Torfavan 01

A 17th-century cradle-shaped tombstone. The carved surface depicts a hunting scene: the mounted deceased holds the horse’s reins in one hand and a rifle in the other, attempting to hunt a deer. Beneath the deer’s feet coils a vishap-serpent. The composition concludes with the image of a one-headed, two-bodied mythical creature. A similar creature is most often seen on the cornice sections of Julfa khachkars, where its interpretation is generally associated with the Second Coming of Christ or the Last Judgment. Its appearance on tombstones, however, remains unexplained. In the left corner of the composition is a decorative element with a fan-shaped opening, while in the right corner there appears to be an ornament in the form of a bird’s head. The entire scene is framed by a beautifully braided border.