Acceso usuarios
Karine Aram Sahakyan, Rosa Poghos Hovhannisyan
Objective: This study investigates cemeteries that emerged after the 1988 Spitak earthquake, Armenia, with the aim of examining their role as cultural archives that preserve grief, faith, identity, and collective memory. It explores how these sites reflect personal loss and the reconstruction of public identity in post-disaster Armenia.
Theoretical Framework: The theories of cultural memory, the anthropology of disaster, and narrative analysis frame cemeteries not only as sites of mourning but also as symbolic texts and alternative archival systems that embody cultural transformation after catastrophe.
Method: An interdisciplinary qualitative approach was employed. Data were gathered through fieldwork, ethnographic observation, and photographic documentation. This methodological design has enabled the study to trace connections between individual narratives, symbolic imagery, and the formation of collective memory.
Results and Discussion: As layered cultural archives, cemeteries in post-earthquake Armenia preserve intimate tragedies and shared experiences, while simultaneously symbolizing resilience and identity reconstruction. Grave inscriptions are categorized into 6 groups. Far from being limited to remembrance, they serve as substitutes for traditional archives, documenting the enduring cultural consequences of disaster. These results are contextualized within memory and trauma studies, underscoring their broader cultural significance.
Research Implications: The study advances understanding in anthropology, memory studies, and disaster research by showing how cemeteries embody cultural responses to trauma and safeguard historical continuity.
Originality/Value: The article contributes originality by conceptualizing cemeteries as cultural texts and archival systems. It highlights how symbolic spaces shape collective memory and identity, offering new insights into resilience and cultural representation in post-disaster contexts.
