Fortress of Kala Mamikun in Iran

[Hakob]

In and near the city of Isfahan in Iran, there exists an ancient fortress by the name of "Kala Mamikun." It is believed to have been established during the early reign of the Sassanians, but locals claim it was built during the waning years of the Arsacid dynasty, only to be rebuilt and rebuilt time after time. Some Armenians live within this vicinity and when their ancestors where deported here during the Safavis, they claimed this land as their own saying that they were returning to the old Arsacid lands of their forefathers. In Afghanistan and all the way up in the northern coastal Caspian regions, many towns bear this title "Kala." I don't know the meaning of this word. But, people say it means a fortress or a castle. Kala Mamikun, doesn't name sound familiar? Perhaps, it was a fortress built by the early ancestors of the Mamikonian dynasty? History says they (Mamikonians) came from the lands east of Iran, and this fortress is located in the east of Iran. I would like to check out this place someday. Iranyar knows better about this.

[Guest]

yes Iranyar also told me about this. This summer i want to pay a visit with Iranyar and Armin to those places, Armin and my wife 9brothers and sisters) are originally Armenian of that region of Bakhtiari mountains.

[Guest]

CyberIran's Forum

 

Kala Mamuka (Hakob read please)

 

Posted By: Iranyar <iranyar@yaho.com> (bglab47.fmg.uva.nl)

Date: Tuesday, 12 June 2001, at 6:36 a.m.

 

Hakob

 

Kala (kala also inGilaki and Mazandari still in the original form, Kalat is Afghanistan, Qal'at in Arabic) all mean fortress, this word is kalak-i in Georgian, and Kaghak in Armenian as as arule l in West Iranian languages become gh in Armenian. Kala means also a town or city, as the older cities and towns had a fortress and wall.

Kala Mamuka(n) is aboyt 200 km south West of Esfahan and is probably from the Arsacid (Arshakuni) period, some others say from the Sasanid period. The last n in Mamuka(n) is unclear it looks that it may have had a genetive plural function in Pahlevi language. The Georgians have also the name Mamuka. This may be the same as General mamigon who fouth for the Ashkanian against the Sasanian, or a decendant of him maybe!

 

Also in Fereydan was a Arscid (Arsacids or Ashkanian were parthian) garnizon and fortress, ancient name of it was Parthikan, when the Georgians were settled there, their nobility claimed that this region was already known to them, because their ancesters, the Arsacids and Bagrationi of Caucasus claim to be decendant of the Arscids (Ashkanian). The first Arsacids were from Parthia (today Xorasan) but later they intermarried witth the local dynasties of the regions they ruled.

 

About if in any language still you can find parthian language; Parthian pahlevi (although in a simplified style) has it's decendants in the west Iranian northern branch languages of Golestan and Mazandaran provinces (north Western Iran) In Owraman in Iranian Kurdestan there is a region whose language is to be thaught adiect decendant of parthian and not Sasanian Pahlevi, there are some scripts there, remaind from the Parthian Arsacid period, And Finally in the classical and middle and new Armenian you have many Parthian Pahlevi words, Also Sorani kurdish shows these feautures, the last ending of -K or Ak or ik, is typically a Pahlevi ending, preserevd in Armenian and Sorani Kurdish.

[Kazza]

Thank you for the info! I have printed it and will read it in greater length, along with the other bits about Karabagh peace process, that MosJan posted!