at the Ani Ruins near Kars city center and those in the villages of the Digor and Kağızman districts, as well as the story of the stones removed from churches. These abandoned churches have faced great destruction from past to present; with many have been destroyed but most still standing. State policies and earthquakes, as well as people living in the region had an impact on the destruction of the churches. Those who live in rural areas used the stones removed from the churches to build barns and houses in villages, and to build shops in districts. The attitude toward said structures have become particularly harsher during the period of conflict in the 1990s, and police stations were built with stones removed from churches. Statements of the local witnesses and experiences of the experts on the churches and the stone will reveal the destruction of memory, reopening the official history rhetoric for discussion. Furthermore, the differences between the ruins will be revealed thanks to the use of historical documentary archives. The project will demonstrate that such structures, which are located in the universal cultural map and have a historical background, are subject to cultural asset, memory and human erosion. The documentary will establish a framework for re-reading and revival of cultural memory in the light of current conditions.
