Historical overview

The historical Tegh settlement has been mentioned since the 10th century, when Queen Shahandukht of Syunik founded and built the village in 988, dedicating it to the Tatev Monastery (Orbelean 1910, 252).

Melik Barkhudar, the progenitor of the Melik-Barkhudaryan family, migrated from Lori to Syunik. Following his demise, his son Davit Bek built the Melik mansion of Tegh in 1783 (Lalayan 1899, 11-13). Two inscriptions from that period have endured. However, according to researcher A. Ghulyan, the primary inscription is not in its original location and contains an incomplete segment. "In (1783), I, Davit Bek, built this palace in honor of Melik Barkhudar, my father, during the reign of Ibrahim Khan" (Ghulyan 2001, 109; CAE 2, 70, fig. 2). During the latter half of the 18th century, Ibrahim Khan assumed leadership after his father, Panah Khan, in the Karabakh Khanate. Throughout Ibrahim Khan's reign (1763-1806), he effectively subdued and oppressed the meliks of the Khamsa Melikdoms and the khans of neighboring khanates (Kostikyan 1999, 356).

The main halls of the mansion exhibit a slightly irregular, one-dimensional layout, deviating slightly from a square plan with dimensions measuring approximately 6.55 by 6.85 meters inside. These capitals feature a single side-by-side entrance leading to the colonnade. Unfortunately, the eastern capital has suffered significant damage, with only two small and flat niches remaining in its walls. These niches are connected to the two adjacent side halls through entrances that open from the sides via the inner face of the front wall (Ghulyan 2001, 110, fig. 5).

Within the covered halls, traditional fireplaces are present along the inner walls. The eastern hall measures approximately 3.7 by 6.8 meters, while the western hall spans approximately 4.1 by 6.9 meters. Notably, the eastern hall features only a narrow window on the hall side. In contrast, the western hall underwent further reconstruction, resulting in the addition of a wide window, an entrance, and an arched entrance in front of them (Ghulyan 2001, 110, Fig. 6).

As a consequence of the outer colonnade's collapse during the 19th century, two double-storeyed and roofed rooms were erected. These rooms, corresponding in length to the columns of the four-pillared hall and in width to the hall itself, were constructed. Entrances were fashioned in front of the porches of the capitals and side halls, with frontal arches covering them. However, since the halls lacked entrances from these vestibules, an entrance was carved into the front wall of the western hall and the window was enlarged. Additionally, the vestibule on the eastern side was transformed back into a room (Ghulyan 2001, 112). Today, an olive stone rests atop the two-story building that was subsequently added (Fig. 7).