Mount Ararat with the historic Khor Virap monastery visible at center-left

Khachkars

The word 'khachkar' joins the Armenian 'khach' (cross) and 'kar' (stone). A canonical khachkar conforms to a defined iconographic grammar: a central cross above a Tree of Life base, framed by continuous interlaced knotwork and rosette borders โ€” a precision art form, not simply any stone inscribed with a cross.

Source

Theย wordย 'khachkar'ย joinsย theย Armenianย 'khach'ย (cross)ย andย 'kar'ย (stone).ย Aย canonicalย khachkarย conformsย toย aย definedย iconographicย grammar:ย aย centralย crossย aboveย aย Treeย ofย Lifeย base,ย framedย byย continuousย interlacedย knotworkย andย rosetteย bordersย โ€”ย aย precisionย artย form,ย notย simplyย anyย stoneย inscribedย withย aย cross.ย 

127Khachkars