The khachkar near the village of Kosh

The khachkar was erected south of the village of Kosh and is dated 1196. It is almost 7 metres high. According to the source, it was erected by Father Petros Akanates, head of the Church of Surb Stepanos, to mark the liberation of the Aragatsotn district from the Seljuks.

In the photograph the khachkar stands on a tall, stepped stone base in an open field. A cross is carved in the centre, surrounded by fine geometric ornament.

The source notes that in the second half of the 11th century the Seljuks had seized Armenian lands and, after the Battle of Manzikert, established their rule in the region.